When Moses brought Isael out of Slavery. Israel was no longer in Egypt, but Egypt was not fully out of them. They had been driven by commands, controlled by fear, and conditioned to believe that survival depended on striving most if not all of their lives. So when they finally walked out into freedom, they did not immediately feel peace. They felt exposed. Vulnerable. Uncertain. And when Pharaoh’s army showed up behind them, everything inside them panicked. It felt like they had made a mistake. Like they were about to be pulled back into what they had just escaped.
If you have ever walked away from something that hurt you spiritually, you know that feeling.
The thoughts come back. The fear comes back. The question comes back. What if I was wrong? What if I am not safe? What if God is still like that?
But in that exact moment, God does something that completely reframes who He is.
He says, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord… The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Exodus 14:13–14).
Notice what He does not say.
He does not tell them to perform. He does not tell them to prove themselves. He does not tell them to earn their rescue. He does not even tell them to fix their fear before He moves.
He tells them to stand still.
Because their deliverance was never going to come from their effort. It was going to come from His finished work.
And then the sea opens.
Not a small path. Not a fragile escape route. A wide, impossible, unmistakable passage straight through what once stood in their way. Walls of water on both sides. Dry ground beneath their feet. God does not just remove the threat. He makes a way where there was no way.
This is what Jesus has done for you.
Through The Atonement, He did not just bring you out of bondage. He made a complete separation between you and what once held you. The same way the sea stood between Israel and Egypt, the finished work of Jesus stands between you and everything that tried to define you through fear, shame, or control (Hebrews 10:14). You are not halfway free. You are fully brought through.
And here is where peace begins to settle in.
Because when Israel reached the other side, God did not leave the path open for Pharaoh to follow. The waters closed. Completely. Permanently. What once chased them could not reach them anymore (Exodus 14:27–28).
That really matters.
Because one of the deepest fears people carry after being hurt spiritually is the feeling that it might come back. That maybe you are still under it. That maybe you are still exposed to it. But the Red Sea tells a different story. God does not just bring you out. He closes the door behind you.
What once had access to you does not have access anymore.
What once spoke over you does not get the final word anymore.
What once controlled you does not get to follow you into your future.
And this is not because you were strong enough to leave. It is because God was faithful enough to finish what He started.
Peace is not found in looking back and making sense of everything. Peace is found in realizing that God has already brought you through something final. You are not standing in the middle anymore. You are on the other side.
And even if your heart is still catching up, even if trust feels slow, even if you are learning how to breathe again, God is not impatient with you. The same God who parted the sea is the same God who gently leads His people forward, step by step, into freedom (Exodus 15:13).
You do not have to rush your healing.
You do not have to force yourself to feel okay.
You do not have to strive your way into peace.
You can stand still and let Him show you again who He really is.
A God who does not trap you.
A God who does not control you.
A God who does not lead you back into fear.
But a God who makes a way, brings you through, and then surrounds you with a peace that no longer depends on what is behind you.
Because through Jesus, the sea has already been parted.
I read a post where a teacher at a Christian School felt like they were a failure because they quizzed their children with a single question. “Why am I a Christian?” Most came back with answers like “because my parents are” or “because I believe in Jesus” or “my sunday school teacher taught me that” Most really didn’t know what Chrisianity was at that age. I am here to tell you, there is nothing wrong with those answers. Thank God that they are in Christian homes, being taught by their parents, Sunday school and Primary teachers etc. The sad thing is unfortunately, sometimes that is where it stops; They get told Bible stories, Jesus, God, all the basic stuff. They get taught at… meaning told from a script what to believe. Sometimes if they are lucky enough they get good examples from family members ..mom, dad, etc..
But as they get older, the world has a nasty way of making them forget and filling them full of “better or easier ways”. The world pushes fun, excitment. and the love of physical pleasure tantelizing all of their senses. With social media, all of the worlds views are at their fingertips. I don’t know all the answers. There is one who does and I trust He will reveal them when He is ready to do so, and not a minute sooner.
