By Cosette Snarr

Twenty years ago, I was miserable and couldn’t see any way out of my situation. My husband had uncontrolled epilepsy and struggled to hold down a job. For twelve years, he was unemployed more often than he was employed. I blamed his seizures for everything wrong in our life, even though I knew he didn’t have them on purpose. At the time, I was working as a secretary for one of the general authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

During one especially hard season, I asked my boss if he’d be willing to give my husband a priesthood blessing. Deep down, I was hoping that maybe—just maybe—a blessing from a general authority might carry more weight than the many others he’d received over the past fifteen years. What I wanted, more than anything, was for the seizures to miraculously stop and for our life to finally feel normal.

That didn’t happen.

Instead of healing, my husband was blessed with the promise that he would provide for his family. And I remember thinking: That is the dumbest thing my boss could have possibly said. Provide for his family? Ha! How in the world is that going to happen? He can’t even keep a job. Nobody in his industry wants to hire him. I wasn’t grateful—I was angry. Very angry. This wasn’t the miracle I asked for. My life was going to keep being miserable. Thanks a lot.

Honestly, I don’t even know how we made it through those years. I had jobs, but I certainly didn’t make enough to cover all our needs. One of my biggest fears was how we would survive retirement. With my husband’s health the way it was, I knew we were going to face issues. Would I have to put him in a facility someday? How would I afford that? Could I handle caring for him on my own? The debt was crushing, and I saw no way out. For years, I fed my doubt and anger over what felt like an unfair and hopeless life.

But fast forward to today.

My husband has now been seizure-free for almost seven years. He’s healthier than most men his age—he’s 71—and our relationship is better than I ever imagined it could be. Honestly, I never even thought he’d live this long. Our only debts are our home and cars. Just last night, we were reviewing some finances and realized that because of a few key decisions we’ve made over the past couple of years, we’ll be in a position—within three years—to live off the interest of one of our investments.

That wasn’t a goal I ever wrote down or visualized. It wasn’t even something I saw as possible. I didn’t daydream about it, because I genuinely didn’t think a solution existed. I was too convinced there wasn’t one.

So how did my life change so drastically?

Honestly, I’ve wrestled at times with the Rare Faith principles we’re taught to follow—because some of the greatest blessings in my life seemed to happen in spite of me, not because I followed the “right” steps. But I’ve come to realize something: when my deepest desire is to do God’s will, He steps in. He compensates for my shortcomings—including all the times I didn’t “manifest correctly.” And sometimes, the tiny efforts I make toward Him don’t feel like much. But He takes those efforts and runs with them.

For me, it began when I let go of the anger. I asked God to help me find happiness in my marriage as it was. I committed to pray and read my scriptures so I could draw closer to my Savior. And from there… He took over. He led me, step by step, to where I am now.

I love the laws of thought—not because they tell me how I have to work, but because they help me understand how God works. My faith is in Him. I trust that He knows what’s best for me. And sometimes, that means waiting. Sometimes, that means I’m already receiving what I asked for—but in a way I didn’t expect.

My life is a living example of the Law of Gestation. I couldn’t possibly explain all the learning and growth I’ve gone through in the past thirty years—but I know every part of it has been necessary. It’s all been part of the process of becoming more like Him, and that’s my deepest desire.

I’m sharing this for anyone who might be struggling in similar ways. If that’s you, I hope you’ll hold on. Trust that God knows what He’s doing. He works through these laws—and you can bank on it.

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