S.T.O.P.!.

Okay I made this post quite a while ago... like last summer but I never posted it, not sure why but here it is.

Well been a while since I last posted.... Lots of great things have happened in my life the last two months. I am so blessed and my heart is full of gratitude.

I have a little acronym that I have wanted to post. I'm grateful Heavenly Father blessed me with these thoughts. The acronym is S.T.O.P.!

S ervice
T ime
O ptimism
P rayer
! ntegrity

This is something to remember anytime there is temptation, negative thoughts or feelings, sin or just a check to be sure I'm moving forward and keeping my will in line with my Father in Heaven's will.

Service:

If you are serving others your focus turns outward. Sin is inward and selfish. When we serve our fellow brothers and sisters we serve God. When we serve God he will give us the strength we need to bear our trials and burdens.

Time:

The times is NOW! Focus on the present. What are you doing right this moment that is bringing you closer to your Heavenly Father? Satan often gets our thoughts lost in the past- the bad memories and the good memories. He can also distract us with the future. Either by encouraging us to fear the future or getting caught up in making goals and plans. Yes, goals and plans are important, reflecting and learning from our past is vital to our progression.... but if we aren't careful we can allow these thoughts to keep us from action. and action is now, in the present. The present is the only thing we can control. Do not let Satan distract you from progression. Learn from the past. Be excited and make your goals for the future. But LIVE in the present and ACT!

Optimism:

hope and faith in the Atonement. Believe through Christ sins can become strengths. This does not mean the trial or temptation will be taken, only the power to act the way Christ would in the situation is increased. It increases as faith is practiced and hope through Christ is cultured in the heart. How EXCITING the opportunity is to face hard things... this is an opportunity to work with Jesus Christ and come closer to Him.
I am grateful that God allows me to recognize where repentance is needed in my life and the opportunity to access the atonement.

Prayer:

Gratitude. Gratitude toward God. If we are being truly grateful we cannot hold within our hearts the desire to sin. Being able to express gratitude to the Lord, especially during times of temptation takes much humility and faith. Pray for gratitude. Pray in thanks. Pray to recognize blessings in life. Pray to recognize God's hand working in our lives and in the lives of those around us each day.

!ntegrity:

So I know the upside down exclamation point is a stretch but it was an afterthought... a very important after thought.  Integrity is everything.  It is who and what we are, do and say when no one is around, or so we think, Santa Clause... okay I mean Heavenly Father is always watching :).  If we can remember that we want to be honest people full of integrity then this thought can help us in times of temptation.

I am not sure if this will mean anything to anyone else but it was a pretty neat learning thing for me :) 

When you are struggling or being tempted just S.T.O.P.!.