LDSPMA

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Member Spotlight: Sue Lamoree

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Sue Lamoree is from Camano Island, Washington

What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

I wrote The True Adventures of Carbon (a middle-grade novel). My short stories appear in the following anthologies (two are listed under the name Susan Hutchinson): The Healing Touch of Horses: Stories of Courage, Hope and the Transformative Power of the Human/Equine Bond; Horse Crazy: Women and the Horses They Love; and A Cup of Comfort for Dog Lovers: Stories that Celebrate Love, Loyalty, and Companionship.

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

Twenty-six years ago, I was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis (TM) which resulted in partial paralysis from the neck down. Through the grace of my Heavenly Father, I learned to accept and manage my situation with humor and dignity. I soon realized the journey isn’t easy and we can often benefit from the support of others. This insight inspired me to share my humorous, spiritual, and sometimes challenging anecdotes about life from a quadriplegic perspective.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

When one of my blog posts reached an individual who had been newly diagnosed with TM, we corresponded for a short period of time in which I felt our conversations may have helped dampen her fears associated with the unknowns of her new life. Most individuals with spinal cord injuries (myself included) start out with a minimal understanding of the resources available to them. I love sharing my knowledge and experiences with people to lighten their concerns.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

Don’t just get into the head of your characters; follow their emotional journey as well. Delve deep into their feelings and demonstrate those emotions through actions, conversation, and consequences rather than telling the reader how the character feels. Readers are more likely to stay engaged in a story if they can identify with the character’s emotional transformation. And always deliver on your promises. Whatever the story presents as the premise, make sure it’s resolved, good or bad.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

Always write from the heart despite what’s considered popular and write for yourself whether you think it will sell or not. I’ve learned through my own process that writers love to write—so write!

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

I really hope that my message reaches individuals facing any type of adversity. Life can be full of joy regardless of our circumstances as long as we allow ourselves to turn things over to our Heavenly Father. I have experienced His love and recognized His hand in my life more than I ever have. The world actually opened up to me since my diagnosis, and I have blossomed in a way I didn’t think possible. I want to share those experiences with others and hope to lift a few heads in the process.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

I don’t really have a creative process. I draw from things that are familiar to me and my own experiences. Then I just let the characters speak for themselves and write, rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

My stories tend to focus on the positive aspects of my life, and I find humor in almost everything that happens to me. By sharing these perspectives in my writing and the podcasts I’ve participated in I’ve been able to demonstrate that we can always find a way to view life from a half-full vantage point.

If you want your spotlight to link to your website or any of your social media platforms, include the URLs here.
keeprollingon.co

LDSPMA Member Spotlight: Bonnie K. T. Dillabough

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Bonnie K.T. Dillabough currently lives in Richland, Washington.

What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

I wrote the Dimensional Alliance series, including The House on Infinity Loop, Infinity on Fire, and Mirrors of Infinity with the 4th book in the series coming out in November 2021: Ripples of Infinity. The eventual scope of the series will be about 15 books. My books are science-fiction that read like fantasy. Dragons and dwarves and fantastical creatures…high-tech, dimensional travel, and alien encounters—all of this and more.

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

I’ve been writing since my early years and spent 15 years in broadcast television, but I always wanted to write novels. An active life as a veteran, mother of 6 (now grandmother of 17 and counting), and life happened. Then one day, I had the joy of interviewing Mercedes Lackey. When I timidly remarked I had considered writing a novel, she said, “So put your butt in the chair and write!”
I did. Two weeks before my 64th birthday, The House on Infinity Loop was published in 2018.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Probably the opportunity to interact with fans and potential fans of the books has been the highlight. I have one science fiction/fantasy convention under my belt (before Covid) and some author talks. One of the most fun highlights was being accosted in a local bookstore because someone recognized me. They were there to purchase my books and asked for me to sign them in the aisle of the store. I don’t think it had occurred to me that I would ever be recognized like that.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

