BLOG

Oct 27, 2019
6 min

When Our Trials Don’t End

If it’s true we have an all- knowing, all-powerful God on our side, why does He feel distant from us sometimes? Why do we feel as though we sometimes cannot feel or see? Why does it seem sometimes that our time at the well, alone—has been too long and maybe He’s not coming? For one of my Sunday school lessons I did in the past, I had my husband sneak out during sacrament meeting and tape a gold star to the wall of our classroom because he is taller and can get it higher up th

Aug 14, 2019
2 min

Wildly Optimistic; Gaining New Perspective for Life’s Challenges

JUST RELEASED: CLICK HERE Life is filled with hard, unexpected, unwanted, and uncharted paths. It’s filled with challenges that make us wonder if God is really guiding our lives. Does He still care about us? Is He really good? Is He even there at all? But what if there’s another way to look at it? In her book, Wildly Optimistic, Al Carraway offers new methods and perspectives for life’s inevitable challenges. With her trademark honesty, optimism, and love for the Lord, she

Jul 31, 2019
3 min

When Things Are Dark & Undesired

Two people are on an escalator when the escalator breaks down and stops moving. One says, frustrated, “I don’t believe this,” while the other one starts yelling for help, “Hello? Anyone there? If you can hear me, there are two people stuck on the escalator!” That’s right, an escalator. It’s funny because they aren’t really stuck. But it does pose valid questions we all need to ask ourselves at some point: Are we really stuck? Are we the ones getting in our own way? Are we see

Nov 10, 2018
1 min

Choosing God in Hard Times

Ever wonder where God is? Ever yell at Him wondering why things are/were so indescribably hard? Wonder if all your prayers really are heard? Or why you were asked to go through something so unwanted? Ever wonder if He cares about you? Or if He is even there at all? ‘Cuz same. But I’ve dedicated so much to travel & talk about the hard & real & HOW to choose God in hard times. How to keep going when you feel like you can’t. How to be happy & optimistic when you feel l

Oct 26, 2018
3 min

Carest Thou Not That I’m Struggling?!’

It is well known the raging storm that caused the apostles to yell, “Carest thou not that we perish?!” But perhaps maybe we can more see ourselves in our personal storms & our heavy thoughts & passing doubts & our pleadings of: ‘Carest thou not that I’m struggling?!’ Carest thou not that this is SO hard?! That this was unwanted? That I don’t deserve this? Thats this has been going on for TOO long? Carest thou not…that I don’t think I can go on…?! Carest thou not…about ME? Lik

Oct 22, 2018
2 min

Interesting, Isn't It? How Hard & Unnatural This is…

INTERESTING, isn’t it? Because of Isiah’s prophecy, for centuries, many young Jewish women had dreamed & wondered, “will I be chosen as the mother of the Messiah?” But not Mary. When she was told she was going to be the mother of Christ, she tried to tell the angel –not her– ‘Cuz she saw herself as a “handmaid.” In Hebrew, handmaid translates to ‘slave.’ Interesting, isn’t it? How we as woman are so quick to do that to ourselves? How we are so quick to lesser ourselves? How i

Oct 7, 2018
2 min

Our MOST Bitter Pain & Anguish of Soul

For 3 ENTIRE DAYS & 3 entire nights – nonstop – he was in the MOST BITTER pain. Torment. No breaks. No let-ups. Just paralyzing anguish that kept him crying to God. Completely consuming that whole time. But then… after the longest passing time of immobilizing struggle, he found peace to his soul. And so sometimes we feel like things are THE MOST consuming & THE WORST anguish– and we agonize over the passing time with no breaks or let ups– and we have to make the decision

Aug 29, 2018
4 min

After I Got Baptized, Things Really Sucked…

After I got baptized, my life fell.apart. And I’m not exaggerating. Now, if you’ve heard me speak or read my book, than you know this. But I also realized today that the 191K of you following me on Instagram have not heard me speak or read my book & this isn’t common knowledge to most of you guys. I’ve never known loneliness until I got baptized. I’ve never known such painful sacrifice & loss until I joined the Church. I’ve never known real pain until then. Indescribable ang

Aug 21, 2018
2 min

TODAY MARKS 9 YEARS OF MY BAPTISM!

*THIS IS IT!! ** This was my apt. when I met the elders!!! This is where it ALLLL started. This is where I told the missionaries I wouldn’t listen unless they brought me a steak to eat – and they did! Those are the stairs we would sit on during my lessons. I drove by it this weekend since THIS WEEK WILL MARK 9 YEARS OF MY BAPTISM! I literally have no words. I was on a quest to prove them wrong — that you don’t need the gospel & all of these ‘blessings’ they were working

Aug 21, 2018
4 min

Modern-day Murmuring

Maybe I’ll regret posting this. Maybe I’ll delete it later… I always have lots of thoughts – and most of them belong in my journal for only me to read. Maybe this is one of them. It’s easy to spot murmuring in scriptures – but maybe because we aren’t the ones going through it, or maybe because we already know the outcome and reason to what is being asked. But modern-day murmuring is different. It’s hidden behind and masked as concern or logic or passion. We unconsciously coun

Aug 17, 2018
3 min

When I Was Single & Unwanted:

HEAR ME OUT: I literally never thought I’d get married. Lot’s of reasons & here’s a quick summary: -I would notice the kind of girls that were getting asked out & I began to be afraid that b/c I didn’t look a certain way, wasn’t a certain size w/ a certain style, or grow up in a strong gospel-centered family, or know how to cook or make my own skirts, I was forever going to be overlooked. -I didn’t look temple worthy. That not only did they not want to date me, but it was ha

Aug 7, 2018
2 min

IS GOD PUNISHING ME?!!

