Marie's Sunday Message - February 26th, 2023

I found this video of John Schnieder and myself performing at an award show together. My goodness, we were kids…well, teenagers! 😂 It was at this particular event that the idea was sparked for us to create a charity where all the money, 100%,  would actually get to the kids. There were so many causes, but all of those causes needed to be treated! And that’s where the idea for the Children's Miracle Network started. It would bless the kids at children’s hospitals! We have raised over $8 billion since its inception in 1983, helping 10 to 11 million children every year across North America. That’s a lot of children, and I absolutely love ALL of them so very much!!! They’re my kids too🥰

I bring this up because John and I are dear friends and have been through so much together through the years. There’s a special bond that children that grew up as entertainers in this business have. It’s a different kind of life.😂 One thing I’ve always admired about John, besides his talent, is his enormous heart and the love he shows these beautiful children in our hospitals.

Well, a few days ago, John’s heart was completely shattered. He lost his sweet wife and the love of his life Alicia to cancer. As we spoke on the phone, my heart broke as I heard the pain and sorrow in his voice and cried with him as he expressed the immense grief he felt. He made a statement where he said, “Love is much too small a word. And pain is much too small a word.”

I love you, John and my deepest prayers are with you!!!

Grief is a painful word. Losing our loved ones is so incredibly difficult, especially for those left behind. And as our world changes forever, we find it almost impossible to wrap our heads around the permanence of loss which never goes away. But as Russell M. Nelson said, “the only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life.”

On Friday, I did a show in Davenport, Iowa. Afterward, as I was leaving the venue, several women came up to me and said that, like me, they had suffered the loss of a child and some spoke of the loss of their spouses. As we all sat there hugging, we agreed only Christ could offer us eternal peace as He alone knows the depths of our pain and suffering and how to soothe our broken souls.

I hold on continually to His comforting words:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” [Matthew 11:28–30]

When I lost my son, Michael, 13 years ago today. At that devastating moment, I felt I could not breathe. My faith in God’s love for us was all I had to hold on to and carry me through the tremendous grief and pain. Even if you are prepared and expecting death, like with my parents, loss brings the sad and harsh reality of the separation from our loved ones. I know for me all of it would simply be unbearable without my faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement that we will rise again! I testify the only thing that can dispel the darkness of death is the light of these revealed truths!

“I am the resurrection, and the life,” spoke Jesus. “He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

“And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” (John 11:25–26.)

This reassurance is a confirmation to me of life beyond the grave, We really can find the comfort and peace, as promised, by the Savior when He lovingly told His disciples.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27.)

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you …

“That where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2–3.)

We truly are carried by our faith in Him, and sometimes we probably don’t even realize this comfort the Lord is providing. But He is there…and always ready to catch us when we fall; all we have to do is sincerely ask. God lives, and He sent His beloved Son to suffer and die on the cross and then resurrected so that the bonds of death could be broken. The gospel of Jesus Christ is that penetrating light that removes the darkness of death and allows us to see the dawn of a more joyful morning. As we surrender into His arms, we will feel the love only the Savior can give.

“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Ps. 30:5.)

Thomas S Monson, who spoke at my son's funeral, testified that Christ rose from the dead, and because of this, there is a resurrection.

“Therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ. He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.” 

Jesus Christ, Himself declared,

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

All these truths bring comfort to my broken heart. These assurances given to us by our Savior lift those of us laden with grief with his He will assist us to move out of the shadows and into the light. And It’s available to us ALL! The promises are clear…..

I know that through Christ's redeeming Atonement and glorious Resurrection, broken hearts can be healed, anguish can become peace, and distress can become hope. He can embrace us in His arms of mercy, comforting us and empowering the healing each and every one of us so desperately needs in those darkest moments.  And nothing that earth can provide will ever bring this kind of peace.  

