More than Coincidence: Remembering Jesus Christ in Your Story

Check Instagram: A Divine Prompting with Leia

• Lily • Season 1 • Episode 10

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You won't believe the powerful story our guest, Leia, has to share about a simple but life-changing prompting she received. Imagine this - a clear message, seemingly out of nowhere, leading you to make a connection on Instagram that ultimately saves your life! Join us as we delve into this extraordinary narrative and explore the profound relationship between faith and promptings. We discuss the subtle yet impactful ways these divine nudges can guide us, and how to distinguish them from everyday anxiety.

As we venture on, we unravel those threads that often tangle our thoughts, helping you differentiate between personal messages from the Lord and simpler, mundane thoughts. Hear firsthand how faith and trust played vital roles in our lives, especially when those promptings seemed uncertain or inconvenient. From the loudest calls to the faintest whispers, we're taking you on a journey of understanding and following divine promptings. Tune in and be inspired by the way these blessings, wrapped in the form of promptings, serve as a constant reminder of our relationship with the Lord.

Please reach out to me if you are interested in sharing your story! I would LOVE to hear from you. :)

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**Transcripts available on website!

Lily:

Hello everyone and welcome to. More Than Coincidence, Remembering Jesus Christ in your Story. As the author and finisher of our faith, our Savior writes personal experiences into each of our lives which can later strengthen, empower and bring us peace upon reflection. This podcast is dedicated to sharing these anchoring memories from everyone's unique stories in order to collectively remember and testify of the reality of Jesus Christ and His presence in our lives. I'm your host, Lily, and I'm very excited to share these experiences together. Okay, so today on the podcast we have Leia. Leia, thanks for coming, and will you give us a quick intro to yourself?

Leia:

Yeah, I am Leia. I love to write and draw just kind of whatever pops up into my head. So just whatever I come up with, I just kind of do.

Lily:

Awesome. I know when we were talking before we started recording, you did mention that your story has elements of suicide and mental health as a big theme in it, so we wanted to give a little bit of a trigger warning to all of our listeners out there for this episode. But without further ado, what story or theme in your life have you seen that pricks your heart and remembrance of our Savior Jesus Christ?

Leia:

I would definitely have to say, you know just promptings in general, like I have had so many over the years that have been incredibly influential, but this specific one has literally saved my life. So it was about two years ago. I was living out alone COVID was really big and you know, all of my roommates were gone. One of them was either working or was visiting her family or whatever. My other roommate had COVID and she was visiting home. So I was stuck alone in the apartment and there was just a lot of other things going on, just school work, and it was just all just caving in on me. I didn't have really much of anyone to talk to. Everyone was super busy and were doing their work and everything like that.

Leia:

I was just a super soul crushing time and I was ready to give up that day. I was ready to take my life because I just felt like I had no other options. I wasn't getting any better in my work or in my art, in my schooling, I was practically failing all of my classes because of my mental health and I was just super ready to just go. But I had one last prayer and I just said family, father, I just I need someone to talk to. I don't care who it is, I don't care where they're, whoever Like, I just need someone to talk to. Family, friends, a stranger just give me something. And so I waited and I listened and just before I made a decision, something just came to me. Check Instagram.

Lily:

Random, that is really random, I'm sorry, what?

Leia:

So yeah, so it was just really interesting, because I've never had anything like that before of just prompting to check social media.

Leia:

A prompting to check social media, of all things. Right, yeah and so. But the way that it was just portrayed, it was just as a way that I could visually just see it of just a blank black screen, very small white font, two words check Instagram. No reasoning as to why, no, no, anything, just those two words, wow, and I was like. So I prayed again. I was like, is this a prompting or is this just me wanting to distract myself from not hurting myself Right from my thoughts? And I get the same thing again check Instagram. I'm like, okay, fine, I'll check Instagram. So I do that. And I remember earlier in the day I was talking about one of the new characters that I had and I put like a little ask box about like, oh, make an assumption about him, right. And so someone had responded and I look into it and she was like, oh, he kind of, like you know, reminds me of like a greaser from the outsiders. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I love that book. And we just keep talking back and forth about like.

Leia:

This was like random stranger Just random stranger that had commented on your art post on Instagram Commented on my post and we have been friends for the past two years. Wow, she literally saved my life. But being able to just talk with her over the years and everything like it was basically that one scene from Lilo and Stitch. Where Lilo is at, you know, she's at the foot of her bed and she's praying and she's like it's me again. You know I need you to what was it? I need you to send me a friend, someone who won't run away. Maybe send me an angel.

