Why the title?
I have asked this question at a time or two when this title decided to become the capturing phrase to this blog...
To be honest, though, the title is the reason this blog was created.
It captures the theme and context of what will be written here.
Once you understand the context, this place you have just entered into, will become one of enlightenment and beauty.
I am not saying I am eloquent writer, nor am I an inspirational speaker, but I know that through many weeks and even months now I have been feeling pushed to do this by my Father in Heaven. I know that there is a purpose behind this blog, and that every time I go to write, there will be a certain message I need to give or share.
Sometimes religious, sometimes not. It will honestly be one of tender mercies.
In other words, it is in the little things that I can see that my Heavenly Father is there and that he sent something my way (ex. a person or an experience or situation) to brighten my day and to tell me that he loves me.
I know that this life is one that gets really hard at times, but I know that it is through that opposition that we are able to experience what it talks about in the scriptures at true joy!
"Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy." (Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi 2:25)
And that is my purpose honestly through this blog, is to share experiences where I have seen those tender mercies throughout my day.
Because, to be open with you all, if we look hard (even on the hardest of days) we can see at least one tender mercy in our day, NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR SIMPLE, there is still one there.
And I am not going to lie, seeing tender mercies wasn't easy at first; it was something I had to work on as I serve my mission in Albania for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and how I saw the "hand of the Lord that day?" I then began my journey within an organization at Brigham Young University of Idaho called Student Support.
It is a group that volunteers on campus to work with the student body in different ways of service and in reaching out and being a friend to all we meet and come in contact with.
I guess that is where the title came about. With each position in Student Support, there is a designated color polo for each group we wear as part of our attire for events and functions. As I have spent my time here, I have come to find my days are filled with the blessings of being involved and the opportunity to see my life becoming more and more each of one of service.
It was this semester the title came out as I was discussing with a co-worker and said it as a statement that my life was a polo. It was then I felt the strongest impression that I needed to start a blog and have that be my title for it.
That thought stayed with me and I then began to brainstorm and ponder as to what the blog would be about? It was then I had the thought come to me that the main focus we have is how this program is one that is meant to bless many lives and how the Lord works through us, to reach out to his children as we serve. At the end of every day of work, we get together as a function and share tender mercies that we saw that day for fifteen minutes.
I then knew my purpose for writing this blog...
To write down my personal tender mercies that I have seen throughout my days.
I know that this is something that is not just within working at Student Support. By far not!
I think Student Support, coupled with my missionary service, gave me a direction as to help my eyes see all that goes on behind the scenes and to help me see that I am not alone. That Christ walks with me every day, lifting me as a I go.
"28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30).
As I was saying before, life is not easy. That is why the Savior is so important to have in our lives and have a growing understanding that everything he does for us, every day, is for our eternal benefit (in other words, for our good) as he follows the will and timing of our Father in Heaven.
I know that it is because of Christ, that my and your burdens can be lightened. We just need to trust in him, and that everything will working according what God would have it be.
I know He lives and I know that is through seeing the little tender mercies of every day that we can gain a witness for ourselves that He is there, reaching out to each of us. He is just waiting for us to do the same.
I hope all that read this, will be lifted and inspired to do the same in their owns lives. Because all of us have tender mercies that go on around us.
We are by far from alone. We are children of a loving Heavenly Father, and he is there, walking beside us as we journey here on earth.
So, to finish, my tender mercy for today would simply be of the simple truth that I have a Father in Heaven who is cheering me on as I am here striving to do my best...
As he is for all of us.