IS GOD PUNISHING ME?!! Why did it have to happen to me and not them? Did I do something wrong??? It isn’t fair, it wasn’t supposed to be this way. Why would God bring me to this just for it not to work out? What am I supposed to be learning? What is the hidden blessing from this? What tragic thing could I be avoiding from this falling through? Was it taken away because I wasn’t grateful enough? Is there even divine meaning behind this, or is just life just being life? How

Jun 21, 2018
2 min

Our Youth Are Struggling (& maybe it's our fault).

IF ONLY people knew how many messages I get every.day. from young teenaged girls who struggle with pornography – maybe we wouldn’t have teachers start out lessons with, “I know none of you do this, but…” – and we can move past ignorance and be more loving, and productive with what the atonement is ALL about. I think we do a great job teaching how we should be living— but not a great job at all teaching what we need to do when mistakes are made. Not just pornography, but as

Jun 9, 2018
2 min

When Promised Blessings Don’t Come

I JUST got baptized, and I still didn’t know much about anything as far as the gospel and how things worked: like prayer, I still didn’t even know if I was praying “right,” haha. And I heard an experience from another member which actively confused me up until recently – ya know, 8 years later. She said a lady and her husband went to the temple and separately, they both received the same revelation that they were pregnant with a boy and they were supposed to name him a specif

Feb 26, 2018
2 min

MY SECRET VIDEO EXCHANGES w/ ELDER CARRAWAY

Five years ago this week Ben came home from his mission. Also 5 years ago this week was our first date anniversary! So, in spirit of this week, we are doing something we never thought we would do! As most of you know, Ben and I wrote each other for most of his mission–even though we never met in person. (You can read our full story in our book, Cheers to Eternity!) After a while of writing, we sent videos to each other. WE ARE FINALLY POSTING THE VIDEOS WE SENT TO EACH OTHER

Feb 9, 2018
3 min

Judging is NOT an LDS Thing

I just released a new video this past week called LOVE EVERYONE, that talks about how everyone is welcome to partake of the love and blessings of Christ and this gospel. And that it’s never ok to teach hate. It is never ok to belittle and judge without even a glimmer of chance or fellowship shown. It’s never ok to turn someone away. Everyone is welcome and invited to partake of forgiveness, of salvation, of change, of real happiness, of the indescribable feeling of Christ’s l

Jan 29, 2018
1 min

I DID IT! I Finally Started a Vlog!

there's several reason why I didn't start one yet, but regardless of how I feel about vlogging, it IS a reoccurring thought. And I have learned way too many times to listen to my reoccurring thoughts, because that's usually how the spirit speaks to me and exciting things can happen! VLOG: video blog. A behind the scenes look of my week by week personal life. I will not be uploading natively to FaceBook, so be sure to subscribe to my YouTube to catch these videos and follow a

Dec 29, 2017
3 min

Maybe It's Not Them…Maybe It's Me…?

I GET IT. I totally, 100% get it. It’s easy to feel on the verge of losing our mind b/c OH MY GOSH, if ONE MORE PERSON posts that they are going to Disneyland for the ump-teenth time— or WHAT ON EARTH, seriously? How are they going out of the country again?….Must be nice, huh. …😒 Seems like everyone else is always out exploring or renovating or up-sizing or accomplishing & you just look at yourself…sitting in your home… with things going very differently than what you’re see

Dec 3, 2017
2 min

Al's Ultimate Sunday Music Playlist

I tried to get a mix of a little bit of everything in here. Some of the songs I wanted to add aren’t on YouTube, so this will have to do as a good starting place. I did create a YouTube Playlist, but some of the songs I linked to are part of a very long compilation upload and you’d have to listen (or watch) the Playlist to know when songs start playing that I didn’t intend to include, (if that makes sense). I’ll star which ones those are*. Take My Hand – Shawn McDonald I wan

Dec 2, 2017
1 min

Drinking Dirt + Learning LDS Water Resources

Day 2 of the #LightTheWorld campaign was WATER. Hear more about what the LDS Church is doing worldwide to help others get clean water, AND the resources we have from the Church to be prepared to have clean water when disasters and emergencies hit. More info on LDS Charities: https://www.facebook.com/LDSCharities/ More info on Home Storage locations, Food Storage, online ordering: http://www.foodstorage.lds.org Watch where I tour a Church Home Storage Unit & learn how to start