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My little family has been through a few enormous--sometimes very difficult--transitions recently. I never imagined I'd be a single mom. My kids never imagined their parents would be divorced. I never anticipated raising my children in a mixed-faith environment.
But here we are.
Last night I was pondering the necessity of change, and how it's the stimulus for growth.
As I thought about change, I was reminded of one of my favorite sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. In this three-verse revelation, the Lord tells Brigham Young that it is time to transition away from traveling the world to share the gospel, and to instead spend more time close to home. I imagine he felt mixed emotions over this revelation; even good change is challenging.
Many years ago I broke down the three verses of this section to personalize it. And while the details don't always work out perfectly, it always helps me feel more connect to God's plan for me during times of transition and change, whether big or small.
I've included it here so you can try it on your own. It only takes a couple of minutes, so grab a pen and paper and get going!
Change is hard. Even good change! But you don't have to go it alone.
No change you experience is a surprise to God. He's already accounted for it, has been preparing you for it, and is there ready to take your hand and lead you through it.
"Promised blessings more than compensate for the challenges of change." Elder Dallin H. Oaks (1)
For me, trusting God and consciously choosing to lean into each recent change has helped me transition into our new normal with more acceptance and less resentment. It's also enabled me to help my kids better navigate this new terrain.
Don't misunderstand me: trying to live with this mindset hasn't immediately made changes more comfortable. But it has made them each feel possible, which is a critical first step toward healing.
When the fear or pain of change is at your door, I want you to know that you've totally got this.
Because God's got you.
General Conference Address, October 2003
(NOTE: The first version of this article originally appeared on Facebook and Instagram on March 14, 2021.)