Creation, Faith, and Prayer

  The poem Why I Love Nature was one of my earliest works. I was just discovering how much I liked poetry and I wanted to write a poem about something that made me happy. I think that I had originally intended to write the poem for one of my aunts, because I thought it might make her happy as well. It took me a while to come up with a topic, but after staring at a painting of the wilderness in my grandma’s house, I finally decided to write about nature and what I love about it.

“For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are deep” Psalms 92: 4-5, King James Bible.

Why I Love Nature

Perhaps it’s the freedom of the wild

That has made me love nature since I was a child,

Or the breeze blowing softly on my face,

Making me feel as light as lace,

Or it could be the echoing of bird’s calls,

Or maybe the great wonder of waterfalls,

Or perhaps it’s the fun of going to explore,

And looking for animals I’ve never seen before,

Or realizing the vastness of many great things,

Quite as precious as real diamond rings,

Or maybe it’s the green of the trees

Or the buzzing of bees

That has made me love the wild.

But I think the real reason, the one most of all,

Is because I’ve been taught to appreciate all

The wonders of the earth

And the value of each person’s great worth.

  

I wrote I Look and I See… near the beginning of spring. It had been a long winter and I was happy to be able to have it be a little less cold outside. I remembered having an assignment at one time from an English teacher to go outside and enjoy the day. I wanted to be able to do so on that day. I was not able to go outside as soon as I would have liked, so I did the next best thing. I got on the second or third floor of one of the buildings and I looked out and wrote down my observations and waited until I could get the chance to enjoy what I saw more fully.

“He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end” Ecclesiastes 3:11, King James Bible.

I Look and I See…

I look and I see mountains in the distance.

I look and I see the buildings of the town.

I see cars and trees and people.

I see the sky that’s all around.

I see planes flying high, soaring in the air.

I see a snow-dusted valley

With green patches here and there.

I see the wonder of Earth.

I see the beginning of spring.

I see the birds in their nests

And I long to hear them sing.

I look and I see my world.

I see the view that lies below.

I see the beauty of creation.

I’m glad that God made these things so.

 In the King James Bible in  Psalms 100, verse 3 it states “Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” and to go right along with the verse in Psalms, James tells us in verse 18 of chapter 1 that “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

However, I think the scripture that best emphasizes the truths of Made by His Hands is found in the King James Bible, verses 26 and 27 of Genesis chapter 1 where it states “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Made by His Hands

I have come to see that life is so fragile, so precious, and so dear.

I have had so many close calls, and yet I know I’m needed here.

I realize that this life I live really isn’t my own.

There is someone else in control, guiding me back home.

In this life I lead, I’m tested and I’m tried in many ways,

But I know that if I turn to God, He will be with me all my days.

He is the Master. He is all-knowing and in control,

And He is the one who guides my soul.

He comforts me and leads me. He helps me understand

That I am precious in His sight, for I was made by His hands.

Oh, my Lord loves me dearly, for I was made by His hands.

  “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist” 1 Colossians 1: 13-17, King James Bible.

 “He comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever. Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand? Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power” Doctrine and Covenants 88, verses 41& 46-47. These scriptures explain to me about how God is the Creator and really emphasize to me the power of God like I tried to portray in Heaven Doesn’t Seem Very Far.

Heaven Doesn’t Seem Very Far

I look up into the heavens and I see all the stars.

I’ve heard they’re millions of miles away, but they don’t seem very far.

I know I’m just a dot in this great big galaxy,

But it’s amazing to know that there is a God who knows and loves me.

He created everything in all the universe,

And yet, of all His creations, He says we are the ones of greatest worth.

Oh, it’s incredible to think! He is there. He knows when we fall,

And He cares; He’ll be there through it all.

He has suffered for us, so that if we repent, we can come home

To return to our Heavenly Father, who we have always known.

It’s such a great blessing that He knows who we are,

And though He created many worlds, along with countless stars,

He will be there to guide us back to our Heavenly home,

And He will be there even when we feel alone.

Oh, heaven doesn’t seem very far when you’ve got the ones you love nearby,

When you try to choose the right, or you ponder over the starry sky.

