The Family Under Stress

Family Crisis' are inevitable. We live in a fallen world and things are undoubtedly bound to happen. Whether it be death of loved ones, marital problems, health problems of parents or children, or issues of abuse; things will happen. However, these crisis' can be an immense blessing to families depending on how we choose to handle these problems as they come about. We can either choose to let them break us, or to be proactive and work together to have them strengthen and heal us.
When I was a sophomore in high school on my sixteenth birthday, my grandpa had a stroke and was put into the hospital for about a week. I remember standing in the hospital talking on the phone with my cousin (and best friend) Ashley, and not knowing where our family would stand if he were to pass away. I felt so distressed and heartbroken. I felt like there was no safe place to turn. I was wrong. Because I had my ever loving Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. I really learned to rely on them through this time. My grandpa ended up passing away. And it was such a sad and traumatic time for all of us. But instead of letting it draw us into isolation and overwhelming sadness, we really came together. All of my aunts and uncles chose to celebrate him, and though it was hard, we all became a lot stronger because we all decided to rely on our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. We felt the presence of our grandpa, and somehow felt closer to him than we did before. It was a miracle. Although things are still not perfect now, we are still a close and strong family. We didn't let our family crisis break us.
To find the goodness and strength in the midst of a family crisis is difficult. It often requires sacrifice. But if we choose to make things better, and come together, life will be better for us. Our test here on earth was not to see how we acted when things were perfect, but it was to see how we act when everything seems to be falling apart.