Expecting Miracles....

These past couple weeks have been absolutely crazy!! I am still in Granite Bay, still on bikes and still absolutely melting in the heat everyday of my life. Except through the blood, sweat and tears I have seen God's hand in my life every moment of everyday. I know God is working in my life and in all of yours as well! Wanna know a trick I learned on how to tell? Pray for and expect miracles. 

Jesus Christ preformed countless miracles during his life here on earth. My favorite miracle, however, was when he raised Jairus's daughter from the dead. I love this story because there are basically two miralces in one!

In Matthew 5, Jairus ran to Jesus Christ because he had faith that Christ could heal his daughter. Jairus had so much faith that he told Christ to "lay your hands on her" and she would be healed. As Jesus Christ begins to follow Jairus to see his daughter, they are walking though hundreds of people Christ felt ONE person touch him. He asked, "Who touched me?" It was a women who has had an issue of blood for the past 12 years. This women, along with Jairsus had enough faith in Christ that he could heal her. Christ told her, "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague." 

Jesus Christ then went to Jairus's daughter, who had passed away before he got there. Christ walked in, took her by the hand and said, "Arise." She did. 

Jesus Christ preformed dozens of other miracles, including raising himself from the dead on the third day! But do miracles stop just because Christ is not on the earth now? No. Miracles happen every single day, we just aren't looking for them. 

 

A couple weeks ago my parents told me a really really cool story about a miracle that happened while they were camping. They talked about how they desperately needed a miracle so they decided to pray about it. My sister said it and said the most amazing prayer asking for a miracle. As she was ending the prayer she said that they would continue to and expect miracles no matter what happened. Right when they said "Amen" the miracle happened and an answer to their prayers came. That got me thinking, God really does want to give us miracles but he just wants us to ask. So this week I did!! I prayed for and expected miracles and they came!! We had so many amazing little miracles that happened to us. #1- After our lesson with a friend we were biking away and a women stopped us and asked us if we saw her dog. We said we didn't but we stopped to help her look. I remembered the miracle story my parents told me about prayer last week and decided to put it to the test. I suggested we pray and we did. Not even amen and 10 steps later we found the dog!

Are you praying for and not seeing any miracles? 

My advice? 

1. Stop looking for "pillars of light." While God can send you lighting bolts, make you walk on water, and raise the dead, most likely.... he won't. God sends mircles through "rays of light" in your everyday life. Through praying for rain, finding lost items, and sending those feelings of peace in days of doubt, God sends miracles. 

I was talking to my dad a while back about one of my companions. My companion prayed everyday for miracles and for us to find people to teach. Everyday she would feel down on us and about herself because we weren't having baptisms. That absolutely shocked me because we were having amazing interactions, finding new people, and having such powerful lessons everyday. My dad told me that it was because she was expecting huge miracles. She was expecting people to be flocking to the baptismal font. By seeking those huge miracles, she was blinded and unable to see the small daily miracles. 

2. Aftwr looking at all the miracles Jesus Christ preformed there was one specific pattern: people were healed through their faith. The women with the issue of blood KNEW that when she touched Christ, she would be healed. She had the faith to be healed! Along with Jairus! He had enough faith in Christ that he knew that Christ would heal his daughter. 

In Mornoni 7:37, it says "Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain."

 It is by our faith that miralces happen. 

Through all the amazing and crazy miracles that Christ preformed we can never forget the greatest of all... The Atonement of Jesus Christ. Christ suffered, died, and rose again all for us. Jesus Christ did that so that he can know exactly what we are going through. Jesus Christ and God knew that we were going to sin and make mistakes because it's just part of life! Through the atoning power of Jesus Christ we can be made whole again! Elder Donald L. Hallstrom Of the Seventy said, "Jesus Christ is the Great Healer of our souls. With the exception of sins of perdition, there is no sin or transgression, pain or sorrow, which is outside of the healing power of His Atonement." You are never too far out of the Saviors reach. 

"Today I testify of miracles. Being a child of God is a miracle. Receiving a body in His image and likeness is a miracle. The gift of a Savior is a miracle. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is a miracle. The potential for eternal life is a miracle."

Miracles Happen. Jesus Christ is Real. God is God. 

Pray for Miracles this week! See what happens ;)

Love, 

Sister Pickett

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            Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies 
I think the real question we should all be asking here is.... when is it too soon for Fall Flavors? 😍 

The answer?? NEVER!! 

We went over to a members house for dinner this week and for dessert they brought out these amazing pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!! Holy cow!! They were absolutely amazing!! They were these huge, thick, cake-like cookies that just brought back a flood of memories! The pumpkin flavor was so vibrant and the chocolate added that perfect sweetness!! Even if you aren't a huge pumpkin fan you have to give these a try!! Will definitely be making them time and time again!! 

What is your favorite Fall dessert??