Definitely to write and to associate with other writers, starting with NaNoWriMo just after getting the emphatic advice from Mercedes Lackey. Through groups such as The Alliance of Independent Authors and Aspiring Authors, I’ve had the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the publishing industry.
These connections and the continuing education I have received have led me to realize that no author is an island. We do some of our best work as we help one another.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

Write. Seriously, I know that sounds over-simplistic, but unfortunately, it is too easy to get wrapped up in details that have nothing to do with telling your story. Get the story out of you before you worry about editing or anything else. Then get educated. There are so many traps laid for aspiring authors and most of them involve taking shortcuts. Do your due diligence. Join writing groups. Don’t fall for the wiles of those who only want your money. Get advice from people who are actually selling books and have a following. And don’t compromise your principles.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

Reading good writing for one thing. I’ve been re-reading favorite books in my genre to learn from those who have mastered the craft. People like Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, J.K. Rowling, and Brandon Mull. Their styles are all different, and yet, as I read their books, not as a fan but as a writer, I realize there are certain things they all have in common. I try to emulate the things that fit my style and avoid the things that don’t fit.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

I am what is known in the writing arena as a “pantser,” meaning I write by the seat of my pants. I don’t do outlines. But I still know where I’m going. I write the last chapter or scene in my book in the beginning. This gives me something to shoot for. Admittedly, by the time I get there, I often have to do some re-writing, but that’s ok. Knowing the end from the beginning has a lot to be said for it. Also, my writing is character-centric. I know my characters very well.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

The focus of my books is about how working together accomplishes so much more than working alone. Some of the values I try to teach as I entertain are the value of kindness, why judgmentalism is counter-productive, that there is a “creator of all things,” that science and belief are not opposites, the importance of family, the concept of redemption, and the idea that creation is much bigger than we can imagine.

If you want your spotlight to link to your website or any of your social media platforms, include the URLs here.
https://DimensionalAllianceHeadquarters.com

I Can’t Even Get a Job at McDonald’s: Overcoming Impossibilities in Life and Writing

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By Steve Dunn Hanson   

I’m at the age where some of my closest friends have passed on. While I miss them, what they have taught me by their words and lives continues to affect me deeply.

Lloyd Rasmussen was a few years older than me and over the years, our relationship moved from him being my church leader and mentor to the kind of close friendship I’ve had with only a handful of people. He was the kind of friend you can talk to about anything. While his stellar life was a great example to me, one of his oft repeated statements continues to give me direction, both as I write and as I plod along on my own mortal journey.

There are two kinds of choices a successful person makes: the right ones and the ones they make right.

I can modify whatever choice I make, whatever circumstance I’m in, whatever word, sentence, or chapter I write, to make it better. To make it right. Knowing I can do this has made all the difference in my life.

Another friend, Kaye Terry Hanson, has been an extraordinary example of that principle. Kaye passed away nearly five years ago and was very close to my wife and me for some 50 years. She was my writing mentor, editor, and a constant encouragement. She would tell me, “Writing is easy, Steve. Just dip your pen in your blood and write.” That metaphor has been powerfully descriptive of my writing challenges at times!

As vital as her tutoring in my writing has been, it is her life that has been my inspiration. Kaye taught high school English to help put her husband through medical school. They were not able to have children, and they adopted a boy and a girl. Her husband was finishing his medical residency in Southern California some 45 years ago, and that Thanksgiving, my family and others went to their house for dinner.

The next morning, Kaye showed up on our doorstep with her two little ones. What she told us was shattering. After everyone had gone home that Thanksgiving evening, and without any warning, her husband gathered his clothes, told her he no longer loved her, and left. We were stunned. We wept.

She had been thrown under a bus and was utterly overwhelmed. “What am I going to do?” she lamented. “I can’t even get a job at McDonald’s!”

There was nothing in my limited understanding at that time I could draw on to even begin to console her, but the Spirit put words into my mouth. I said, “I don’t know how, but I promise you if you keep your covenants and focus on the Savior, this experience will redound to your blessing.”