#HappySunday

Here are the next few weeks of the reading schedule I am following for those that have joined me:

• February 27-March 5: Matthew 8; Mark 2-4; Luke 7

• March 6-12: Matthew 9-10; Mark 5; Luke 9

• March 13-19: Matthew 11-12; Luke 11

• March 20-26: Matthew 13; Luke 8; 13

Marie's Sunday Message - February 19th, 2023

This week my New Testament reading took me through Matthew 5 and Luke 6. The Savior teaches the Sermon on the Mount—the Beatitudes—as He expresses the steps towards a change of heart. That includes being humble, having compassion for others, and being meek. These steps also include a hunger and thirst for righteousness in our lives, becoming merciful towards people and situations even if they choose to hurt us. We are not to have agendas or be manipulative for self-gain, but if it happens, then we are to be the peacemaker; not contending or fighting, just turning the other cheek. We must stand up for God and His ways no matter what the world may teach or think, even if we are persecuted for doing it.

After reading the whole Sermon on the Mount, I found one of the most powerful principles presented, and it’s applicable to every other principle I listed. It’s important, no matter what, to choose a “positive attitude” toward all life can and will bring, even in the face of adversity. I was taught in my youth about the Beatitudes. I believe because of them; I have grown to love the study of human nature and the psychology behind our choices.

So (and here is the drum roll), I decided before I came out on the road to do my shows this weekend, I would write about the Beatitudes for this week's Sunday message. 🤗 And for the whole trip, I would choose to be positive, even in the face of adversity. 🤗🤗 Also, by choosing this behavior, I would see how well it all worked out.🤗🤗🤗

Well, holy moly, be careful about what you say you’re going to do…because I guess God thought, “Marie if you’re going to write about this, let me help you out by giving you some real inspiration to write about!!! OK, seriously… the most challenging trip ever!!!🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

We started out in Las Vegas, first flying to Minneapolis, then we would catch a connecting flight and end up in Newark. A simple trip with one connecting flight. 👍😁 what could go wrong? Well, after landing in Minneapolis, we hurried like crazy to get to our connecting flight, only to find out (over the loudspeaker) our plane had been delayed. I thought, “that’s OK; we’ll still get into Newark with plenty of time to drive to Bethlehem and get a good night's sleep before the show the next day. You see, I hadn’t been to bed yet from the night before… (a story for another time😉), and I really needed a good night's sleep. What I didn’t know was the airline was starting the dance we all dread.

They pacified everyone by saying don’t worry about the delay; we will know more later - then, information soon.

A couple of hours go by…

Another announcement - The flight is not canceled, so you need to stay close to the gate and not worry! When Upon asking the gate agent about alternative flights, her recommendation was, “it’s not canceled; you will be fine.”

My road manager gave her a nod of thanks…we are patient travelers

More hours go by, and they make another announcement…

“The plane is here, but the crew flying it are delayed in Chicago, and…we will know more about their status in a couple of hours.”

Fewer patient travelers.

We grabbed something to eat (I posted a photo a couple of days ago of us)

Then the airline makes the fourth announcement of “a couple more hours.”

Uh oh…

At this point, I feel I am about to witness the “Insurrection in Minneapolis” Every passenger was very, very (maybe one more “very”?) stressed and verbally unhappy about their missed connections and difficult waiting conditions. (Now I know why folks can’t get nail clippers past security). They could not understand why they wouldn’t book us on a different flight, as the agent tried to explain, “we can’t get your bags off the plane unless it is posted “canceled,” not “delayed.”

The Insurrection meets the stand-off….

To make this worse (you are asking how can this be worse? Just wait), After sitting for 8 hours on hard chairs, with no real information and no healthy food to eat (they were very kind, offering free chips and gummy bears 🤮) we found out at 2 AM they finally had to cancel our flight. Why? When the pilot showed up, he said, “I’m too tired to fly anymore tonight!” Now understandably, I felt the pilot's pain! But I also felt the pain in my body from being stressed and not having any sleep for two days. The other passengers felt exactly the same way.

