Drop By Drop

... that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.  Alma 37:6

... by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.  Alma 37:7

Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. ... Alma 37:41


Today while reading my scriptures the words "small and simple things" or "small means" really weighed in on my thoughts.
Daily as I read I look for answers to the heaviness that I feel in my life. It is never the same. Today I woke with nothing on my mind so I decided to search for what was impressed on my mind the other night as I wrote in my journal, exchanging "fear for faith". I read several talks from conference or the ensign, they were thought provoking but none of them spoke to my restlessness.
I decided to return to my scripture reading and postpone that search for later.
As I read the word "small" was larger than life to me. It kept jumping off the page.

And of course my mind flooded with how many "small" things in my life have returned with large blessings.  And the vision of Noah pounding the last nail in the ark came to mind, as he laid down his hammer and looked upon his birth land with awe and wonder as the first drop of rain fell. One small drop, not enough to fill a thimble, just big enough to leave a tiny dimple in the dust on the dry earth. No more than a "small means". But one after another and soon you feel the boat lift, the load shift, commotion. Can you hear the animals protesting this new sensation that has now given rise to their fears. Or did the Lord calm them? One more question when I meet Noah.

My fears are many but slowly I have taken one at a time and laid it upon a cloth, neatly enfolded within and tied it into a burden. With all the faith I have in my Lord I have placed this burden at his feet and taken His yoke upon me. By replacing a fear with a just cause I have felt the Lord in all His glory easy my load. I have learned that I need to search my soul and name each fear, not just take for granted that the Lord knows what fears I am holding on to. Just like we sing "Count a Your Many Blessings" I must name my fears one by one as I ask Him to accept my offering of change. To have faith that the Lord will ease each burden as He sees fit in my own life. Exchange a fear with a change. Faith to change. Fear of change to faith to change.

I may have not found the neon light answer to "changing fear to faith" that I expected but by small and simple things my heart has changed to look for the "small". The dimple in the dust size of faith that lifted a barge with a family of man and the two by two of creatures that come by means of drop after drop of faith.


And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.  Alma 37:43

For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.  Alma 37:44

And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.  Alma 37:45

May the Lord in all His glory and mercy keep blessing my small and simple things.

 O remember, remember, my son Helaman(daughter Ginny), how strict are the commandments of God. And he said: If ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land--but if ye keep not his commandments ye shall be cut off from his presence.  Alma 37:13

What a wonderful chapter of a father talking to his son. What a wonder lesson from my Father to His daughter.