That seemingly impossible promise happened.

At Kaye’s funeral, her stake center in Provo was filled almost to the stage, Virginia (Ginny) Pearce, daughter of President Hinkley, gave the eulogy. She spoke about Kaye’s chronic bout with rheumatic fever as a child, her mother dying from a freak accident when Kaye was on her mission, and Kaye’s divorce and raising her two children as a single mother. She reminded the congregation of Kaye’s struggle with breast cancer and subsequent double mastectomy, and of her latest health challenges with neuropathy, blood clots, and heart irregularities.

Then she related a few of the things Kaye had accomplished—all since her divorce. She earned her PhD in Theater History and was a professor at BYU. She taught theater, a religion class, and communications in the Marriott School of Business. She became the associate director of BYU’s world-class MBA program. In addition, for three years she resided in Jerusalem as associate director of the BYU Jerusalem Center and was on the Young Women’s General Board for the Church.

She traveled all over the world giving seminars on communication to leaders of businesses and organizations and spoke at BYU’s Education Week and at a BYU Devotional. She led tours to Israel and served as a full-time senior missionary in Europe where she worked with young adults throughout the continent and the British Isles. She was an author, a Relief Society president, and a Sunday School teacher. Most  importantly, she was an unexcelled mother, grandmother, and friend.

After Ginny talked, Kaye’s grandchildren paid tribute to their grandmother, and her two children expressed their love and unqualified respect for their mother. Then, we all had one of the experiences of a lifetime. Nine of the great women of the Church, all who had served with Kaye in one capacity or another, stood in a line across the stand and, one-by-one, each came to the pulpit and spoke of how Kaye had blessed her life. That group included two former General Young Women Presidents, a past General Relief Society President, and temple matrons, and counselors in general auxiliary presidencies. Their presence, and what they said, was electrifying.

When I spoke, I asked all in the congregation who had been taught or tutored or mentored by Kaye to stand. Nearly all 700+ who were there rose to their feet. It was an overpowering witness of the influence this woman had on the lives of countless.

A few nights before the funeral, my wife and I went to dinner with Julie Beck and her husband Ramon. The conversation centered around Kaye. With considerable emotion, and in detail, Julie told us how Kaye had taught and trained her. Then she said, “If it hadn’t been for Kaye, I would never have been qualified to serve as General President of the Relief Society.”

Kaye was the woman who, decades before, felt so low and useless, she didn’t think she could even get a job at McDonald’s. She was the woman whose outstanding experiences and opportunities for service would not have likely occurred but for a crushing Thanksgiving event so many years ago. Her choice to somehow make her hopeless situation right, made all the difference.

Her life has been an undimmed beacon for me.

Kaye authored a memoir about growing up in the small Utah town of Beaver and published it in two volumes for her family and friends. I have put these on FamilySearch and invite you to download the (free) PDF copies of Tula I and Tula II to get a glimpse of the life of this remarkable woman. They are found under “Documents” at www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWHF-N24. You may have to sign in to access them.

Steve Dunn Hanson lives with Joyce, his wife of 57 years, in northeast Washington and is the author of several books, including The Course of Fate trilogy currently available at Amazon. His website is https://stevedunnhanson.com/

LDSPMA Member Spotlight: Rob Jex!

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Rob Jex currently lives in Saratoga Springs, Utah.

What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

I am not a content creator. My work assignment at the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the product manager of the Gospel Library app, a channel through which the books and media that others have created get delivered to Church members throughout the world. With the help and input from many others, I am responsible for the organization of the content in the app, the user experience of the app, and marketing/user education.

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

I do not enjoy reading. I have always preferred listening to books, lectures, and messages.