There was one day in college where I had forgotten my key to my apartment and upon my arrival to my apartment complex, I found myself locked out. I was a little bit bummed about this at first, but I told myself to not complain and the best way I know of not to complain is to think about my blessings, so that is what I did. I began thinking about all the blessings that my Heavenly Father had given to me and while doing so, I also thought of many of the characteristics of my Heavenly Father and the poem I Think of… came through the process.

 “…The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” Alma 30: 44, Book of Mormon.

I Think of…

I think of your purity when I see the new- fallen snow.

I think of your comfort as I feel the warmth of a fire’s glow.

I think about your tenderness as I see new life begin in spring.

I think of your kind voice when I hear the birds that sing.

I think of your strength when I see the mountains high.

I think about your brilliance as I see the stars in the sky.

I think about your constance as I see the green of the summer trees,

Or when I hear the crashing of the waves on the land from the sea.

I think about your majesty as I see the sun’s shining rays

Or as I see the colors of the leaves on a cool Autumn day.

I think about your meekness as I see a young child,

And I think of your love every time I see a smile.

I think about your mercy when I see a desert rain,

And I think about repentance and becoming clean again.

In all these things, I think about your wonderful grace,

And I think of how I one day, hope to see your face.

      

There are many people I know currently that would complain and be upset at the rain or a storm, but because I grew up in a desert area of the western United States, I was always very grateful for the rain and I considered it a great and wonderful blessing, because it was what brought life to the desert and to our valley. I wrote the poem The Storm to emphasize the gratitude that I feel for rain, especially after a long season of drought.

            “The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand…” Deuteronomy 28:12, King James Bible.

The Storm

The wells are getting low.

Will the flocks and fields still grow?

The ground is parched and very dry.

People look for help from High

Hoping for a storm.

There are many days of heat and drought.

Some minds now start to doubt.

Then the wind brings in dark clouds

And people start to pray aloud,

Praying for a storm.

Bolts of lightning strike the ground.

Clasps of thunder all around.

Water falls down everywhere.

People stop to watch and hear

The ongoing storm.

The sun comes out. The pouring stops.

The rain goes back to smaller drops.

A lovely rainbow fills the sky.

People praise the Lord on High,

Grateful for the storm.

         

When I think of creating, the first thing that usually comes to mind for me is the beauty of God’s creations and the wonder of them all, and especially the majesty and power of God, who is the Creator of them all. Secondly, I think of the power that God has given us to create things for ourselves, even to be part of life itself, under His set terms, and what a great blessing it is for me to be able to make something beautiful or to be able to be a part of something beautiful, like music or a dance. When I think about this, I think also how I am grateful that the Lord blessed me with an imagination to be able to dream, to create, and to enjoy the works of others around me.

The World of Imagination

I want to go to a place far away,

A place I can visit night or day,

A place in the world of my imagination.

It is a place where I can pretend to be anything I want to be.

It’s a place where writing stories is the key to fiction or reality;

All that is in the world of my imagination.

It is a place where you can remember places you’ve seen or been,

And times you’ve shared with friends, acquaintances, or kin.

It’s here in the world of imagination.

It’s a place where you can picture places and looks

Of the people and things that are written in books.

It’s all in the world of imagination.

It’s a place and a world all of your own

Where you can go without even leaving your home.

It’s here in the world of imagination.

It’s where you can create anything you want to,

Whether it’s good or bad, happy or sad, you can do whatever you want to,

So imagine, dream, wish create,

And go to your world of imagination, where most everything’s great.

In the Pearl of Great Price in chapter 3 of Abraham, Abraham describes the visions that God had shown him. He says “Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones; And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them: thou wast chosen before thou wast born.”

I would like to think that I was among one of the noble and great ones that Abraham spoke of. I do not know if I was or not, but I do know that I must have had some degree of faith. How do I know this? Because I, like all of you, am here on this earth; and since we are here on this earth, that means, that we chose our Heavenly Father’s plan. When I think about this, it gives me strength to know that I can have faith in my Heavenly Father and in His plan again, because I have already exercised faith once before, so I can do so now.

Faith Then and Now

I must have had faith before my mortal birth

When I heard the Father’s plan about life here on Earth.

I must have had faith that I could learn

And I could choose for myself if I would return.

I must have had faith that my Savior would be true

To that which He promised, for us, He would do.

