christianity

Learning From the Rough Places

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

Backstory: 
Lately I’ve been thinking about the weaknesses we carry and the mistakes we make. Sometimes those struggles feel discouraging, like proof that we are failing or not changing fast enough. But our weaknesses are not meant to defeat us—they are meant to teach us. As I reflected on my own struggles, I began to think of us like rough stones. When a stone is first taken from the earth, it is jagged and uneven. But over time, through polishing and shaping, those rough edges begin to smooth. In much the same way, the weaknesses we wrestle with throughout our lives can shape us if we allow the Savior to work in our hearts. Through His Atonement, our mistakes can become learning experiences instead of endings.

Learning From the Rough Places

My dear Father in Heaven,
I love thee much, without question.
I know I begin like a stone with edges so rough,
And I know being human and changing is tough.

Please help me to smooth out the ways I behave,
To become like Thy Son, the One who can save. 
Sometimes when Thy chisel strikes deep into me,
It hurts—but Thou seest what I cannot see.

Thou knowest my soul when I’m tempted to quit; 
Thou seest the light when I cannot find it. 
When I am discouraged by each flaw and fault, 
Please bring my heart’s heavy spirit to halt.

When I lose my temper with those I hold dear, 
Help them to forgive me and cast out my fear. 
Help me forgive me, and find through Thy grace, 
The warmth of Thy steady and loving embrace.

Please, Father, from deep in my flawed, honest heart, 
I ask for Thy help to make a brand-new start. 
I trust that through Jesus, Thy Beloved Son, 
I can be refined until we are all one.

The Takeaway: Weaknesses and mistakes are not signs that we are beyond hope. They are opportunities to grow, to become more humble, and to turn our hearts toward Jesus Christ. Through Him, our rough places can be softened and refined. As we trust the Savior and keep trying, the very things that once discouraged us can become the tools that help shape us into the people our Heavenly Father knows we can become.

Softly He Calls Me Home

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

Backstory:
While memorizing the words of the hymn “Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling” with my mom, I was struck by the way the words describe the Savior’s voice. At first, He calls softly and tenderly, like a gentle whisper to the heart. But as the hymn continues, His invitation becomes more earnest and pleading. It reminded me of the parable of the prodigal son and how much the Savior longs for each of us to come home to Him. His love is patient, but it is also persistent. He never stops calling us back to Him and He never will.

Softly He Calls Me Home

We are human and we make mistakes every day,
And we need Jesus to redeem us more than we could ever say.
Our Father sent His Son to this fallen world
Where the fiery darts of the adversary are constantly being hurled.

Jesus loves each one of us so much
And He suffered so that we could feel His loving touch.
Jesus is constantly calling us to Him
So that the light in our lives never grows dim.

He starts out calling to us softly and tenderly like a whisper in our heart,
He patiently waits for us to answer Him so we can have a fresh new start.
He is constantly calling to us from up above,
And we can feel His love resting upon us like a peaceful dove.

Even if we don’t hear His soft call the first time or two,
He won’t ever give up because He loves me and you.
He’ll keep on calling no matter what it takes,
Even though every time we ignore Him, His heart breaks.

But He will never give up calling to us
A truth of His mercy we must always discuss.
Until that great day when we see Him again
And He will embrace us every woman and man.

The Takeaway: The Savior’s voice may begin as a quiet whisper, but His love never gives up on us. Whether we feel near to Him or far away, He is always calling us to return. Because of His mercy and forgiveness, we never need to linger in the distance. We can always turn toward Him and come home.

A Heart That Still Beats

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

My Daily Musings-March 11th, 2026

Sometimes when we feel discomfort or pain in our bodies, our instinct is to turn away from it. We want to distract ourselves or wish it away. But yesterday my therapist guided me through a meditation called Turning Toward.

Instead of ignoring the discomfort, I acknowledged it for a moment. I noticed where it was and simply allowed it to be there.

Then later in the meditation, I was asked to scan my body and find a place that felt pleasant or peaceful. Somewhere that reminded me that not everything was pain.

I placed my hand over my heart and focused on the steady rhythm of it beating.

In that quiet moment, I felt something unexpected—gratitude.

Even though my body has limitations because of autoimmune disease, it is still a gift. This heart keeps beating. My lungs keep breathing. My body continues to carry me through each day.

I can acknowledge the struggles my body faces while still feeling grateful for the miracle of it.

Today I felt thankful for this body my Heavenly Father has given me—the one that allows me to live, to love, and to experience this life.

What parts of your life can you turn toward with gratitude today?

The Beauty in the Struggle

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

My Daily Musings-March 8th, 2026

Think about your favorite stories — the books you reread, the shows you love, the movies that make you cheer. Somewhere in each one, there is always a struggle. The hero or heroine faces something hard, something that seems impossible. And when they finally overcome it, we rejoice with them. The victory feels sweeter because of the trial.

What if our lives are meant to follow that same pattern?

We might say we would choose the easier path if we could. We may wish for fewer tears, fewer setbacks, fewer stretching moments. But would the joy feel as deep without the struggle that came before it? Would we recognize the miracle if we had never wrestled in the waiting?

Life was never meant to be easy — but it was never meant to be lonely either. Our Heavenly Father and our Savior walk with us through every chapter. They see the whole story when we can only see the page we’re on.

Maybe the hard parts aren’t interruptions to the story.

Maybe they are the story — the very moments that prepare us to rejoice.

Faith That Carries Us Through

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

My Daily Musings-March 3rd,2026

As I was listening to Sense and Second Chances, one line stayed with me. After losing both of their parents in a plane crash, someone wondered how the siblings could still believe in God. Their answer was simple: it was their faith that carried them through. They couldn’t have survived that loss without Him.

I thought about my own trials—especially the daily battle with my health—and I felt that truth settle deeply into my heart. I truly don’t know how I would get through each day without my Heavenly Father. Without the quiet reassurance that I am not alone. Without a Savior who understands suffering perfectly.

Faith doesn’t always remove the trial. But doesn’t it change how we walk through it? Doesn’t it steady our hearts when everything else feels uncertain?

How do people endure life’s deepest sorrows without knowing they are held? And how has your faith carried you in ways nothing else could?

I am so grateful to know that even on the hardest days, I am seen, strengthened, and sustained by Him.