God has this supernatural thing called timing. We may not understand it, but we can trust it.
TobyMac #speaklife.
Timing. So often we humans want to try to time things just right….when to get married, when to retire, when to buy a car…and while it can be honorable to be conscientious in our choices, it can quickly morph into control. But we can never control time. Just ask any student who is eager for lunch and recess, or the athlete trying to drop a few seconds in their performance, time cannot be controlled, not at least by humans.
The last few weeks our family has been moving around quite a bit. We have been between permanent places to stay and fresh off Chris’s 4th round of chemo so we took the opportunity to see some family. We are now on the cusp of, Lord willing, being able to move into our home for the next handful of months. We are also on the cusp of helping our kids settle into school and orientations start on Wednesday.
Chris has had increased symptoms after his 4th chemo: increasing neuropathy both in his hands and feet, and vertigo in the mornings and evenings.
I heard this song God is in this Story for the first time a few weeks ago:
God is in this story
God is in the details
Even in the broken parts
He holds my heart, He never fails
When I’m at my weakest
I will trust in Jesus
Always in the highs and lows
The One who goes before me
God is in this story
Over and over we are reminded that God is in our cancer story. He shows himself again and again in the details. Even in moments of moving around and not knowing exactly what is ahead He never fails. When I’m at my weakest and I want to control time and circumstances, we will trust in Jesus. In the highs of time with family and swims in Lake Michigan and also in the lows of more difficult symptoms we know the One who goes before us.
We can trust his timing because he is the One who goes before us.
Praying for you. ❤️
Praying that the kids will find friends in school, such that they look forward to going there each day with joy.
May God guide each day and may the kids adjust to school quickly.
Romans 8:31-39 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We trust the Lord for you, for us. We love you and know that our desire to see Chris healed, your family cared-for, sin driven from the world, those things will happen. We don’t know when, but we believe in His Word. He will hold us fast. Chris and Grace
May the Lord’s presence and abiding faithfulness surround you with all the changes in the days ahead.
Lots of prayers to our Almighty Father coming your way!
Isaiah 48:17 This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”
I continue to pray for the kids as they start school and begin making friends. Praying for health miracles, for your settling into your next home, and for His continued provision for your needs.
His blessings,
Joan
Praying for reduced symptoms for Chris. Please let us know if we can assist with moving.
Hi Chris and Becca, after reading your post, it comes to me that it’s all too much. Everything all together is too much to cope with well. I’m reading Jeremiah these days. Jeremiah kept talking to God. God kept answering him. Jeremiah asked, “Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? Will you be to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails?” (Jer. 15:18) God answered, “I will save you from the hands of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the cruel.” (Jer. 15:21) As I thought about your post, I was reminded of Jeremiah’s words when it was all too much for him.
I wrote a poem for you all awhile back. I’ll share it at this point.
If I was an ice cream maker,
I would make the very best ice cream for you.
It would have gooeys and crunchies
and would be the creamiest ice cream
you had ever eaten.
If I was a cloud walker,
I would walk on the highest clouds
with the puffiest puffs,
the ones with sunshine on all the edges.
I would make a ladder, so you could climb up
and walk the clouds with me
all across the sky.
If I was a singer,
I would write a song that had every instrument
and fast and slow parts, loud and soft parts,
parts full of excitement and parts full of peace.
It would be the most beautiful song
anyone had ever heard,
and it would be for you.
Our hearts want to send you all the best things.
We hope you can see our hearts
and the love we’re sending.
Wherever you go,
put our love in a pocket or a bag
and remember we love you so much.
We love you, Chris, Becca, Luis, Lucas and Emmalene!
We’re praying for you.
From Roger, Joanne, Nathan and Esther
I’m sorry for the increase in side effects, Chris – vertigo and neuropathy, like pain, make it hard to think clearly and function well. May God minimize these and the other nuisance side effects as the chemo kills that cancer!
Love you all! Thanks for the reminder to pray for the kids and school, and for your next housing adventure!
Aunt Shelley
Take courage. God is with you.
I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me (Ps. 23:4 NLT)
She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). (Isa. 7:14 NLT)
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,1 which means ‘God is with us.'” (Matt. 1:23 NLT)
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative — that is, the Holy Spirit — (Jn. 14:26 NLT)
I just started my 15th round of chemo (very mild side effects now) today and the neuropathy seems to be going really down now. The agent that caused it was stopped after round 8, that is 18 weeks ago, so it may take a while. I pray that it may disappear faster with you.