I’m going to tell you my story:
When I was little, my mother, father, and Sunday and Primary teachers told me children’s bible stories of Jesus, yet I’m sure if anyone would have asked me the question of “why am I a Christian” I probably could not have given any better jof an answer.
But, one thing I was also taught; is what faith is.
I was given examples of how things develop and grow. I was shown the beauty of nature and how it is realated to me, not just another of Gods creations, but as God’s child who was put in charge of caring for all of his creations. I was always encouraged to be creative myself.
The story of the mustard seed as compared to faith. So tiny, but once planted and neurtured, The tiny seed grows into one of the largest garden plants. Faith becomes a refuge symbolizing Jesus’s welcoming love and safety.
My Mom gave me the tools to do just that…. She told me true stories of how Jesus has been there for other children and gotten them through sickness, and hard times. Each story emphasized on reaching out to Him and talking with him…pray even though you cannot see him. Tell him when you are happy, sad, or scared. Do not be afraid to pray. Even when you make a mistake or do something wrong. Still pray, tell him how you feel. He will listen and he will bless. Oh believe me, some of my prayers were kind of silly now that I look back on them. I was kind of a fat kid and that was one of the things that seemed to make other kids dislike me. So every time I ate something, I would pray for God to make me lose weight. Or sometimes just pray for Him to keep the others from noticing me at all. I did keep praying and talking with Jesus. I learned that you cannot trust others around you to have your best interest at heart so I had a friend in Jesus who I knew I could trust to hear me and give me peace.
I was bullied at school, even by some of the teachers, I would come home in tears begging not to have to go back to school. I would have terrible nightmares. She would always tell me the same thing…”pray to Jesus, let him know how you are feeling, he will give you the strength to get through it” …”But don’t hate them, Jesus will not do revenge for you, he loves them too.” She even further reminded me often of how they made fun of and punished Jesus on the Cross but he asked Heavenly Father to forgive them because he knew they really didn’t know what they were doing. They were only doing what they learned by watching their parents or listening to faulty teachings taught by men” When she first said these things, I didn’t want to believe her, my pain made me angry. I just weanted it to stop. I was so lonely. But I still did always talk to Jesus. I never stopped. Many times I would feel the peace of his love. I wasn’t alone… but many times I found myself using angry words towards Heavenly Father too, but then I would apologize. I felt his forgiveness. I knew He loved me and even when He wouldn’t give me what I wanted I never stopped trusting and asking. because that mustard seed of faith was growing without me even knowing it.
I began to see the little miracles in things and I just knew in my heart that it was Jesus. As I got older and I started listening to the scriptures (I was dyslexic and never really could read the scriptures) I learned that it isn’t enough to just pray and talk to Him, I needed to listen to him, and then believe Him. This grows the faith, line upon line and precept upon precept …Pray, listen, and learn and then apply what you learn. One of the most important things is whatever you learn from man, before you believe it, pray and ask God whether it is true or not. Ask with an open heart and he will tell you.
Pretty soon I found myself recognizing the blessings and being thankful and wanting to be like Jesus and follow in his footsteps…..That my friend is when I became Christian.
Please parents and teachers, all you can do is teach them while they are young the best you can. We all have our free agency. Children as they grow are going to forget, make wrong choices. We all have our own journey and we need to suffer the consequences of our choices. God is alwayss there to help strengthen his children who might be suffering the painful consequences of others poor choices. But they have to reach out themselves and let him in. We can and should always pray for our children as well as forgive them for making poor choices.If you have done your best, God will not hold you accountable for their sins. “Please forgive them for they know not what they do. Their eyes will be opened one day. “Every knee shall bow, every tongue profess, of Christ”.
If you don’t believe me….ask Him.
I am so very thankful for these revelations and that tiny seed of faith I recieved as a child. And thankful to my Heavenly Father for trusting in me enough to give me my 6 beautiful children to love and raise.
