As much as we might want to avoid them, we all face our share of tough times. Our lives can change in an instant.  It can be an accident - an illness - a loss of a job or a loved one - or just the daily hassles of life. And typically, our prayer is for God to "make it go away - NOW!" But instant fixes, as great as they may sound, are not always His plan or in our best interest. Instead, God allows challenges to make us stronger, wiser, and more creative. He allows us to use the gifts He has given us to push through to something better, for ourselves and others. More importantly, tough times can turn us to Him, providing opportunities for us to grow in our faith and trust, and to see God in powerful new ways.