It has been a week full of celebrating women, hasn't it?  I feel like my social media feeds have just blown up with women empowerment posts and I have loved it! One other piece of exciting and AMAZING news that came out of this week is that my friends and I over at She Teaches Fearlessly have decided that it is time to get that site up and running again.   After we completed our series on the Book of Mormon, we all just kind of collapsed mentally, I think.  There were a few posts here and there, but it has been pretty silent for a long time. NOT ANY MORE, my friends.  ​She Teaches Fearlessly is coming back and I am SO excited!!

Kind- by Jenny Phillips.  Performed by Brooke Stone.

Let's do this, my friends.  Let's keep the Kind-hearted women's movement rolling.

We need to flood the world with kindness,

and it begins with you and me.

You're Welcome. :)

Smile- by Landon Austin

Now...go out there and smile at life.  :)

Oh my goodness!  It has been so long!  Dear "Songs for the Sabbath" posts...I have missed writing you!  I wish that I had more time to write, but times and seasons of our lives, ya know? As I was listening to music this morning, I decided to turn on the new LDS Youth album for this year's theme "Peace in Christ".  So much goodness!  Oh my.  You have to check it out. (You can download all the songs for free if you go here...) I had a hard time deciding which song to share, but I keep coming back to this one called, "Strong".  When I think of my girls and the young women in our ward whom I serve, this is one word that I would use to describe them.  They are so strong and they have the capacity and potential to keep getting stronger and stronger every year.

What do you mean when you say they are "strong"?

Photo cred: Tracey Kimber

Strong- by Nik Day and McKenna Hixson

You are an overcomer
Born with a lion heart
You can pass through the wind and the fire
But it will help you to shine even brighter
Like the jewel you are

There may be disappointments
Sometimes you'll make mistakes
But when it feels like you've lost all your chances
There you are rising up through the ashes

CHORUS:
Come what may
Come what may
You are strong
Strong enough to make it through whatever comes
You'll be amazed what you can do
You're a force you're a fighter
A precious daughter of God
And He made you strong
And He made you strong

You're like a mighty ocean
Trapped in a hurricane
Though the winds may be blowing around you
There is nothing that could ever drown you

CHORUS (2 x's)

Related Posts:

Because He Lives

You Can Do Hard Things- Sara Isom

Songs for the Sabbath- Just Be Held

Loving the Brick Wall

It has been so long since I have been able to post a Songs for the Sabbath post!  (Insert crying face.) I have missed it, but I have been busily engaged in lots of wonderful things, so again, the website has to take a back seat, but I promise, it won't be forgotten. :) As I was perusing Facebook this afternoon, I stumbled upon this beautiful video and song.  Two extremely talented kiddos, Evie Clair and Benson Baril, bring this incredible song to life.   The message is simple.  We Can Light the World. Each and every one of us.

Light the World- Evie Clair featuring Benson Baril

How will you #lighttheworld today?

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Songs of the Season- O Holy Night

Songs of the Season- Sleep Well Little Children

Songs of the Season- Son of God

Songs of the Season- Homeless

I woke up this morning with a song running through my head, and it wasn't this one. I can't tell you how many Sunday mornings this has happened.  I wake up with a particular song in my mind and I think, "This must be the song I need to share today."  So I sit down at my computer and look on YouTube for a video with the song I am thinking about.  But sometimes, I cannot find the song I am thinking of and then I am left to wonder, "Why was I thinking about that song?" That is when I stumble upon the song that I am really meant to share, and that is what happened this morning.  Although the song that I woke up with is a great one, and you should listen to it (Come, Sing to the Lord), this song that I have chosen for today is the one that I need to share with you.

Come, Ye Children of the Lord- The Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Lyrics

1. 1. Come, ye children of the Lord,
   Let us sing with one accord.
   Let us raise a joyful strain
   To our Lord who soon will reign
   On this earth when it shall be
   Cleansed from all iniquity,
   When all men from sin will cease,
   And will live in love and peace.

​2. Oh, how joyful it will be
When our Savior we shall see!
When in splendor he’ll descend,
Then all wickedness will end.
Oh, what songs we then will sing
To our Savior, Lord, and King!
Oh, what love will then bear sway
When our fears shall flee away!

3. All arrayed in spotless white,
We will dwell ’mid truth and light.
We will sing the songs of praise;
We will shout in joyous lays.
Earth shall then be cleansed from sin.
Ev’ry living thing therein
Shall in love and beauty dwell;
Then with joy each heart will swell.