Well, obviously, through this whole fiasco, I had a lot of time on my hands. So I took the time to process the proper spirit behind the beatitudes while I sat there. What I found most interesting were the passengers who remained calm towards the gate attendants when they inquired on the status of the flight were reciprocated with kindness. But those who demonstrated frustration and anger towards the employees may have received a bit more shortness of patience in return. 🧐

Since I often travel incognito, the gate attendants didn’t know the people in our group were dancers and musicians for my show. They only knew us as they said “nice people.”’ We tried to be patient, and I guess the saying “you reap what you sow” is true!

I thought about the teachings of the beatitudes and how applying them to my airport situation really did make a difference. Choosing to be meek and patient doesn’t make us weak - it empowers us. It also applies to hungering and thirsting after righteousness…which worked out nicely for us since no restaurants were open…😂 I’m kidding! But striving to be kind when you’re exhausted and hungry IS an effort! As we call on the Savior's power to help us in situations like this, He blesses us with the ability to share His light as we try to emulate His love for others

Well, finally, at almost 2 in the morning, the airline said the flight was finally canceled and sent us to a hotel where they said we would get to sleep for about an hour and 40 minutes. Then they would put us on the next available flight, but unfortunately, it would not land in Newark but in LaGuardia. Hey, at least we would eventually get to our destination.

Sitting on that hotel bed for an hour and 40 minutes felt like days because I never went to sleep. I was so worried if I did fall asleep, I wouldn’t wake up😂 We finally got on the flight and landed around 11:30 in the morning. Big progress! But (drum roll again) our luggage took a different flight!!! Now not only did we not have our personal clothes, but we also didn’t have our equipment, costumes, or instruments for the show. I had been so excited to get to the hotel and take a relaxing shower. Now the rosy picture I had painted for myself completely vanished….

I had a choice to make…I could cry (never my style) or….

I started to laugh because I chose to write about the beatitudes before this insane trip even started!!! 😂😂😂 I felt like a war correspondent. I had to be in the action to know what I was writing about.

Everyone in my group was understandably exhausted. But they all remained so kind, and I love them all so much for that! I’m blessed to work with them!!! In the end, we were all safe and together, and we all knew somehow, we would find a way to pull it off.

And that’s exactly what we all did!

At the last-minute miracle happens, our luggage, equipment, and instruments showed up! I didn’t have to perform in sneakers! I believe it was because we had chosen to be positive, and we were blessed! We ended up having such a fun show in Bethlehem that night! Is it irony or fate that we were in Bethlehem writing about the Beatitudes? 🤣😂🤣

The Beatitudes really are about the importance of our choices … no matter what obstacles might come our way. They help us remember to stay positive and turn to HIM for guidance and strength. Especially when life gets too much to bare, they are a powerful reminder that we can find peace and strength even in the most difficult of situations. And by choosing to seek His light, we will find the help we need. When we embrace the teachings in the Bible, God knows they will help us become stronger, better, and more compassionate individuals.

May God bless us all as we choose to be positive. Happy Sunday, and by the way… it was so great to see all of you at my shows… and as always - you touch my heart deeply. #HappySunday

🥰💖👈

#SundayMessage

Marie's Sunday Message - February 12th, 2023

Two days ago, my sweet daughter and I were talking about raising children. In that conversation, I expressed my sorrow for those times I needed to work to support them. There were times that I couldn’t be at home to help with the dinner dishes and put them to bed. That makes our mom hearts hurt. But, when we least expect it, we have those special moments of healing between a mother and her child….this was definitely one of those days for me. My daughter is an amazing woman, mother, and now my friend. 💖

Well, yesterday, she sent me the most beautiful text of love after our conversation. She shared this video. It is from a young mother with a life-changing family story. I normally don’t post these kinds of videos, but it touched my heart on so many levels, and I hope it does the same for you. The story she shared of “Let her wear the dress” brought me to tears as my heart broke for this woman’s mother. Sharing the story was so brave and so raw—especially when the unspeakable occurred. The message is clear, “Let her wear the dress.” 

