In 1993 I was newly married and nearing graduation from college. In the world there were wars, political unrest, financial crises, famine, corruption and natural disasters. We (collectively) worried about the increasing evil and the decline in morality. Elder Howard W. Hunter came to BYU to give a devotional and shared comments he had received …
Lessons from Living in Babylon
I wonder what Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah’s lives looked like before they were carried away captive. There were certainly born into lives of privilege; they came from the relations of the king or princes in some way. They were considered among those with ability, skill and understanding (see Dan 1:4). I am intrigued by …
Rooted & Grounded
I love lessons from nature, taught without words, yet so relatable and powerful. When I come across a windswept tree that is standing firm against the onslaught, I want to cheer it on: “Hang in there, tree friend! You’ve got this!” A tree can withstand enormous forces pressing against it largely because of what is …
Miracles in the Middle, Mercies in the Midst
There is no question that difficult times arise in our lives. Experiences that take us by surprise, that change our plans, that devastate and confound us. Understandably, we fiercely wish for a miraculous removal of the trial or obstacle. But when removal is not immediate, when we don’t get what we desperately want, I have …
Opposites
So often life’s lessons are learned in the opposites. We feel opposition in everything, and usually more readily relate to the opposition that pushes against us when we are trying our hardest to do right. But I’ve noticed in this time of uncertainty that we are also given positive opposites-glimpses of light and hope in …