Enjoying Our Journey

Wednesday was supposed to be as typical as any of my Wednesday's could be...since it is my day I set aside to do any necessary counseling, you never know what is going to come up. In 16 years of marriage Michele has never called and said she needed me to come home "asap". But Wednesday broke the 16 year record. I came home to a wife who was very sick. Long story short, she ended up in the hospital, and it was here that the Lord taught us some wonderful truths. I just want to highlight a few of them that I hope will be an encouragement to you:

1. It is so good to have a church family. The little things from a texts, calls, and Facebook messages, to taking care of our boys were such a blessing. I could not imagine not being part of a church family. Thank you for your love and kindness.

2. Our difficulties are not just for us. While in the hospital watching Michele in intense pain and trying to comfort her, I get a call from a Pastor's wife who has a friend that has been diagnosed with lupus and wanted Michele to talk with her. (Now a little background: when we were at Mid-America Seminary, Michele was diagnosed with lupus. Since going to Mayo Clinic for the last 7-8 years we have learned it is a "Mixed Connective Tissue" disease which includes lupus and sjogren's - in my terms is a combination of several illnesses so they can't slap a formal name on it.) Regardless, we have been extremely blessed in that there has been very few major health problems she has had. But it has allowed ministry opportunities to others reminding us that even in our infirmities we can minister to others and glorify our Lord.

3. At our most difficult times God is still so good. Each year we go to Mayo we see the same thing we saw in the hospital this week. There are so many others in worse physical shape but even more horrifying - so many who do not know Christ and have no hope. Each year Michele has to get screened for cancer while at Mayo...a few years ago we had to get a PET scan because they saw some problems. As we were waiting for results I thought---"What do people do who don't know Christ when they face this?" All that to say, no matter what news we receive God is still a good, Sovereign God.

Last lesson will be in the next blog....