Don't you dare give up

The past three weeks have been hard. Things weren't going the way I had hoped or planned. I had many moments where I just felt like breaking down. I had many instances where I deeply contemplated giving up and quitting on things that I knew were important. Stumbling blocks stood strong in front of goals I had set for myself. Every time I would get up or use my strength to climb up the mountain that stood in my way, I would start to slide back down. I found myself brainstorming easier ways to get to my end goal without having to climb up the steeper parts of the mountain. I honestly felt like I just couldn't do it any more. 

These negative thoughts started to take over my mind, that's when I knew I needed to pray. I started to pray about what to do and asked if quitting was the right thing to do. As I listened, expecting an answer immediately, God was silent. I felt lost and then really had no clue what to do. I woke up the next morning and these simple, small thoughts were singing in my heart, "Just keep going! Don't give up!" I immediately knew that was the answer I had been searching for, however it wasn't even close to the answer I wanted. There were many obstacles in my way. God knew this! They were weighing me down to a point I couldn't even see, how was I possibly going to get around them?

For the next three days, the words "Just keep going" followed me everywhere. Every time I started to have doubts or feel like it was just TOO HARD, I felt lifted. It was through the grace of Jesus Christ that I started to see the things that I thought were impossible for me to do were becoming possible!

You see, I'm absolutely helpless on my own. I can't even explain to you how my times I have had to rely on the strength of the atonement through my brother Jesus Christ. I know that the atonement is real. Life isn't meant to be easy because then we would never learn, we would never grow and we would forever stay the same.

That simple line of encouragement "Don't give up!", was God's way of telling me that I would get through and there was a reason and purpose things were hard but I would make it! It was the knowledge I needed in that very moment to know I wasn't doing this on my own. The grace of my Savior would be there for me to get up the very steep mountain. That same day, I was listening to a talk and this quote struck me like a ton of bricks.

"Grace is not the light at the end of the tunnel but the light that moves us through the tunnel."
 - Brad Wilcox

It's through the small and simple things that grace will be there to help us every step of the way! It's still been a journey as I'm fighting through the obstacles but it's given me a whole new perspective on the way God answers our prayers and how he provides opportunities for us to struggle so we have more opportunities to rely on him. 

Sometimes we expect this big huge answer from God and we don't get them, then it can become easy to question whether he is there. But that's just it, while God has the ability to answer us in these HUGE ways, it's usually in the small and simple answers that amazing things come together. He has the ability and power to take the problem away but he doesn't. He allows us to struggle because he is an incredible father and he wants us to become like him. I truly believe he weeps with us and he sometimes wishes deeply that he could take the pain away but he knows what's best for us.

God knows exactly what we need to grow and what we need to get us from point A to point B. My whole life he has never made things easy, giving me exactly what I thought I wanted. He makes things a challenge and that's when I know I'm growing and I'm on the right path! This scripture is the one that speaks to my heart through this trial as it's through the small and simple things that Heavenly Father is showing me he is there and he cares. 


Alma 37:6 "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."

When challenges come your way, embrace them! Challenges are such beautiful learning opportunities. Trials and mountains can either move you closer or farther from God. When you choose to rely on God, you will find more sweet and tender mercies in your life that will help you lift the burdens you have been asked to carry. 

You are NEVER, EVER alone so don't you dare give up!