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Whatever happens in a person’s life is governed only by Hashem. Doctors' predictions and statistics have no bearing on what Hashem will decide. Mitzvot and ma’asim tovim , however, have a major impact, as well as our tefilot . And therefore, whenever a person is facing any type of adversity, the first step is always to think about how he could improve in his avodat Hashem. Rabbi Elimelech Biderman told a story that was told to him by Rabbi Mordechai Moskowitz from Ashdod. Rabbi Moskowitz’s wife passed away last month. They had seventeen children who all have beautiful families. During the shiva , her doctor, who is not religious, called the rabbi to tell him how much emunah he had gained from treating his wife. He went on to remind the rabbi of when his wife was diagnosed four years before this. At that time, he told her it was already too late for any types of treatments and she had a maximum of six weeks left to live. After hearing the news, she remained calm and composed and the doctor asked her how she could be so calm? She replied that she had an insurance policy to live longer. She explained to the doctor that it says in the Torah honoring parents prolongs life, and she takes care of her elderly mother round the clock like nobody else could. The doctor reiterated, according to the natural way of the world, six weeks was all she had. He gave her some pills to take and she left the office. She went on to live for an additional four years, just taking those pills. Her mother passed away two and a half months ago and she passed away exactly six weeks after that. The doctor concluded the conversation with the rabbi saying to him, “Your wife taught me that Hashem runs the world,” and he is more religious now because of that. A young rabbi told me that a congregant of his asked to come with his wife to speak to him in private. They came over to his house and they told him they have been married for two years and still were not blessed with children. The doctors were not able to detect any problems and now they were coming and asking for rabbinic advice. The rabbi told them, perhaps Hashem is waiting for them to grow more spiritually. He suggested that the woman begin to dress modestly according to the halacha . She said she was willing to try anything but that would have to wait two weeks because she was going on a cruise in a few days and already bought her entire wardrobe for it. The rabbi said, “I think just the opposite. The more self-sacrifice involved in any deed, the greater the deed becomes.” He recommended to her that she start the following day and dress modestly on the cruise, although it would be very difficult for her. In the end, she took the Rabbi’s advice. Just a few weeks later, this woman called the rabbi thanking him from the bottom of her heart. The doctor had just confirmed that she was, indeed, expecting her first child. What happens in our lives is determined only by Hashem. The best thing we can do to improve our situation is always tefila and mitzvot.