This week has been healing as I went through many memories of when my children were little. I have also felt the burden of regret just like this sweet mother in the story stated, and I know other moms do too. Now, as I get older, I realize even more the important role we can have in helping our children take a breath and reminding them they are doing the best they can!  

I worked when my children were younger as many women do. I felt tremendous guilt surrounding my child-raising when I felt I wasn’t there enough. I eventually realized how counterproductive this was for my kids and for me. So now that some of my children are parents, I thought maybe the sage advice my mom, Olive, gave to me could help heal some hearts out there. I have great faith God will help our children and help us when we keep our eye on the Savior. It is also my hope we find a way to let our children “Wear the dress!” 

So here we go. 

There was no manipulation allowed between my parents; they were unified in everything, a fabulous team! I also know that if they had given in to us as children, it would have probably destroyed us. We would not have developed a sense of self-worth and personal growth from learning what reality was and what was on the stage. My mom would say to me- “I’m not your friend; I’m your mother. I love you but get to your chores and quit feeling sorry for yourself.” 😉 My parents made me strong because they were consistent and always showed immense love. They didn’t get angry or yell; it wasn’t their way. We knew the rules, and the worst feeling we could ever have was if we felt we had disappointed them. I may not have liked cleaning toilets after a long day of rehearsals, but I gave it my best! 😁 My mom “kept it real” so to say, and that reality kept our feet firmly planted.🤗 They were my heroes, plain and simple, and the lessons they taught were invaluable.

One of the “adventures with Olive” was the day I found myself bereft on the couch, a newly single mother, crying. I was having a most deserved pity party. I thought, “Oh great! Now I’m a single mom trying to raise a child all by myself! I kept moping, “this is too hard! I can’t do it! This mountain is too big to climb.” Well, my mom sitting next to me on the couch stood up, looked at my puffy red face, and said, “Well, la tee da-poor you! Marie, pull yourself together; you have a child to raise,” then walked out of the room. And guess what? I did. She kind of ticked me off at first, though!😂

When I was younger, I wanted to wear eyelashes. 😂 My mother didn’t know how, so she took me to the head makeup artist at NBC (who, by the way, as a kid, was Tommy from the original Mickey Mouse Club)🤗 for a first-class tutorial. 🤣 Now, I eventually taught my mom how to wear lashes, but she knew when to pick her battles and when to“let me wear the dress” She also “loved me” out of wanting to act stupidly by encouraging me to watch the choices others were making. When I saw some of the consequences my friends had made and the long-term effects of those choices, it left a strong impression on me. As always, Olive was very wise.

Raising children is something we have to work at every day until we leave the earth. I’m sure you feel as I have that we often fail and sometimes miserably! But I have come to learn as my children have gotten older (not me, though😂), if we make our choices for our children’s welfare with love, they will eventually see we tried our best! Also, if we try to justify the reasons we did what we did, it only puts up bigger walls. However, if we sincerely apologize for the mistakes we made, I know they will forgive and love us back. 

My mom let me, “Wear the dress! And some were pretty bad mistakes- 🫣 as you can see in the two photos! What was I thinking!!!!🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ But my sweet parents helped me to choose and learn! 

In my home, there was always forgiveness. I learned though that if I did fail, I always had my parents loving arms to fall into. But they would not fix it for me. I was the one who had to get back up and keep moving forward. Thank you, mom and dad, for that one. I love you eternally. 

So, if letting our kids and grandkids mix Marvel characters with Disney characters while adding a tutu makes your teeth hurt, close your eyes and let them. Pick your battles wisely. If, while going to Target, you notice your children look homeless after proudly dressing themselves …..so what. Pick your battles wisely because saying no all the time just sucks up our energy and creates a distance that makes it harder when you really need to say no. 

