My broken bow experience

When Lehi’s family was in the wilderness, Nephi’s bow broke. Last working bow = no more food. I feel like when I read this story I don’t really take it in with the right thoughts and feelings. I think, no problem, have faith! You’re not going to die, the Lord has got you! I could give them a pep talk that would keep them from complaining and murmuring. I know I could, but of course, I know the end of the story. but in all reality, this must have been a serious blow to everyone’s happiness level. A whole lot of hangry happening there. I’ve actually NEVER truly thought through what that would feel like till a few days ago.

Yup, we had a broken bow moment at our house. It’s semi better now but actually no, not really. Without going into too many details, our finances have taken a gigantic hit from IVF. It has been a little destructive on our financial security but we somehow keep going. The broken bow moment? Our furnace died. Like all the way. It died two weeks ago and we had it fixed. Saturday night it died. it’s really dead. As in, time to buy a new one dead.

My first reaction was I laughed when Matt told me. Our finances have progressively gone downhill all week. We’ve had thing after thing hit us and this was the cherry on top.  

Next, I cried a lot of big ugly tears. The realization hit that we have no money. Just a little set aside for our very last embryo transfer. Then I knew how Lehi’s family felt. They were frustrated, angry, scared, confused, very, very hungry, broken, and defeated. I’m sure there’s more but this is how I imagine they may have felt.  We just felt very, very cold instead of hungry.

There is something about having your very last lifeline crumble underneath you that tears you apart. It stops you dead in your tracks and it’s so shocking that you don’t have it in you to think of solutions. That day I was defeated. I couldn’t face one more thing.

Here's how Nephi helped me in my broken bow experience. Everyone with Nephi was complaining and it says that even he was afflicted with his brethren, it "being exceedingly difficult, insomuch that we could obtain no food." He was suffering too. Yet Nephi did not complain and he acted. He made a bow out of wood and an arrow and asked his father where he should go hunting. He had a problem and did something about it. it seems simple enough but he was the only one who acted. why? why didn't anyone else think to make a bow?

I admit that I would be like everyone else. Frozen with fear. unable to think of what to do next or how to go forward. Being angry at God for allowing that bow to break. Intently focused on perishing instead of living. Okay, that's exactly what I did. All of it. It wasn't till after remembering Nephi's response to this problem that I was able to think of solutions.

We can choose to be like Nephi! Hard things come. Broken bows happen, more frequently then we would like. Somehow we can face it with faith and find a way to move forward. Sometimes it does require some tears before you move forward and that's ok. It also might require some serious hard work but it is doable. Right now we have a band-aid fix on our furnace while we find the finances to buy a new one. No clue how that is going to happen but I want to face it like Nephi faced his broken bow. With faith and determination to do what it takes to not perish but thrive. We will figure things out. Nephi is a great example of how to face hard things. I want to remember him as I continue to face the hard. Remember to keep trying and keep going! All will be well in the end.