Wednesday, 20 May 2026

MY GUIDING STEPS

 


When I am tempest tossed on turbulent seas
I look to find Thee walking on waves
To rescue me.

I hear Your call, I see Your light,
A beacon of hope,
Your unconquerable might.

I know You will gather me amidst
The storm that seeks to swallow me;
And take me home
When the waves no longer frighten me.

You are my guiding light, the footsteps I clearly see.
I don't stumble but follow into Your arms for eternity. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Footprints of Faith by Ivan Guaderrama)

TO SERVE GOD

 


When Joshua stood with the strength of a prophet before the children of Israel and delivered his farewell, he recounted not his power but the Lord’s in deliverance of His people from bondage and His gifting of ‘the land for which the Israelites did not labour and the cities which they did not build’ (Joshua 24:1-14).

The children of Israel became fearless in the strength of God under Joshua’s leadership. Nations trembled at the mention of their name as they flooded Canaan and claimed the land. None could stop their conquering spirit. They earned the name Jeshurun (righteous Israel) because they chose to serve God under Joshua’s leadership to do so (see The Old Testament Student Manual Book 1 p 242). The people are only as good as the example they follow….Joshua was that leader and that example.

As they entered the promised land, the children of Israel were given three warnings, in the event that some heathen nations were allowed to remain and live alongside them: 1. Beware of social intercourse with them (Joshua 23:7; 2. Refrain from worshipping their false gods (vv 7-11); and 3. Avoid intermarriage with hem (v 12). If these rules were ignored, Israel would fall into the snare of idolatry and their covenant with Jehovah, along with His protection and prosperity would be null and void.

As a result of Joshua’s devotion to Jehovah, we have one of the most instructive and famous scriptures of all time: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve… as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

“The Saints today also face a world intent on their spiritual destruction. Canaan has long passed from the earth, but Satan, who incited Canaan’s wickedness and opposition to Israel, is still determined to destroy those who follow the Lamb of God (see 1 Nephi 14:12-14)…..

“Now during this critical period, and it is a critical period that we are passing through, I hope that we will keep ever burning in our hearts the spirit of this great work which we represent. If we do so, we’ll have no anxiety; we’ll have no fear; we’ll not worry about the future because the Lord has given us the assurance that if we live righteously, if we keep his commandments, if we humble ourselves before him, all will be well.” (Elder Ezra Taft Benson, In Conference Report, Oct 1950, pp 145-46)

We still have Joshuas at the head of our Israel today to inspire us to serve the one and true living God. Today, we have President Oaks. Even though times become perilous and even though there will be times of insecurity to propel us into anxiety, the prophets at the head of Israel today, like Joshua will lead us to “be strong and of good courage; to not be afraid, neither dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9)

We, the children of Israel,

Ever follow the Shepherd

Who would not see us lost,

Who rescued our souls

Never counting the cost.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Good Shepherd by Del Parson)

Tuesday, 19 May 2026

A BASKETFUL OF PROBLEMS

 


 

I carried my problems in a basket

To every friend I knew;

They rummaged and picked the ones

They thought they could stop me

From feeling so blue.

 

I carried my basket to the Saviour,

He recognised each problem so well;

He gave me the wisdom to solve them,

My suffering myself to quell.

 

He knew every fallen tear,

Every minute of fear and dread,

He knew the lonely road I travelled

And gave me solace instead. 


- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: I Know You by B. Laura Wilson)

THE ONLY ONE

 



Some years ago, another divorced, single mother moved into my Ward which made us the only two women of that marital status in that ward. We struck up a friendship and I was grateful that there would be someone around who would understand me and my life. This proved more difficult than I thought.

The sister in question was vastly different from me. She was a career woman managing her own business and I was a lowly office worker, with no professional aspirations, struggling to make ends meet. She was a very strong, independent individual who handled her four children with ease and trained them well for a life of independence. I was a self-sacrificing mother who turned herself into a taxi driver for my young teenagers and who did everything in my power to spare them any discomfort and difficulty.

With time it became apparent to me that my new friend and I were reading the same book but we were not on the same page. In other words, we were two different individuals in the same situation but with different responses to that situation. We were different people and the same difficulties were affecting us differently. This taught me that it is futile to seek understanding from other people because of our differences.

I also came to understand another truth. Be careful of turning a close friend into your mentor. I had a handful of close friends that I used to seek advice from which I narrowed down to one confidant who I considered understood my spiritual journey more than anyone else but even though we had a very strong spiritual connection, our lives were vastly different. She was married and I was single, she was well and I was sick. I noticed with time that her advice was often, if not always, from her frame of reference and her experiences in life. I used to value whatever she said until I noticed that some of the advice she was giving me was not applicable to me.

When I became sick two years ago, I retreated into myself a lot and became very alienated from people I knew because I felt nobody understood what I was going through. Pain has a way of teaching you that. I had never been in a more isolating situation before in my life. All of a sudden I was incredibly alone with something I was dealing with that was very difficult. I knew it was futile to expect others to understand because nobody else had ever experienced what it is like to live in my skin……except only one..

