Letting Go....

I feel this is a great theme in my life. As I look back over my 34 years I have seen many moments when I've decided to let go of something precious to me to receive a greater blessing. Not all decisions have been easy, but I find that the stronger my faith is the more I can let go.

A song I was introduced to on my mission was that of Michael McClean's called "Let it Go". It was powerful as I worked through challenge after challenge. Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vMOpFe9nU4

Mosiah 3:19 talks about putting off the natural man to be able to be more like Jesus Christ "..submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him..." This is hard for me. My pride gets in the way. It stops my ability to feel the spirit or my being able to let Christ's unconditional love flow through me. Something to work on forever!

I have been making important choices this past couple of years and see myself more and more being able to let go some of this "natural man" and rely on Heavenly Father to guide me. For example, it was hard to let go of my beloved home in Maricopa. After I built a life in the Homeschooling and LDS community I knew that I needed to walk away from it and "let it go". I treasure what I've learned there and carried these teachings to our new smaller home. Now, as I let go of more treasured items I find myself having more strength to do it. Beautiful furniture, my prized piano, new bikes, and even my old ways of schooling to embrace the Thomas Jefferson Education philosophy. Why? I know it's what the Lord's asking of me. I hear Him asking me to "Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you." (D&C 88:63) How can I when there are things in the way?

Letting go? Yes, I've shed tears and I haven't always agreed to let things go before, but right now I feel at such peace. I know that in my heart it was the correct decision.

Greg and I attended an inspirational evening to listen to Dan Ralph's message this past weekend on Greatness. It was very inspiring to be reminded about what the Classics can do for us when we seriously study them. It's neat to be able to walk away with ideas of how to inspire our kids to also love the Classics and to love to learn!

THEN this amazing Easter weekend was filled with all the messages from General Conference! A Spiritual Feast! What an experience! We loved staying home Sat. and Sun. and allowing our children to feel the joy of listening to Latter-Day Prophets. I was impressed at how quiet they were for two days!!! I wouldn't have traded the time we had to spend with our children for anything. They asked the best questions of real life issues; pornography, marriage, family history, about the lives of some of the speakers, real unconditional love,and then about the scriptures and stories they've heard before. I love the moments where we can teach and bear testimony right then.

After the weekend was over I just felt an overwhelming gratitude in my heart for my Heavenly Father. Also, to be able to understand and love Jesus Christ more has helped me to increase my faith which in turn allows me to "let it go". As I am learning to apply the atonement in my own life my love for the Savior has deepened.

If you haven't seen this I hope you'll listen today! I know that Christ lives! I have felt it in my heart through the power of the Holy Ghost. Enjoy!
He Lives

Love,
Anna