intentional living

More Than a Perfect Picture

/ Christine Maynor / 1 Comment

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My Daily Musings-August 15th, 2026

I recently saw this quote that I really liked. “The world doesn’t need people who have it all together; it needs people who know they need a Savior.”

I feel like, especially in this world of social media, we sometimes portray a life that doesn’t show or tell the whole picture. I think we can learn from each other’s stories when we are vulnerable and we don’t sugarcoat our lives to others. I’m not saying that we should shout to the world about all that is hard in our lives every day. But when we feel prompted to share our hard times with someone, then we should do it.

I write about my trials because I hope that others can learn from my experiences and my faith, as well as from my hard days. The second part of this quote is also true. The world needs people who know they need a Savior. When I am going through a hard day, do I doubt and grumble, or do I turn to my Savior because I need Him more than ever on those days?

Have you ever learned something meaningful from someone who was willing to be vulnerable and share their struggles with you? How does remembering your need for a Savior change the way you face difficult days?

A Place for Training and Correction

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My Daily Musings-August 10th, 2026

“If you think of this world as a place simply intended for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place for training and correction and it’s not so bad.” C.S. Lewis

It is true that we can find happiness in this world, and that is always a good thing. It’s important to do things that make us happy. But I think we were sent to this world to be tested and tried. So if we have that mindset, we are supposed to learn from our experiences, our lives will have more meaning and purpose.

I listened to an episode of the new podcast, Like a Rock. The conversation was that humans learn things by trial and error. A lot of people forget about the error part. We are not perfect and we don’t do things perfectly all the time. We have a perfection mentality sometimes that we can’t be happy unless things turn out perfectly. That’s not realistic, because in this fallen world, things aren’t perfect. We will fail occasionally, and that’s how we learn.

What is something you learned from a mistake or failure? Do you find it easier to handle trials when you see them as opportunities to learn?

Known, Created and Loved

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My Daily Musings-August 1st, 2026

I really like this quote by George MacDonald: “To have been thought about, born in God’s thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest and most precious thing in all thinking.”

I think one reason this really resonated with me is because it made me think that my Heavenly Father loved me so much that He chose to create me, even with my faults and shortcomings. But He does love me so much, even though I have so many faults, that it’s overwhelming sometimes.

But I have always believed that my Heavenly Father created me because He loves me so much. He created each one of us because He loves us and we are so precious to Him, even with our many faults and failings. That’s miraculous to think about. He knows us better than anyone, better than we know ourselves, and He loves us more than anyone and more than we could ever imagine.

Have you ever stopped to think that God created you because He wanted you in the world? How does remembering that you were created by a loving God change the way you see yourself?

Seeing Others Through Heavenly Eyes

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My Daily Musings-July 29th, 2026

I love this quote that I found on Facebook recently. It said, “Don’t judge people by who they were yesterday. If someone is genuinely working to grow, heal and become better, give them the space to be that person. Growth deserves recognition, not a lifetime sentence for past mistakes.”

I am a person who is quick to judge others and to hold a grudge. That is something I have been working on changing about myself. Even with the people I’m closest to, it’s hard not to instantly judge them and criticize them. But I don’t know the whole picture that is inside of them. So I shouldn’t judge what I see on the outside.

I am also very quick to get frustrated with myself when I don’t measure up with the person I imagined I could be. I just need to look at myself and others through heavenly eyes and not be quick to judge.

Have you ever struggled with judging someone based on their past instead of seeing who they are becoming? How can we learn to give ourselves and others more grace as we work to grow?

Learning to Carry the Trunk

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My Daily Musings-July 25th, 2026

I saw this post on Facebook recently that I really liked. It said, “There is no elephant that complains about the weight of its trunk. Meaning: Accept your responsibilities and challenges in life as part of your journey. They exist to make you stronger and more resilient.”

When we are going through hard trials, some that we may think will never end, we tend to focus on the weight of those heavy burdens on our shoulders instead of being grateful for what they can teach us. They do exist to make us stronger and more resilient, I really believe that in theory, but it’s harder in practice in my daily life.

The last week has been really hard with my health. The humidity in the air in northern Utah has been higher lately and has caused some of my symptoms to flare-up. But when I pray, I still thank my Heavenly Father for the moisture we have received because we need it. However, it’s still hard for me to be grateful for my chronic illness symptoms, that’s something that I’m always working towards.

Maybe that’s what this quote is trying to teach me— not that I have to be grateful for every symptom or every difficult day, but that I can accept this season as part of my journey. Even if I don’t understand it, God can use it to make me stronger, deepen my faith, and build resilience in ways I couldn’t otherwise learn.

Have you ever looked back on a trial and recognized something valuable it taught you? What helps you find gratitude even when life feels especially heavy?