Thus, I have felt inspired to help other visual learners like me who prefer to hear the word of God (like audio versions of the scriptures and general conference messages), in addition to having the chance to read it. I’ve also always enjoyed watching videos. So after the success of the Church’s Bible Videos series happened, I helped initiate the Book of Mormon Videos project.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

The highlight has been helping to amplify the reach of the messages of living prophets.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

Good decision making comes from research, revelation, and reasoning.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

Developing relationships, focusing on audiences’ experiences, and aligning with top organizational priorities get results.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

What inspires me is helping God’s interested children to have digital access to the teachings of Jesus Christ and His prophets to help them receive personal guidance in their daily lives.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

I would like others to know that most of my inspiration doesn’t come during work hours at my desk; rather, it comes while pondering, talking to people, and observing others’ innovations.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

I have helped many of God’s children develop faith in Him and Jesus Christ by making the scriptures and general conference messages more widely available.

LDSPMA Member Spotlight: Gale Sears!

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Gale Sears lives in Sandy, Utah.

What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

The Silence of God, Letters in the Jade Dragon Box, The Fifth Favorite, Christmas for a Dollar.

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

Multiple stories inside my head fighting to get out were what inspired me to create. My first love of the written word came in the second grade. My teacher, Mrs. Leamon, would read stories to us.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Being able to publish 10 novels has definitely been the highlight of my career so far. It is exciting and humbling each time a book proposal or manuscript is accepted.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

Every author has bad days, negative reviews, rejections, writing blocks. It happens, even to established writers. Find a person you trust to help you through those moments and who will realistically boost your confidence.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

Find a story you LOVE, and then tell it with enthusiasm. You need to be passionate about the story.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

The words. The story. The characters. A nibble of dark chocolate doesn’t hurt either.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

I am much more creative in the morning. By 3 p.m., my brain turns to mush.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

I write mostly historical fiction with an LDS thread running through. Hopefully, my stories not only open a new world of discovery for the reader but also lift their faith.

LDSPMA Member Spotlight: Victor La Vanway!

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What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

Books:
Bones in The Sand: The Extraterrestrial Connection to Earth
Grandpa’s Collection of Mostly True Tales
Painting: Emergency Landing Monochrome Acrylic (black, gray, white, 33 x 27 inches)

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

All that is the world around me, as well as a third grade classmate and friend, Robert Smith, who taught me how to draw with pencil and perspective. Our teacher, Mrs. Stevens, taught us how to think and write. The Old and New Testaments ignited my child imagination to real things beyond my sight but within the grasp of diligent, devoted practice.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I think my highlight is my collection of mostly true tales written for my children and grandchildren. The collection is humorous, serious, occasionally sad, imaginative, and edifying. It draws readers into experiences descriptive of earth life as adventurous, joyful, real, and astonishing. With faith in God, it’s an embraceable challenge.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

Find a better way to . . . Never give up. Rewrite.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

The advice I received above and would add, “God gave you talent, so don’t submit to discouragement.”

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

The scriptures, the unfolding mysteries of Heavenly Father’s Kingdom, and people.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

I am a convert to the restored gospel and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My experience confirms the principles of Christ’s doctrine. Psalm 1:2-3 and Doctrine and Covenants 46:8-9 tells of comfort and encouragement and instructs me in personal responsibility as steward of blessings and talents. Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Artist. If any person strives humbly and diligently, following His example, we may eventually achieve His stature and creative skills as joint-heirs with Him. Presently, I enjoy the wonder of discovery and the familiar patterns of practice.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

In my literary efforts, I have tried to lead readers to a consciousness of Heavenly Father and His plan for His children. Reserved for them are things “eye has not seen, nor ear heard.” All things are spiritual unto Him, but many things are exciting, cosmic, physical, mathematical, and scientific wonders as well, hinted at in his word, the scriptures. My motive is to point readers to things that will help them find love, joy, and eternal riches by devoting their lives to becoming the divine creatures Father counseled us to become and to glimpse the mysteries of our Father’s Kingdom.

LDSPMA Member Spotlight: Julie Spencer!