Leia:

The nicest angel you have and then you just it cuts to a scene of Stitch just maniacally laughing from this crash. That is literally our friendship of just. I was just at such a low point and she is just this literal ray of sunshine and she just saved my life, you know, and just promptings in general are just so interesting because you wouldn't think for something as silly as that of Czech social media. Yeah, it's just, it's just the strangest thing and something that has always been a reoccurring thing with my promptings and how I can differentiate those from, you know, anxiety, things being like you left the stove on or whatever, right? Yeah, is it's that same thing. It just internally looks like a black screen and it just of just a black void, small white print, usually two to three words. Doesn't give an explanation, just those words. That's really interesting.

Leia:

And so, because that's the way I've been able to differentiate that, because usually when it's like, oh, go home, home, why? And it gives me a reason it's like, oh, you might have left a stove on. Oh, there could be something. Then I know it's anxiety because it gives me a reason and I have another. As I've said before, I have lots of different stories about promptings that I could probably go over. Go just a little closer, but if you'd like me to, or yes, please tell us a little bit more.

Leia:

Yeah, so there was another one of where, back in college, I was kind of close to this guy and we've kind of been on and off being friends of or wanting to be something more. But I was just like I don't know, he's this really really nice guy, but at the same time I don't know, I just don't know. And so I was just kind of just sitting doing my homework and because we had just talked about it, and I told him like I'm going to think about it a little bit, and so I go back into school and I start doing my homework and I'm like, and so I pray, I say I don't know what to do about this guy.

Leia:

I really, really like him, but I feel like something is off and I don't know what to do, so I turn off my music, I just listen and it just says read your scriptures. Just just read my scriptures, just read them, just wherever you are. It doesn't didn't inherently say wherever you are, it just said read your scriptures.

Lily:

And so like and then you opened up to Captain Moroni. I was like if all the men could be like Moroni, kind of.

Leia:

And so I opened it up and as to where I left off reading was with Nephi debating whether to kill Laban right, yeah, and of where he's like this, feels wrong, like I feel like I shouldn't be doing this, but I have my full trust in you, but I just I don't know what to do and you know, the promptings that he got was just, he felt at peace and he felt like it was the right decision, even though he was super unsure. He'd had faith and that's what I did, and he was a huge red flag later on in life. So so maybe you dodged a bullet a little bit, so I did dodge a bullet.

Lily:

So that was our savior talking to you through the scriptures of you know, some doubts can be good. Oh yeah, right, there are some doubts that, if you, it's the stupor of thought. Right, that we read in the doctrine of covenants, but I love how you bring up promptings, because promptings are how the Lord speaks to us individually and it brings up. It helps me remember this one scripture that I read. It's in Jacob, chapter seven, verse five, and I believe that this is when, yeah, this is when, jacob is contending with Sharon, the antichrist, and so it says and he, sharon, had hoped to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things, for I truly had seen angels and they had ministered unto me and also here's the key and also I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word from time to time, wherefore I could not be shaken.

Lily:

And I that scripture specifically stuck out to me, because I think sometimes we talk a lot about the Holy Ghost and how the Holy Ghost is kind of the conduit for us to, I don't know talk or listen to our Savior, but I think that we forget and not that the Holy Ghost doesn't communicate to us.

Lily:

He does, but I think sometimes we forget that Christ himself speaks to us and that he knows specifically how to speak to us. I've never heard someone like describe, like you have of you know that it's a prompting, because it's a black screen with just white words on it, and I think that that's really cool, that you've been able to differentiate that from from other things and from from your anxiety right of oh, I had this thought, oh, and. But this thought's connected to this thought, which has this reason and that you know, and it kind of spins, whereas the other promptings that you've had, the ones that you just shared, it was very clear of blink with the words. That was very simple, very straightforward, and it was directional to check Instagram, read your scriptures, you know.

Leia:

So I think, I think that's really kind of a cool little yeah, and even there's one more that I actually have that has very similar beats, of where I was actually at work and I was just really, really struggling at work, like just my body was just super. I just felt super, super sick, super Fatigue like I have never felt before and I'm like no, I can keep pushing through, I can. I only have like a little bit of time left, but I was really, really starting to give out, like I was having trouble breathing.

Lily:

I was just, it was a serious, it was a whole thing.

