People affected by crises describe their successful -- or unsuccessful -- attempts at living with their crises, their struggles with God and the people around them, and their experiences with professional support and counselling in fellowship. By analysing over 2000 life-histories covering a century, and through her decades of experience in crisis counselling, the author has discovered a way to work through crisis which she describes here -- illustrated by the image of the ascending spiral. She also draws our attention to people who support others in their crises and are themselves changed in the process, becoming able to live their lives creatively and actively.