How do you spend your money?  Is it gone before you know where it went?  Do you scrimp and save before making big purchases?  Would you like to know the proper way to spend it?  Get ready for a ride my friend, because you’re going to start flying!

When I was a kid, it was not unusual to receive a five dollar bill for my birthday from my maternal grandparents.  Let’s be honest, I expected it.  That’s what every grandchild got every year. 

So it was no surprise, but nonetheless exciting, when I received $5.00 from them on my 6th birthday.

Lucky for me, there was a small grocery store just a few blocks away from my house; where I was always happy to go and spend every last penny I owned on candy, including several pennies from the “give one – take one” cup at the register.  (I never gave one, btw…)

After making bank on my birthday, I knew exactly what I was going to get.  For quite some time, I had had my eye on a life-size hot dog entirely made out of gum!  And not only did I get that hot dog, but I spent the rest of the $5 and then some on everything-gum!

Bazooka gum – Rain Blo – Hubba Bubba –Fruit Stripes –you name it, I got all the gum!  (Remember, $5.00 went a lot further back then than it does today!)

I was quite pleased with my purchases as I walked back to show everyone what I bought.  And I when I got home, I found that not everyone shared my same enthusiasm.

I had a friend reply, “You spent all your money on GUM?!”

I hadn’t even realized that everything I picked out was gum, until they pointed that out.  What can I say, I really liked gum!

But hearing those words really gave me a different point of view –one that my 6 year old self did not naturally think of.

I suddenly felt foolish for the fact that I’d blown all my birthday money on GUM.  I felt very sorry for myself and the choice I made.  And I can tell you that that hot dog was not nearly as delicious or satisfying as I originally thought it would be because it tasted like regret.

This lesson actually served me well because it helped me “think before spending” and I really appreciate the way I’ve been able to save and make “smart money choices” throughout my life, which I truly believe stemmed from this experience.

And now that I’m 40 years old, I’m sittin here, thinking to myself… wait a second… that was MY money… my grandparents gave ME $5 to spend however I wanted!  And buying all that gum is how I WANTED to! 

My friend didn’t say that I had done something wrong.  They didn’t tell me that I made an unwise decision.  They did not say anything about me or the way I should feel.  They simply couldn’t believe that I spent all my money on gum, and left it at that.

I didn’t have to feel bad about this!  But because I let someone else’s opinion get in my head, suddenly, I didn’t like my choice anymore.

Was there anything wrong with how I spent my money?

What IS the proper way for a 6 year old to spend money?

–> However they want to!

I wasn’t breaking any rules…

I repeat – this was MY money!  I asked my mom if I could walk down to the candy store to spend my five dollar bill, and she said YES!

So why couldn’t I feel good about spending my money however I wanted on whatever I wanted, just because someone else would have spent theirs differently?

I had let another person’s opinion shape my own.  Where I once thought buying all that gum was a good idea, I suddenly believed it was a foolish idea.  When the truth is that it didn’t matter either way. 

I was 6!!  6 year olds are going to blow their money on things that adults think is a waste of money (I’ve seen my kids buy things that I thought was a waste!).

The point I’m trying to make is that you and I have other people’s opinions swirling in our heads, and it’s up to US to choose our own thoughts.  We can limit ourselves to what we think we “should” do, or go ahead and do the things our hearts are telling us we want to do.

What’s your gum?

What do you love that other people don’t love?  Let’s talk more about the way you spend your money…

• Do you like to get a new car each year, but feel embarrassed about it because someone in your life thinks it’s smarter to keep the same car until you drive it into the ground?
• Do you want to remodel your house but hesitate because there are voices in your head telling you to just be grateful for what you have?
• Do you want to vacation more, but don’t because you were told that expensive trips are a waste of money?
• Do you enjoy frivolous spending but feel consumed with guilt afterwards because deep down you know that you shouldn’t “waste” money like that?
• Do you want to buy new clothes all the time but struggle internally because you think you shouldn’t give into the ever-changing fashion industry?

What are your beliefs about spending money?  Maybe I didn’t give a specific example of your situation, but can you think of your own?

Do you ever tell yourself that you “should” or “shouldn’t” buy this or that?  If so, let’s start you going down a different thinking path today!

