Life Lessons

Every newlywed couple has their story. The story of their tiny apartment. The wife's bad cooking. Those times they didn't see how they would make ends meet.

We have had it pretty easy so far. Sure our apartment is tiny, but we write a tiny rent check every month to go along with it. Sure my cooking usually ends in a kitchen disaster, but I have mastered a few recipes. Sure money's been tight, but we both have jobs and our savings account is somehow slowly and steadily growing.

And then we had a slight glitch in our plans.

"Success is rarely simple. Generally it is preceded by tears, trials, trust, and testimony." -Thomas S. Monson

Unfortunately, Jeff is going to be in school a semester longer than we expected. I was sure we could make it through one semester on little to no income, but two semesters seems a bit daunting. Come June, we'll have a cute little baby along with half the income and now for twice as long as we expected.

"Change comes about through a refining process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the refiner’s fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the perfection process." -James E. Faust

For the first serious time in my life, I am taking a blind leap of faith that everything will work out, that somehow we will make ends meet.

I was very skeptical of this situation at first. Thinking things like, "I believe everything happens for a reason, but I just can't see the reason for this." Luckily, the unexpected news came over Christmas break, so I was able to really think things through. And it's incredible how every week at church something truly amazing has related to what we are going through.

“Ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith. This trial of faith can become a priceless experience." -James E. Faust

I have turned my doubts and skepticism into trust, hope and even excitement. What was at first a frightening future I now see as a growing experience. I know things happened the way they did to teach me many lessons. The first lesson I can already see is to rely on my husband. At first I felt completely helpless because there was no way I could do anything to better our situation. Now I have found that I can be a glimmer of hope for Jeff when he needs my support.

"Here, then, is a great truth. In the pain, the agony, and the heroic endeavors of life, we pass through a refiner’s fire, and the insignificant and the unimportant in our lives can melt away like dross and make our faith bright, intact, and strong. In this way the divine image can be mirrored from the soul." -James E. Faust

I have also found this experience to be humbling. I think I might have needed to be reminded that I can't do everything on my own. Jeff can't do everything for our family. We both need help from our Heavenly Father and I just can't wait to see what He has in store for us.

"Out of the refiner’s fire can come a glorious deliverance. It can be a noble and lasting rebirth. The price to become acquainted with God will have been paid. There can come a sacred peace. There will be a reawakening of dormant, inner resources. A comfortable cloak of righteousness will be drawn around us to protect us and to keep us warm spiritually. Self-pity will vanish as our blessings are counted." -James E. Faust

I am excited to have another newlywed story. I am excited to have a trial that will make me and Jeff stronger as a couple. I am excited to take a blind leap of faith by relying completely on the Lord. Every newlywed couple has a story. What's yours? Ours should be a good one for the grandkids.