Jesus is at your Crossroads

A light shone from the kitchen, making its way to my bedroom. My mom was cooking breakfast, my dad at the table eating. My brothers and sister and I got dressed and came to breakfast before school each morning. Before the first person had to leave, we knelt together by the living room couch, and my dad would pray for our family–our daily family prayer.

Another time, late at night, I walked into the front door of our family home. Peace filled my soul as I stepped into the lighted living room and found my mom reclining on the couch reading the newspaper, while the rest of the family were sound asleep. She sat up and patted the seat beside her. “Hi honey. How was your date?” She was always there when I came home, no matter how late.

A blast of cool air from the air conditioner soothed my face as I stepped into the house after high school. My mom was sitting at the table, cutting out stacks of stickers shaped like light bulbs from yellow contact paper. I was running for student council at my high school. My mom brainstormed campaign ideas with me, and we came up with this one: a lightbulb cut out of yellow contact paper, which has a sticky backing. On the lightbulb we wrote “Beth for VP” with a permanent marker. And there my mom was, generously spending her precious time and energy cutting out hundreds of these lightbulb campaign stickers. It was very effective…the stickers were everywhere at the school: on people’s clothing, backpacks, walls, and doors all over the school. (My apologies to the diligent janitorial staff!) Behind it all was my mom, so willing to help me in all my endeavors.

My mom was at my crossroads when I was growing up. She was there when I was coming and going. She caught me when I was raw and sad, and sent me off with a hug and a kiss when I left our home. She wasn’t one for “setting boundaries.” Rather, she was always there for me, with open arms and a loving heart.

Each of us has a loving parent at our crossroads, too. Our Heavenly Father is always watching over us, and His Son Jesus Christ is available to us every moment.

Jesus taught, “Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (Matthew 6:8). Our Heavenly Father and Jesus anticipate our our needs and are ready at our crossroads in every situation.

Jesus is at our crossroads of repentance and renewal. Elder Dale Renlund shares how as an 8-year-old, he mistakenly thought being baptized was what took away his sin, and that as he experienced life's challenges, he would move further and further away from his clean state as a newly-baptized person. “Not so,” he teaches. “In the years since my baptism, I have learned that sins are cleansed by the power of Jesus Christ through His atoning sacrifice as we make and keep the baptismal covenant. Then, through the gift of repentance, we can remain clean. I have also learned that the sacrament… [enables] us to retain a remission of our sins.”

Our Heavenly Father and Jesus have promised the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, to be at our crossroads. “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).

Jesus lifts us up at the last day, and He is willing to lift us up in any moment of our day, throughout our lives. When I was in fifth grade, my closest friend was Tish. Early in the year a new girl, Kathy, moved into our class and became friends with Tish. I found myself outside of their friendship. I didn’t like Kathy because of it. One day in Sunday School, my teacher asked us to draw a circle around Jesus, ourselves and a person we wanted to have a better relationship with. She explained that when Jesus is included in our relationships, the relationship gets better. So with my ten-year-old trust in my teacher–and having no expectation whatsoever–I drew a circle around myself, Kathy and Jesus. I prayed for me and Kathy. And things got better. Kathy and I became friends. My fifth-grade year was better because of Jesus. He was there at my crossroads.

Back at my mother’s home, the clock chimed midnight. She was now 94 years old, and I was at the end of a very tender visit. I kissed her goodnight at 10 pm, but I couldn’t sleep. Would that be the last time I saw her? The clock chimed one. Will she be able to say good-by at 5 in the morning, when I leave to catch my plane? Two o'clock, three o’clock, Four-thirty. I got up and showered. I zipped up my suitcase and paused at my mother’s bedroom door. “Beth, come in and say good-bye,” she called out in her gentle, melodic voice. She gave me a long hug. I knew how much she loved me. There she was, again at my crossroads like she had been for my whole life…for the last time…until we will meet again.

Our Heavenly Father and Jesus love us even more than my mother loved. They are tenderly at every crossroad you and I will ever encounter. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…." (Revelation 3:20 NIV). There Jesus is, close to you always. What are you waiting for?

Beth Wright enjoys crunchy snow, fruit pie, and grandkids. She has experienced the power and love of Jesus Christ, and loves being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.