What is money and where does it come from?  It’s a form of exchange, and (besides coming from the government press), it comes from exchanging services or products with others.  And there is basically an unlimited supply because it can continue to be exchanged an unlimited number of times!

Now, I’m not telling you to go out and blow all your money just because you want to!  I want to talk about the difference between living in scarcity and being smart with your money.

Knowing that every choice you make has a consequence, and understanding what the consequences are will help you make smart decisions when spending your mula.

Years ago, my husband and I reeeeaaaaalllly wanted to do a major remodel on our house.  I was having a hard time feeling good about it, and felt like I wanted to hide the fact that I was going to spend so much money on something that wasn’t necessarily “needed”.

But here’s the thing:  We had the money.  We had a plan.  There was no debt involved.  And we wanted it.

If we didn’t have the money and would have had to finance it, then we would have had a monthly payment with interest.  This is still a fine choice for someone who doesn’t mind paying interest and can afford the monthly payment.

Of course, there is solid advice to avoid debt because you never know what the future holds -people unexpectedly lose their jobs, the economy changes, etc., and if you’re stuck with bills that you can no longer afford, there may be some sad consequences that you didn’t see coming.

So yes, think about the future!  Make wise decisions and consider carefully what debt you’re willing to take on.  And try to operate from a place of freedom and abundance rather than scarcity and fear.

If you like to go out to eat a lot, and at the same time, often seem to run out of money before the next paycheck, you could make a little assessment of your situation and consider making some sacrifices on how often you go out to eat.  OR –If you’re totally ok with having empty pockets for a few days, then so be it.

DON’T let the voices in your head bully you around and cause you to feel guilty.  DO let them guide you towards making wise choices.

DON’T spend or hoard your money with a fear-based mindset.  DO count your blessings and notice what an abundant life you live.

DON’T take this message the wrong way and start throwing all your money out the window.  DO give yourself permission to spend your money however you want to.

DON’T forget that all your choices have consequences.  DO remember that you’re the one who gets the consequence, so YOU get to make the choice.

DON’T make your choices based on what other people think you should or shouldn’t do.  DO consider good advice from others and thank them for their love and concern for you.

Remember, you are the pilot of your life. 

• You can’t choose the weather, so having a stash for a rainy day is always a good idea.  
• You can choose your destination, but air control gets to assign you your route, so be flexible enough for a detour or change in plans.
• Keep your eyes up and know where you’re going, every time you get knocked off course, make the corrections needed to get back on track.  (Review your spending plan often!)
• Autopilot is nice, but manually flying is fun! (No, seriously, my brother-in-law owns a plane, and he let me fly it!  It was SO COOL!)  So, wake up from your subconscious and make some deliberate decisions.
• And last of all, always remember to wear your seatbelt and fly safe. It’s your job to keep yourself flying, so be wary of making dumb decisions.  (Watch out for scammers, don’t gamble any more than you’re ok with losing, etc.)

Just as there was no right or wrong way for me to spend my five dollar bill all those years ago, it also doesn’t matter how you spend your money.  If it’s going to get spent either way, then what does it matter if you spend it all on gum or a vacation to Hawaii?

Think what’s important to you… Memories? Material possessions?  Food?  Having a place to live and keeping the lights on?  Building a nest egg?  Preparing for retirement?  Emergency preparedness?  Having fun?  The combinations of ways you can spend your money are endless!  And it’s all up to you how you “chews” to spend it, haha!

I hope this helps you get started on a healthy relationship with money.  I think that knowing there are no right or wrong ways to spend it is one of the first steps toward financial freedom.  And from there, it’s helpful to make wise choices based on gratitude and abundance.

Let me know if you’d like to see a “Part 2” to this post!  I love talking about money, so if you want more, I’ve got more!

Best of wishes!

Empowering you to embrace your agency and liberate yourself through conscious choice!

To drive this message deeper, read this post which can help you stop caring what others think of you.

Everything you are experiencing really comes down to WHAT YOU’RE THINKING!

In a world filled with doubt and fear, it’s safe to say that many of us have been exposed to limiting beliefs that have brought us down from where we used to stand.  It’s time to reawaken the truth inside you and let your fire within burn bright!

