Stand with Lynnette

We are wrapping up our self-care Fundies this week by talking about finding JOY.

Listen in to find out how to find joy amid life's challenges. (And, if you would like to learn about the other Fundies and how they work together to support you, catch up on episodes 8-12.)

We will discuss how to recognize what is blocking joy and how to cultivate more joy, no matter what is happening in your life.

This week's SHINE challenge:

Write a joy list of things you can do to bring you joy. Then, when you need a little burst of joy, do something from the list.

Want to join the STAND movement? You can start by downloading our manifesto: Covenant Women Who Stand. Read it and grab your free copy right here.

** Follow along on Instagram

It is easy to find gratitude looking back over the challenges we have overcome, but what about feeling grateful while climbing the mountains of adversity? Is that even possible?

Dieter F. Uchtdorf believes that the secret to such a feat is to be grateful in our circumstances rather than being grateful for things. He said,

"We can choose to be grateful, no matter what.

This type of gratitude transcends whatever is happening around us. It surpasses disappointment, discouragement, and despair. It blooms just as beautifully in the icy landscape of winter as it does in the pleasant warmth of summer.

When we are grateful to God in our circumstances, we can experience gentle peace in the midst of tribulation. In grief, we can still lift up our hearts in praise. In pain, we can glory in Christ's Atonement. In the cold of bitter sorrow, we can experience the closeness and warmth of heaven's embrace." 3

Gratitude is a choice, and it can become a way of life. We can choose to be grateful while navigating the mountains of life, not because we love the steep passages, but because the view is incredible.

Listen in for real-life stories of people who have learned to be grateful, no matter how challenging their circumstances. From them, you will gain perspective and inspiration for learning to feel grateful; come what may.

This week's SHINE challenge:

Write down three things you are grateful for every day for the next seven days. See if it makes a difference in how you feel.

Want to join the STAND movement? You can start by downloading our manifesto: Covenant Women Who Stand. Read it and grab your free copy right here.

** Follow along on Instagram

3 Uchtdorf, Dieter F. "Grateful In Any Circumstances." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Apr. 2014, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2014/04/grateful-in-any-circumstances.

Through his research about hope, Shane Lopez determined that "hope is the belief that your future will be better than your present and you have the power to make it so."

While I love Shane's definition, I would add God into the equation. So, we, with God's help, have the power to create a future that is infinitely better than our present.

With that in mind, we can no longer be powerless victims of our circumstances. Instead, we are co-creators with God. We can work hand in hand with the Creator to build lives filled with hope. But where do we begin?

Listen in for perspective and practical tools.

This week's SHINE Challenge:

Write about one thing you hope for in as much detail as possible. Write about it as if it has already happened. You can use that vision to help you endure when things get tough. You can also use it to help you create, with God's help, the outcome you desire.

Want to join the STAND movement? You can start by downloading our manifesto: Covenant Women Who Stand. Read it and grab your free copy right here.

** Follow along on Instagram

For the next few weeks, we will continue to focus on a series of self-care fundamentals or "Fundies" that drastically affect all areas of our life, including our spirituality. The Fundies include: eat, sleep, move, breathe, be present, be prosperous, be grateful, and be joyful.

This week, we will be diving into breath - the bridge between the body and the mind. We will discuss why breath is so powerful and how to use it to stay present, manage stress and anxiety, and feel calmer.

I will also teach you a couple of powerful, practical tools you can use in moments of heightened emotion to bring you back into the present. Because, after all, the present is where life is truly LIVED.

The past is where depression lives. The future is where anxiety lives. The present is where POWER lives.

Let's do this!

This week's SHINE challenge:

Try flipping the switch with a few deep, mindful breaths when you feel stressed, anxious, or otherwise not at your best. To up the ante, repeat a mantra, such as "Everything is as it should be" or "I love and accept you."

Want to join the STAND movement? You can start by downloading our manifesto: Covenant Women Who Stand. Read it and grab your free copy right here.

** Follow along on Instagram

For the next few weeks, we will be focusing on a series of self-care fundamentals or "Fundies" that drastically affect all areas of our life, including our spirituality. The Fundies include: eat, sleep, move, breathe, be present, be prosperous, be grateful.

This week, we will be diving into sleep and movement. Why do these things matter? How can they help us bridge the gap between hope and despair? What do they have to do with our spiritual growth? How can you uplevel these areas of your life?

Listen in to find out!

This week's SHINE challenge:

Track your steps. Are you meeting the depression threshold every day? What can you do to add more movement to your days? Make a plan for moving forward in a more supportive way.

Want to join the STAND movement? You can start by downloading our manifesto: Covenant Women Who Stand. Read it and grab your free copy right here.

** Follow along on Instagram

References:

1. Why We Sleep: Matthew Walker

2. How Much Sleep Do We Really Need? National Sleep Foundation

3. Sleep and Mood: Harvard Study

4. Among Teens, Sleep Deprivation an Epidemic

5. Even Happier: Tal Ben Shahar

6. The Joy of Movement: Kelly McGonigal

For the next few weeks, we will be focusing on a series of self-care fundamentals or "Fundies" that drastically affect all areas of our life, including our spirituality. The Fundies include: eat, sleep, move, breathe, be present, be prosperous, be grateful.

This week, we will be focusing on food, and how what we eat has a MASSIVE impact on, not only our physical health but our mental and spiritual health.