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What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

I have over 30 publications, mostly romance and love stories. My most controversial novel is called Combustion, which is a powerful love story that readers have suggested should be on the required reading list for every high school in the world. In Combustion, readers see an emotional sexual assault through the eyes of the guy. My most popular fiction is a YA sports romance series is called All’s Fair in Love and Sports. I also have a romance/coming-of-age series called Rock Star Redemption, an action/adventure/romance series called Royal Family Saga, and several stand-alone romance/love stories that are LDS Christian fiction.

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

I’ve been writing and playacting since I was a little girl. I wrote my first novel in junior high but threw it away! What I wouldn’t give to have that manuscript back! My first published work was a poem in my junior high yearbook. My second published work was my master’s thesis. I didn’t write fiction again until I ran out of Twilight novels to read. Now I write the books I’d like to find on the shelves of bookstores and libraries. I love my characters and I love my readers.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Oddly, the highlights of my career so far come in the little moments. Every day, I publish a blog called Chapter-A-Day where I (courageously) publish unedited chapters from my current Work-in-Progress on my website and readers give me feedback. Sometimes, the feedback is critical. Usually, I’m told all the things my readers loved about the chapter and how they refresh the screen every little while, hoping the next chapter has been posted. The best compliments I receive are “I cried during chapter ten!” or “I didn’t see that twist coming!” or “I couldn’t put the book down!” Those are the highlights.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

Get better covers for your books! People really do judge a book by its cover. My first published book was called The Cove and I found a beautiful photograph of the lake where I grew up with a pretty sunset. The book is not about the lake and the sunset. It’s a love story between the two main characters. Once I had a professional cover designed, the book started selling. Also, research the names of books and carefully select a title that conveys the genre. People search for books with keywords. Learn the keywords for your genre.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

Write as much as you possibly can. Learn your craft. Don’t get distracted by the newest exciting thing but be open to new technology. Hire professionals to do the things you’re not good at or things that don’t have to be done by you. Anyone can do the dishes, mow the lawn, balance the checkbook, or shop for groceries. Only you can write the words in your head.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

My readers keep me inspired. I’ve had many readers tell me they refresh their screen hoping my next chapter has been posted. I can’t let them down. Receiving positive reviews buoys my resolve to put out the next book. Plus, I just love my own stories. I read back a particular passage and think, Dang, I’m a good writer! What the heck? Did I really write that? Yeah, I did. Vain? Maybe? Delusions of grandeur? Maybe. Do I care? No, not really. Go away, world. I’ve got more stories to write.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

I write all day, every day, as much as I can fit into my day. I don’t find writing to be a job or inconvenience or a chore. My ideal vacation would be for everyone else to go away and let me write all day, every day. I have more stories in my head than I’ll ever be able to get on paper in my lifetime. Until the Lord intervenes and finds a way to force me to stop writing, you will continue to see content emerging from my brain. Writing is my happy place.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

My stories contain a lot of my religious convictions, including maintaining the laws of chastity and healthy living, such as avoiding drugs and alcohol. Although I don’t mean for my books to be preachy, my characters learn things the hard way and thus my readers learn the same lessons. As a convert to the gospel, I’ve seen the world outside the Church, and there are a lot of challenges, especially related to alcohol. A huge percentage of the world’s problems would go away by removing alcohol. I want to be a positive influence on the world.

If you want your spotlight to link to your website or any of your social media platforms, include the URLs here.
https://www.authorjuliespencer.com/

Faith and Fear are Two Sides of the Same Coin: 3 Steps to Creating in Faith

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By Lauri Mackey   

Both faith and fear are a belief in something unseen and yet to be experienced; why do we sometimes give fear more power than our faith?

While there are several analogies we can use to prove this point, let’s focus on sharing our creative talents with others as members of LDSPMA—in whatever form that may take. For me, it is a love of the microphone in inspiring others with my words and a love of stringing words together into a poem, a blog, a book, my journal, or simply penning a letter to a friend.

For you, that may also include creating music, editing someone else’s words in the form of a book or lyrics, or acting in front of the camera or catching the scene as the cameraman. 

There is a certain amount of faith and fear that can be in constant battle with each other.

