It's Sunday evening around 8:00pm or so... sorry I haven't posted more this week. Sometimes I feel like I am just re-writing the same things over and over; though I know you all probably don't see it that way. Things are going pretty well for us, though it was a very busy week in my new position. Busy but I loved every moment of it!!!
There are some looming symptoms that Michelle seems to be experiencing over the last few days of this week. Specifically, she is feeling some minor neuropathy in her fingers/hands (tingling and numbness) which is one of those side-effects of the Taxol. Also, she was packing some things yesterday, kneeling while doing so, and woke this morning with a bruise a little larger than a quarter on one of her knees. This is very strange because she did not bang it at all so it seems to be just the result of kneeling on it. That could be a sign that her platelets are low which is not a good thing; too low and that means blood transfusion. Lastly, she is beginning to lose her hair in an increasing amount so it doesn't appear it will be too long and she will be without it. All these things we knew were side-effects and possibilities... we were just really praying that it would at least take a few more weeks before we began to see them. Oh, and the "acne rash" on her face continues to come and go as well.
Apart from the above mentioned issues, Michelle is feeling pretty well and continues to have a good level of energy. She is handling everything with the same faith and grace as she did the last go'round and I continue to learn so much from watching her walk with Jesus through this time. No words can describe how proud I am of her and how challenged I am in my own faith to keep my eyes in Jesus, wholly trusting in Him for EVERYTHING... I have learned that to deeper levels through the "teaching" (by example) of my wife.
Please pray for those things I mentioned above, as well as for her blood counts to not dip too low. In fact, let's be bold and pray the Lord would cause them all to go up even from last week! Now that would confound the doctors and nurses and give great glory to the Lord; please make it so, Lord Jesus... but no matter what, we will praise Your name! We love you, Jesus.... and we love all of you too!!! - Steve and Michelle -
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About the Venables
- The Venables -
- We, Steve and Michelle, live in Peoria, AZ, with our kids: Sarah, Steven, Rebekah and Moriah. Steve recently re-entered the world of full-time ministry within the local church, taking on the position of Campus Pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel North Phoenix, and Michelle continues to homeschool ALL FOUR kids!
Trust, Lean, Acknowledge
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Prov 3:5-6)
An alternate rendering of "He shall direct your paths" is that the Lord will make your way smooth and/or straight. This can seem so contrary to life experiences, which at times appear to be anything but smooth or straight. Yet, as we trust in the Lord and not in our interpretation or thoughts on what is "happening around or to us", acknowledging that He is in control and nothing escapes His knowledge including the trials of life, relying on Him for even our very next breath, He truly provides "shock absorbtion" for the bumps and potholes of life; and what seemed to be a dramtic turn in the road is nothing more than Him redirecting us down a path for our edification and growth. It is not always easy and many times doesn't seem to make sense, but in the Lord it is ALWAYS for our good.
Trust in, lean on and acknowledge HIM... He will guide you through even the most difficult of times of life. Today, even if you are in the midst of the fiery trial, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, in Jesus you will come through it not singed, without even the "smell" of fire on you (Daniel 3:27), purified for greater service unto Him and bringing glory to His name alone.
An alternate rendering of "He shall direct your paths" is that the Lord will make your way smooth and/or straight. This can seem so contrary to life experiences, which at times appear to be anything but smooth or straight. Yet, as we trust in the Lord and not in our interpretation or thoughts on what is "happening around or to us", acknowledging that He is in control and nothing escapes His knowledge including the trials of life, relying on Him for even our very next breath, He truly provides "shock absorbtion" for the bumps and potholes of life; and what seemed to be a dramtic turn in the road is nothing more than Him redirecting us down a path for our edification and growth. It is not always easy and many times doesn't seem to make sense, but in the Lord it is ALWAYS for our good.
Trust in, lean on and acknowledge HIM... He will guide you through even the most difficult of times of life. Today, even if you are in the midst of the fiery trial, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, in Jesus you will come through it not singed, without even the "smell" of fire on you (Daniel 3:27), purified for greater service unto Him and bringing glory to His name alone.
Pause and Ponder (Selah):
"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say,'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'" (James 4:13-16, NKJV)
At times like the one Michelle and I find ourselves in at the moment, it amazes me how simple life really becomes. Yes, things can seem on the surface complicated when you think of tests, surgery, radiation therapy, possibly chemotherapy; but in actuality, as life becomes more focused on the immediate and more critical, it slows and everything just seems a little more uncomplicated. You can't really make plans for tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year to some extent; you literally have to live life moment to moment, day to day. This brings about a re-evaluation of ones life, causing that which is truly important to come to the forefront.
It makes me wonder how many times we, even as Christians, fashion our plans, establish where we are heading, and detail out where our life is going and then, once we have come up with it all, ask God to bless OUR endeavors having never sought Him in the process. How much struggle do we bring into our own lives because we didn't first seek Him as we were coming up with our "plans"? I am reminded again that is is okay to make plans in the Lord for our future, but in the end it is the Lord's will that matters most. To paraphrase Henry Blackaby from Experiencing God, we are really here to simply participate in what God is already doing around us!!! As the Word says, don't get caught up looking to tomorrow because you have no control over what it holds and sufficient for the day (today) is it's own trouble (or "stuff" to deal with!). Oh yeah, and don't get hung up looking back at yesterday either because you can't change it!
Keep an eye on where you are heading in the future, yes, trusting in Jesus each step of the way as you make your plans. But be sure, in the midst of the "road trip", to give your ALL today in serving the Lord, giving Him the "steering wheel" as HE guides and directs you into the future HE has planned for you. It is better than anything you could have come up with anyway!!!
At times like the one Michelle and I find ourselves in at the moment, it amazes me how simple life really becomes. Yes, things can seem on the surface complicated when you think of tests, surgery, radiation therapy, possibly chemotherapy; but in actuality, as life becomes more focused on the immediate and more critical, it slows and everything just seems a little more uncomplicated. You can't really make plans for tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year to some extent; you literally have to live life moment to moment, day to day. This brings about a re-evaluation of ones life, causing that which is truly important to come to the forefront.
It makes me wonder how many times we, even as Christians, fashion our plans, establish where we are heading, and detail out where our life is going and then, once we have come up with it all, ask God to bless OUR endeavors having never sought Him in the process. How much struggle do we bring into our own lives because we didn't first seek Him as we were coming up with our "plans"? I am reminded again that is is okay to make plans in the Lord for our future, but in the end it is the Lord's will that matters most. To paraphrase Henry Blackaby from Experiencing God, we are really here to simply participate in what God is already doing around us!!! As the Word says, don't get caught up looking to tomorrow because you have no control over what it holds and sufficient for the day (today) is it's own trouble (or "stuff" to deal with!). Oh yeah, and don't get hung up looking back at yesterday either because you can't change it!
Keep an eye on where you are heading in the future, yes, trusting in Jesus each step of the way as you make your plans. But be sure, in the midst of the "road trip", to give your ALL today in serving the Lord, giving Him the "steering wheel" as HE guides and directs you into the future HE has planned for you. It is better than anything you could have come up with anyway!!!
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