Oh, how joyful it will be, when our Savior we shall see!
When in splendor he'll descend, then all wickedness will end.

Photo cred: lds.org

Earth shall then be cleansed from sin. 
Ev'ry living thing therein shall in love and beauty dwell;
then with joy each heart will swell.

Photo cred: lds.org

Related Posts:

Songs for the Sabbath- ​I Look to You

Songs for the Sabbath- ​I Feel Heaven Here

Drenched in Gratitude:  The Gratitude Perspective Challenge

Songs for the Sabbath-  Heavenly Homesickness

Do you ever wonder if there is any truth to the saying, Every cloud has silver lining? I have never really thought much about it before, but this song popped up on shuffle the other day while I was cruising in my new mini van and I couldn't help but pause and think about some of the silver linings in my life. Some are big and some are small--miniscule even--but they are always there, no matter the situation or problem.

Silver Lining- Stephanie Smith

Sometimes there is stormy weather,
that makes us want to run for cover.
But what if we stop to look around?

And dance a little, while it's pouring,
cause living life inside is boring,
We'd be missing all the sights and sounds.

Even if the clouds are coming,
and the wind is blowing,
We can still enjoy the breeze!

'Cause we know the sun is shining,
even when it's hiding,
if we look then we can see:

The Silver Li-i-i-i-i-i-ning
The Silver Li-i-i-i-i-ning

So no matter what we're facing,
in every single situation
there is always hope to light the way!

We'll see the little things that go right,
when we're looking on the bright side.
There's always a rainbow after rain.

Even if the clouds are coming,
and the wind is blowing,
We can still enjoy the breeze!

'Cause we know the sun is shining,
even when it's hiding,
if we look then we can see:

The Silver Li-i-i-i-i-i-ning
The Silver Li-i-i-i-i-ning

If we look closer, we can see
there is beauty in everything.
In the ups, downs, and in-betweens,
​We will find

Even if the clouds are coming,
and the wind is blowing,
We can still enjoy the breeze!

'Cause we know the sun is shining,
even when it's hiding,
if we look then we can see:

The Silver Li-i-i-i-i-i-ning 
The Silver Li-i-i-i-i-ning 

I don't have all the answers.

1.  I have faith.  Faith that there is a God out there who loves each of us and weeps every time something tragic happens to one of His children.  Faith that 
    our Savior has already won and that someday, when the time is right, He will reign on this earth and every knee shall bow to Him and every tongue will
    confess that He is our Savior and Redeemer.

2.  I have hope.  Hope in that same Savior and His Atoning sacrifice.  Hope that there is a brighter tomorrow as we look to the Savior.  Hope that someday, 
     Satan will be bound and we will live in peace with our neighbors, family, and friends.

3.  I have peace amid the chaos.  I know this is easy for me to say when I am not the one directly affected by tragedy (at the moment.) . But, I have had       tragedy in my life.  I have seen evil rear its ugly head and take people, whom I love dearly, captive.  I have wept with those who have lost family 
     members to violent crimes and suffered from the consequences of someone else using his/her agency poorly.  But I still have peace, because I know, 
     have faith in, and look to, the Savior of the World.

"I Look to You" -Selah

What is the "something more"?

Remember in my last post when I said things have been crazy busy in my life and I am cutting my posting way back?  Well, one of the things that has changed in my life became a reality today.   I have the absolute privilege of serving the young women (girls ages 12-18) in our ward as their president.  Wow.  Didn't see that one coming, Heavenly Father.  Remember when I prayed to you to give me help in balancing my busy school, work, and mom schedule?  Ya, so I wasn't really asking to add something else to the mix...Lol.  But in all seriousness, I could not be more thrilled to be with the Young Women (and 1 out of 2 of the YW in my household is thrilled as well.  For those of you who know my girls, I will let you guess which one is thrilled and which one is not).

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

​James 1:5-6

Ask of God (2017 Mutual Theme Song) by James Han

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2017 Mutual Theme:  Q & A

Songs for the Sabbath- I'll Go Where You ​Want Me To Go

Des Goes to School- In the Thick of It

Songs for the Sabbath- With Him We Can

STAND by Mercy River (written by Britt Nicole)

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Songs for the Sabbath- Each Life That Touches Ours For Good

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​Just 1 Reason.

It's one of the best Sundays of the year, my friends!  It's Conference Sunday!

God Is Love- Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Happy Conference Sunday, my friends!