Animorphs Teaches Me to Hold On

 I have recently been reading through the Animorphs series or rather listening to it during commute time or when outside running or taking care of animals. Spencer and I recently recorded a podcast episode introducing the series. During the course of my recent reading and listening, it is amazing to me how often I have wondered, “Oh boy! Are these guys going to make it out of this alive? Is someone going to die?”  Then, I remembered that this is a series of books.  A long series of books, too! These characters are going to be alright because they were going to show up in later books. 

It dawned on me that this is similar to our life experiences. Sometimes we may find ourselves or our loved ones in a situation that seems dire, and we may ask ourselves, “How will we get out of this?” Thinking about situations in the world today and in the past couple of years may have prompted similar questions. Just like I found comfort knowing there were additional books that the Animorphs were to show up in, we have additional chapters in our lives that we are to be the main characters in. Furthermore, the Lord Jesus Christ can be the “author and finisher” of our faith. With Him on our side, it is all going to work out. We may not see a way out, but He does. He knows the end from the beginning. We have our agency, of course, and there will be hardships and difficulties along our journey, but He will be with us and knows what lies ahead for us.

Sister Camille N. Johnson, former General Primary President and current General Relief Society President of the church said in the following in a conference address:

“I testify that the Savior is ‘the author and finisher of our faith.’ Will you invite Him to be the author and finisher of your story?

“He knows the beginning from the end. He was the Creator of heaven and earth. He wants us to return home to Him and our Heavenly Father. He has everything invested in us and wants us to succeed.

“What do you suppose keeps us from turning our stories over to Him?”

This is a good question to ask ourselves. I know that fear and uncertainty are big things that keep me from turning my story and life over the Lord. I pray and try to stay close to Him, but I sometimes wonder if everything really will work out alright.

A song from an EFY album called “Where Faith Lives” reminds us of the power of faith and turning things over to the Lord:

“It doesn't live at the end of a rainbow,

It doesn't sleep at the edge of your bed

And sometimes it doesn't fit so well

With the plans you're making in your head

But just before you reach the service station,

Right before the car runs out of gas

In the eye of the tornado

With all the strong winds blowing past

That's where faith lives

That's where fear tries to go

That's where everybody guesses

And you're the one who knows

And it may take the most that you can give

To find the place where faith lives

It lives in the fiery furnace, 

And it lives in the lion's den

And sometimes in the wilderness

Where it lives and dies and lives again

It lives where the doors fly open, 

It lives where the sun comes out

It lives in the window where you throw away all your doubts

You can't find it any easy way

Because it's all about the things that you can't see

But all the same it's right before you

Every time you get down on your knees”

 

The book of Hebrews teaches, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

So, when things seem uncertain or unsure, rest assured that Heavenly Father is aware of what you are going through and feeling. As we trust Him and recognize that He knows what we are going through, we can rest assured that things are going to work out. You are a character in the series of events that makes up the rest of your life and eternity, much like the characters in the Animorphs series make up the series and must be present for its duration.