Which way are your feet pointing?

 I’ve been thinking about my kids and family members who have left my Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.   And It’s been good for me to wrestle through this and find peace on the other side.  

I always remember my mom saying it doesn’t matter if you are in or out of the church…what matters is which way your feet are pointing when you die.  Are you going toward God or away from him…that’s what matters.  

I have a few thoughts around this….

1. Each child of God is just as important to God as the other. His involvement and concern in each life is not based on faith or belief in Him. All are His work and glory regardless of where we are and what we are doing. Since most people of the world are not members of this church and many don't follow Christ, He has a plan to deal with that. The biggest part of that plan is the Atonement and that covers all in the way He sees fit.  I also believe that part of His plan includes experiences that may take us away from Him only to bring us back. 
2. I remember my mom getting out a yardstick and pointing to a line in the middle of it and saying, "This is your life.  Just this dot.  We had a life before this earth and we will have life after.  Isn't it exciting?"    We tend to measure things related to church and spirituality where things are in the exact moment we are looking at them, which is only a pixel in the picture of our existence.  Nothing stays the same and what we see now is not the end of the story. There is so much to eternity that has not been revealed.  This life is meant to provide growth experiences rather than being a pass/fail experience. We are eternal beings. 
3. Our worry is based in a bit of arrogance that somehow we will have more or be more because we are staying on the covenant path. Those are true blessings, and I choose to live this way,  but God doesn't tell us at what point the opportunity to get on that path ends and it is over for us. We are all at different levels.   I believe the opportunity extends beyond this lifetime so I can step out of that "worry-arrogance" because my Heavenly Parents and Jesus Christ have my loved ones. Leaving the idea that the path is only available in this life has been critical for me. 
4. Worry is a thief of joy in our families and friendships and lives. I have been able to lay this "worry-grief" at the feet of the Savior, where it belongs,  and as a result, I have more joy in my life. I love my family with a joyful love instead of a heavy worried love. I leave the worry of the eternal salvation of my family members and friends where it belongs… with God. Fear and faith cannot coexist.  
5. You can try to control…or you can love.  You can not do both.  I choose love.
6. I’m a big fan of agency.  We fought a war in heaven for it, so I believe GOD is all about agency as well.  Our kids are not  “wayward,"   they are just using their agency.  We need to honor that. 

I’m  “all in” the gospel of Jesus Christ and enjoy being a member of this church even with all of its flaws and my questions.  I know my membership brings some sadness to some of my family members outside of this church.    I can’t control that.  They can believe what they want to believe and I get to believe what I want....and I love them.  

I want to believe God loves me and mine and he knows our hopes and hearts and wants the best for all of us. This brings me peace.  Amen.