Debbie responds to Weakness Is Not Sin Article

I posted the Weakness Is Not Sin article on a group list of moms and it generated quite the conversation. I will be sharing some of their responses over the next few days. I think you'll enjoying hearing what they have to say, and once again realizing that we're all in this together.

Ladies,
I love to read thoughts like this one that get us thinking. I am not am free with my thoughts and words so I will try to do my best to communicate my thoughts and feelings on this topic in which I have spent much time on my knees finding answers.

I have been concerned about how many women in the church and the world have problems with depression. It is not the way the Lord wants us to live in a sad and depressed state. I believe that as we live the laws that the Lord has given us we will be happy. Such laws are Word of Wisdom, getting enough sleep, keeping our bodies fit( I hate the word exercise), praying, reading scriptures, attending our meetings, etc. When these are out of balance we are not well spiritually, physically, mentally, or emotionally. When that balance is out of whack no one is happy. The Spirit has a hard time communicating to us what we need to hear. We are not in a state to hear it. I have experienced many days in my years of motherhood being depressed. It is not fun. We get caught up in the trap of failing even though we are doing our best so we think. We feel that we are in a whirl pool being sucked down every time we think we are getting out of the chaos.

I also had an epiphany after I had Isabell. I was crashing emotionally and was pleading with the Lord of why again. Every child, deeper and longer. The thought came to me. Satan is really mad that I just brought another spirit to my home and is trying in every way to make this fail. With that I have been fighting harder than ever not to get drug down.

This brings me to the next thought. Weakness. I love the scripture that you quoted from Ether 12:27. I remember talking about it in Seminary years ago. First the scripture states that "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." It does not say weaknesses. We as a mortal we have one main weakness--we try to do every thing by ourselves. Admit it we do. We try to figure things out to the degree of exhausted possibilities and then we turn to the Lord. That is not the way the Lord wants us to live our lives. How often do we repeat the cycle of pleading with the Lord getting through the trial and then slacking off of talking to Him with every thing we do.

Back to the scripture "that we may be humble...for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." We in our "non-opinionated, realistic expectations" lol, forget the goal that we had in the first place and the Lord has to help us see our weakness and we become humble again and refocus.

I started an experiment in Nov. in my own life. I was finding that I had no time to experience "Be still and know that I am God". I started by reading Elder Scott's talk from Oct. conf. and then I sat and listened. Yes, [my husband] took care of the household for about an hour one Sunday so I could have time to myself. The Lord outlined for me what I needed to do. I started doing it and my days went smoother than they have in many years. Some days I get off track and I feel it. The main thing is that I plan my day with the Lord, not the other way around.

The Lord knows each of us and will lead us in ways that we need to go. I struggle with depression until I am not pregnant or nursing. The depression is lifting and I am finding joy in my life that I haven't felt for a long time. What a blessing it has been in light of every thing going on in my life. [My daughter who is getting married] and I are still talking and I haven't pulled out any hair. The Lord wants us to be happy. Satan does not and will do what ever he can to make life miserable for us as we bring more spirits to earth and raise them in righteousness.

Thank you for letting me share my feelings about these topics. We are all learning and growing and gleen from each other.

Debbie