The Venable Family: Sunday Morning

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Sunday Morning

Good morning!!!

Okay, the big question is, "Did you make it to church this weekend??", and the answer had best be yes! I trust and pray the Lord has ministered to all of you and that the same Holy Spirit who moved in our services and lives this weekend has done the same in yours!

Nothing really new to report, all pretty much remains the same as it was the last post. Michelle's parents are in town and we are enjoying having them here. They will be here through next Saturday, leaving Sunday AM early, so we have a lot of free labor when it comes to continuing our packing up... YES!!!

Things continue to move forward on the sale of our condo and the purchase of our new home. I just wired the earnest money yesterday so no turning back now! We are so looking forward to getting on the road and heading out, though leaving will not be easy! We have some wonderful friends here that will be difficult to move away from. I have also really enjoyed spending these past months with the others on staff here in the Chicagoland area, making some friendships that I know will last a lifetime; that too makes leaving a little hard. Still, we know and feel that the Lord has already moved us on, and we it is so comforting to know that we have a "family" waiting to embrace us at the other end of this next step in our journey of walking with Jesus!

So, please continue to pray for the things already mentioned in the previous post; Michelle's last to treatments (at least with Taxol!), our relocation, our kids, and for the Lord to direct us to just the right Oncologist for Michelle! Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus... we love you all! - Steve and Michelle -

1 comment:

Ziggie said...: Hi Steve; Great to see all is going well as can be expected not sure if I'll see you before leaving. I don't have any current contact info so if you can please forward to me I'd appreciate it.

Blessings to you and your family you have inspired me greatly

Scott Kalas; June 11, 2007 at 5:38 PM

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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.

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!!!

The Venable Family

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Sunday Morning

1 comment:

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