Ready for Great Things (day 37)

"One of the best kept secrets about LDS young women is that in a world where so many girls are attempting to indentify themselves by experimenting with ideas and experiences, we are surrounded by girls who already understand what identifies them. They know what their divine identity means. And that knowledge has them poised and ready for great things." (-me)

I was asked to write the cover article for the May/June issue of LDS Living Magazine. I love being in this issue because it's the first issue my dear friend Erin wrote the "publisher's note" for (because, well, she is the Associate Publisher of the Magazine. Congrats, Erin!) and the "Just Asking" section features another dear friend, Hilary Weeks.

But, I love being in the issue even more because it gave me a chance to highlight some remarkable girls I've had the privilege of meeting over the last few years and share some things I've come to learn about them.

In the most recent Young Women General Broadcast, the young woman who offered the opening prayer declared, "We know who we are." I wanted to jump out of my chair and tell everyone in that Conference Center: "Did you hear that? And they do! They really really do!" In the past year, I have shifted so much of what I do when I now speak to girls. Because I have learned that a whole lot of them really already know who they are...and they just want to be challenged to DO something with that knowledge.

That's what this article is all about.

And you know what?

That's what my journey is all about too.

I've spent a decade + coming to understand who I am...changing beliefs about who I thought I was...working to be the girl I need to be. I've discovered I'm not all that different from my younger counterparts.

And now, I too feel like I'm ready for great things.

I really am ready.

PS Many of you might already get the magazine but I have TWO COPIES to give away. If you're interested, leave a comment by Sunday night and I'll mail this AND my new favorite cd, WOMEN OF HOPE, to two lucky ladies!...or a gent if you're out there.)

Sweetest day

On Friday I got word that this little one made it's way into the world. I can't quite describe how excited I was about that.
And it's not because of the book per se...or that it's MY book.
It's because of what I truly believe it's meant to do.
What I hope it has the chance to do.

We landed today just in time for me to get home and get myself to a little bit of church with the other congregation that meets in the building across the street from my house. But, when it came time for the speakers after the Sacrament and when they said they were talking on "Provident Living", I slipped out (don't judge me).

I made my way downtown to our offices and broke in (well, I mean, I have a pass but it WAS a Sunday and it felt a little "break in"ish), determined to find a copy.
I found a little stack on the Production floor. I grabbed 10 of them and then reminded myself that might be thievery (is that even a word?) and I probably shouldn't steal, especially on Sunday.

So, I just took two.

I picked them up and ran out to my car and started to cry.
My first tears were exhaustion (TOFW weekends do that to me).
My second tears were excitement.
My third tears were gratitude that I got to be the writer of this little book.
My last tears were just a tich of sadness..."Where can I go to share this with someone who will be as excited as I am and know why this means so much to me?"

And then I knew.
I didn't even call ahead first.
I just went straight to Ardeth's house.
Heber answered the door. "Are you lost?" He asked.
"Is your cute wife home?" I asked back.
And then she came around the corner and before I could say anything she said, "IT'S HERE! Is it here?"

We made our way to the couch.
She'd read a page and then cry and then I would cry.
It was one of the sweetest moments of my life.
I said, "If someone had told me when I was thirteen that I'd be sitting on your couch sharing this with you, I NEVER would have believed it. I can't believe I got to do this."

We read some more and said all the things we were both feeling. I'm one of her girls, you know (and any of you who were in YW 1984-1992 are too, just so you know. She feels that way about all of us) and it just felt SO good to experience that with her. And so fitting to share the first copy with the the woman who issued a call to my 13 yr old heart oh so long ago.
She deserved a "pay off" for what she did.
She doesn't need it or expect it.
But she deserves it, you know what I mean?
And it just felt really sweet to be the one to give it to her.

Then, there was one more place I needed to go.
Someone who I knew would be as excited as I was.
Someone who knew what this meant to me.

And I made my way here... And this might seem terribly silly to some or a little too much for others, but I sat down under the shade of the little tree and I started reading...out loud.
I read the intro to him and then I looked around to make sure we really were alone.
And then I read the first chapter and I kind of could envision Grandma sitting by his side listening...and smiling that way she smiled when nothing needed to be said.
And then I read another chapter. Out loud.
And then another.

It was a bit of an emotional experience for me. I don't know how to articulate how it felt whenever I knew my Grandpa was proud of me (and Grandma, of course). I could almost see/feel/hear how Grandpa would have gotten a little teary and said, "oh, Laurel, my girl" as he held it in his hands.

And I wanted to share this with him.
I needed to feel what that felt like.
And today, I got to.

Hearing the words jump off those pages reminded me that this is a project that was given to me. I truly feel that way. And I hope it's okay I'm even saying that out loud. There was a message that needed to be written and I just feel like the Lord let me write it.
Anyone could have done it.
But, he let it be me.

Today was a reminder that God has a plan for each one of us.
I have things I was meant to do.
YOU have things you were meant to do.
Ardeth Kapp did.
My grandpa did.
The cute 16 yr old girl I met Friday night in Hartford does.
We all do.
That is something I know to my core.