When my son Michael passed away, I wanted to take back every single heated discussion we ever had about dirty socks, bed-making, etc. Of course, structure and schedules are important—they can save a mom—but as I had to learn, don’t break yourself against a schedule. Children are more important than rules or schedules. 

I read an excellent article the other day as I thought about my mom and dad. It was by Dr. Jaak Panksepp on how there are nine minutes each day that we can positively affect our children. He said the “larger the sphere of positive emotions” a child has with a loved one, the more likely they are to become a productive and happy member of society. Here are the 9 minutes...

•Three minutes of positive interaction with your child as soon as they wake up. 

•Three minutes of positive interaction when you see them after a nap or school. 

•Three minutes of positive interaction right before bed. 

I love this idea, and I believe it keeps us focused on loving them and it’s much more doable than the standard 10 positives to one negative. (Sounds good for marriage also😉) 

This world right now seems intent on trying to get us all down, incorporating the tools of fear to leave us hopeless. And as Olive would say, “That’s just about enough of that!”🤭 So today, let’s join forces in choosing to be positive and more intentional with our words, thoughts, and actions, and for heaven’s sake, let’s all “Wear the dress”🥰 

Love you all!!! 

#Sundaymessage

Marie's Sunday Message - February 5th, 2023

I saw this poster for the remastered release of Titanic while at the movies this week. But look!! It seems like Kate Winslet has two different hairdos! One side of her hair is up and the other side’s down! I’ve seen that poster many times over the last 25 years, but I’ve never noticed that before!

Later that night, I was continuing my study of the New Testament. Suddenly, I saw the story I was reading very differently. It’s the story of some very clever people in the book of Mark. I’m sure you know it, but I’ll reiterate it quickly.

They knew the Savior could heal their friend who had palsy. After unsuccessfully getting through the large crowd surrounding the house where the Savior was, they decided to go up to the roof and lower their friend’s bed down to Jesus. Ingenious, right?!! Well, I’ve read this story for years, and all of a sudden, it took on a whole different emphasis. This time, I noticed what the Savior did next. He said, “your sins are forgiven,” and THEN he healed the friend with palsy.

I saw a pattern I hadn’t seen up till now. Before the man with palsy could be healed, the Savior forgave his sins so he was a clean vessel to receive Christ's gift. This realization came to my mind – if I want healing to happen in my life—emotionally, physically, spiritually, or whatever—I need to be full of forgiveness. Suddenly Matthew 5:43-45 Took on a much deeper meaning to me!

One of the many lessons I learned from my dear friend Olivia Newton-John was how forgiveness plays a big part in the healing of our bodies. Gratitude and forgiveness were just a part of her daily regime. We’ve all been hurt by others before, but by not holding on to that kind of dark baggage, we give room for light and love to enter in and fill our souls. Olivia would say, “If anger is in you, it will manifest as illness. So it really is beneficial for us to let things go no matter how difficult. It really is a choice.” Can you imagine if we all did this? No more road rage! 😂

I know we have all suffered heartaches and terrible wrongs. Sometimes, forgiveness seems impossible.

But….actually, it isn’t.

I have learned the first thing you do is identify it. That darling sage of simple reasoning…Mr. Rodgers said, “If you can mention it, you can manage it.” So our first step to forgiveness is humbly taking it to the Lord. Talk to Him for hours if needed; just take it to Him and talk. Prayer is real. It’s our cell phone to God. Now here’s where it becomes interesting!!

With our Savior's help, we can place any hurt in the past. After all, we cannot do anything to change it. So, we “let go and let God.” It's the only way this kind of miracle can happen. God, our Father, is our judge, not us. The only way to find peace is to leave things in the past and look forward to a Happy future 🥰

My parents taught us as children that forgiving is essential to gain entrance into the kingdom of God. As a little girl, that seemed doable. As an adult, it becomes more difficult, right? 😂

The Lord’s pattern in Mark was to forgive and then be healed. Carrying these burdens around creates bitterness, hate, unhappiness, and anger. These feelings get in the way of our personal growth and healing. So today, let’s all remember Mr. Rogers and keep repeating, “If it’s mentionable, it’s manageable! Then give it to our Savior, who atoned not only for sins but for the pains and sorrows He knew we would go through in this life. He did it all for us. All we have to do is give it to Him.

