Welcome.

A few nights back, I was texting with a good friend. She offered her love and support for a project on which I am working. Part of our communicated exchange went like this:

Me: “Thank you for your support. You are such a great friend…”

Friend: “Have a great night at work.”

Me: “Thank you! Love you.”

Friend: “Love you more all the time!”

Me: “You are oozing love so that is probably true, but I do love you.”

Friend: “It’s my Jesus in me!”

This friend is really witty and often says short sentences that can only be described as gems and pure truth. She is linguistically gifted and often strings her words together in uncommon (yet lovely) ways. She had indeed done it again: “It’s my Jesus in me!”

I love that line, and I love that it can be true for her and for all of us who are interested in more perfectly walking the Christian path set forth by Jesus Himself.

I’ve been pondering – as I like to do – that statement for several days, and I wanted to share a few stories from people in my ward where I presently live who, like my friend who first declared it, have their Jesus in them.

There was a man baptized into our ward some months ago. Since being baptized, he has struggled in a lot of ways with a lot of things. Though many have reached out with loving arms, he hasn’t really found his place among us and has stopped attending Sunday meetings and has even declared a faith tradition change.

One man in my ward who is phenomenal in both his public and private life and who served as a mission president with his lovely bride of many years, has made herculean efforts to stay connected to this man. In a recent conversation with this good, good man, he said, “…It’s all about love, isn’t it?…[Name of brother] had lunch with us Sunday. Hoping to keep a connection there. We are planning to attend church with him in his new faith…we will keep walking with him…”

His choice to keep walking with a brother in need is because of his Jesus in him. And it’s so beautifully obvious.

Just a few weeks ago, our bishop was sustained as our new stake president. He’s a wonderful man with great talents and abilities. Like all of us, he is human and therefore makes mistakes. He spoke Sunday during our ward conference and urged us to forgive, to just let things go. He promised us peace and love on the other side of forgiveness. He shared a tender story. He said some time ago when he was bishop, he spoke out of turn to a group of people; he said words that came off as hurtful. Some weeks later, one of those to whom he had spoken came to see him privately in his office. This brother confessed that bishop’s words had been unwisely chosen but then said, “Bishop, I forgive you.” Our former bishop was so moved by the man’s honest sincerity and willingness to let it go.

What a man whose got his Jesus in him as well. He just let it go. Another powerful example.

One more, though I could share sundry stories. I’m surrounded by people who have their Jesus in them, and I am made so much the better by their stalwart examples!

Some months ago, my lovely maternal grandmother commenced to the great world of the spirits. A few years prior to her passing, she wrote a really lovely little poem she entitled, “Unspeakable Joy.” Her words showcased some of her life’s journey to her celebrated place of “unspeakable joy,” a place at which she arrived intentionally, purposefully, prayerfully.

My mom read this poem at her funeral and afterwards asked us children if we knew anyone who could possibly put it to music. I told my mom my ward had a plethora of crazily talented musicians and I was sure I could ask the favor of any one of them.

Well, the lovely bride of whom I wrote earlier (this is a powerful for the Lord couple) said of course she would try. She came up with an absolute masterpiece in just a couple of days. I wept. Her kindness! Her refusal to take money. Her kind, kind willingness to bless my life and the life of so many of my grandma’s posterity.

My gosh, she has her Jesus so much inside her.

I love Jesus, and I love all those who have Him inside themselves. His light shines from their eyes, as He said it would as he taught the Sermon on the Mount: “The light of the body is the eye…thy whole body shall be full of light.” (Matthew 6:22)

And so many bodies are just shining away because they’ve got “[their] Jesus in [them].”

Unto all the world: Let us say, “It’s my Jesus in me!”