If I've had a sweeter day, I cannot at this moment recall it.
This has been the sweetest day of all.
(PS If you "earned" a copy, give me a couple of weeks to get my stash and I'll send them right out. Promise. xoxo)

Spread the word?

Remember this post? Well, that post is part of the "introduction" of a real live book: He Loves Us and We Love Him: You've Memorized It, Now Live It.

It's a new take on the YW Theme.
And it went to press yesterday.

I had the privilege of spending time with Sister Ardeth Kapp on this project (she even wrote the "Afterword" for the book.). On several Sunday afternoons last Spring, you could have found me in her home reading her journals from 1984-1986. It gave me a sense of all that was transpiring in the creation and "launch" of the YW theme.

That experience, along with a lifetime of experiences, pushed me to finish this project that I suppose you could say has been in the works for 25 years (this November is the 25th Anniversary of the YW Theme...did you know that?)

We priced it low so it could get into the hands of as many girls as possible.
I feel pretty passionately about the message.
I want to share it with them.
In print and in person.

And I'd love your help.

If you have a blog and would like to help this little effort, I'd love to send you a free copy of the book as soon as it comes out.

Here are the details:

1.) Do a little "shout out" for the book on your blog with a link to the "pre-order" page at DeseretBook.com by August 27th.

2.) Leave a comment here on my blog (by August 27th) telling me to go check out your blog to see your "shout out"(leave your blog address if your profile doesn't link to it).

3.) Email me at laurelDOTchristensenATgmailDOTcom with your mailing address.

4.) As soon as the books come in, I'll mail you your copy.

5.) When you receive it, read it and post a review of the book at DeseretBook.com and then recommend it if you feel like it's worth recommending.

I already have some requests to speak in places next year that would require farther travel and well...this is one way to make that possible. I'm not comfortable having anyone pay for my travel expenses to come (and besides, who needs the pressure? If I don't let them cover the costs, if it doesn't go well, I can say "ah well, you got what you paid for"...grin).

So, I'm just swallowing my insecurities and asking for your help...
to spread the word about the book.

xoxo

*****

(some quotes from the book)

FAITH
"The reality is that faith isn’t about me. It’s about Him. And the Lord Jesus Christ has a pretty impeccable past record…not just in my life but in the countless lives and experiences of God’s children. That is why if my faith is really centered in HIM, then I’m always okay. Always."

DIVINE NATURE
"Regardless of who your parents are or how they have chosen to raise you, you have inherited qualities from your Heavenly Parents that are 'in your blood.' It's just who you are."

INDIVIDUAL WORTH
"Trust that God has a divine mission waiting for you and JUST for you. Trust that He, even now, is orchestrating details of your life to help you fulfill what you were sent to this earth to perform."

KNOWLEDGE
"The most important knowledge you will gain in this life will be the knowledge that is put into your heart and your mind through life's experience by the power of the Holy Ghost."

CHOICE & ACCOUNTABILITY
"Every choice has a consequence. But, the Lord loves you enough and trusts you enough to let YOU choose throughout your life. And a daughter of God who understands who she is has the power within her to make good choices and then gets to enjoy the consequences of those choices."

GOOD WORKS
"One of the characteristics of God's daughters is that we have a natural inclination to nurture other people. We want to love them and serve them and help them. It's one of my favorite things about being a girl. And it's one of the things that makes a girl beautiful."

INTEGRITY
"That is the epitome of integrity--not simply acting right when you have the chance to act wrong, but acting right when you have the chance to act...right."

VIRTUE
"The culminating experience for a daughter of God who lives the values is being as close as possible to her Father in Heaven and to her Savior as she enters the doors of God's Holy House--the temple."

Seeing what you believe

Some things have to be
BELIEVED
to be
SEEN
-ralph hodgson

I found that little quote today and it SO spoke to me because it matches the message of this:
And since I'm so bad at give aways (I know...I know...) and since if you take out those who have won something before or who already have it (including my Dad...don't let him fool you), well, as it turns out, I have enough to pass around (can't you just hear my dad saying, "you dumb broad!"?).

SO...
Laurel
Gayle
Jill
Cheryl
Janabananagirl
Julie
MKB
GDR
Tannersmom
Jamie
Teresa
Marialuigi
jdiggity
Shauna
Jen
Erica
Kelly Loggins
John Hilton III
Lisa A.
Melissa
Dion Seneca
Mindika
Holly
Lisa
Angela
Jill
Amy
Holly
Angela
JillyBean
Adrien

Send your mailing address to laurelDOTchristensenATgmailDOTcom by Friday, March 26th in order to be included in the one and only mailing on the 27th.

I'd love to know what you think after you take a listen. Share your opinion if you feel so inclined. Spread the word. And, even more, I'd love to know who you give it to when you're finished. Because remember...and I'm serious...the cd needs to end up in the hands of a young woman. You promised! (grin)

Here's to seeing what you believe.
xoxo

(and yes, this IS the last give-away for a while...but aren't you glad you read this little blog?)