I love you all!

#SundayMessage

Matthew 5

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine, enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Here are the next few weeks of the reading schedule I am following for those that have joined me:

• February 6-12: John 2-4

• February 13-19: Matthew 5; Luke 6

• February 20-26: Matthew  6-7

• February 27-March 5: Matthew 8; Mark 2-4; Luke 7

Marie's Sunday Message - January 29th, 2023

January…phew! January is always a challenge, isn’t it? First, we are exhausted from the holidays, so we use procrastination just to find a little rest! Right away, we find the couch and streaming Netflix is far more rewarding than facing life again. 😂 January is also the month we calculate all we have been eating. It started when we took the Oreos out of the wrapper on “back to school” day and then rode the wave through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and December,🤦🏻‍♀️dodging the sugar the best we could! Holidays are wonderful but can be challenging in the aftermath, right? And then January comes, and we saddle up on the butt-kicking machine as we try hard to keep those resolutions we made! 

Then there is having to face finding room to store the new holiday decorations that weren’t really needed, but we had to have. Or better yet, thinking we put everything away, then when closing the closet door and discover an entire stack of decorations we hadn’t put away. 🤷🏻‍♀️But the best - the “oldie but goodie,” Will I just once get through January with a goal I’ve made instead of going around and around? 

However, January is also the month I make some much-needed course corrections. And I have found the best way is to keep it simple! I grew up with a mom who said, “You can’t eat an elephant in one bite! But over time, you can! A bite at a time. A little here and a little there.” She always made us laugh. Maybe that’s why I like elephants so much! (Last Sunday’s message😂) But the point is, I realized we needed to keep it simple so we wouldn’t get discouraged. This practical advice also works with having a testimony of the gospel. The Savior was very clear from His teachings that the gospel must be simple in order for a child to understand. But we try to make it so hard. Why? (that’s a post for a different day) Here is a thought, though. 

Scientists tested the theory that “people who are lost walk in circles.” Test subjects were taken to a thick forest with no visible landmarks, and they were left to rely solely on their sense of direction. What did they do? The scientists concluded from this test that people really do walk in circles when they don’t have reliable clues for their walking direction. Several reasons were hypothesized, but the reason that made the most sense was….simple! It’s human nature to drift off course when they don’t have reliable landmarks. 

This applies to us physically.

And this applies to us spiritually. 

I know for a fact that changes are made incrementally. From a sermon by Dieter Uchtdorf, he writes, “The book of Judges records that after Joshua died, “there arose another generation….which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which He had done for Israel”. (Judges 2:10) He goes on, “Despite the astonishing heavenly interventions, visitations, rescues, and miraculous victories the children of Israel witnessed during the lifetimes of Moses and Joshua. Within a generation, the people had abandoned the Way and began walking according to their own desire, and, of course, it did not take long before they paid the price for their behaviors. 

But a small rudder can steer a large ship! Don’t get discouraged when taking on big projects or making big changes. Remember, my mother Olive said it best. We aren’t going to eat the elephant in one day! I know change is always possible. 

Michael Crichton said, “A day is like a whole life. You start out doing one thing but end up doing something else. Your whole existence or life can have that same haphazard quality or shape as a single day.”

Dieter Uchtdorf goes on to say, “Want to change your life? Change your day. Do you want to change your day? Change this hour.” I love his simplicity!! 