Leia:

But I was like no, I'm fine, I can keep doing it. So don't take me out, coach, I can still raise, still me, I can still raise. And so you know, like I said a prayer because I'm like I don't, I only have like maybe two or three hours left. I'm halfway through, I can push, I can do it, and so I just keep doing my work and, as is such fashion that just says go home, go home, just just go home, just whatever. And so I pray again.

Leia:

I'm like and this was actually one of the first few instances of where it was more visual of what it was, because you know, two years ago it was just those two words in my head. It wasn't really super clear as to what it kind of looked like in my head, but this was more on the lines of like, oh, like the whole shebang of what I think it looks like, yeah, and so I Just kind of see that in my head of just go home, I can't go home, I only have two hours left, yeah, you know. And I kind of wrestle with a little bit like this constant back and forth, maybe about three times, of where are you sure about this? Are you sure go home, but Home. And I'm like, no, I'm sure it'll be fine. But then my leg starts giving out and I'm like, okay, I'm gonna go. So I tell my manager I go home. And I Was really upset driving home, because then I felt just fine driving home and I'm like, why did you make me just just leave? I'm perfectly fine now.

Leia:

But I was already halfway home and I was just so frustrated and so on my ride home I was like why, why did that? Why did that just happen? I could have stayed. But then I remembered the Sunday before this this following week we were having, you know, we were talking about promptings and stuff like that, and there was someone that chimed in, chimed in and he was like, yeah, I remember when I Was, you know, like at the young men's, we were playing basketball and stuff like this and I was just watching them.

Leia:

And then I just suddenly get this Go home. I why, we're having a good time, or everybody's safe, everything's fine, I'm not going home, I gotta stay here. And so you know, he ignores the prompting, he goes to play basketball and he twists his ankle. His ankle, yeah. And so he was like, well, now I know like, even if something seems super strange, like just listen to it, you may never know like if maybe I had stayed, I could have passed out, I could have somehow twisted my, so whatever, yeah, but something could have definitely happened.

Leia:

But I was just like, yeah, but if it was a prompting of go home, because you might something, then I would have stayed, because it was just like you're giving me a reason to you know, but it was just those two words just go home. And it was very, very quiet. It was it's never shouty, it's never mad, it's just. I'd stale as you could possibly say those two words, you know. And so that's how I've been able to differentiate. It is, it's just, it's really, really calm. And sometimes it's definitely been getting hard, because now my brain is like, oh, now that I know what that looks like, I'm going to try and trip you up. And it's like, no, no, because you actually give me a reason why the Holy Ghost, it it doesn't tell you why.

Lily:

It's all faith of just being able to hear something and you know, just just trusting it and just being like yes, yes, I, you know, now that I'm, as you've, been talking about this, I've been thinking about my life too, and I feel like that's the exact same way for me.

Lily:

I I don't think that there has been, yeah, there hasn't been a time where I've had a prompting and it was go give Sally cookies, because Sally's depressed or Sally needs a friend, right, it was always hey, go see Sally, you know, and I think that's interesting, whereas, you know, when I've had anxiety or I've had those other things, it is the, the kind of cascade or waterfall of other thoughts along with it the go see Sally because maybe the world's going to explode, you know, and that's obviously a little bit of an exaggeration, but I think that that's really key, though for us, maybe, when we think about differentiating our thoughts versus the spirit or Christ talking to us, versus, maybe, our anxieties or our inner dialogues in our head, that can be kind of mean. I, my brain, is not very nice to me all the time.

Lily:

And it's something that I'm personally trying to work through and work on. I'm really grateful that you're sharing these experiences with us honestly, because I do think, especially as our world gets busier and busier, right now there are so many things vying for our attention and everything is so quick that for us to know the spirit truly does speak in a calm, not frantic, not rushed, very straightforward and direct and clear message. I think that that is a pattern that, at least from people that I've met, is pretty consistent, you know. So I am grateful that you brought that up, because then now I know, when I get those thoughts, that I can hopefully discern that they are from a good source. Right.

Leia:

Yeah, and usually the thing with me is, whenever I do get promptings, it's just like I always just have another prayer just to be like is this you Are you sure you know? And you know, just keep listening to it, which is great.

Lily:

I don't think that the Lord's not gonna ding us for double checking you know, so I think it would be great if we could potentially get to a point where it's like you say jump, I say hi and I just go right. But I think there is sometimes it is needful of wait, take a second, confirm. Okay, that's what you're saying, mm-hmm, you know.

