Today, as I was reading a book assigned for my marriage class, I came across a passage that really stood out to me and made me feel blessed. The book I am currently reading is called "Drawing Heaven into your Marriage" by H. Wallace Goddard, PhD.
If you're like me and are either a Marriage and Family major or simply love to read and learn about marriages and families, especially within the Gospel, then you will love this book. I highly recommend it to everyone, even if it isn't your cup of tea.
The reason I love this book so much is that it isn't simply a typical marriage counseling type book. There are plenty of those I have to read for my class as well. This one, however, is an LDS book. It discusses marriages and how to strengthen them using the Gospel. It teaches you how to bring the Gospel into your marriage and make you and partner the happiest you can be. It's wonderful and honestly nearly makes me cry every page I read.
The passage I came across today was in chapter three (page 55-56):
" 'If I am trying to live the gospel, God will not allow anything to happen to me that cannot become a blessing for me.' Of course, there is a little trick in this formulation. God can turn almost
any of our choices into blessings. He has an amazing ability to transform our bad decisions into growth."
It really made me think. I'm sure there's been times we've all ignored promptings, chosen our own path and not counseled with Heavenly Father in our paths. We've all messed up. We've all done something we shouldn't. A story I'll share is the time I was supposed to go to Utah State. I prayed and prayed and prayed about the decision. My parents were forcing me to go. My ex-boyfriend (yes, even ex at the time) was telling me to stay, and that our relationship wouldn't last if I moved away.
Of course you can all see the obvious answer to this problem. But I thought I was in love. I thought I was supposed to be with him. So I was torn. I prayed and prayed and prayed, and after one particular prayer, the answer came loud and clear. "Go to Utah State". There was no doubt that was my answer. I don't think ever in my life I've had a stronger prompting than that.
What did I do?
I didn't go. I chose to stay home. I ignored God.
Do I regret the decision? I did for a while. But today - I am married to the most wonderful man I could have ever imagined. Dallas is everything to me. The girls I roomed with that next semester at BYU-Idaho became the very best friends I've ever had, and even in a round-a-bout way introduced me to my husband. I look back and 2011 was the best year of my life so far. Everything absolutely wonderful happened that year. And all of that came because I chose NOT to go to Utah State.
I don't regret the decision today. I wonder what could have been - what would have happened. I wonder what God had in store for me telling me to go to Utah State - would I have come back to BYU-Idaho after one semester and still had these experiences? Still met Dallas and married him? Or would it have been a completely different life for me?
Really, the fact of the matter is that I have the life I chose and love. I couldn't imagine a better life for me. Everything is working out so perfectly and I am so blessed. I am blessed because of My Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ. They want the very best for me - they want the very best for all of you. Despite our dumb decisions and mistakes we make, they'll still do all in the power to give us the best life possible. He took my dumb decision to stay home, and he made an absolutely blessed life for me. Sure, it took a lot of patience and heartache, but I'm here, aren't I?
So yes, God DOES turn our choices into blessings, even the bad ones, so long as we have faith in Him and strive to obey His teachings.
