Reach for His Strength

In the Gospel of Mark, we read of a woman who had been unwell for 12 years. Someone told her about Jesus. So, when He came through her town, she sat on the side of the road, waiting. As He passed by, she reached out quietly to touch the hem of His robe.

She was immediately healed. But she wasn’t the only one who noticed that miracle; Jesus did too. “And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30). Virtue can also mean strength. Jesus immediately knew someone had received strength from Him. His instant reaction was to find her, to talk with her, and to remind her of the power of faith. He called her “daughter.” Through Him, she was made whole.

I have learned that a prayer for strength never goes unanswered. If we reach out to Him, He “reaches our reaching” (see Hymns, no. 129). Each article in this month’s magazine is a reminder of that truth.

In For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices, the First Presidency teaches that “the Savior … is the ‘strength of youth’” ([2022], 2). Perhaps you wonder how to access that strength. It is my hope that you will find something within these pages that will lead you to reach for Him.

Search these pages. Look for the words of hope, find a scripture of strength, write down promptings that have left an impression on your heart. Through Jesus Christ, you will also be made whole.

With great love,

Emily Belle Freeman

Young Women General President