faith musings

Finding the Light After the Storm

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

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I recently finished an audiobook called The Heiress of All Things Beautiful by Anita Stansfield. It’s a poignant story—at times quite heavy—centered on a family escaping a cycle of abuse. While their early years were defined by hardship, the heart of the book is really about what happens next: the way they find a new life filled with love, friendship, and the difficult path of forgiveness.

I feel incredibly grateful to come from a very loving family, and because of that, I have such deep admiration for those who navigate deep-seated family struggles and emerge stronger. It’s a reminder that while our trials look different, the capacity to learn from them and become “better” rather than “bitter” is a beautiful part of the human spirit.

We all face “storms,” but we also all have the capacity to find our own version of joy on the other side.

To My Subscribers:

We all carry experiences that have shaped who we are today. When you look back at a particularly difficult season of your life, what is one “beautiful thing” or lesson you gained that you wouldn’t have found any other way? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Let’s walk together in this conversation.

The Reach of Redeeming Love

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

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Backstory:
After a deeply meaningful Holy Week, I came across a quote from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland that changed the way I see the Crucifixion. He described the Savior’s outstretched arms not only as a symbol of His suffering, but as an open, eternal invitation to all of us. That image stayed with me—especially in my own moments of weakness and struggle. This writing grew out of that reflection, as I considered what it means that His arms are still reaching for me, for you, for everyone.

The Reach of Redeeming Love

Our Savior, Jesus Christ during His mortal ministry here,
Always had compassion on everyone and held them all dear.
He healed the lepers even though others looked down on them,
And He met with the sinner and with all men.

Then, Jesus with His amazing love for everyone
In the Garden, suffered for us 'til it was done.
He was bruised, spit upon and beaten
Then He was nailed to the cross without good reason.

His arms are always outstretched and open
To receive every one of us even if we feel broken.
We can individually go to Him and feel His embrace
Whenever we need hope and to feel His grace.

It doesn’t matter to Him what we have done wrong
When we go to Him, He can help our heart feel strong.
Because He has felt our every pain,
Only He knows how to shield us from life’s pouring rain.

So, if you ever feel lost and alone,
And like your worries and cares are a weight all your own.
Just go to your Savior, Jesus Christ
For you and for me, He paid the Ultimate Price.

The Takeaway: No matter where we are, how we feel, or what we carry, the Savior’s love is constant and personal. His arms are always open—wide enough to meet us in our pain, strong enough to lift us, and gentle enough to remind us that we are never alone.

Hold On to Easter Hope

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

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My Daily Musings-April 5th, 2026 (Easter Sunday)

There is something about Easter that fills my heart with a deeper kind of hope—the kind that doesn’t fade when life feels heavy.

I’ve always believed that because of Jesus Christ, there is always hope. Not just wishful thinking, but a confident, steady assurance that something good is ahead. He is the very essence of hope.

Because He suffered in Gethsemane, I don’t have to carry my burdens alone. Because He died and rose again, I know that sorrow, loneliness, and even death are not the end of my story.

So how do I hold onto that hope when life feels overwhelming? How do I keep an optimistic heart when the future feels uncertain?

Maybe it starts by remembering Him—daily, intentionally. Maybe it’s choosing to trust that He truly has overcome all things, even the ones I’m facing right now.

Because of Him, I can believe that light will come again. Because of Him, I can keep moving forward with faith.

This Easter, may we hold tightly to that hope—and let it shape the way we think, the way we live, and the way we see our future.

Tending the Garden of My Mind

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

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My Daily Musings-March 26th, 2026

There’s a thought I’ve been sitting with today: our minds are like gardens.

We try to plant good things—faith, hope, gratitude, kindness. But no matter how carefully we tend it, weeds still grow. Negative thoughts creep in quietly, taking up space we didn’t invite them to fill.

What stood out to me is this: we can’t just pull the weeds and expect them to stay gone. If the soil is left empty, they’ll come right back.

Instead, we have to replace them.

When we fill our minds with truth, light, and goodness, it leaves less room for the weeds to grow. Just like a garden full of flowers and vegetables protects the soil, a mind rooted in good things becomes stronger and more peaceful.

So I’ve been asking myself:
What am I planting in my mind each day?
And when I notice weeds, what am I choosing to grow in their place?

Maybe the goal isn’t a perfectly weed-free garden—but a well-tended one, full enough of light that the weeds don’t stand a chance to take over.

A Song Only Jesus Knows

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

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

Backstory:
After hearing a talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, one line from a beloved hymn lingered in my heart: “Jesus listening can hear the songs I cannot sing.” It made me reflect on the unseen battles we fight—the silent grief, the daily endurance, and the prayers we don’t have words for. This writing was born from those quiet places, where only the Savior truly understands.

A Song Only Jesus Knows

We all have feelings that we keep inside
Where all of our worries and stresses reside.
We don’t always share what is heavy or deep, 
And some of those secrets are lonely to keep.

Some days we feel like we can’t sing a song, 
Because everything around us seems to go wrong. 
There’s only One who truly knows every part, 
While we try so hard to hide what's in our heart.

Jesus knows how we feel at any given moment, 
A peace that He sends as a sacred atonement. 
He suffered in the Garden for our every pain, 
And He knows how to lead us out of the rain.


Jesus knows the deepest longings of our heart,
And He will always help us make a fresh new start.
He hears the prayers that we cry when we are weary
And He knows how we feel when our world seems dreary.

When the darkness in our heart is more than we can bear
Jesus will be our light and for us He will always be there.
So, on the days when no one understands you,
Just trust that Jesus will help you see from a more Heavenly View.

The Takeaway: There are parts of our hearts that words can’t reach. But the Savior hears them anyway. He knows your silent struggles, your unseen battles, and your deepest longings—and He stays with you through all of it.