Leia:

Mm-hmm, because I definitely know like and for. It's different for everyone and definitely I have heard stories of where promptings have been, you know, like, more, like not aggressive, but like you know louder, firm and loud, and just kind of do this because you know like I have had something that has been more aggressive before than just something calmer, because it was more urgent that more urgent in that moment.

Leia:

And I do have another one Go ahead. And so this was for another one of my friends actually that was, I didn't even know, was struggling at the time. And so you know, like I was just cleaning my room or something like that, and it was just check up on your friend. I have to work or else, you know, my mom's gonna come and nag at me. I'm just, and I just keep working, I keep ignoring it.

Leia:

But then it's just check on your friend now, wow, okay, and I just suddenly get flooded with just so many, just emotions and just like it was terrifying almost, and I was like, okay, I call her and I'm like sobbing on the phone. I'm like I feel like something is happening. I don't know what it is and all this stuff, but you know she's just like it's okay, nothing's happening, it's alright. And I'm like okay, and hang up the phone. About a few days later she comes to me and she's like I am so glad that you called me, because I was about to take my life that day. So it can come very, very strong too. But you know, in doing that it does get a little confusing of where it's like oh, but then again it didn't give me much of a reason why just I did get a sense of dread and just my own mind went wild with what it could have been, because that's just how my anxiety riddled mind works it always goes to the most thing. But that was just my mind being like what is it?

Leia:

You know, I want to figure out what it is but, it was really just like check up on her, like now now, and so it definitely can come a lot stronger too, if you know, if you do keep ignoring it and hopefully you will be able to listen to it and I know that hopefully there won't be a day of where I ignore it and you know something happens.

Leia:

But now that I can differentiate as to how it's said and, like you know what it kind of looks like in my head, I can just have a sense of this is a prompting. But yeah, it's definitely taken a long time to be able to really get a grasp of what it looks like to me, because for me I am very much a visual learner. I need some sort of physical thing that I can see or feel or something, so then I can differentiate it from anything else you know and I just kind of, you know, study the promptings almost like. So then I can be aware of is this a prompting or is this just me being worried about something you know?

Lily:

That's really cool. Thank you for sharing that, and I'm wanting to also make the connection between how you feel that your promptings are Jesus Christ among you and your life. You know so I think, at least to me, it's pretty clear that the Lord manifests himself by talking to us and by literally directing us, whether it is a very urgent you need to call your friend right now or, in my case, in the story that I shared, it was just a very quiet. You're gonna quit track and you're gonna get a job. Right. Very quiet, very direct, very kind of, almost nonchalant, you know, with no reason.

Lily:

And I think I guess, at least for me, I am just so grateful that we have this principle of the gospel that the Lord loves us and he and he has an intimate personal relationship with each one of us, and it it's only a matter of us trying to remember that relationship, because we live with him in the premortal existence, right, and I feel like when he prompts us and talks to us in the ways that you've described, in the ways other people have described and ways that I've seen in my life, that is him trying to help us remember that relationship, right, remembering what his voice sounds like wanting to still be a part of our life and guide us and direct us, because he loves us and he wants us to either be safe, be happy, find joy, bring us comfort. Because that's what you do when you're in a relationship with someone you want to be those things for that person, right, when you take an interest in them, right. So if there aren't any other thoughts, which is totally okay would you mind just very brief testimony for us?

Leia:

as to share my testimony of just always be keen to listen, like whether it's the spirit or for people, or just really just anything, just always be open to listen to what promptings may say, what people may, you know, need to share with you in that moment. And, you know, just being open minded with others and just you know, just because my, my testimony is very much built on the promptings that I've had in my life, because if I had not listened to those, I probably wouldn't even be here, and so I'm very, very thankful for that and I know that it has saved my life and that I have been able to, you know, to be able to, you know, make those connections well.

Lily:

Thank you, lea. I really appreciate you sharing all the stories that you have with us and your thoughts on promptings and how the Lord speaking in our life, directly to us, is how he's among us. Thank you for coming and I appreciate it. Yes, great being here. Thanks again for tuning into more than coincidence, remembering Jesus Christ in your story. Please follow us on social media or share us with a friend. If you have an experience you'd like to share, feel free to reach out to more than coincidence. Dot remember him at gmailcom. I can't wait to hear all of the amazing memories you all have of our Savior. See you next time.