Here's to a better tomorrow

As I was preparing my Sunday school lesson this week I came across this great video and thought it was worth sharing. I've been feeling pretty low at times about our current situation and how it makes me feel, but I keep getting these little reminders as I prepare my lessons each week that are helping me to hang in there. So as many times as I think: Maybe I should just ask to be released, I just don't feel up to preparing my lesson this week! - I keep on doing it. It helps that I have a great group of kids, but I think I am getting more out of the lessons than they are... 

Little things stick out at me that apply to the struggles I am currently facing to help me endure better. Like to try to follow the example of Nephi not only to obey God's commandments, but not to murmur and how important that is to being close to the Lord and being guided by Him. Thinking about the circumstances of a great and obedient prophet like Moroni who finished the task the Lord gave him all alone after witnessing the destruction of his entire people -- just makes me think how lucky I am to be in a clean, comfortable place with my sweet little girls and husband loving me as I try to do what the Lord wants me to. Someone made some really great points on a blog I follow about waiting on the Lord:

"When God Makes You Wait" 
“Jesus could have come and healed Lazarus when he was still alive. 
Instead, He waited to raise him from the dead when he was already in his grave. 

God could have made David become king the day after he was anointed. 
Instead, He waited 15 years to rise to the throne, many of those years spent fearing for his life, hiding out and running away from his own father-in-law. 

God could have spoken to Moses in the desert about sending him to help free His people from slavery 40 days after he ran away from Egypt. 
Instead, He made him wait for 40 long years. 

God could have gotten Joseph out of prison one year after he was sentenced there. 
Instead, he was stuck in that dungeon for 10 years before he was finally set free. 

God could have given Abraham the son He promised him when he was still a young man. Instead, He waited until he was 100 years old and because of physical reasons would have a more difficult time conceiving at that age.” 

“If He is making you wait, there is a very good reason for it. If He is telling you “no” today, maybe it’s because He has a better “yes” waiting for you tomorrow. If He is keeping you in the same place you’ve always been today, maybe it’s because He’s helping build your faith before you enter your Promised Land tomorrow. If He is not healing you or bringing you victory today, maybe it’s because you will have a greater testimony when He waits to help you be an overcomer tomorrow. Wherever you are at today know that God is right beside you and that there is a purpose for you. Even if that purpose is to wait. Don’t give up just because you don’t see anything happening today. Maybe there is nothing physically happening that your eyes can see but there is definitely something happening in the spiritual realm as you learn to rely on Christ. Don’t allow your waiting period to make you hopeless about what tomorrow will bring. Instead, let it build your faith and give you even greater hope for what God has prepared for you. He made some of the greatest men of faith wait. Don’t be discouraged if He makes you wait as well. He will come through for you, just like He came through for them.” 

These messages are coming through to me loud and clear and I am still having a hard time calmly and faithful waiting. I am stressed and it shows, and I feel like such a failure to be thinking and acting how I have been lately - so impatient and hopeless. Not the great mom and strong example to my kids I've always wanted to be. And it's hard to see myself successfully turning it around. I liked this video. I know in the Savior's eyes I can start over this second, and the next, and he sees my potential for beauty and usefulness and wants me to leave my garbage buried and perform the work he sent me here to do. I think it's Satan's trick to have us dwell on all our little mistakes and imperfections and feel like we can't start over and be better than we once were. Can't get enough of these reminders! :)