The Refiner's Fire

Olivia Paige is 6 weeks old. She lights up our world in ways I never thought would be possible. When I had my final OB visit this past week I couldn't help but ponder the events of the past 5 years in our struggle to have children.

It has been a rough 5 years.

But staring into the eyes of my adorable family has helped heal those parts of my broken heart, and I have become grateful for those rough 5 years. I have learned a lot about myself, my strength, and my faith.

I have truly been blessed and every prayer I have offered up has been answered. I have witnessed the power of the priesthood heal me, increase my strength and comfort my worried soul.

These past five years were my refiners fire, and hopefully I have been molded into something more beautiful than before...

President Faust has said:

"Here, then, is a great truth. In the pain, the agony, and the heroic endeavors of life, we pass through a refiners 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. It is part of the purging toll exacted of some to become acquainted with God. In the agonies of life, we seem to listen better to the faint, godly whispering of the divine shepherd.

Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful.

The thorns that prick, that stick in the flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of significance and hope. This change comes 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 refiners 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."