Managing Life

As Janet Doepner of Auckland, New Zealand, thinks back on what she has learned as a young widow with four daughters to rear, she says, “I’ve always had a bubbly spirit. It’s been one of my gifts from the Lord.”

Since the tragic drowning of her husband, Bill, in 1989 while he was trying to save the life of a teenage friend, Janet has “gone from being a woman who couldn’t balance her checkbook to one who can tell you to the last decimal what her bank account contains,” she declares. She watches interest rates, never buys anything that’s not on sale, and has become a resourceful manager for her family.

She has made home improvements, bought a car, and learned to drive. “I was more dependent on Bill than I realized,” she says. “I used to lean on his faith and testimony, too. I can see it has been important for me to have grown and learned about who I am and what I am capable of doing.”—Tina Dil, Auckland, New Zealand