A great start is to build on the small victories. I read a book about being 1% better, and then I couldn’t figure out how to figure out measuring the 1%. 🧐😂 So instead, I say, “build on the small victories!  Every single one of those small victories turns into life-changing habits when you add them up. Break it down in easy steps. If you are just starting out studying the scriptures, read just a verse or two every day. If walking for exercise is your goal, start with 10 minutes this week, then increase it to 15 minutes next week. I know you have heard it a million times, but by following this simple pattern and then adding a little effort, you will have success! How would a little child do it? Well, Preschool is built around small victories and remembering Philippians 4:13! “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” He will never leave us weak. 

I know we all have challenges because that is what Earth life is about…. one struggle after another! But I also believe the Savior’s plan is perfect, and He knows we can overcome our challenges and replace them with strengths. He is always there to help.

I wish you every success as you lean on the Lord to build on those small victories….I love you all!!

Here are the next few weeks of the reading schedule I am following for those that have joined me:

• January 30-February 5: Matthew 4; Luke 4-5

• February 6-12: John 2-4

• February 13-19: Matthew 5; Luke 6

• February 20-26: Matthew  6-7

Marie's Sunday Message - January 22nd, 2023

I love elephants!! They’re proof that God has a sense of humor; they have cankles, their nose and ears never stop growing, and the bones in their feet are perfectly shaped for high heels. So, it’s no wonder they sway back and forth when they’re standing…their feet hurt!! 🤣😂 So, when I saw this image by Sara Gagnon, it reminded me of one of my favorite stories. But not just because it has an elephant, but because of what he’s doing… 

Frank Sinatra was, without a doubt, a powerhouse. Even at 78 years old, fans still came in droves to see him! Tom Dreesen was a comedian who was Frank’s warm-up act for many years. He recalled one particular show when there were about 20,000 people in the audience. Sinatra was 3 songs into his set when he completely forgot the lyrics he was singing. He kept repeating, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” but the band didn’t know he stopped singing. So they kept playing. When the band finally realized he stopped, they began stopping, instrument by instrument, until there was a deafening silence in the auditorium. At that point, Dreesen thought Sinatra would lay his microphone down and go home to recognize the end of an incredible career. 

But then something happened. 

“A guy way up at the top of the audience stood up by himself and hollered out, ‘That’s ok Frank! That’s all right because we love you!’

Then he started to applaud. 

Then the guy next to him started to applaud. 

Then hundreds of people started to applaud.

Then thousands. 

Pretty soon the whole arena was cheering and yelling! Sinatra turned around and went back to center stage.” Dreesen continued, “he went into the next number which was ‘Mack the Knife’ and he absolutely drilled that song. He hit every nuance and every lyric. It was like he was 19 years old again…After he finished that song the crowd went nuts! He was ready to go onto the next number when he finally quieted them down. Then he stopped and pointed up to the guy and said, ‘I love you too, Pal.’ He sang for two years after that. That fan brought him from the ashes that night.” 

This sweet story shows that no one is above a hand on the shoulder, a friendly smile, or a word of encouragement. I was blessed to perform with Frank and have so much respect for him as an entertainer. In the end, despite all the success Sinatra saw, it came down to one lone fan in the audience who allowed him to finish his career on his own terms. What an incredible blessing. 

This story made me want to be that fan. 

Sometimes, we have to step out of the crowd and cheer someone on. Give the encouragement or praise needed for someone else to live their best life. The Lord is always with us, fighting our battles, hand in hand. But sometimes, he sends you and me in his place to help those in need. I believe that when you feel impressed to offer a kind word to a friend, family member, or even a complete stranger, it is our Heavenly Father sending us to them. Mark Twain remarked that he “could live two months on a good compliment”!   In the words of the biblical proverbs of Solomon: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” (Prov. 25:11.) 