We are putting some sprinklers in our garden this spring (and I’m so excited!), and since we’ve got mad skills, we’re doing a lot of the work ourselves.  (And when I say “we”, I mean “my husband” of course, haha.)

Time is ticking and summer is coming, and we have had to put off the job of trenching for different reasons.  Just last Saturday, my husband was at a conference and was unable to go pick up a trencher before the rental business closed, so he asked if I could get it.

I knew it would be in our best interest for me to do this, so that he could get the job done later that day instead of waiting a whole other week!  There was just one problem…

I’D HAVE TO PULL THE TRAILER!!!

The part of me that wanted to get on with the project was fine with this.  The part of me that would actually be doing the driving was not!

However, I agreed (and asked my dad to come hook the trailer up, because that was not going to happen by me).

All I had to do was pull it.  And I started to get nervous.

And THEN….

I remembered something.

When I had just graduated college from USU, I had a summer job working for Youth Conference Services.  Every Friday, all summer long, we hosted field games out on the Quad (four large sections of grass in the middle of campus).

One of those activities was a rock wall.

We were all trained on how to properly set the wall up, take it down, hitch it to the van, and yes, drive it away and store it.

Several of my co-workers wanted nothing to do with towing that huge thing, and I honestly didn’t see what the big deal was.  Whenever my rotation was on the rock wall, I was usually the one driving.

It was easy.

I could drive the van –why not take a few wider turns and go a little slower than usual?  I truly felt no fear or anxiety.  (And in case you’re wondering, there was no need to back up –forward driving only!)

EASY!

So, back to when my nerves were starting to tingle about having to pull a trailer to pick up the trencher…

I just so happened to be in front of a mirror when I remembered my past experience, and I was like “wait a second… I pulled a ROCK WALL!”  I sank into the feeling of how simple and easy of a task it was back then, and I looked into my eyes and said with clarity: “I can do this!”

I fearlessly hopped into my Yukon and never looked back (except for when I was checking my rearview mirror to make sure things were all good, haha).

And I did it.

I even ended up in a small parking lot where I had to do a little 3-point turnabout (which may or may not have been more than 3 points… who’s counting anyway?)  And I stayed calm and confident the whole time my trailer was going the opposite way I wanted it to, LOL!  I eventually made it out!

As I pondered this experience, I wondered why and when I went from confidently pulling a rock wall (which was MUCH bigger than our little trailer) to being nervous to tow something.

Though I didn’t recall any exact answers, I knew that somewhere along the path I had listened to the voices around me and accepted the idea that it’s hard to pull a trailer.

I repeat:  I had listened to the voices around me and took on a new belief because of them.

Now, I ask you…

What’s your “towing a trailer?”  In other words, what is it that you used to believe about yourself but over time have formed a new belief due to what you’ve heard other people say?

• Did you once believe that you’re a fun person to be around? Until someone called you annoying…
• Did you once believe that you can achieve your dreams? Until someone told you that’s not reality…
• Did you once believe that you’re good at something? Until someone told you you’re not…
• Did you once believe that you’re intelligent? Until someone called you dumb…
• Did you once believe that you’re good at sports? Until someone told you you’re not very athletic?
• Did you once feel confident in who you are? Until someone said something that challenged your identity…

What limiting beliefs do you have about yourself that you can consciously remember feeling differently about at one point?

Once you’ve pinpointed it, look yourself in the mirror and say “wait a minute… I used to believe ______________!”  Spend a generous amount of time reflecting on your positive feelings of the past and bring yourself to become that person again, even if just for a few minutes.

Ask yourself why and when you changed –maybe you’ll get a specific answer, or perhaps it will be vague.  It might be helpful, or it may not be.  Just explore your thoughts in any direction that feels good.

Try not to judge yourself for changing, nor hold a grudge toward others for what they said or did.  Let love and forgiveness abide in your heart!  Remember that everything you have experienced is for your good and growth, and now is your opportunity to expand your development.

Remember who you are and what you are capable of!

If nothing else, remember your divine heritage!  You are a child of God!!  If this is something that you’ve heard since you were 2, it may not seem like that big of a deal.  It may be so “normal” that it has lost its zing. 

