Happy New Year!

A happy new year! 

So much to learn from the past

Look to the future

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had the best New Year's ever! As I've reflected on this past year, experiences of heartache, pain, sadness, confusion, and fear come to mind. However even more overwhelming than these are the greatest experiences of peace, joy, fulfillment, understanding, fun, humility, and love I may have ever previously experienced. With my limited perspective, I initially decided that 2015 couldn't possibly be as incredible as 2014 had been, even amidst the difficulties faced. I'm grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who reveals His will and desires to His children, and being one of His children I have access to this empowering knowledge.

I was introduced to a video by a great friend of mine recently; made by the LDS church a few years ago on a previous New Year, the story of Lot's wife being the main topic of discussion (http://youtu.be/lrZij9MSTRI). To give a brief summary (the full account is given in Genesis 19), Lot and his family were told of the Lord to flee the city of Sodom and Gomorrah due to its increasing wickedness, leaving with them the command to 'look not behind'. As they were leaving the city, the temptation to look behind proved too great for Lot's wife, as she looked back and turned to a pillar of salt. Bummer, right? She must have experienced to some extent her fill of difficult circumstances there, and yet despite this along with the recurring evil taking place in her hometown, she looked not ahead to the future and instead turned, looking back to the past, to that which she was most comfortable with. This decision of hers placed her in a less-than-desirable situation (I can't imagine anyone wanting to be salt), and absolutely kept her from the blessings that God had prepared for her ahead. 

At the start of this new years I've realized that I've been looking backward at this past year, with its experiences, and its opportunities - even holding on to past mistakes and moments that were sad, painful, and difficult to move on from. Upon seeing this video, hearing this story again with this perspective, and contemplation, I recognized the limitations this places on my life, as well as all of ours if we apply it. For how important is this message to have the very son of God remind us in Luke 17:32, to 'remember Lot's wife'. 

Someone I admire greatly and think purely of as one of God's angels here on earth shared with me what she considered to be one of the greatest, if not her greatest, flaw - which was that she stays within the confines of what she is comfortable doing and doesn't branch out much, not experiencing new things. At first this seemed like a small issue and I didn't fully understand her view of this. I recently was able to recognize that her wisdom far surpasses my own, upon viewing this video and realizing that this is what she was talking about. 

How great God is, how loving and caring He is, and how desirous He is of our well-being. He truly wants the best for us, and has provided a way for all of us to achieve a fullness of peace, joy, and love in this life. Just as my friend was able to see how potentially debilitating it is to rely on ourselves and our own comforts, so must we recognize, and strive to turn to God in all things, trusting in Him, having faith that His plan for us is greater than anything we can fully comprehend. Understanding this is changing my life, providing me with the strength to wade through deep waters, and push forward in faith for a brighter future. Oh how happy we should be! Life is great! And God is paving the way for it to be even better. I know the purpose of this life is to learn, love fully, and to be happy. Happy New Year's! May we move forward in faith toward the bright future that God has provided for us in optimism and hope. 'Men (and women) are that they might have joy'.