This week's SHINE challenge:

Read and ponder D&C 89 and prayerfully determine one way you can better care for your body. We are not looking for extremes. Remember, moderation in ALL things. And consider how small changes, over time, can create DRASTIC impact.

Want to join the STAND movement? You can start by downloading our manifesto: Covenant Women Who Stand. Read it and grab your free copy right here.

** Follow along on Instagram

References:

1. Your Body: A Magnificent Gift to Cherish: Russell M. Nelson

2. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto: Michael Pollan

3. The Happiness Diet: Tyler Graham and Drew Ramsey

I copied these comments from my social media feed several months ago.

"I make it a practice to not waste my time responding to people I have no respect for."

"It's because of people like you that the state of the world is what it is."

"You are such a moron for being so educated."

These comments represent the reality of communication in our world: a world with little respect for anyone who believes differently.

A world where it is OK to belittle others publicly, as long as you are hiding behind a screen.

A world where communication has been reduced to yelling, screaming, name-calling, and publicly shaming others.

We have all seen this in the realm of political and social differences, especially in the wake of the turmoil of the last two years. But what about in matters of faith?

Have you seen believers mocked or persecuted for believing? Have you seen members of the Church belittling or shaming other members who follow (or don't follow) the prophet or the commandments?

Have you seen members of the Church shaming other members who do not share their social or political beliefs?

I have both seen and experienced these things. In this episode, we discuss how to put on the armor of light, enabling us to communicate with both courage AND compassion when it comes to matters of faith.

We also talk about how to invite, welcome, minister, and love people, no matter where they are on the covenant path.

This week's SHINE challenge:

Arise and Shine forth by sharing your testimony on social media this week. Be brave, be bold, and be compassionate. Use the hashtag #covenantwomenstand

Want to join the STAND movement? You can start by downloading our manifesto: Covenant Women Who Stand. Read it and grab your free copy right here.

** Follow along on Instagram

References:

1. Doctrines of the Restoration: Sermons & Writings of Bruce R. McConkie (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1989), 197-98.

2. Russell M. Nelson, Stand as True Millenials

3. Russell M. Nelson, A Plea to My Sisters

4. Dieter F. Uchtforf, Three Sisters

Do you struggle to hear the voice of the Spirit? If so, you are in really good company.

I recently surveyed a group of women and asked them how confident they felt in their ability to receive personal revelation. There was a sliding scale of 1-5, 1 being "I wonder if God ever speaks to me," and 5 being "I am confident in my ability to Hear Him." Almost half of the respondents chose either 1 or 2.

Bottom line: it is difficult to distinguish the Lord's voice from our own thoughts. It is a skill that takes some practice.

In this episode, I will teach you how to "Live in Revelation," by giving you a big-picture view. Then, I will break it down into practical things you can do each day to increase your ability to hear and heed God's voice.

This week's SHINE challenge:

For the next week, commit to recording how you see the Lord's hand in your life each day. How does He show up for you in ways, both small and great?

Want to join the STAND movement? You can start by downloading our manifesto: Covenant Women Who Stand. Read it and grab your free copy right here.

** Follow along on Instagram

References:

1. The Spirit of Revelation, David A. Bednar, 2021

2. Revelation for the Church; Revelation for Our Lives, Russell M. Nelson

3. The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like Without It? Russell M. Nelson

4. Make Time for the Lord, Russell M. Nelson

Sometimes, we mistakenly believe that, if we have enough faith, God will remove painful obstacles from our paths. That could be true – He does work miracles and, sometimes, those miracles include healing in all forms.

But what if He does not take our challenges away? Does that mean we lack faith?

In this episode, we explore the story of Liberty Jail, one of the darkest times in the life of the Prophet Joseph and those who followed him. We all have our Liberty Jail moments. We can learn much about how to approach our dark days by examining how the Lord instructed Joseph in the grueling months of his imprisonment.

This week's SHINE challenge:

Read Doctrine and Covenants sections 121-123. In your journal, record at least one thing you learn from those sections that will help you navigate your personal trials.

Want to join the STAND movement? You can start by downloading our manifesto: Covenant Women Who Stand. Read it and grab your free copy right here.

** Follow along on Instagram

References:

1. Lessons from Liberty Jail: Jeffrey R. Holland

2. Spiritual Whirlwinds: Neil L. Andersen

3. Doctrine and Covenants 121-123

Do you ever see yourself through the distorted lenses of inadequacy, self-doubt, comparison, or lack? Or do you know someone who is struggling with their self-worth?

If so, this episode is for you.

Identity affects EVERYTHING. If we truly understand WHO we are and WHAT we are here on this good earth to accomplish, we will be an unstoppable force for good.

Because of that, the adversary is waging an all-out war on identity. If he can keep us distracted with thoughts of inadequacy, we will be hard-pressed to accomplish our divine work.

We cannot allow him to win!! Come, learn how to fight back.

This week's SHINE challenge:

Ask the Lord to tell you one thing He loves about you. Listen for His answer, write it down, and refer to it when you are feeling down on yourself.

Want to join the STAND movement? You can start by downloading our manifesto: Covenant Women Who Stand. Read it and grab your free copy right here.

** Follow along on Instagram

References:

1. Sheri Dew: Knowing Who You Are and Who You Have Always Been

2. Moses chapters 6-7

3. The Cherokee Legend of Two Wolves

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