Yes to: “ Over and over we are reminded that God is in our cancer story. He shows himself again and again in the details. Even in moments of moving around and not knowing exactly what is ahead He never fails. ”
Mine is a story of an unexpected divorce after 41 years. I’ve moved around for the last 12 months trying to find a place to land. But every move, I become more unsettled… like you. And like you, life moves on and then you realize that there are just times when God is taking us on a journey where we don’t have any idea where it leads. We are unsettled in our thoughts. We get to a point, where I believe you are at, when we recognize that all we have is our faith. And all we can do is put our full trust in our Redeemer, especially in those times when He is silent and we just have to wait. And pray. And pray more, for we know God sees us. He knows all. It’s when we must simply press on.
I pray for you both and for your children. Hang onto His very words. Pray unceasingly. And then realize all we have is today to worry about. Not tomorrow and certainly not yesterday. Even though we’ve never met in person and spoken via zoom once after your bicycle accident, I walk with you. I hurt with you. I celebrate your daily victories and moan with you when you suffer setbacks. I love you both.
Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all your ways and he will give you peace!
Shalom. Shalom.
John
Praying on for Chris, Reduced symptoms & effective Chemo. For kids as they traverse new territory in school today/ May they each find encouraging friends & teachers, & feel welcomed in their new school. For peace of mind & stamina as you are unpacking & settling in. May the God who sees you & knows each of you let His presence be known today as He is with you . Thanks be to our faithful God who is in control & carries you close to His heart.
Praying for you all. ♥️
Loving how you are leaning into Him and gleaning deep Life from Him. You are encouraging us friends!
Praying for you both and for your dear kids as they start school. Psalm 139
Thanks for your post, the picture, and for the song. Such a beautiful reminder that the Father has good purposes. Praying for you all.
Thank you for the update. May God’s settling and comforting peace fill you in these difficult days.
Praying for a great first week of school for the kids. That’s a big step/change for them I am sure. We hope Chris experiences these side effects as a temporary phase. Keep fighting with the grace you already are. 🙏
Chris and Becca – Thank you for this beautiful reminder which I read this morning after praying through some things for people in my family….things I want to control, but cannot and need to trust in God’s timing. We prayed over your family in yesterday’s staff meeting at Thornapple. I also continue to pray for your family…healing, patience, strength and especially right now for each of your children as they begin a new school year that is not at all what they thought it would be. I also continue to pray a friend in each of their classes. Trusting with you for God’s answers…in His timing.
My prayers continue for you and your family.
On my knees for the incomprehensible power of our Lord to reign in small and big ways!
Thanks for the update! Praying for a smooth start in school for the kids and good friendsfor them, relief from the symptoms and strength! My heart aches for you, thanks for keeping faith, love you much and miss you lots!
Hi Becca and Chris,
We too pray for continued chemo success with less side-effects, happy settling-in in your new digs and great friendships for the three kids in their new schools.
Also wondering, where is the site of your “upper” picture at the top of your email? What a lovely vista! Even as it displays God’s creative wonder, there is an air of mystery and intrigue imparted by the clouds and lighting. Wonderful shot!
Stay strong in the Lord: Isaiah 40:28-31, one of my favorites…
Well said. God is also in the difficulties and even in evil things – not in the things themselves but he is in how we react to those things and is able to use them for our good.
You are such a testimony to us by being vulnerable and honest about your struggles and weak moments and just clinging on to our Lord.
I came up this text from kjramsey that really touched me this morning. May it be an encouragement to you, too.
What is your only comfort to be courageous in life and in death?
That everywhere I go, I belong
body and sould, in all my days,
all my doubts, and even all my despair,
and my coming death –
to you, my saviour and my friend, Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus, there is nothing in life,
and no manner of death
that can separate me from your friendship.
Everywhere I go, you go with me.
You are always glad, to be with me.
Because you became like me,
I can become like you.
Because you felt fear, anger, and betrayel,
even in my anguish, I can partake in your life.
Because you were faithful to feel and trust,
even in my fear, I can be faithful too.
Your trust in the Father to work goodness and life
re-creates my own.
Your courage in the face of death has made the Father mine,
the Spirit present, and my future secure.
You see me with such tenderness and attentiveness
that not even a hair can fall from my head outside your care.
Every detail of my body and soul belongs to you and is held
with constant kindness in your heart.
There is no hour of my life that is lived outside your care.
No part of me will ever be lost.
You are presently gathering up all the shattered pieces of me,
together with all the broken pieces of this earth
into a brilliant world that will never die.
Because I belong, your very Spirit lives within me,
companioning me into courage even when I have none.
Everywhere I go, there you are.
Because I belong, I am being made ready
and willing to live my life as a discovery of your presence,
to become a conduit of the joy that radiates from you.
Lord Jesus, you are my courage,
my comfort, and my irrevocable crown.
We love you guys. The girls are missing E as school starts here. We’re praying for you.