life in color

I had the great opportunity to listen to writer Brian Doyle when he visited BYU on Friday. He shared both his essays and his wisdom. I was blown away by not only his talent as a writer but his uncanny ability to touch those around him. He is a very inspiring man, and I hope you get the chance to someday read his work. I just want to share my favorite quotes by him: "The gift of you is the greatest gift you can give anyone." Out of all the billions of people who have lived before you and that live now and that have yet to be born, there is not one other single person who is just like you. You are unique. God created you differently than everyone else. You have talents and gifts and so much that you can bring to the world. "All moments are pregnant with miracles." Miracles are all around us. Look for them. "There are no small moments." Brian believes that every moment in our lives is significant. The trick is appreciating these moments and understan...

Words truly have power: They can help us to imagine. They can teach us lessons. They can help us to see the world in a different way. And in the case of Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust , they can bring us closer to God. I found Immaculee Ilibagiza's story inspiring from the beginning. She rose above her status as a woman and a Tutsi to pursue her dreams and gain an education. It was while she attended college that fighting broke out in Rwanda. The Hutu people started killing the Tutsis. Immaculee was separated from her family, hiding in the small bathroom of a pastor for over three months, crammed between seven other women.  As violence swept the country, leaving a path of immense destruction, Immaculee found peace. She prayed and discovered God. She developed a strong relationship with Him, trusting in His plan for her. She accepted her fate, knowing that God would welcome her home if she were to die. But she survived the genocide for a purpose. ...