I know I had faith as I knelt at God’s feet

And He taught me precious truths so tender and sweet.

I know I must have had faith then, so I can have faith now,

Even though, at times, it’s hard, because my mind is covered by a veil.

I can have faith to act. I can have faith to believe.

I can nurture my faith like a little seed,

And as my faith grows, I can have a knowledge once more

Of the truths of the gospel and God’s plan that lies in store.

I had felt inspired to write words as they came to me one day. With some effort on my part, the poem Walking Blind came about. I liked the poem, but the poem did not gain deeper meaning until a week or so later when I was reading my scriptures and I came across a passage in Isaiah that I thought perfectly described my latest poem.  Verse 16 of chapter 42 in Isaiah in the King James Bible reads “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”

When I was pondering these words, I thought about faith and how at the beginning of the process of building our faith, we do not know for sure everything that is being taught, but we believe.  During this time period, we have to rely on the testimonies and faith of others. This reminded me of chapter 32 in Alma in the Book of Mormon, where Alma compares faith unto a seed. He says even “if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.”

Walking Blind

I walked holding onto someone else. My eyes could not see.

Instead, I had to purely listen to who was guiding me.

I took my steps slower as I walked across the ground.

My senses were heightened. New emotions I had found.

I noticed more sounds, more smells, and more touch.

I wondered why I had not paid attention as much.

I missed my world with color. I missed seeing a friendly face.

I missed reading and writing. I missed the words on a page.

I longed for the chance to do things on my own,

But I soon realized that I could not make it alone.

I had to accept help if I would ever survive,

And that meant I had to be humble and lower my pride.

I learned to have more gratitude. I learned how to love more and forgive,

And my compassion was increased as I made a new effort to fully live.

I spent more time thinking about what really matters to me.

I prayed with more fervor. I glimpsed more of eternity.

As I walked blind, it was only then I understood

That because I couldn’t see, I must follow those who could.

I wrote Is This Home one night after I came home to my parents’ house where I had lived for many years. For some reason, during that week, I felt like I was never home, even though I was in my hometown with my family. I kept thinking that I wanted to go home, even though I was home. It was a strange feeling, but then I got the impression that the reason I was feeling that way was because life here upon this earth is only temporary. I live here on this earth with my family, but my first home was with God. I realized that the reason why I felt like I wasn’t home was that my soul was yearning to return to my heavenly home where I had once dwelled with my Heavenly parents. I know that in order to return back to that home, I have to live my life right and keep the commandments of God.

In the Family, A Proclamation to the World, the first presidency and twelve apostles of the church state that “All human beings- male and female- are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and as such each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs to eternal life.”

Is This Home?

Sometimes I feel like a wanderer who endlessly will roam.

I wonder if I ever will make it back home.

Sometimes I feel that this life isn’t real, that the life I want is really somewhere else.

I want the life where I can have a better self.

Sometimes I feel like I don’t belong,

Like somewhere I got lost and my direction is wrong,

So I turn to my Father and I ask Him in prayer:

“Lord, please put my life in thy care,

Because right now I am scared and I feel so alone.

Sometimes I wonder if this place is really my home.”

He answers “My child, I know you can feel lost and afraid

In this world that I have made,

But I love you so much that I sent you to this earth,

So that you could gain experience and have a mortal birth.

I sent you here to do this in your home with your loving family,

But one day, I want you to return to your first home with me.

This life is not long; it is but a small speck.

There is much of eternity to come yet,

So please, oh please, live your life right,

                      Because I want you to come home; you are precious in my sight.”                     

I wrote Today Heaven Gained Some Little Angels because I heard of the tragedy where more than twenty people, most of them who were children, were killed in a school in Connecticut. It made me terribly sad to think that anyone could do that to innocent people, but I desperately wanted to give a glimmer of hope or comfort to those that were suffering with this tragedy and I hoped that this poem would be able to do that for at least one person, and I believe through God’s miraculous power and allowing me to be the instrument in His hands during this process, He has truly made it possible. This poem is dedicated to family members of those victims and any others who have lost precious loved ones.

Moroni chapter 8, verse 12 in the Book of Mormon says “But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!”

