When Life Tips Over: Help During Trials

 Well, it has been a while since I have written a true heart-to-heart post, so I guess I'll do one now.
  The past few weeks have truly pulled on my heartstrings.
I could name off all the things that just seem to have been tipped upside-down. My friend has carpal tunnel...my other friend's cousin has severe cancer...my uncle died... Doesn't it ever feel like life just all tips over at once?! Gotta love that.
   In this post, I'd like to talk a bit about some things that have helped me as I have gone through these trials. Please, share your ideas as well on how to go through trials. Stuck in a trial right now and need some help or prayers? Just comment & we'll put our team to work. (We would give you our email, but that's pretty dang private.) We're all in it together, and trust me, no one is exempt from trials. 
   So, here we go. Julie 101 on Trials. No gospel doctrine here, just experience.

Tip #1: Recognize you are going through a hard time. Hmmm??? What are you talking about, Julie?? Recognizing...?? Yes.
Trust me, one of the last things you want to do is cast aside a trial as nothing or pretend it is not there. God gives us trials so we can go THROUGH them, not so we can try to avoid or ignore them. If appropriate, recognize (or tell) to others your trial. It really helps to have someone on your side. Recognize your trials to God. Yes, he knows you are going through them, but you need to "draw near unto [him so he] can draw near unto you." (Doctrine and Covenants 88:63). Once you confront your trial, poke it in the nose, ask it its name, and accept that you get to bear it, you can deal much better with it.

Tip #2: Don't be afraid to have a nice heart-to-heart chat with God.  One thing that I love to do when the world is laying down the law on me is get on my knees. But don't just pray. Pray aloud. Truly express the feelings of your heart. Tell God exactly how you feel. Cry a ton. And then just sit there and feel his love. I believe that when you open up and tell God that you need his help and Christ's grace to get through this trial, he will open up the storehouses of his blessings to you. Bottom line is that you CANNOT in no way get through a trial without God. No one is strong enough to confront the hurt of this world alone. People try and fail and get hurt. Do not take a chance with your heart. Ask for mercy, grace, and love. And you will receive. And you will make it if you only have faith.
  Remember that praying for help is not a one time deal. And sometimes the help will not come after just one prayer.
   I love this scripture. I found this after I heard that my friend's cousin's cancer had spread to her brain. (Alma 58:10-11)
  

 10 Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of our people.

 11 Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.

A few things I want to point out in that scripture. Notice how he said that they POURED OUT their souls to prayer to God. Just like was said earlier, you have to really put your soul into it. This is a battle with Satan. You cannot take this lightly, but also cannot let it consume you.

I love how they prayed for STRENGTH along with deliverance. Although they wanted to be delivered, they prayed for strength. Even if they never were delivered out of their afflictions, if they had the strength of God, they could do anything.

Tip #3: Service is key. Trials hurt, but we also have to remember that there are other human beings on this same planet that are struggling with trials of their own. Make sure you do not forget to lift up their burdens as well. My beautiful cousin (whom I will nickname "Rosie" in this) was diagnosed with lymphoma three years ago. Yes, Rosie is alive and yes, she is cancer-free now. However, Rosie went through her own fiery furnace, and it was particularly hot. But one of the saving graces that kept her going was service. Even when Rosie was going through chemo and struggling, she helped others. Forgetting yourself can give you an added boost, both spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Service brings happiness. Look at this scripture (John 13:17.)

 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

 13 Ye call me ^aMaster and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

 14 If I then, your Lord and ^aMaster, have ^bwashed your feet; ye also ought to ^cwash one another’s ^dfeet.

 15 For I have given you an ^aexample, that ye should do as I have done to you.

 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

 17 If ye know these things, ^ahappy are ye if ye do them.

Tip #4: Flip a page. I know people talk about this all the time, about flipping to the right page that had the right words that they needed to hear at the right moment. Well, trust me, it works. Pray. Have a question in mind. Open up your scriptures and flip. Maybe a scripture will stand out to you on that page. But an answer will come. And then flip again and again and soak in his good word.
I tried that after I heard that my uncle died and happened to flip (no coincidence) to a scripture about the resurrection and others about faith and peace. Today, at his funeral, they talked a lot about the resurrection and how his body would be perfect. Amazing, right?? (1 Corinthians 15: 22, 1 Corinthians 14:33,  Alma 46:41,  Alma 38: 5 & 8)
I also tried that after I heard about my friend's cousin and her cancer. I flipped to scriptures about service, trials, and trusting in the Lord. It works. (2 Nephi 4: 26 & 34, Alma 37: 36-37, 2 Timothy 4: 5, 7-8, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Revelation 3:12, Matt. 5:4, Doctrine and Covenants 84:82-84, Matt. 12:42-44, Psalms 31:24, 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Corinthians 13)

Well, love you all!! Good luck! I know this is true. Experimented and proven. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.