Well the Lord works in mysterious ways. I wanted to go an hour early and try to meet and speak with Charlie …due to transportation problems I was 10 minutes late. While I was pushing through the crowds, not more than 100 ft from Charlie, he was shot in the neck. We were evacuated through a maze of people. My heart was broken. I couldn’t believe what happened.
For days I recieved so many hateful and anti Christian comments from not only social media, but even from some members of my own family. Indifferent and even happy it happened. This saddened me so very much. So I was motivated to actually look at my own beliefs and convictions of absolute truth…..
I have been working on genealogy off and on for many years.
I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve in a part time mission working virtually with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where I am learning so much about history and the way people migrated to the United States.
Since St Patricks day is aproaching, I would like to share some of what I have learned…….
Many common names now have an Irish/Scotch immigration origin
. Eg. O'Riely, McDougal, MacGyver, etc......
Did Irish Immigrants change their names?
Mac, Mc. O' all in Gailic mean "Son of" Ni means "Daughter of"
Names were also used as descriptions of the people that bore them: McAllen, Allen meaning "handsome" Brian O'Brian meaning "Brian Jr."
The very fiest recorded instance of an Irish person using a surname (they probably used them earlier, but this is the earliest recorded instance of it), was in 916 AD in Galway. The user of the surname was a Lord who called himself Tigherneach Ua Cleirigh. The "Ua" later became the modern O'. This Lord's descendants are the modern day O'Cleary families. When the Normans invaded Ireland in 1169, many Irish families using an O' Mc, or Mac surname changed it to the Latin Version of "sonof", which was Fitz, as this is what the Normans used. Other famillies kept their Gaelic surnames in spite of their oppression by the Normans.
Occupations became a factor in using surnames; The ancient equivalent of giving someone their business card. A baker, cooper, fisher, butler, thatcher, mason, smith, and wright all had ready surnames in their occupations
Surnames from a person or family's geographical location was another way: A person who lived on ar near mountians or a hill may use "Hill" as a surname. The same goes with dales, or valleys, and rivers would use or incorporate those features into their surnames. Montgomery ("Mont", or mountain) and Mondale ("Dale")
In the 1500's when a new Protestant religion from England suppressed traditional Irish Catholicism, Protestants from England were given Irish lands and moved there, making the Irish second-class citizens in their own country. To adapt to their new circumstances, many Irish families Anglicized their surnames, allowing them to fit in with their new English neighbors. So names like O'Ceallaigh became Kelly, O'Murchadha became Murphy, and MacGabhann became Smith. The English who were their boss's and landlords were able to pronounce Anglicized surnames better than traditional Gaelic ones.
As you can see, learning the history of Irish surnames has helped me in my research into the Irish, Scotish, and English families who immigrated in the 1800's
This is a great explanation of what many Irish women immigants wen't through
Easter is so very important. Without it there would be no Christmas! Jesus is the Son of God. He was born in Bethlahem in a humble stable. His mother, a virgin so blessed in the sight of God that he chose her to bring forth His Son. He grew up in a humble but royal family. Joseph and Mary. His mission? To bring saving grace to all of Gods children. He worked miracles with his Priesthood power, he taught love, charity, and selflessness. He suffered much at the end. He was betrayed, beaten, torcherd, and was hung on a cross to die. When he died the world suffered darkness, earthquakes, and all maner of destruction. Many died. Three days later, as Jesus prophesized, Angels came and freed Jesus from the tomb. He was taken up and reserected to life. He showed himself to his deciples and dwelt with the people for many days. Then He rose to the heavens and as he bid farewell, He said that “Other Sheep Have I”.
My most favorite movie is an account from 3rd Nephi in the Book Of Mormon. Jesus came to the America’s and visited and taught the poeple. This is only one account of the many places on earth he visited.