 Joseph Smith also stated that “The Lord takes many away, even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows and evils of this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on Earth; therefore, if rightly considered, instead of mourning we have reason to rejoice as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have them again” Teachings of Presidents of the church: Joseph Smith (2007), 176. 

Today Heaven gained some little Angels…

Today heaven gained some little angels.

Today they have gone back to be with God.

Today those precious souls will be with Jesus

And He will hold them gently in his arms.

Today they will feel peace.

They will feel love and tenderness.

They will have no more pain they have to bear.

They will be welcomed today with love

By those who have gone before.

They will be received with open arms and hearts.

Today we mourn the loss of precious people,

Too pure to dwell on Earth here anymore.

Someday we will be reunited with these loved ones.

Someday we will see them all again,

But until then we have gained guardian angels,

Who will watch over those of us called to stay.

      * A helpful resource for those dealing with loss might be “Because I Live, Ye Shall Also Live,” a talk by Elder Shayne M. Bowen (October, 2012, General Conference).

“But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and the Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for the love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily, I say unto you, They have their reward.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask” Matthew 6: 3-8, King James Bible.

I Need to Fall on My Knees

Life is so confusing. I don’t know what to do.

There are so many things I’m feeling. There is so much I’m going through.

There are so many decisions that I have to make.

What course should I travel? What paths should I take?

Oh, everyone else seems like they’ve got this all figured out,

But me, I’m just starting; my mind is so full of doubt.

Why does life have to be so complicated? I just don’t know.

I don’t quite know what’s expected of me; I’m not quite sure where to go.

I used to be so sure of myself up until recently,

But now everything seems twice as hard as it used to be.

I know we’re given challenges to help us to be strong,

But this time it seems like something has gone wrong.

What should I do? Where should I turn?

How should I act? What should I learn?

These answers came to me as I was pondering: I need to fall on my knees.

I need to learn humility.

I need to give more heartfelt prayers,

And remember God is there.

I need to be kinder and try to show more love.

I need to give more thanks to God up above.

I need to study and ponder more fervently. I need to lose my pride.

I need to follow what’s inside:

I need to fall on my knees.

Some of the words of the prophet Zenos are recorded in the book of Alma. Zenos taught that God hears our prayers anywhere, like in the wilderness, in the fields, and in congregations. He also taught that God cares about everything that we are going through and that God will hear sincere prayers. He said “Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them. And thou didst hear me because of my sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son” Book of Mormon, Alma 34: 4-11 (with emphasis on verses 8 & 11).

My Constant Prayer

Lord, I know that thou art there.

I know that you hear and answer my prayers.

Lord, I know that thou art God, and anything is possible with thee,

So, at this time, please listen to my plea.

Dear Lord, help me now I pray; I need thy strength to carry on,

For I am weak; I need thy help to become strong.

Lord, I am scarred; I can’t do this on my own.

I need thy help, so I can be worthy to come home.

Oh, Lord, I am trying with all my might,

But I need thy help to do what is right,

So, Father, please forgive me of my sins.

Help me overcome them, so I can be on the path again.

Lord, I am trying to have faith, but I am nothing without thee.

Lord, at this time, I thank thee for the blessings that have been given unto me.

I thank thee for the gospel, and my family and friends.

I thank thee for my freedoms, and for all the love thou sends.

I thank thee for the scriptures and the food and clothes I have.

I thank thee for Christ and for all the he did,

and I’m thankful for the chance that I have to live.

Now, Father, please bless those that I love, and protect them from harm.

Please watch over me too. Keep me safe and warm,

And Father, at this time, please bless me with these things,

And please help me know thy will through the Spirit’s whisperings.

Dear Lord, please continue to always be there.

This is my constant prayer.

When I wrote More Like You, I had just started my first semester of college. I was in a new place in a new school with a bunch of people that I did not know and I was far away from all my family and friends. I felt very alone and discouraged with homesickness and other challenges that I was experiencing. In these moments, I turned to the only person that I knew for a certainty would care about my problems and listen to me. I turned to the Lord and asked Him to help me change my heart and do as He would have me do, even during those times when I felt like others might not be willing to do the same.

“But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts…” 1 Peter 3: 14-15, King James Bible.

More Like You

I just don’t know what to do anymore. I’m scared and I’m far from home.

