Arise and Shine Forth

The 2012 theme for the youth this year is D&C 115:5  "Arise and Shine Forth that thy light may be a standard for the nations."  I've been eating, sleeping, and breathing this theme for the last few weeks.  I've been thinking about what it means for my YW, what it means for my daughters, and what it means for me personally.  How do we Arise and Shine Forth?


I've figured out what it means for my girls, but haven't yet had the opportunity to tell them.  For me, though, it means that it's time to do more than I've done before.  It's time to stand for something.  It's time to stop sitting on the fence with all those things that beckon to me.  It's time to get up more often, to speak up more often, and to get out of my comfort zone.  Those things are already happening, for sure...singing a SOLO, running a 5K, and GOING TO GIRLS CAMP!  But I think there's more...

I'm so grateful to be serving in the Young Women's program at this time.  It is a huge blessing to be able to connect with my daughters.  It's an even bigger blessing to be surrounded by this incredible group of girls on a regular basis.  And this year, it's an amazing personal blessing to have this theme running through my head all the time.   It's not just for them.

"Arise and shine forth that thy light may be a standard for the nations."  


I think I need to fill the spaces that I haven't filled before...not just with stuff...but with meaningful stuff.  It's time to be less selfish, less cautious, less intimidated.  It's time to be more sure, more confident, more faithful, more committed, and MORE SHINY.  

It's just time...