you were only waiting for this moment to arise...

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life You were only waiting for this moment to arise.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these sunken eyes and learn to see. All your life You were only waiting for this moment to be free.

Blackbird fly, blackbird fly Into the light of the dark black night.

Blackbird fly, blackbird fly Into the light of the dark black night.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life You were only waiting for this moment to arise You were only waiting for this moment to arise You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

Growing up, one of my favorite songs was "Blackbird" by the infamous Beatles. I loved the soft melody of the song and the imagery of learning to fly. It wasn't until a few years ago that the song was much more than that and I realized that I could completely relate to that little blackbird. The song now means so much more to me and it is an example of the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives.

Let me share my story of how I came to find this new meaning...

I was born and raised into a Christian home with a firm belief in Jesus Christ. Growing up we sang songs about Him in church and we learned about His life during Sunday School but I only ever had a shallow understanding of Him and His role for us. As a teenager I lost interest in church and by the time I was off at school and on my own it was never a priority or a desire and I lived my life the way that I wanted to. I lived my life in a way that I thought would bring me happiness.

Well, years later I finally came to the realization that nothing I was doing was bringing me real happiness. It wasn't until I was backed into a corner when I truly had a desire to look to God, rather than myself, for the things that I felt were missing. I found myself praying and going to church again and I felt like I had found the true path to happiness. I got to a point where I had to leave my old way of living behind and trust in my Heavenly Father and the teachings of Jesus Christ. Within this experience I had the scary but incredible opportunity to leave my past behind and change by turning to Jesus Christ and repenting. This is when I truly began to understand that Jesus Christ is more than this person that we read of in the scriptures. He is truly our Savior and Redeemer. 

"Take these broken wings and learn to fly..."

Through this experience I felt myself giving all of the broken pieces of my life and of myself over to Him, and with time He mended and fixed every last piece. With these things being fixed, I had the ability AND the desire to go and continue on my path to my Heavenly Father.

"Take these sunken eyes and learn to see..."

Before this piece of my life, I didn't really have anything to hope for. I was kind of just living day to day and never had a thought for tomorrow. Through Jesus Christ, my perspective of life was changed. I truly was looking at everything through new eyes. I was able to see past my trials and tribulations and see that God had much more planned for me. There is so much joy in this life and in the knowledge that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven.

"You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

Whether they realize it or not, I feel like everyone is seeking this in their lives. They are seeking to be fixed. They are seeking to change. They are seeking to be truly happy. Jesus Christ will always be the only and true way to finding all of these things. Because Jesus Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane for each of us individually, He knows what we're going through and feeling. He knows how to comfort us and uplift us. (Alma 7:11-12 in the Book of Mormon) Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we are cleansed from past transgressions and we are enabled to change and carry on through this mortal life with power. Coming to understand and truly feel this was something that I had been waiting my entire mortal life. It's something that I'm still learning to understand and feel more and more each day.

Christ knows the way out and the way up and if we truly give ourselves to Him, He will make us whole. I testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has the ability to change lives and to change hearts. I testify that we come to know who Jesus Christ is to us personally when we give ourselves to Him. When we finally grow tired of carrying our burdens and our struggles, there is one who will ALWAYS take them from us. He will always be there. He will always be our Savior, Jesus Christ.

So go on and give yourself to Him and start flying little blackbird.