Faith...Hope...Love...

Several years ago I got a necklace that I adore.  It has three round charms that hang from a golden chain.  On each charm is written a word, accompanied by a gemstone.  One charm is a Rosy color, another is silver and the third is gold.  On the Gold charm is written "Believe."  That is the equivalent of Faith.

When I was a very small girl living in California, I shared a room with my older brother.  In spite of the comfort that he was there with me, there were many nights when I was afraid.  I did not like the dark and my bed was positioned directly under a window that my mother liked to keep open a crack to let in fresh air.  I remember on more than one occasion calling out to my "mommy" to come comfort me because I was afraid.  She would come into my room and teach me about Jesus and tell me that if I would pray to him whenever I was afraid, He would send His angels to protect me.  And so, I would crawl out from under my covers, kneel beside my bed and with my head in my mother's lap, I would pray.  It was miraculous to me how every time it worked!  My fears departed and I was no longer afraid.  The dark "monsters" under my bed, or lurking outside of my window, would leave me and a peace prevailed in my room.  I never saw the Angels, but I knew they were there!

As I have traveled through this, my life's journey, I have had so many, many times when I had to call upon my faith to get me through situations that I could not get through alone.  I learned that by closing my eyes, saying a heartfelt prayer and taking that leap of faith that Angels lifted me.  I am so grateful for my mother for teaching me early to have the faith I have today.

The second charm, the Rose colored one bears the word "Trust."  Like Faith, if we Trust in the Lord or have Hope in the Lord, we can accomplish all things.  When I was a young mother of five beautiful children, I took upon my shoulders the daunting task of going back to school to study to become a Nurse.  I was 35 years old and hadn't been in college in a very long time.  But, I squared my shoulders, took all of the necessary entrance exams and Trusted with the Hope that I possessed that Heavenly Father would see me through this.  Never once did I leave Him out of the equation.  I prayed before I studied, I prayed before I took a test, and I prayed during every facet of the learning process.  If I can do it, you can do it, too.  The trust I have in my Heavenly Father has given me Hope every day that I live.

The third charm, the Silver one, says "Love."

In scripture, Jesus' answer to "Which is the greatest Commandment" was:  "The first and greatest commandment is this: Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all thy might, mind and strength...and the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

Jesus said, "Love everyone."  By following His example, we can.  He loved little children and they flocked to him.  They could feel His love.  He loved the sinner and comforted them and said to them, "Go, and sin no more."  He loved His enemies and prayed for them.  I picture Him in Gethsemane praying for EVERYONE!  As He Atoned for our sins, our imperfections, our trials, our hurts, our illnesses...He experienced each and every one of them...the pain was so excruciating that He bled from every pore of His body.  In my Nursing Career, I have had many experiences and some that I have wished I could have born some of the pains that I saw.  I watched a man die after ingesting a whole bottle of Aspirin and then not being discovered until the next morning.  He bled from every orifice and his pain was excruciating.  Death was a gentle release for this man.

Even on the Cross, as our Savior hung and suffered, He showed His love for others.  He told the robber He would be with Him in Paradise, and He asked His Father to "...forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do."

Such great love "hath no man, than this...that He lay down His life for a friend."  He laid down His life for us.  All of us.  I pray that I can have and give such great love.

I believe that my Savior's love is sufficient and that one day I will live again and walk and talk with Him and that I will be able to thank Him for all that He has done and continues to do for me.  He calms my fears, He gives me Hope for a brighter tomorrow, and He confirms my Belief in Him with His Love for me.

This has been a remarkable Sunday!