connect the dots

"Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely.

Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly.

Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely.

He loves every one of us- even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or

broken." --Dieter F. Uchtdorf

absolutely soothing, is it not?

I am flawed and rejected. I am ridiculously awkward, eternally sorrowful, and occasionally broken. And somebody still loves me? 

Yes.

my mind still remembers when a boy made a rude remark about my nose.

i recall my little seven year old eyes getting watery and covering my nose for the rest of the day. my best friend bounced over to me and told me she liked my nose, because every time she looked at it she wanted to play connect the dots with my freckles. 

my little self without comprehending completely felt flawed, rejected, awkward. that outspoken boy might have hated my nose, but my Heavenly Father adores it.

that first grade moment was incredibly small to what I have come face to face with throughout the years. but nothing rings more true in the midst of it all--

it does not matter what others think of me. Christ thinks I am lovely. 

and that is enough.

I Am Free

I was the tender age of 16 when I held a fiery grudge against a man who made my world very, very dark.

I took care of that grudge. 

I nourished it everyday. 

My flaming tongue wanted to shout a million things at him, but I couldn't.

Instead, I thought them. And I thought them often.

I was the tender age of 16 when I noticed my spirit was horrendously disfigured due to the

fiery grudge I so boldly grasped.

I had utterly destroyed myself more than this man destroyed me.

I did not want it anymore.

I did not want to feel fire in my chest every time I thought of him.

What I wanted most was to feel my Savior's forgiving arms around my foolish self.

And in time, I can humbly testify to you all that I was forgiven.

I went through my own Gethsemane.

It was terrible and exhausting and wonderful.

I was finally mended.

The scourging heat toward this man is extinguished. 

He taught me what if felt like to carry the draining burden of not extending forgiveness.

It is a load I never again desire to carry.

The savior wants to forgive us of our sins.

He desires to bring us home.

The Atonement is possible. My pinky promises! It is possible.

But without Him, nothing is.

Only repentance can heal what hurts the most.

I am no longer hurting.

I am dancing and laughing and skipping because I am free.

He freed me, and He can free you too.