Heaven is Here

I just finished reading "Heaven is Here" by Stephanie Nielson.  She and her husband were in a plane crash and survived.  Stephanie's body was 80% burned and her husband also suffered from burns.  This book tells her amazing journey.  It's an amazing love story as well.  What an inspiration she and her husband are to me.  I started reading excerpts of the book to Kary of when she was in the hospital and I know that Kary experienced similar things.  He just hasn't voiced them.  I  really want Kary to be able to share his feelings someday.  He has been through so much and continues to struggle with different things every day.  It's an emotional and physical and mental roller coaster. One thing that we have in common with Stephanie is our faith and trust in God and love of family. These are the two things that truly help us carry on.

Stephanie quotes from a conference address given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (an Apostle) Her family knows Elder Holland and he told her family that when he wrote this talk he had them specifically in mind.  I just want to quote it too because the words are so comforting and true.

"When lonely, cold, hard times come, we have to endure, we have to continue, we have to persist...Keep knocking on that door.  Keep pleading.  In the meantime, know that God hears your cries and knows your distress.  He is your Father, and you are His child."  

Patience and faith are key here.  We must trust in Father above and know that all will be done in His way and in His timing.  Sometimes we may feel that our prayers are not being heard or answered.  We want them to be answered our way and in our timing.  I know that if I continue to put my faith in God that it will all work out somehow.  He's got it all under control.  Somedays I really need to remember that! =)

She also quotes Elder Holland in another talk, "But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil.  Some of them we walk with and talk with---here, now, every day...Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind."

We have so many earthly angels that have surrounded us in our time of need.  Angels is the word that we use to describe everyone that has helped us on our journey.   I know that we have had unseen angels surrounding us and petitioning Father above in our behalf as well.

I especially love this quote from Elder Holland, " I testify that bad days come to an end, that faith always triumphs and that heavenly promises are always kept."

We have the promise of Kary being healed. We have the promise of our Savior's love and His ability to make our burdens light. We have been promised that if we endure that we will be blessed.

Yay!