I came to understand the Saviour’s lonely road He trod when He was here. This scripture seared my heart: “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.” (Psalm 69:20). I understood a fraction of what He felt during the crucible of His life when He was forsaken by all. If Christ’s Atonement was a descent into the ‘bottomless pit’ of human agony, then I know that He alone understands my life and my sufferings…..because in that bottomless pit was my agony too.

I met You on the lonely road

And heard You say to me:

You will ever be mine

If you walk with me.

 

Your presence enthralled me,

Your exquisite love nearly ripped me apart;

I walked away from all else

Just to have You in my heart.

 

I walk now with Your hand in mine,

The lonely road paved with tears of love

Oh, if only everyone knew where to find You

And long for You to come!

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown) 


Monday, 18 May 2026

MY KING REMEMBERS MY NAME


I don’t know how the sun remembers to rise,

Or how the stars remember their places.

I don’t know how the flowers remember to bloom,

Or how in spring the leaves fill their spaces.

It’s enough for me to know who created it,

And I’ll never be the same;

Because I know I have a God who loves me

And a King, who remembers my name.

 

My King, who remembers my name;

A mighty King, who remembers my name!

He is the Lord of all creation,

And yet, my King remembers my name.

I’m a small creature compared to His greatness;

I’m only one and the same,

But I’ll always be His, and He will be mine –

A King, who remembers my name!

 

I look at the world today with people

Rushing about without thinking of why;

Why we’re all here, and what is life about

And where we all go when we die.

But I know, and I’ll ever be thankful

That I know from whence I came.

I’ll go home to heaven once more,

To my King, who remembers my name.


- BONNIE LAKE BLOOMFIELD (7/5/20)

(Art: I Have Suffered for You by B. Laura Wilson)


 

TO REMEMBER



I wrote yesterday about God’s admonition to ancient Israel to remember their deliverance from ‘the house of bondage’. This practice was so ingrained in them that they took it to the new promised land in ancient America. Some notable references to this important part of their history in the Book of Mormon are: 1 Nephi 4:2,3; 17:23-42; Mosiah 7:19; Alma 36:28-29.  

Remembering became a legacy amongst God’s people. King Benjamin spoke of ‘remembering’ 15 times in his farewell speech to motivate his people to obedience to God (Mosiah 1:3,4,6,7,17; 2:40 twice, 41 twice; 4:11,28,30; 5:11,12; 6:3).

As I was reading Alma’s instructions to Helaman one day, I expected to come across this familiar scripture:   “O remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation….…” I was convinced it was the advice that Alma gave to his sons. However, this scripture was nowhere to be found in the book of Alma.

I eventually found it in Helaman 5:12, and to my surprise I discovered this advice was given by Helaman to his sons Nephi and Lehi and not Alma to his sons. I then realized why I got that wrong. When Alma spoke to Helaman he also, at one time, began with, “O remember, remember…..” (Alma 37:13). Like father, like son…… The legacy of remembrance passed on from Alma to Helaman was so strong that Helaman named his sons Nephi and Lehi for this very purpose (Helaman 5:6).

Alma used the verb ‘remember’ 6 times in speaking to his sons (Alma 37:13,14,32,35; 42:11). Helaman used it 11 times in speaking to his sons in Helaman 5. Why did Alma put such importance on remembering? This is why:  As he lay unconscious he ‘remembered’ his father’s prophecy concerning the coming of Jesus Christ and when he pleaded with Christ to have mercy on him, he could not ‘remember’ his pains anymore (Alma 36:17, 19). Remembrance played a crucial part in his conversion. I guess you could say he too was delivered from ‘the house of bondage’…..

When we pass on from this life, we hope we will be remembered for ‘something’. None of us want to be forgotten. Nephi is remembered for his obedience, Alma for his repentance, Helaman for his strategic warfare, Captain Moroni for his passionate patriotism, Mormon for his discipleship, Moroni for his endurance, but one thing they all had in common was a firm foundation in Christ.

Our testimony of Him and what we accomplish because of it is the greatest legacy we can leave to our posterity and to the world…..because the memories we leave behind of ourselves help others to ‘remember’ and that remembrance will lead them to courage, good works, endurance and ultimately to eternal life. This is the power of the Book of Mormon and all holy writ…..it makes us remember Christ.  

The testimony we bear, as His disciples, can ensure the world remembers Him…and now more than ever, to prepare to meet Him. Because He remembers us, and He will never forget…” Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me….” (Isaiah 49:15-16)


 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Walk by Faith by Chris Brazelton)

Sunday, 17 May 2026

TRUST

 


I viewed my life as hopeless pieces

And shame consumed my fragile heart.

I questioned every move and every choice;

I berated, I gave no value to any part.

Not until my trust consumed me

And my will to heavens flew

Did solace nestle in my soul

And such freedom as I never knew.


- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art by David Beraru)