The Jubilee event was rained out (more like hurricaned out), so we don’t have an on-demand virtual ticket to give away. But you can see what they captured on-the-fly in a livestream from Emily Belle Freeman’s house after the decision was made to call the event. They still were able to bring 1.5 hours of content to us all. You can find the recording of that livestream here:

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CS3OQMRiSg_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

This is what they write about what is in the livestream.

“Lisa Jo Baker and Emily Belle Freeman gave their full talks. Morgan Jones, Nish Weiseth, and Neill Marriott hosted their panel discussion. We had the beauty and encouragement from Yahosh Bonner singing. Emily spoke with one of the producers of The Chosen about what he’s learned about bridge-building. We worshiped alongside TJ Faamausili, who played his ukelele and sang for us. Lisa Valentine Clark hosted and made us laugh the whole way through.”

Some screenshots follow.

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Original post is below:

Years ago, I came across a group called Multiply Goodness. Their mission is “to empower women to love God’s Word and build bridges across different faith traditions through guided Bible study, inspired gatherings, and intentional friendship for the purpose of multiplying goodness throughout the world.” They model and share how you can create or engage with your own small Bible study group. Free small group leader and participants guide downloads are available. You can also find some free study guides from past studies, like a 14-day Live Love Experience or a “Fruits of the Spirit” study. (Monday they begin a new study: “In His Image.”) They have an Instagram account where most of their sharing and gathering happens.

But on occasion, they host physical gatherings. Today Multiply Goodness is hosting an event called a Jubilee in Lehi, Utah. [“In the Old Testament,” they share on the event website, “the jubilee was considered a time of rest, abundance, and joy.”] The theme for the event is “Connected” — exploring “the ways we are already connected to one another, how we can build stronger connections between us, and how we can invite others to experience that connection.”

They realize that many won’t be able to attend because of health or distance or funds or schedules, or because they hadn’t ever heard of this event. But there is good news! Multiply Goodness is offering a virtual option for their Jubilee. This is an on-demand program that will become accessible next week.

We at Women Seeking Christ are giving away a virtual ticket to the Jubilee. Simply share a favorite Bible verse and why it is meaningful to you in the comments below by August 28 at midnight EST. We’ll run a random number generator and send an email to the lucky recipient.

Here is what I have been told about the virtual option:

“The virtual option is an on-demand experience that will provide digital copies of materials that are given at the Jubilee, as well as a video production of the onstage event with the speakers and worship music.” [They have changed it from the livestream option because of feedback they have received about women wanting to watch the onstage events on their own time.]

We love the spirit of what Multiply Goodness is doing — helping unite women from various faiths around the Word of God and inviting them to take His light out into their spheres.

Again, if you would like to be entered into the drawing for a free virtual ticket, please share your favorite Bible verse below in the comments. And if you are looking for some inspiration in your Instagram feed, be sure to follow Multiply Goodness.

The post Multiply Goodness is hosting a Jubilee! And we are offering a free virtual ticket giveaway — UPDATED appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

I went on a study abroad last year. This was one of my favorite places we visited. I’m grateful for the reminders from something I wrote a year ago—beauty from ashes and the Creator is in control.

Beauty from ashes.

What a hopeful thing.

This church was destroyed during WWII. In 1993, they began to rebuild it, and even used some of the original stones (the darker ones in the pictures). After 12 years, it was complete.

As I had the opportunity to visit this magnificent church, I thought about this:

Sometimes the beautiful things we have in our lives may be destroyed, right before our eyes. We may see a pile of rubble and not exactly know what to do with it, or how to piece it back together. However, one day, when the time is right (as patience is often required), it can be rebuilt. One brick at a time. Until this new and beautiful thing is complete.

It took 12 years for this church to be rebuilt. What’s that saying? “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Find patience. Find the joy in the journey of rebuilding. It’s there. You’ll just need to work some to dig around in the pile of rubble and find it. This church was completed by using pieces of its burnt self. It stands as a constant reminder that beauty really can come from ashes. Its scars provide hope for a better and more beautiful future.

