Experiencing Christ – Your Personal Journey Archive
In a book titled, Experiencing Christ: Your Personal Journey to the Savior, published in 2009 by Cedar Fort, Inc., and written by Randall J. Brown, (a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently called the “Mormon Church”) shares his personal witness of our need for a Savior:
Experiencing Our Nothingness
How freeing it was for me to know that the Lord did not hold me responsible for earning my own salvation. How grateful I am for the understanding that I am, in reality, powerless to do so without His grace.
As we become increasingly aware of the enemies of our souls, we will come to know of our powerlessness to overcome the natural man through our own efforts alone. No mortal being possesses the power sufficient to put off the natural man without the divine help of the Savior. Read the rest of this entry »
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Have you ever felt like you should do something, even if it doesn’t make sense to do it? For instance, just yesterday I was taking a walk near a temple owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes inadvertently called the “Mormon Church” by friends of other faiths), and I saw a girl sitting on a bench and she looked like she was thinking about something of great importance (something that members of The Church of Jesus Christ—also known as “Mormons” do often at Mormon temples in order to receive answers to prayers). The first time I walked past her I told her she was beautiful, inside and out. She smiled and said thank you, but quickly went back to her deep contemplation look. When I walked past her the second time a voice (not an audible one, just a “feeling” one) said, “go tell her that she can do it!” When I felt that, I quickly shrugged it off with the thoughts, “I already complimented her, I would just... Read the rest of this entry »
Have you ever thought that your spiritual weaknesses might actually help you? In the Book of Mormon, a book revered as sacred scripture by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes inadvertently called the “Mormon Church”), there is a verse that has always stood out to me:
And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them (Ether 12:27).
This is something that I know is true, for I have seen it happen in my life and the lives of many of my loved ones. I still have many weaknesses that have yet become strengths, but I know that life is a work in progress and we are only able to go “line upon line, and precept upon precept” (2 Nephi 28:30).
In a book titled, Experiencing Christ:... Read the rest of this entry »
Why is it that so many of us try to conquer life by ourselves, when in fact we have a Savior who has already experienced all pains, sorrows, sins, and adversity so that we don’t have to be “on our own?” We don’t have to do it alone! I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes inadvertently called the “Mormon Church”), and I testify that Jesus Christ can heal us in every way possible, until we are made whole—if we ask for His help.
Asking God for help and growing closer to Him
In a book titled, Experiencing Christ: Your Personal Journey to the Savior, written by Randall J. Brown, and published in 2009 by Cedar Fort, Inc., he shares some thoughts on our need to rely on Jesus Christ during our trials, times of sorrow, and during our moments of sin:
Unfortunately, many of us as mortal beings do not sense our desperate need for the Great Physician until we have witnessed the extent of our wounds. Elder Neal A.... Read the rest of this entry »
In the summer of 2007, my husband and I moved our kids almost 1,000 miles from one Rocky Mountain town to another several states away. We knew spiritually it was right. And it was a great move for all of us in every way…except financially. It was the largest dichotomy I have ever experienced. I had a strong support network in our new town. My kids had friends. It was really a great move. But financially, we went down in flames.
My husband and I have never been rich (in terms of money), but we always made it. We had one credit card on which we owed and a home mortgage. We had moved in 2003 and were able to buy a house before the real estate market in our little resort town boomed. So in 2005, we used some of the equity in our home to make a “sure thing” investment: We bought a vacant lot in our neighborhood and were planning to build on it. We thought we could make enough money to buy a bigger house for our growing family, ensuring our longevity... Read the rest of this entry »
I have had as many miscarriages as babies born: four of each. After I survived a foreclosure and bankruptcy, I thought I could handle any trial that the Lord sent me. So He tested me, and boy, was I wrong. The financial trials were humbling, but the next wave of adversity hit me to the very core of my being.
I have always known when it was time to have a child. And, for the most part, I knew who was coming. I felt confident in the spiritual connection I had with my babies before they were born. My husband and I even chose their names before we ever had the first one. The first three came relatively easily. I had a miscarriage between the third and the fourth. That was heart-wrenching, but I got pregnant again within a few months. And I soon saw the reason for the delay in my son’s coming— the pregnancy I lost was due in July 2007; but in July 2007, we were in a state of transition and chaos. So it was a blessing.
In June 2009, my husband came to me... Read the rest of this entry »
For someone who wanted a bunch of kids, I was certainly not looking forward to a third pregnancy. I was puzzled by my feelings. My first two pregnancies had been uncomfortable but uneventful, and there was no real reason why I should dread a third one. But here I was, looking at pregnant women as if they had leprosy or some sort of terminal illness. Why would anyone choose to be pregnant? The thought crossed my mind often. But I’d better get started, I thought. My number two will be four by the time number three is born, so it’s about time, right?
No sooner had I taken a pregnancy test than things started to go awry. In gratitude, I will tell you now that I have been very fortunate in bearing children. This not a story of life-threatening complications, but of surrendering one’s will for the benefit of another — in this case, mine for my baby’s. So, at two months along, I looked five months along… you get my drift. At four months along, my... Read the rest of this entry »
What value have our worldly possessions? Surely, we need food to eat, and shelter from the elements. How much more do we need? How much effort, how much sacrifice should we make to have useful, or even pretty things?
My parents were solidly middle class, although my mother had been raised higher than that and always sought to climb the social ladder. They were dutiful. We were all vaccinated and saw the dentist every six months, got braces on our teeth if we needed them, had new dresses for prom, and money for college.
Now I found myself with three young children, heading into bankruptcy. My husband’s business was failing, tax collectors visiting, creditors calling. Although under stress, my husband was still able to see these things in objective business terms, but for me, it was a moral morass. I was worried, embarrassed, confused. Looming before us was the prospect of losing all our worldly possessions. I saw no way out, and the fear of losing everything... Read the rest of this entry »
My mother hated her mother. She used to tell me some of the awful things her mother said to her as she was growing up. My grandmother lived in Philadelphia and was estranged from everyone, except my uncle, and he could barely tolerate her. We had begun our family life in the east, but had moved west, and my mother refused any contact from my grandmother. I had never in my life met her, and was to live my entire life without ever meeting her. Once a card arrived in the mail. “My dear sweet daughter,” it read. My mother flew into a rage and telephoned my uncle. “Find out what she wants,” she yelled, “and take care of it!” He did. She wanted money, I guess.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder happens because of nurture, not nature, and my mother had it, although I was not able to find a name for her problem until I was a grandmother myself. Everything was everyone else’s fault, never her own, and she took credit for everything good. Not that... Read the rest of this entry »
Have you ever felt despondent? Alone? Afraid? Panicked? If so, you are completely normal! Sometimes in life, hard things happen—and as human beings we have feelings that accompany those trying times, usually painful feelings. But as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes mistakenly called the “Mormon Church”) I testify that these hard times can yield the greatest, most light filled, close to Heaven moments. It is in these moments when our souls our harrowed up (see Alma 36:12) so that we might be able to have the greatest spiritual growth—similar to the farmer who tares (or plows) his dirt before growing a wonderful crop.
In a book titled, Experiencing Christ: Your Personal Journey to the Savior, written by Randall J. Brown, and published in 2009 by Cedar Fort, Inc. (pp 1-2) Brown shares a personal experience when his own heart was harrowed up and was brought closer to the Lord Jesus Christ because of it.
In January... Read the rest of this entry »