When I was a teen, even though I never wavered on my faith in Jesus Christ I began to rebel. My Daddy was over protective, many of his fears ruled his life. I was his only girl and he was terrified of losing me. We didn’t have money to do things like my friends did. I knew my parents loved me. They taught me about Jesus. Who he was and that he was with me at all times to turn to. I was different; a little over weight and being brought up by Parents as old as other kid’s grandparents. So from day one I was bullied by the kids at school and then those same kids that went to my Church, along with adults both in my family and in my church who tried to suppress me, saying I was spoiled and that I didn’t deserve anything, People wouldn’t sit by me because I smelled of ciggarett smoke because my Daddy smoked and didn’t come to Church much. I was always passed by for solos and taking a part in programs at school and in church. I began to doubt my self worth. The only ones that encouraged me to sing, create and develop my talents were my mom and dad. My Dad was a cartoon and a letter artist. He taught me many things about art and encouraged me to draw, paint. He bought me my first camera at age 9 and set me loose. My mom was a seemstress, did embrodery, and knew music. She would sing to me and with me since I was a baby. The taught me to look for beauty in everything and everyone.
All I wanted was to spread my wings and experience the beauties of the world and be accepted for who I was… a free spirit. Instead, I was judged and condemned by people all around me, in my school, church, and even extended family. I quit going to church as a teen (to my mother’s dismay), but never doubted the gospel and my Savior. I did loose faith in the people. They preached truth but only practiced the parts that were for show. They judged me and assumed because I didn’t go to church and be a “goody-goody” that I was going the other extreme; drugs, boose, sleeping around etc…..I wasn’t. But some of the other kids my age were, and still going to church pretending to be goody goodys and treating me like dirt.
40 years later…
Today, I understand so much more. We are all people at different stages of learning. Even Joseph Smith and the brethren of the Priesthood that worked with him, were human and they made mistakes. Sometimes bad judgment, sometimes actions out of necessity, sometimes just being human. Really in the whole scheem of things It does not matter. This is what we are here for…to make the mistakes and learn to repent and do better right? The important miracle they did is to establish Jesus’s Church and Priesthood back upon the Earth. Enabling us to prepare the way for the King to return. Bottom line is that the LDS Church is Christian and Jesus is at the Helm! The Church is here to help all humanity to come together as Christians, all churches to prepare for his coming and to help establish His Kingdom upon the earth. Russel M. Nelson is The Prophet! Not just over the Church, but for all God’s children upon the earth. I believe with all my heart that He does commune with Jesus Christ, he doesn’t judge others, he is humble and he listens to the Savior and gives the messages to the people what the Savior wants him to just as the prophets of old.
Things were recorded in history by people with their own interpretations that were probably way off in many cases. I am now seeing all over people, even members of the church, wasting their time looking up these histories and twisting them to put doubt in each others hearts about the validity of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Devil and his followers (one third of the host of heaven who were our brothers and sisters at one time), are now working harder than ever to stop God’s children (us) from receiving the gifts that God has for us. This is the ultimate war and each and every person on this earth will be forced to take a side. Jesus wants us to be free to love and live with Him in joy for all eternity’ He came to earth and set an example and paved the way for us.
Satan wants to destroy our souls, by getting us to give up our own birth right, to take us down with him to be slaves to our own misery for eternity. There are no punishments, only consequences of choice. Jesus can and will help. God created this world and everything in it, including us. Trials, pain, and suffering is a part of this world. God does not punish, people punish, Jesus heals and gives us strength to overcome. But only if we look to Him and let him by learning of Him, not tell Him, trust and let Him Love Us…
We all have freedom of choice (which is from God). Those who chose to take what other men say as “their truth” and not believe the fact that Jesus is the only way to eternal life with God, isn’t going to change the real truth and what is coming.
I find myself wanting to shout from the tops of the buildings “come on people, why are you allowing Satan and his minions to blind you to the truth? You are wasting time! Jesus is coming back and we need to prepare our hearts. Now is the time to apply His teachings, His love and forgiveness. Concentrate on loving one another, and Loving Him and trusting Him! Look for Him!!!” See the Truth! Point your Heart to the truth! See the truth in all that you do! See Jesus!