Whatever your chosen form of media from publishing to podcasting, I believe there is a certain amount of faith and fear that can be in constant battle with each other. Faith is the moving force to propel us forward with our work and fear keeps us frozen in place or worse, moving backward.

Let’s examine both for a minute, shall we? Where do faith and fear come from?

Fear

In 2 Timothy 1:7 it reads “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Let’s be clear that we are not talking about a “fear of God” which is actually not to be afraid of our loving Heavenly Father, but is akin to “awe, worship, and reverence” of God as outlined in the Bible Dictionary. I therefore suggest that fear is most definitely not of God, but of the adversary to stop us in our tracks of not sharing our talents and gifts with others for fear of rejection, shame, guilt, or simply making a mistake.

Faith

But faith, faith is beautiful! Geeking out a bit more in the Bible Dictionary, let me share a few passages found under the definition of faith.

  • Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true.
  • Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith.
  • Faith is an action word.
  • Faith is a principle of power.
  • Faith is a gift.
  • Faith must be nurtured and sought after.
  • Where there is true faith there are miracles, visions, dreams, healings, and all the gifts of God.

Just reading about faith makes me want to grab my pom-poms and cheer for you to rise up and be the best you can be in whatever your chosen field, but even I have that fear that can cause me to find a million excuses to not work on my book or blog today…the laundry needs to be done, I have errands to run, the dog ate my homework…

How then can we choose faith over fear on sometimes a daily if not hourly basis?

I’d like to suggest three powerful antidotes to your fear:

First, motivation is not step one.

Second, leveling up your support.

Third, cultivate a green thumb.

First: Motivation is Not Step One

If you are waiting for motivation to hit you between the eyes, you are putting your life and your work on hold unnecessarily. Motivation is a powerful tool, but you will never keep it going if you don’t take the first step.

The best example I can use is that of attending an awe-inspiring, motivating, rah-rah conference. It could have been an amazing podcast you listened to or a Time Out for Women event, or the latest LDSPMA conference. You go, you get inspired, you meet people in your field and chat with them, you take copious amounts of notes, and then rush home to do the work only to be waylaid yet again. What happened? You were completely fired up and then fizzled out after day one or week one. It’s because motivation is step two.

Step one is action. Motivation is step two. But there is a third step you absolutely must take in order for this to work. The third step is momentum.

You absolutely must take step one which then motivates you. You then create a cycle of action, motivation, action, motivation, action, motivation, which in turn creates momentum.

Have you ever tried to move a large object uphill? You need a running start, maybe an extra person or two or three, and then momentum is created to get your large object up the hill. Without it you stay at the bottom of the hill simply staring at your large object and the large hill and never try.

So who are those extra couple of people that helped you get the large object up the hill to create the momentum you needed? That brings us to our next item of support.

Second: Leveling Up Your Support

Jeffrey R Holland said it best: “Faith-filled life is not a stress-free life.”

I believe that we are always going to have some sort of stress in our life. One of my favorite sayings lately is that “I don’t love drama, but it loves me.” I’m over here minding my own business when KAPLOWEE!! A friend is in distress, relatives are bickering, a sister I minister to has gotten offended once again and wants to tell you all the reasons she will never come to another church activity ever again…you get the idea.

I understand that we can also create our own stress, but the point is that even if you’ve done everything you can to eliminate stress in your life, things happen. It’s life! It wasn’t meant to be smooth and if your life has been a cakewalk I truly want to visit with you and learn your secret as soon as possible.

Stress comes in so many forms—physical stress, emotional stress, work stress, school stress, family stress, relationship stress, and yes, even church stress. Stress is something that in main stream media has become the enemy. It is wrapped up in a big ol’ ball of yuckiness that attacks at any given moment. Sometimes it sneaks up on you ever so slowly and sometimes it just smacks you in the face…right between the eyes. Let’s break down stress a little further.

My motto has been “to clean a mess you have to make a mess.” 

