Keef,
Prayers for the peace that passess all understanding to surround and uplift your friend's wife. One could guess who it might be with your devotion to a particular bowyer, but the Lord knows and that is all that is important.
As for struggles of your own, I heard it once said from the pulpit that when things get toughest, take heart, it just means that Satan is aware that you're growing closer to the Lord so he turns up the heat on us to try to distract us. Embrace your failings as testament to your dependence on Him and redouble your total dependence on Christ. Remember "Footsteps in the Sand".
Benson says it well above!