“If mortal hands can transform rubble and ruins into a beautiful house of worship, then we can have confidence and trust that our loving Heavenly Father can and will rebuild us. His plan is to build us into something far greater than what we were—far greater than what we can ever imagine. With each step of faith on the path of discipleship, we grow into the beings of eternal glory and infinite joy we were designed to become.” -Dieter F. Uchtdorf (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/04/he-will-place-you-on-his-shoulders-and-carry-you-home?lang=eng)

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I had a precious conversation with my youngest child (a freshman in college) last night. We both, in our own worlds (too far apart from each other right now, even though we still live so relatively close), were feeling the hard of COVID and all the unknowns that feel so much more present, even though they are always there.

We’ve been working together to notice the good in each day (an idea that came as we talked about Elder Soares’ talk, “Seeking Christ in Every Thought“). We want to be witnesses to each other that even we things feel hard, God is aware of us. And that good things are always happening, even when we can’t always see them (Or maybe we can if we look a little more for His hand.)

Last night, she had an amazing miracle story to share, one of those WOW moments where you just KNOW God is saying, ““I am here, and I know where you are. Just do your best, for I will take care of the rest.” (Reference in comments.)

And as the conversation continued, more awareness of more tender mercies just kept pouring into our conversation. We were kind of both left speechless.

I was grateful to see a post from Ann Voskamp, a devoted Christian woman who understands the power of looking for the good. It was another reminder to choose to look for the good, even — or especially – when things feel hard. She talks of how she used to be someone who was waiting for joy to come, waiting for good things to happen. And then she did an experiment about writing down daily tender mercies. Her goal was to reach 1000 (and she did).

And this is what she discovered:

on any old day, even this one, it is never too late, all she had to do was write down these smallest slivers of grace in her everyday because:

Gratefulness isn’t hard.

Forgetting to be grateful is what makes life hard.

See AnnVoskamp.com

Ann, a woman seeking Christ, issues an invitation to finish the year 2020 with God and grace in our hearts through the exercise of gratitude. “Keep your eyes open to the gifts all around you — that you get to open if you just pay attention.”

As if that wasn’t enough of a clear nudge from heaven to keep practicing looking for the good, later last night, I read about Orihah. He was a king in the Book of Mormon who “did remember how great things that Lord had done” and “taught his people how great things the Lord had done for their fathers.” (Ether 6:30)

Reading that verse then called to mind Moroni 10:3-5. We as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints often call these verses “Moroni’s promise.” Moroni was the last ancient prophet to finish writing on the plates that Joseph Smith was later given…by Moroni himself, then a resurrected being. The invitation in these verses is specifically about reading the record contained in what now call the Book of Mormon, and praying about it to ask God if it is a true record.

But the secret to preparing to receive insight from and connection to God is also found in these verses.

…remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/moro/10?lang=eng

This is a pattern that shows up elsewhere in the Book of Mormon as well. It’s connected to the covenants Latter-day Saints make every week as we partake of the sacrament. Remember.

When we look for the good, God will help us find it. Those who are seeking Jesus, like Ann Voskamp, and so many others, show how true this concept is.

In truth, the power of gratitude is understood to be a key to peaceful living in a variety belief traditions. Gratitude helps us experience life in a more awake, present, peaceful, radically accepting way. This is not the stuff of pretended positivity, but rather an earnest openness to the good that is always around us, and that becomes more visible when we commit to the practice of looking.

I’m grateful my daughter is willing to help me remember to practice gratitude each day. Would you like to join us in this practice?

What good can you see from your day today? Regardless of faith traditions or political affiliations or countries of origin, we can all find a way to practice looking for the good. It makes a difference for me when I do. And I wonder if we all practiced together if we might discover a bit more individual and collective peace distilling into our lives.

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