I have always been a fan of Elder Dallin H. Oaks of our LDS Quorum of the 12 Apostles. I recently picked up his newest book titled, "Life's Lessons Learned".  It is a relatively short book with short chapters on different things that he has learned throughout his life.  There were a couple of topics that particularly hit me that I want to share.

"Faith, no matter how strong it is, cannot produce a result contrary to the will of him whose power it is. The exercise of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is always subject to the order of heaven, to the goodness and will and wisdom and timing of the Lord." (page 8)

This says to me that no matter how badly you may want (or not want) something, no matter how much faith you have that something will come to pass, it is ultimately up to God. Elder Oaks even mentions when Christ was suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane how he asked the Father to let the cup pass from him if it was his will. But ultimately God's will was fulfilled that Christ had to suffer there in the garden completely.

Here is another quote that I liked from the book and this one really identifies how I feel:

"Adversity is an occasional or even a constant companion for each of us throughout our lives. We cannot avoid it. It is a reality - and indeed one of the purposes - of mortal life. What is important is how we react to it. Will our adversities bear us down, or will we go forward relying on the promise of God, who does not shield us from every adversity but who gives us the guidance and strength that makes it possible for us to endure and progress?

"Some people exploit their adversities to encourage others to look on them with pity and to place them in a special category that excuses nonperformance. Others, as father Lehi taught, accept their adversities and go forward, relying on God's blessings to help them do their best." (page 71)

This quote says to me that part of our test here on earth is to see how we will respond to adversities that are placed in our paths. I don't ever want to be seen as someone who just gave up and didn't endure her trials well. I know that the Lord will help to give me the strength to go through anything and I want my children to see that and know that they too can do hard things and have the faith to endure well.