Spiritual Growth

The Roads We Never Expected

/ 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-September 3rd, 2026

“Sometimes God leads you down a road you never would have chosen to grow something in you that you did not know you needed.”

I think most adults can agree that our lives didn’t exactly turn out the way we thought they would. I talked with my sister about this a while back. I told her that my life didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. I expected to be a mother, and that didn’t happen for me. But that doesn’t mean that I regret my life. I have a wonderful life with many great blessings I’m very thankful for. My sister agreed that her life also didn’t turn out the way she thought it would.

That’s why I love the idea that sometimes our Heavenly Father leads us down a road we didn’t expect so that we can have the experiences we need. We are here on this earth to learn and grow, and develop into the people our Heavenly Father wants us to become.

I try not to focus on the things I don’t have and be grateful for the beautiful life I do have. That’s why I write down my daily gratitude before I go to bed every night. It helps me focus on my blessings and be grateful instead of focusing on other things that aren’t important.

Has your life taken a different path than you expected? What have you learned from the journey?Have you ever looked back on an unexpected road in your life and realized that God was helping you grow through it?

Protecting the Peace God Has Given Me

/ 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-September 2nd, 2026

“Before anger takes another hour from you, ask: Will this matter tomorrow? Protect the peace God has given you today.”

I used to struggle with a bad temper. I would get angry and upset over the smallest things. I still do sometimes. I have realized over the past few years that it steals my peace to be upset over things that don’t really matter or will not matter tomorrow. Even if those things matter to me in the moment, I shouldn’t get upset or stress about things that won’t matter the next day.

That’s probably why this quote stuck out to me, because anger is something I have tried to overcome most of my adult life. I love that the quote tells us to “protect the peace God has given” us today. I firmly believe that our Heavenly Father wants us to love each other and to not get angry or upset over the little things that don’t really matter.

As I have tried to overcome my temper, multiple therapists have taught me not to stress over things I can’t control. For example, I can’t control what other people do. But I can control how I react to what other people do. This has been hard for me to learn, but as long as I am making progress most days, then I think that’s all I can do.

Have you ever found yourself getting upset over something that you realized later really wasn’t worth losing your peace over? What helps you protect your peace when you’re frustrated or angry?

Focus on the Good

/ 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-August 24th, 2026

I heard this on an episode of the new podcast called Like a Rock. The host said that we can all name a bunch of weaknesses that we have, things we need to work on. But we should focus on aligning our character to be more like Jesus. So instead of focusing on our shortcomings and weaknesses, we should pick an attribute of the Savior that is already one of our strengths. We should focus our attention on strengthening that attribute and then working on the things we need to improve.

I really like this idea. I am sometimes consumed and overwhelmed by all of my weaknesses and shortcomings. I feel like I am so far away from being like Jesus that I occasionally get discouraged and wonder if I will ever be the person I should be.

But I really don’t think that is how Jesus thinks about me. He doesn’t focus on the things I need to work on. I’m sure that when He looks at me and at everyone, He looks at us with so much love that we could never comprehend.

Yes, He wants us to become better and have more love and grace for ourselves and for everyone. But He also sees our great qualities and the good within us, rather than focusing only on the negative things. We should learn to see ourselves and others through Jesus’ loving eyes. Then with that perspective in mind, we can focus on one attribute at a time that we want to develop. No, we are not going to be perfect and we will make mistakes. But just knowing that Jesus looks at us with love and compassion should help us look at ourselves and others that way.

What is one Christlike attribute that you feel is already a strength in your life and that you would like to continue developing? How might your life change if you learned to see yourself and others more through Jesus’ loving eyes?

Forgiveness at the Foot of the Cross

/ 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-August 23rd, 2026

“Let us go to Calvary to learn how we may be forgiven. And then let us linger there to learn how to forgive.” Charles Spurgeon

It is true that we can learn so much from the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ, but especially when He was hanging on the cross. I can’t imagine what He suffered for me. I can’t imagine how He must have felt when He was beaten, ridiculed, spit upon, and sent to carry His cross to Calvary. Then, when the roman soldiers nailed Him to the cross, I can’t imagine the amount of pain He must have felt.

But through it all, He never said a negative word against those who accused Him. He took it all for each one of us. We can learn so much from that example. But perhaps most amazingly, He asked His Heavenly Father to forgive those who put Him on the cross. He must have been filled with love for those people to ask His Father to forgive them.

I am so human and I think and speak negatively about people more often than I should as a disciple of Jesus Christ. I should think of His example when I think a negative thought about someone else. His example should come into my mind when I get frustrated with myself and others because of their shortcomings. No matter what someone else has done to me, it is not comparable to what people did to Jesus. And He forgave those who wronged Him. We need to do the same.

How does Christ’s example of forgiveness help you when you are struggling to forgive someone?What can we learn about forgiveness as we linger and reflect on the Savior’s sacrifice at Calvary?

Slow Down and Be Still

/ 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-August 22nd, 2026

I recently listened to the song by Sissel called Slow Down. Here are the lyrics to the song because I think its message is very important for us in our busy and chaotic world.

In the midst of my confusion
In the time of desperate need
When I am thinking not too clearly
A gentle voice does intercede

Slow down, slow down, be still
Be still and wait, on the Spirit of the Lord
Slow down and hear His voice
And know that He is God

In the time of tribulation
When I’m feeling so unsure
When things are pressing in about me
Comes a gentle voice so still, so pure

Slow down, slow down, be still, my child
Be still and wait, on the Spirit of the Lord
Slow down and hear His voice
And know that He is God
And know that He is God.

Here’s the link to the video of this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFe84U__kt8&list=RDEFe84U__kt8&start_radio=1

I was deeply touched by the message of this song. In this crazy, busy, and chaotic world, do we really take the time to slow down, be still, wait, and hear God’s voice so that we can know that He is God? Do we take the time to be still and study the scriptures, be still and pray, be still and just rest in the fact that our Heavenly Father is who He says He is? Or are we so consumed with our never-ending to-do lists that we don’t have the time we need for sacred things?

I think we are all guilty of not slowing down enough to listen and to pray to our Heavenly Father. Our souls and hearts need spiritual nourishment to function, just like our physical bodies need water and food. I sometimes forget to pray throughout the day and I can surely notice a difference in my day. I have a better day. I’m in a better mood if I take the time to read my scriptures, pray and just be still and know that He is God.