Love

One of my favorite books is called "The Sunflower" by Richard Paul Evans. I've read it every summer since my mom got it when it came out in 2007. This is one of those books for me (kind of like the scriptures) that I learn something new from it each time I read it, or at least remember something I'd forgotten. Because I loved the book so much I sort of stole it from my mom and brought it to school with me and have kept it for the past two years. Well, I just went home last week and she made me bring it back for her... :( I guess I'll just have to buy my own copy.

Well, I figured I'd read it again since I was having to part ways with it and again I learned something new. Paul, one of the main characters in the book is talking to Christine, the other main character, about his mom and dad. His mom has had ALS for a few years and slowly has lost control of muscles. She can barely move and at night she taps her finger against the headboard to wake up her husband so he can give her pain medication. Paul said that his father has not slept through the night in years. And one day he asked his dad how did it.
The next sentence is Paul saying something like, "What he said taught me more about Jesus Christ than a thousands sermons ever could..." ( I can't remember exactly or check because I already gave it back to my mom.) So what did his dad say? He said,

"Love is stronger than pain."

Isn't that beautiful? Since the first time I read the book I have loved that quote and have thought of it often. But when I read it this time, I didn't think as much about this saying as I did the sentence before, "What he said taught me more about Jesus Christ than a thousand sermons ever could." I wondered for about 3 seconds how knowing love is stronger than pain could teach someone about Jesus Christ...then I felt dumb for having to spend 3 seconds thinking about it.
I thought about Christ on the cross, sacrificing himself for me and everyone else then asked the same question...how did He do it? And I already had my answer: Love is stronger than pain.

One of my favorite church hymns is "I Stand All Amazed" and each time I think about the atonement and crucifixion I am amazed that somebody would suffer the sins, hardships, pain, etc. for everyone. But the love Christ felt and still feels for us far outweighed the momentary pain he experienced.

Whenever I think about this, I feel so much peace. I think the same thing can be applied in a little different way to the circumstances we all face today. Thinking about the two hardest times in my life (losing my father, then having a miscarriage and losing my baby) I realize that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love me so much that they knew what was best for me. They loved me so much that they let me experience the pain that accompanied these moments, because I they knew I would grow from them, and that it would be best for me. The love they have for me is helping to slowly minimize the pain.
(Sorry if this last paragraph didn't make much sense. I wrote and rewrote it 4 times, trying to clearly communicate in words what makes so much sense in my head and heart.)

I'm grateful for the love of my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and for all the experiences I have that help me to learn and grow.