If we will reach out to the Lord, He will reach back to us!
One of the great blessings that we have to aid us in our journey through life and through our wilderness struggles is the Book of Mormon. I love the Book of Mormon and the great examples of faith and courage found within it's pages.
One of my favorite stories in this book is of Lehi's family and the journey they take through the wilderness toward the promised land.
I love how real this family is to portrayed. There is no "picture perfect, pink of perfection" pretending with this family. The glimpse that we are shown is raw and real. I feel such gratitude that Heavenly Father inspired Nephi to include the good, the bad, and the ugly in what this family faced and endured. If nothing else, I can look at all that this family went through and remind myself that when things seem bad for me, things could be a whole lot worse!
One of the things that stood out to me this week during my reading is in 1 Nephi 17:13. Prior to this verse, Nephi shares some of the details of what this family went through in their journey across the land. For this family to be protected while they journeyed, the Lord had instructed them that they should not use fire. Their arrival to Bountiful and the sea, allowed them the opportunity to at last use fire. As the family struggled towards the promised land they had to be reassured as the Lord told this family,
"I will be your light in the wilderness; I will prepare the way before you."
As I have worked to travel these last five years through some hardship and trial, I have come to trust this promised light. Time and time again, the Lord has helped bring light to my path, especially when all seemed dark. I have learned that if we will do our best to keep the Lord's commandments, He will do His part and give us more than we deserve.
