Just Hold Me

I read a book today called "Just Hold Me" by Don Staheli...Let me share what I highlighted in my reading.

"The loving arms of the Savior are open wide to revieve us-- that when no one else seems to be around, when others do not appear to understand or even pay attention to our need for a hug, He is there. "if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after us...we can still be clasped in the arms of Jesus"."

"When as the world calls to us, should we drift a bit toward the siren song or even fall headlong into the grasp of evil hands, we can come to our senses and run to the sheltering arms of the Savior. Comfort and reassurance will arrive, and we can find safety and love in His waiting arms."

"Though it may seem that our own displacement from the right way has put us too far out to be reclaimed, it is not so. Not for anyone. If it is lost we feel, then we can listen to the voices calling for our return and move in their direction."

"His arms are open and He WILL respond with warmth and love. He wont say a word to condemn us; we have plenty of those for ourselves. He will only offer His embrace."

"The harsh realities of life are unlikely to be completly erased. Nonetheless, we can find peace in the knowledge that, whether in this life or the next, all will be made well. The sustaining arms of the Lord will give us strength to endure what He CHOOSES not to remove."

"Dwelling on our failures and feeling guilty or unworthy, we wrongfully assume He would have no interest in us, or we imagine that he might entirely reject us. How many times and how many ways does He have to offer His embrace before we trust in His sincerity?"

"The truth is, despite our straying from the righteousness, regardless of how we may have distanced ourselves from God, our Father/Redeemer will come to us and, in a manner as real as any father's embrace, will have compassion and encompass us in His fervent welcome back. He is watching and waiting for our return. If we move toward Him, He will come out to greet us. Time and distance, whether physical or spiritual, pose no obstacle for Him."

"He has stood over us, arms outstreched in both a protective and receptive mode, defending, healing, comforting and gathering in those who would look to Him and live."

"To pry apart the clutching fingers of our enraged enemy and break his painful grasp, we must humble ourselves, cease our destructive behavior, call upon God, and believe in His ultimate love and kindness."

"It doesn't take much to slow us down o even bring us to a halt. Sin will cause us to slacken our pace, even more quickly than a pebble in our shoe. If the gravel or evil and the grit of sin get in where they dont belong they will create enough pain to stop even the best of us. We MUST pause in our efforts, bend or even better kneel down, and remove the offending source of spiritual pain. Sometimes this is accomplished with the help of others and always within the protecting arms of the Savior, who will shield and protect us until we are able to regain our balance, tie life back on like a comfortable shoe, and stride off to meet whatever the ard packed pathway of mortality might bring us next."

"A hug is a hug, even if theres no touching involved. We can embrace with our eyes, enfold with a few words, and clasp with a moment of sincere interest. Simply by paying sincere heed to another person, he or she will feel embraced and held. A physical hug would be inappropriate and unwelcome in many situations, but it is rare that rapt attention would be rejected by one who is attempting to connect without literally connecting. A warm exchange of intellect or honest acknowlegment of worth can be fullfilling, even without any sharing of body heat."

"We must look to the One who will rekindle our hope and reignite our will to carry on. We may do our seeking on bended knee with the hands folded and head bowed, awaiting the inspiration of God. We might search Him out in the scriptures and other good books, led by the Spirit as our eyes scan the pages for new thoughts and ideas to be discovered in His word."

"The depths of human sorrow cannot take us so low that He is not there to attend."

"You must reach beyond a sense of the infinity of the Atonement to accept the portion thereof intended for you and you alone. You have the priviledge of His embrace. He is not on the cross. He is not in the tomb. He stands looking upon you asking, "Whome seekest thou?" He whispers YOUR name and waits for you to recognize Him. He wants you to feel His embrace. So yield to His entreaty. Give in to His love and, please, please say to the Savior, "Just Hold me, Tighter."

I would highly recommend this book to everyone, espessially those who are struggling to feel love and even those who feel they are not worthy of the love that is so freely waiting for them.