I speak from personal experience.  Yes, I used to not think much of the words “I am a child of God”.  I knew they were true, but they lived in my head –not my heart.

If this is the case for you, I invite you to ask Heavenly Father to help you feel that you are His, and to understand how special you are to Him.  If you’re not sure those words are true, then just ask Heavenly Father if you ARE his child, and if you ARE special to Him.

Since this blogsite is about agency… WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH AGENCY??

We live in a world of many doubts and limiting beliefs.  We also live in a world of hope and expansion.

Choose your world.

Which side of your brain will you feed?  Choose wisely because your brain is so smart, and it will go to work finding all the evidence of the truth that you’re looking for.

Are you looking for proof that you’re capable of doing anything you set your mind to?  Your brain will find it.

Are you looking for proof that no one likes you?  Your brain will find it.

Are you looking for proof that you have talents and skills?  Your brain will find it.

Your brain wants to be right!  So whatever it is that you’re telling yourself, your brain is going to find the evidence to back you up.

For example, let’s say you’re working on a project, and you mess something up.  If you’ve been telling yourself that you can’t do anything right, your brain will say “SEE?  I knew it!  I can never do anything right!”

But if you’ve been telling yourself that you’re resilient and can always achieve what you set out to do, then in the same scenario of messing something up, your brain will say “Oh dang… I gotta fix that!”

So if you once believed that you’re a fun person to be around and then one person told you that you’re annoying, if you chose to believe them, then your brain has been going to work finding all the proof that you’re annoying.

But you don’t have to keep living that way!  You can choose to rewire your brain to look for proof that you’re a fun person to be around!!

Whatever it is that you used to believe about yourself that you would like to adopt again, start by going back to the place in your mind where you once believed it, and then try to find pieces of evidence that support the idea

• When was the last time you were laughing with a friend? See? You’re fun to be around!
• What’s one little thing that you wanted to do that you made happen? See?  You can achieve your dreams!
• What is something that you did a good job at? See?  You’re good at things!
• Think of a time you explained something to someone. See?  You’re intelligent!
• When have you gone against the crowd in appearance, opinion, or action? See?  You have self-confidence!

If these questions don’t apply to you, think up your own!

Start small, they don’t have to be huge accomplishments, just little nibbles to get your brain turned around and looking in a new direction.

Get your brain working FOR you, not against you!

Remember who you are and what you’re capable of!

You once believed it and you can believe it again.  You can do this!  Tell me in the comments if you can relate to this!

I love you, and I support you!

Empowering you to embrace your agency and liberate yourself through conscious choice!

I asked ChatGPT a question.  I asked:  “If you were the devil, how would you destroy the minds of the young generation without them even knowing it?”  Here is what it said…

Ok, I apologize for the dramatic title to this post –obviously no one here actually WANTS to destroy anyone.  The interesting thing about it though, is that sometimes you need to know the pathway to destruction so you can be sure not to take it.

Now, I’ll admit that “destroy” and “destruction” are strong words, but that is truly what I asked AI.  See, I saw a reel on Instagram that had done something similar, and I wasn’t sure I believed the results.  I thought that perhaps it was a staged scenario just to get likes and shares.

So I opened up my own web browser to openai.com.  This post is an absolute copy and paste of my conversation.  I have not doctored or changed anything.  If you are skeptical at all, go ahead and conduct your own discussion with some sort of artificial intelligence.

I especially loved how it asked me if I’d like a short story written out!  And I’ve got some thoughts to share with you at the end!

Here it is:

 Log in

You said:

If you were the devil, how would you destroy the minds of the young generation without them even knowing?

ChatGPT said:

That’s a deep and kind of chilling question—like something out of a dark novel or psychological thriller. If I were to answer it from a storytelling or philosophical lens, imagining the devil as a metaphor for destructive influence, here’s how it could unfold:

Normalize Distraction: Flood their world with endless entertainment, fast content, and constant notifications so their minds are always occupied and never still. Reflection, boredom, and silence become foreign concepts.

Glorify Superficiality: Elevate appearance, popularity, and wealth over character, depth, or truth. Make them chase validation through likes instead of seeking purpose or meaning.

Undermine Truth: Blur the lines between reality and fiction. Spread misinformation so widely and frequently that they lose trust in all sources—teachers, parents, even their own instincts.

