A while ago I received a fortune inside a cookie that read,

“Your fondest dream will come true within the year.”

At the time I was trying to decide what my fondest dream would be, there are so many! But I thought it a great fortune considering so many these days are lame-o. So this one found a place on the corkboard in our hallway. I didn’t think anything of it until a short time after I found out I was pregnant and walked by it on the wall and stopped. I read it again and smiled and realized that, indeed, one of my fondest dreams had come true. Of course there are many pieces to this dream- I would like the rest of this pregnancy to go smoothly, have a peaceful delivery that results in a healthy little body arriving with it’s strong spirit, not to mention all of the dreams that come along with raising a child, but this part came true and I’ll be grateful for that.

I had the privilege of singing with our stake choir for conference today and as we prepared one of our hymns the past few weeks, a particular phrase stood out to me: From “I Believe in Christ.”

“I believe in Christ; he stands supreme!
From him I'll gain my fondest dream;
And while I strive through grief and pain,
His voice is heard: "Ye shall obtain."

Again, I was reminded that only through Christ can I gain all of my dreams and even while grief and pain plague us at times in this life, His promise is true and sure.

In high school I had a wonderful friend, who was my first date, actually- anyway he married an awesome girl who I don’t know nearly as well except through her honest and delightful blog. They have been wanting to add to their family and as they have gone through in vitro multiple times I feel for them. I feel for her and her desires and dreams and heartaches. Each time she shares her honesty, it takes me right back to when I had those same feelings and experiences and wondered what Heaven had in store for our family. I know that His plan may be different for her, but I know there is one, the right one, the one that will bring her peace and joy and fulfill her fondest dreams. I thought a lot about her today and this song came to mind again. I came across it a while ago and probably shared it then, but it has made my “inspirational songs” playlist and I hear it often on Sundays.

I don’t know how life will continue to unfold- for me or for anyone else- and while I know our faith and choices and actions help determine the outcome, I know that He only sends trials to teach and to make stronger and that the blessings that follow the heartache are so, so sweet.