We Are Family

By Amy Miller

I love the word, “family.” There are so many emotions and meanings that encircle this word: The feelings of love, comfort, home, dependability, kindness, humor, and humility, are just a few to name.

I have learned a few things in my life about families, especially recently.

  1. Every family is different
  2. Every family has some sort of challenge, obstacle, or trial to overcome.

Growing up, I quickly learned the first part. My family and I have experienced certain trials that I know many of my friends and their families were not experiencing, at the time. Later, I learned the second part, when I found out that those friends and their families actually were facing other trials that I was unaware of. I remember many times wishing that we didn’t have to deal with the burden we were facing. I have stopped asking those questions, because I know why. We can’t know the sweet, without tasting the bitter.

Trevor has helped me see that if it wasn’t this specific trial, it would be something else. He has helped me think more positively about the trials that we face. And now that we have started our own family, being a couple, I worry about the trials that will eventually come to us.

Life could be much worse, I always have to say that to myself. But I think that the only way we’ve been able to persevere through the past challenges we have faced, or are facing right now, is through these types of positive thinking. And the first thing that comes to my mind when I am attempting to do this is, “families are forever.” What an amazing blessing it is to be a part of a family. Being a part of a family, means being a part of something great, no matter the arguments, short-comings, or other unfortunate things that have happened.

“Our Heavenly Father has organized us into families for the purpose of helping us successfully meet the trials and challenges of life.” - Rex D. Pinegar

We are so grateful for our families. We love the memories we have with them, the trials we’ve gone through that have made us stronger, and we are grateful for the things we teach each other every day. Though our new primary focus is within our own family, consisting of Trevor and I, we continue to love and support them in any way we can, and we hope they know that, and feel that.