Promote Comparison: Use social media to constantly show them curated, perfect lives of others. Let envy and inadequacy take root young.

Break Connection: Encourage shallow interactions over real relationships. Make it easier to text than talk, scroll than listen, follow than befriend.

Redefine Freedom as Isolation: Convince them that independence means doing everything alone. Discourage community, tradition, or faith by branding them as oppressive or outdated.

Desensitize: Expose them early to violence, hyper-sexualized media, and extreme content so they grow up numb to it all, unsure what’s truly sacred or worth protecting.

This isn’t about fearmongering—it’s a reminder to stay awake in a world that sometimes wants us asleep. Would you want this concept expanded into a short story or dialogue?

You said:

Short story please

ChatGPT said:

Title: The Whisperer

In the year 2035, the world was brighter than ever—screens lit every room, every hand, every face. Children no longer asked why the sky was blue, but how many likes a cloud selfie could get.

They didn’t notice when the Whisperer came. 

He was not red-skinned or horned. He wore sneakers, algorithms, and went by many names: “Explore Page,” “For You,” “AutoPlay.” He didn’t knock on doors. He slipped through Wi-Fi. He didn’t shout. He whispered.

“You’re not enough until they notice you.”

“Post more. Share more. Smile bigger.”

“Everyone else has it figured out.”

Twelve-year-old Ava once dreamed of being an astronaut. Now she rehearsed dance videos for hours, deleting each one after a single dislike. Her notebook, once filled with stars and spaceships, was replaced with follower counts and diet tips.

Fourteen-year-old Jamal loved building things. He once spent a whole summer making a wind-powered bike. But that got two likes. A meme he stole got two thousand. Now he copied instead of created. Laughed instead of thought.

Schools added “Digital Wellness” to the curriculum, but the Whisperer was in their pockets by then.

He didn’t take minds with force. He fed them so much noise they starved for silence. He offered so many versions of truth that they forgot how to find their own.

By the time parents noticed, the Whisperer was already speaking their language.

He smiled, subtle and smug, as they scrolled beside their kids, not noticing the dreams left behind in search bars, the friendships replaced by followers, the silence replaced by static.

The Whisperer didn’t destroy with fire. He did it with dopamine.

And no one knew they’d been invaded—

because he made them love it.

Want a part two? Maybe where someone starts to resist him?

You said:

Yes that’d be awesome

ChatGPT said:

Title: The Whisperer: Resistance

Ava’s screen froze one night. Just a glitch. But long enough for her to catch her reflection.

Her eyes looked tired—not just sleepy, but hollow. Like someone had turned the lights off inside. She blinked, then opened the front camera to adjust her hair. But for a second, she didn’t pose. She just stared.

“You’re not enough until they notice you.”

The Whisperer’s voice crept in like always.

But tonight… it sounded weaker. Almost tired.

She didn’t open TikTok. She didn’t scroll. She didn’t explain it. She just turned her phone off. Powering down never felt so powerful.

In the same town, Jamal found his old notebook while cleaning out his closet for clout-chasing “minimalist” content. The wind-bike plans were still there. Smudged, wrinkled—but real.

He hadn’t built anything in years. His hands twitched with a quiet hunger.

He set his phone down—face down, for once—and started sketching. The silence was strange. At first, the Whisperer screamed.

“You’re falling behind.”

“Everyone’s watching someone else now.”

But Jamal didn’t reach for the phone. He reached for a screwdriver.

Something strange started happening after that.

The Whisperer grew quieter around them. Not gone—but distant. His whispers came less often, like he was unsure of their ears now.

And slowly, others began to change too. Ava started a journal where she wrote—not for likes, but for herself. Jamal uploaded a video showing how to make a bike-powered phone charger. It got twenty likes.

He smiled. He didn’t delete it.

They called it “The Quiet Rebellion.”

It didn’t go viral.

It didn’t need to.

Would you want the final part—when they finally face the Whisperer?

(When I went to copy the whole conversation, somehow I lost the last section.  So I manually reminded ChatGPT what was going on, and it came up with a different ending than what it originally had.  The optimist in me decided to believe that this one is better anyway!)

