I’ve been listening today to a webinar about growing my online business with systems and strategy.
I feel this is something I really need to do to eliminate the month to month, even day to day, stress of my business.
I want to grow and I want to scale.
I want to be the best at what I do and provide increased value.
I just finished reading an article titled “The Savior’s Teachings on Discipleship.” It was really good and is worth an additional study.
In the talk he talks about how we can be His true disciples.
It talks about submitting our will to Him on a daily basis. It talks about giving up all we have to serve Him. It talks about not being worried about pleasing the world, but focusing on Him first. It talks about not being selfish, but surrendering our will and life to Him.
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is hard. It’s not easy. But it’s worth it.
As I choose to follow Christ one day at a time, I feel a peace and calm that I don’t always have. The hardest days for me are the ones where I let my worldly worries of work get in the way of turning my life over to Him.
It’s crazy how just the simple act of stopping and praying, reading and writing can be so helpful to connect me with God and His Son. Feeding my spirit is crucial to living in true recovery.
I really like this scripture from the Savior:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”2
This is about turning my life and will over to Him and letting Him direct me for good.
Christ went on to say:
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”4
To bring forth fruit…what does that mean?
I read the article called “Seeking the Lord” and got lots of insight. Here are some of the things that stood out:
A deeper understanding of Jesus Christ will give us greater hope for the future and, despite our imperfections, more confidence in achieving our righteous goals.
This especially stands out due to what I had started writing about yesterday and hoped to finish writing about today. One of my biggest “fears” is that I won’t be able to produce financially for my wife and kids. This fear is based on the unknown.
But as it says here, as I focus on Jesus Christ and His teachings, I will have greater hope for the future and will gain increased confidence in achieving righteous goals. I know this it true and have felt it as I think about last year and how successful I was financially. I attribute this directly to submitting my will to God, living in recovery one day at a time, and striving to do His will continually.
I have imperfections. I make mistakes; but I feel my heart is in the right place and I’m trying to always put my will in alignment with His will.
This sticks out too:
The Lord said, “[Seek] me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”1 Seeking the Lord and feeling His presence is a daily quest, a worthwhile effort.
Every thought?
I used to think this was impossible, but it’s not. I can think about Him all the time. I can surrender to Him in every moment that I’m feeling tempted to do something other than His will. And by doing this, I will free myself from the doubt and fear that, in the past, have led me down a path of despair and addiction.
I’m grateful for the time I’ve made today to feed my spirit. I’m grateful to feel the Spirit in my life again.
I’m so grateful for the closeness I feel with Becky. I’m so grateful for the feeling in our home as we both are striving to live in recovery. I can’t be thankful enough that Becky is so willing to live in recovery with me. After all the pain and hurt and trauma I’ve caused her, it’s amazing to me that she is so willing to continue to be my best friend and try to make things right.
This isn’t her responsibility, but she’s all in.
I am so grateful for her.
It’s amazing to feel the love and peace in our home too. Granted, it’s not perfect, but as we are both striving to surrender, things seem to be getting better and better with the kids.
I was so impressed last night at how things were handled with Caleb and Madi, who had had a little fight out with their friends. Caleb came in crying because she and her friends had been teasing him. In the past, I would have immediately blamed him and called him on being a wimp; but today was different. Today I just listened and watched as Becky worked her magic.
She listened to him, tried to understand where he was coming from, then listened to Madi as well. She didn’t take sides or blame or shame, she just tried to see each person’s perspective.
At the end of the night, Madi apologized to Caleb for being mean and Caleb shared his feelings and experiences more with Beck. The sharing of feelings is crucial to surrendering and living in recovery. I feel the more our kids can feel and share those feelings with us, the more trust and genuine love we’ll feel in our home.
I’m so grateful to be married to Becky. She is such a wonderful mother. I never want to ever put our marriage or relationship on the line again.
Today I live in recovery!
Hasta luego!
Nate
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