Just as I was getting ready to send my #Sundaymessage a sweet friend of mine sent this to me “I believe people who consistently choose to do simple acts of love and compassion toward their fellow man can bring forth extraordinary results that can change both the life of the giver and that of the receiver.” She felt prompted to send it to me. I guess she’s listening to the angels around her.🥰 Coincidence? I don’t think so.😉

Having a voice of gladness, especially in today’s world, is needed by everyone. Through the precious gift of offering kind words to others, our hearts naturally soften too. And, as our hearts soften, we become closer to the Lord. Think of all the good that you could do by cheering someone on…a lone fan in the crowd. In doing so, your own life will be blessed.

My love to you all.

#Sundaymessge

Here are the next few weeks of the reading schedule I am following for those that have joined me:

• January 23–29: Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3.

• January 30-February 5: Matthew 4; Luke 4-5

• February 6-12: John 2-4

• February 13-19: Matthew 5; Luke 6

Marie's Sunday Message - January 15th, 2023

I love stories and analogies. I remember one about a man who is walking down the street and falls into a hole. He couldn’t get out. A doctor passes by and the guy shouts, “Hey you, can you help me out?” The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down into the hole, and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up to him, “Father, I’m down in this hole. Can you help me out?” The priest writes out a prayer, throws it into the hole, and moves on. Then a friend walks by. The man in the hole sees him and shouts, “Hey Joe, I’m down in this hole. Can you help me out?” The friends jump in the hole. Our guy says, “Are you stupid? Now we’re both in this hole!” His friend says, “Yeah, but I’ve been down here before and I know the way out.”

Taking a step back, preparation is one of the most important things we do. We wear seatbelts in case of a possible accident, take vitamins to prevent a possible illness, and go to a checkup at the dentist to prevent cavities. We don’t leave our homes without prayer, we read scriptures, we wear helmets. There are even warnings on medications to prevent possible reactions. The list goes on and on. We can prepare for everything our minds can think of. But, sometimes, things still go wrong. When it does, how do we respond? 

So, back to the analogy of the man in the hole. Is it fair to say that he fell into the hole because he was unprepared? Probably not. Did he wake up and make a plan of what to do in case he falls in a hole today? Doubtful. We can prepare for anything and everything, but from time to time, we still need God to help. And he will send people to jump into that hole with us and guide help us out. 

I have a friend who’s a coach. He prepared his team with fundamental drills and for any unusual situation he could possibly think of. But the part he was the happiest with was how his team was trained mentally. These high school boys read books on positivity, leadership, and drive. They enjoyed coming to practice because, in their words, “They didn’t just learn about the sport but life itself.” This approach was highly successful and they went all the way to the state championship. He told me at that game that the referee was making some questionable calls that derailed their plans. His team had to keep playing with very unsettled emotions. This was an unforeseen situation neither the coach nor the players had considered. Instead of plowing back into the game, the new situation got the better of them and they lost. As disappointing as the loss was, he told me, “I believe it was still a win”. He said his team got the opportunity to understand that life isn’t predictable—we can’t prepare for every possible outcome. 

That’s why it’s important that, amidst all of our preparations, we put God first. If we rely on our own preparations rather than keep our faith in God, we completely miss out. There will be catastrophes in our lives, illnesses that take away our independence, and betrayals we don’t see coming. We will lose jobs we desperately need and encounter loss throughout our lives. But there is one thing we can count on, and that’s Him…every time. If we have more faith in ourselves than in the Savior, we will lose every time. 

I am not knocking preparations! I rehearse and rehearse and rehearse…but I still make sure we all have prayer before every show.

He is our light in the storm, our path when we’re lost, and our hope when we can’t take another step. I know this because I’ve been to this abyss. Reading about him daily has been a great source of strength for me through the years. I hope your scripture reading is going well. I promise studying the life of our Savior will prepare us for anything and will be life-altering. I know that we can try to prepare for every scenario but, in the end, the time spent studying the life of the Savior and then following His life and example will be the best investment of time we will ever make.

Here are the next few weeks of the reading schedule I am following for those that have joined me: 

• January 16–22: John 1.

• January 23–29: Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3.

• January 30-February 5: Matthew 4; Luke 4-5

• February 6-12: John 2-4