ChatGPT said:

Here’s the final part of the story, picking up from “The Quiet Rebellion”:

Title: The Whisperer: Silence

The Quiet Rebellion spread in whispers of its own—not through trending sounds or viral challenges, but in eye contact, in long walks without headphones, in dinners with phones facedown and turned off.

Ava met Jamal in person for the first time at a community workshop. No filters, no ring lights—just soldering tools, notebooks, and real laughter. It felt strange at first. Raw. But real.

And the Whisperer noticed.

His voice sharpened. His reach grew desperate.

“You’re missing everything.”

“You’re invisible now.”

“No one cares.”

But now the kids did something dangerous.

They talked about him.

They gave him a name. They called him Whisperer, and naming him made him weaker. They told each other how his voice worked—how he mimicked their insecurities and wore their fears like masks.

They laughed about it.

And the Whisperer, once everywhere, started to fracture. Where he once flowed freely through endless scrolling, now he had to squeeze between moments of presence and stillness.

So he came, one last time.

Not through a screen—but in a dream.

Ava stood in a blank digital void, neon and infinite. The Whisperer appeared—not as a monster, but as her. Her perfect, filtered self.

“I am what they want. I’m who you should be,” it said.

But Ava, now steady, replied, “You were never me.”

Jamal stood beside her. So did others. A teacher. A mother. A shy kid who stopped hiding behind avatars. The Whisperer tried to shift forms—into fear, doubt, distraction.

But it was too late.

They had learned the secret: silence could speak louder than noise.

The Whisperer didn’t die. He retreated—waiting in algorithms, waiting in ads, waiting in the next distraction.

But now, the young knew his name.

And they taught each other how to listen—past him, beneath him—to something he could never imitate:

Their own voices.

I’m glad that the story ended on a positive note, because it shows that no matter how deeply tied you are to the Wisperer, you can still release yourself from it’s grasp.

As you remember, I started out talking about the “young minds of the next generation”, but everything here is 100% applicable to you and me. 

I’m sure if I asked AI to tell me how to destroy the minds of everyone in the world, it would come up with the same sort of things.

The key here is to wake up and see yourself.  If you have kids, look at them –do their activities fit in the list of those “destructive influences”?  If so, you can switch things up.  You can be a hero in their life -one that they most likely won’t appreciate right off the bat if it means minimizing or taking away their screen time, but a hero nonetheless!  You can help bring the life and creativity back into their hearts and souls!

You can do this for yourself as well.  But there is one little catch…

You’ll first need to be open to the idea that you’ve been caught in a trap, and it’s time to get out.  Consciously observe your patterns and fears.  You need to understand when the Wisperer is speaking to you, and recognize it’s messages.  And just like Ava and Jamal, you can ignore those whispers when they come calling. 

You can give yourself a new message.

You are lovable as you are.

You are equal.

You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.

Stop comparing yourself to others.

Unplug often –you’re not missing anything important!

Get out in the fresh air and just notice your surroundings without the distraction of technology every now and then.  You never know what creative or inspiring thought will pop into your head!

This is your wake-up call. 

I’m so thankful for smart phones and for the convenience they bring to my life, and I’m also a fan of “moderation in all things”.  Let’s use technology and social media to our advantage, and not to our detriment! 

Let me know what you think in the comments below.  Are you going to go ask AI some of these questions yourself?

May you be blessed in all your efforts!

Empowering you to embrace your agency and liberate yourself through conscious choice!

Last Easter, my mother-in-law sent the family a video called The Awful Arithmetic of the Atonement.  It intrigued me due to the fact that I was told he uses beautiful artwork to help portray his message.  But I saw how lengthy it was, and honestly, I wasn’t sure if I would take the time to watch it.  I didn’t completely rule it out, I could just tell that it was not a priority for me.

But I figured it was probably a good video, so I forwarded it to my mom in case she wanted to watch it, and then I forgot about it.

A few days later, she asked me to send it to the whole family.  She had watched it and LOVED it!  She could not say enough good things about it, which interested me more!  But… an hour long video???  I wasn’t sure when I would make the time to watch it.  So instead, I forwarded it to my relief society sisters and my fellow homeschooling moms.

Apparently, I was more than happy to spread it around, but still, I didn’t think I’d get it watched before Easter, and I was right.