Have you ever cleaned out a closet, a drawer, or your file cabinet? You have to make a mess to clean a mess. It gets worse before it gets better, but downsize and get rid of you must.  Admittedly, I’m an organizational freakazoid. Whenever I start feeling overwhelmed and completely stressed out, my first line of defense is to take inventory, evaluate what I can possibly let go, and then manage my feeling of being overwhelmed.…I clean out a closet.

Whatever is stressing you out, step back, take an inventory and see what you can let go. This is the first step in letting unnecessary stress go. Then step two would be to up-level your support to not only match your stress, but hopefully surpass it. Stress is ok. You heard me correctly.  Stress is ok, but it absolutely must be tempered with support. If your scales are not balanced between your state of being overwhelmed and your support, you are stressed.

Sometimes the stress we are working with can be handled on our own through prayer, scripture study, talking it out with a friend or relative. But sometimes you need more than that. Anytime I’m feeling overwhelmed and I can’t seem to shake it I inevitably reach for one of two things—my therapist’s phone number, or someone specific to help me in whatever is the stressful problem. If it’s an emotional problem, yes, it’s the therapist, but if it’s a spiritual problem it may be my bishop. If it’s a problem with my book and I’ve hit a wall, I call my author friends.

Stress may be our constant companion at times, but I believe with the right type and level of support, faith will win over fear every time. Grab those one or two or three people to help you push that large object up that even larger hill.

Third: Cultivating a Green Thumb

Faith starts as a seed…but just like a seed it takes time and cultivation to grow into something worthwhile. What does that mean for us in practical terms? Practice!

Abraham Lincoln once said that “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” Discipline is all about practicing. It’s about choosing again, again, and again to work toward what you want most instead of what you want right now.

What does [faith] mean for us in practical terms? Practice!

Think about this with exercise. From the professional football player or ballerina to the mom wanting to gain strength back so that she can keep up with her toddler, discipline is needed to take the time and required effort to exercise to achieve your goal.

Think about this with a musical instrument. When I interviewed Jenny Oaks Baker for my podcast, the thing that struck me most was the time commitment her parents had taught her growing up in playing the violin. She has lovingly passed on that trait to her children who now tour with her. Discipline is all about practicing.

Admittedly, I was born with more of a black thumb than a green one. I’ve killed more plants than I can count—so sad. But I kept at it. I learned how to choose plants that were more hardy and could survive my black thumb issues. I employed people who knew how to take care of plants and asked for help. I’m happy to report that while I may have not gotten all the way to having a green thumb, it’s definitely more brown than black.

Faith is the same. Perhaps you were born with a green thumb and I am so happy for you! But if you tend to lean more towards the black or brown thumb persuasion, there is hope! Don’t ever give up! Practice can and will support you in your journey towards more and more faith.

Decide now to do what President Nelson in the April 2020 general conference challenged us to do when he said, “The Lord loves effort.” Discipline takes effort, and sometimes that effort includes a lot of hard work, but with our Heavenly Father, the Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost by our sides, we can try a little harder.

Faith and fear are two sides of the same coin: both are a belief in something unseen and yet to be experienced.

Your gifts and talents in your chosen field are needed. My hope is that you can find some motivation in these words and plan right now to take that action step that will create your own motivation, and then momentum in giving faith all of the glory and power it deserves and kicking fear to the curb.

Lauri Mackey, Positivity Crusader, is the proprietor of Lauri’s Lemonade Stand, a Positivity Podcast for Women and authoress of Positivity Happens, Creating Happiness and Finding Hope through The Art of Holiatry. Lauri is currently working on her next book and holding firesides throughout the Western United States with the goal of sharing hope, light, and love with others. Lauri’s unique background of struggle through experience has her shouting from the rooftops that if she can come through it, anyone can! 

Links to Lauri’s work:

Facebook @LaurisLemonadeStand

Positivity Happens Book

LLS Podcast on Apple Podcasts

LLS Podcast on Spotify

Lauri’s Lemonade Stand Website/Blog