I miss my family and friends so much. At times I feel so alone,

But I know that you’re there, Lord. I know you’ll help me make it through,

So please show me, Lord, what Thou would have me do.

I feel I am so hated. I feel I am so mocked,

So is this how you felt when you hung on the cross?

And yet, you forgave them. You loved them as you love me.

I don’t know how you did that, Lord, but I want to be like Thee.

Please help me learn to love them, and to truly care.

Please help me to forgive them in my thoughts and prayers.

Please help me understand Thy will for me.

Please help me be all that Thou would have me be.

I know that you love me, Lord. You know just how I feel,

Because you were there once. You went through it all.

I love Thee, Lord, but I’m at such a loss. I don’t know what to do.

Please help me overcome this, so that I may be more like you.

Oh, how I want to be more like you.

Benjamin Franklin had the saying that if you had “a slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue, you may never get over.”

Many scriptures also mention the tongue and being aware of our speech.  We are told in  the King James Bible in Ephesians 4: 29 to “let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

The Proverbs in the King James Bible many times also stress the importance of having edifying communication. Chapter 15, verse 4 of Proverbs states that “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit” and in a later chapter in Proverbs, it also mentions bridling the tongue and our speech saying “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles” (Proverbs 21: 23). When I think back to the times that I have regretted most in my life, my troubles have usually stemmed from me saying something that I should not have said or me not speaking when I should have, which is why the poem I Pray that I can Hold my Tongue… came about.

I Pray that I can Hold my Tongue…

I pray that I can hold my tongue

When an unkind thought enters my mind.

I pray that I can find instead

A word to say that’s kind.

I pray that I can build other up,

Instead of try to tear them down.

I want to be the kind of person

Who smiles more than I frown.

I want to pattern my life after that of Christ.

I want to follow in His ways.

I want to serve and love others

And live like Him all my days.

I pray that I can do these things,

So that in time, I may be

The person that I know

My Lord would have me be.

In the King James Bible, the 25 Psalm, David pleads with the Lord to have the Lord show him His ways and teach him about His paths. My plea in this poem to the Lord is similar.

Teach Us, Lord to do Thy Will

Father help us understand

Thy will, thy word, and thy command.

Help us to be who we should be.

We pray to learn humility.

Father, God, hear our cries.

Help us remember thy Son and His sacrifice.

Let us partake of His mercy sweet

As we repent and kneel at His feet.

Let us forgive and be forgiven, for all of us have sinned.

Help us Father to be thy people, righteous men and women.

Lead us, oh Lord, as thou hast done in times that are past.

Teach us, Lord, to do thy will, so we can dwell with thee at last.

“Shew me thy ways and teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses; remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.  Good and upright is the Lord: Therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way” Pslams 25: 4-9, King James Bible.

I wrote If We Could See as God Sees after I found out that some people had said some unkind things about one of my friends. These people did not like the way that my friend looked and so they were being rude to him, because of that. I didn’t understand how they could possibly say what they had said about him. This friend was one of the sweetest people that I know. He was always helping other people out and he was kind and friendly to everyone.  I wondered if those people could see as God sees, would they say those things about my friend that they were saying?

            I also thought of the story The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and how the ghost of Christmas Present talks to Mr. Scrooge about measuring men by kindness. I couldn’t help but wonder how those people would measure up, if they were measured by kindness and not by looks. I couldn’t help thinking that my friend would measure up better than those who spoke so ill of him.

 “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” 1 Samuel 16: 7, King James Bible.

If We Could See as God Sees

If we could see as God sees, we would not look without.

We would not judge so quickly on what we know not about.

If we could see as God sees, then we would look within,

And there we would find the true measure of a man.

Man’s view is from a distance. We see only from afar,

But the Lord knows our hearts. He sees us as we are.

If we could see as God sees each and every day,

Would our actions stay the same, or would we change our ways?

Would we be more understanding and speak more kind words?

Would we try to live more like Jesus Christ, our Lord?

Would we treat everyone like children of our Father up above?

Would we give more service? Would we show more love?

If we could see as God sees, would we do the things we do?

I can’t help, but think, we wouldn’t. We would change our views.

We would change our actions. We would live a kinder way,

So why should we not try and do this today?

Though, we may not see exactly as God sees, we can start.

We can measure a man as we look on his heart.