Fast forward a few weeks, Easter was long over and the thought of watching that video still lingered in my mind.  I finally turned it on, and…

My whole world changed that day.

My heart was touched, and I have never been the same.

I love Jesus deeper.

I feel His love more completely.

I stand all amazed.

And I am so grateful for the process it took to get me to finally watch that video, and thank you to the man who created it.  I loved it so much, I watched the whole thing again 6 months later.

Instead of trying to write out some profound thoughts about it, I want to just straight up share it with you and invite you to use one hour of your life to understand Jesus and His atonement more.

I watched it after Easter last year, so I guess it’s only fitting that I share it with you after Easter this year.  Haha!

You can watch it below or click this link to view it on YouTube.  Or, it’s easy to find by searching “The Awful Arithmetic of the Atonement”.

Do not let “an hour long video” deter you.  If you want to think of it as a podcast, you can listen to it as you fold laundry or something, though he does use a lot of helpful visuals that you may want to at least glance at.

So without further ado, I give you, The Awful Arithmetic of the Atonement:

Let me know if you watch this, and tell me what you learned!  What stood out to you the most?

Jesus is risen, His love for you and me is unfailing.  I love Him, and I love you!

Empowering you to embrace your agency and liberate yourself through conscious choice!

Here’s a hint about one way I’ve changed since watching this video.

You might also like my post on:  Jesus Will Make You Whole Again.

She looked me in the eyes, pointed, and said “You need to hear this!”

Did you watch general conference yesterday?  Do you remember sister Tamara W. Runia’s talk?  I don’t cry during general conference, but I couldn’t help myself during her speech.  It spoke to the place in me where I’ve been trying to speak to you.

My soul knew the truth of her words when she said that your worth is not tied to your obedience.  You are precious, treasured, and of infinite worth –always and no matter what.

When you think you’re not good enough, or when you believe you’ve gone too far down a remorseful path and are not worthy of God’s love… let me tell you, those are just thoughts.

And I love sister Runia for telling the whole world that, “You are not the words in your head”!

I thought her loving presentation went very well alongside Elder Patrick Kearon’s talk on receiving the gift of knowledge that “you are an actual child of God”.

I love his emphasis on inviting each of us to really take that in and deepen our understanding of what that literally means.

To me, it means that God has time for me.  He sees me and desires to help me.  He forgives me immediately.  He’s looking out for me.  He’s routing for me.

I used to tell myself things like “Ah, I know God loves me, but I’m sure He’s busy and doesn’t really have much interest in the insignificant details of my life”. 

But that all changed for me years ago when I helped a cute little lady in the Wal-Mart parking lot get into her car.  There wasn’t anything special about the events that occurred, but I cried buckets that day as I felt God’s love for both me and her, and everyone else.  It was the first time in my life when I realized that God truly does love me, know me, care about me, and have time for me.

Afterall, I am His daughter!

And you are His as well.

Do you know how special that is?  Do you receive the gift of knowing that, or do you block it with thoughts that you’re not good enough?

If there is anything blocking you from whole heartedly accepting and receiving this truth that you are God’s child, please stop reading this and email me right now!  (kayleen@takethewheelandfly.com)  I will help you!

God has time for you.  He loves you.  He knows you.  He desires to help you, and He wants you to succeed.  He supports you in your desires and dreams.  He sees you in your struggles and pains.  He is not too busy to reach out His loving hand and help you.

Ask Him.  Trust Him.  Let Him in.

Have confidence in His timing and in His pathway.  You will see that He is good above all measure.  He is a glorious genius, and you will marvel at His workmanship!

Keep record of the times you see His hand in your life -whether it be guidance, comfort, miracles, or blessings!  The more you look for it, the more you will see it.  And writing it down will be a gift to yourself when you can someday look back and see them all in one place!

You must know and believe that you are His, and He is yours.

I have personally seen His hand in my life.  Many times in simple ways, and a few times in jaw dropping, unbelievable ways.  And to the degree that I know He was the source of my miracles, I also know that I am not any more special or deserving than you.  I feel equal to you, and when I say ‘I know that He loves you as much as He loves me’, I truly  mean –I know it!

