Newly Rooted

I went to a conference today where we talked about miracles. The stories during the opening remarks were amazing and filled with so many personal experiences of miracles in people’s lives. But the most impactful part was not the miracle of someone else’s life but rather internalizing that the transformation God wants us to go through and the miracles He is willing to grant us comes through our effort to see Him in all phases of the mountain.

this is one of those concepts that I’ve probably known to some level or another for many years, but it sunk deeper today than it ever has.

There’s a quote by President Nelson which says we should seek and expect miracles. That has been a large driving force in the actions I have taken over the course of the last year and half. From buying a house to selling it a year later. Overcoming birth trauma and experiencing the most beautiful birth experience I could have ever imagined. Moving across the country after having our van break down 3 days before our trip. Getting into a masters program I felt so strongly impressed that I needed to pursue and having a way to do it. Getting our house sold in the midst of the worst selling season in over a decade and finding the most ideal place for our family in Cache Valley I could have ever imagined. Each of those experiences, I’ve held the mantra “seek and expect miracles, Katie”. And when the miracle wasn’t happening the way I hoped I would get frustrated and complain and gripe to God then get up, dust myself off and keep pressing forward assuming a miracle would come eventually.

But lately, this has gotten exhausting and hasn’t yielded as much fruit as previously. Yes, I put in the effort by doing what I thought I was impressed to do and I really wanted to believe God is able to make anything happen according to His will. I know, I know, His will…I’m probably not the only one who struggles with that part. So in some ways, I’ve kind of just given up lately.

Today at the conference, a new portion of this “seeking miracles” was impressed in my mind and on my heart like never before. It’s not just seeking the big miracles of life. Asking God to help you move a mountain in your life is a big deal and He really does care. But seeking also means seeing. Seeing the little miracles He puts into our days even when the big mountains are still being climbed or haven’t been moved like we had hoped. God helps us move the mountain, climb the mountain and more often just enjoy the presence of the mountain –if we put in the effort that allows Him to help us see.

If you want more, write more

One woman speaking today repeated this phrase over and over throughout her speaking. You want more gratitude, write more gratitude. You want more blessings, write more of your blessings. You want more miracles in you life, write down more of the miracles you experience in your life.

I guess I’ve realized in the last few weeks that God wasn’t going to remove this mountain like He has the others. He might be helping me climb it. I can’t tell yet if that’s the case. But I see now that more than anything the miracle can be in learning to enjoy the presence of the mountain. Seeing the good and miracles that might seem small and insignificant. Giving the time to acknowledge the ways He has manifested His power big and small in my life is a practice I used to be better at. And I guess it’s one of the deepest reasons for starting this blog in the first place.

New Root #1: Gratitude