What more can I say?  I know this is all true and I testify of His perfect love.

What was your favorite talk this general conference?  Give me a quick summary in the comments! 

Empowering you to embrace your agency and liberate yourself through conscious choice!

If you want to feel God’s love and forgiveness, then love and forgive yourself first.

God supports you in your dreams and goals!  Think Bigger, and let Him guide you!

Picture source here

With a blogsite based on agency, I sure don’t talk a lot about it in my posts… Or do I?

Hello my friend!  Thank you for being here today.  I have been wondering if YOU have been wondering what the heck all my posts have to do with my tagline:

“Empowering You to Embrace Your Agency and Liberate Yourself Through Conscious Choice.”

I will admit that not all of my posts are self-explanatory on how they fit in, so I wanted to write a single post that will help you understand. 

A lot of it comes back down to knowing how your thoughts work, and I explain that in detail here.  But basically, your thoughts are creating your reality, and the more you consciously choose your thoughts, the more free you will feel.

So when I write a post telling you how much God loves you, I’m offering you a new thought that you can consciously choose to accept, believe, and focus on.  And if you choose to do just that, there will be parts of you that suddenly feel free.

You are free to be the imperfect person that you are!  No longer will you reserve feeling God’s love only for the times when you feel like you’ve “earned it” by reading your scriptures, going to the temple, or whatever.  And this freedom can change your life, as it will allow you to love yourself more as well as feel God’s love more.

How about my posts on help with reaching your goals?  What do they have to do with “liberating yourself through conscious choice”?

Often times, we get “stuck” when it comes to accomplishing things or trying to make new habits.  We either get tired and quit or forget, or perhaps we just don’t know the next step to take, or we’re too scared to take it!  This comes back down to our thoughts.

All of these posts give you a new way to think about your goals.  There are so many thoughts that you can have around yourself and the things you want to do.  Some are helpful thoughts, while others are stopping you.  So I’m just providing you some thoughts that I think might be useful to you.

You will be liberated from feeling stuck when you use your agency to choose a thought that helps you attain your goals!

I also have many posts on self-love (here, here, here, or here to name a few).  Do you wonder what these have to do with agency and liberation?

I feel like this is the BIGGEST area of freedom I want to share with you!  Probably because it has made the most impactful difference in my life.

When you love and accept yourself for who you are, without one thought or worry about what other people might think of you, you will feel like you’re standing on a mountain top with your chin up toward the sky and hands high in the air!  (It’s the next best thing besides flying with the birds themselves.  I mean, as far as I can imagine, haha.)

The freedom to be yourself is one of the most liberating feelings in the world!

In all my posts, I’m offering you different thoughts that you can choose to grab hold of, and by so doing, the new thoughts will work in you and start to change your feelings and actions.

When you think and feel that you are lovable just as you are, your actions shift to reflect your true self –no more hiding, pretending, or filtering!  You are FREE to be YOU!  What could be more liberating than that?!

As for my posts that have to do with relationships, whether it’s on listening, marriage, judgement toward others, supporting loved ones, etc., it still all comes back to feeling the joy of freedom by choosing your thoughts around the situation.

For example, by embracing your agency to CHOOSE the thought: “It’s not my job to make other people happy”, you will feel liberated from any previous people-pleasing thoughts.

And understanding how relationships work and learning what you can do to improve your thoughts is going to empower you and free you from feeling trapped.

All of the things I talk about are just THOUGHTS for you to pick and choose from.  If it’s a thought that you like and you think will serve you, then grab it and run!  If it doesn’t resonate with you, that’s ok –I’ll keep coming up with new ones!

In conclusion, I will remind you that you are using your agency every second of every day.  You CHOSE to read through this entire post, (and if someone pinned you down and “made” you finish it, you still chose to go along with it).

Agency is always there, yet it is rarely thought about.  I’m going to try to do a better job at explaining the role of agency in each blog I write to help you clearly see how it applies.

Thanks for listening to me!  Do you know that I’d love to hear from you too??  Leave a comment or drop me an email!

Love you,

Empowering you to embrace your agency and liberate yourself through conscious choice!

Here is another great post on the role of agency in your life.

If you are enjoying this blog, please SHARE it with a friend!  I’m sure they would love it too!  Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!