Dear Friends. Your prayers and encouragement, cards, and calls have been so helpful to us. Your love is amazing. I remember feeling somewhat guilty because I was feeling so good for the first three weeks of chemo that I felt I needed to pull out a clump of hair. Well the hair is still intact and chemo is beginning to effect my strength, eating, and alertness. I love Chipolte's- the hotter the better. Gabriela picked me up one as I was working late. It had no taste. Oh well, that should make my choices pretty easy for a while.
Something that people have often been asking me is, "Aren't you mad? After all you serve God and now you have cancer." It's a fair question, but it really stems from a misunderstanding of God. I see it this way. The world is a messed up place because of original sin and on-going sin. Stuff happens. God's sovereignty rules over all of it, yet within God's sovereignty He has allowed for free will and for a natural progression of cause and effect. This doesn't mean He is not in control or sovereign. It's part of it. God, throughout history, has intervened in supernatural ways, but that's more of the exception than the rule. God doesn't have to heal me in order to be a good and loving Father. His love alone is sufficient for me.
God doesn't promise anywhere in the Bible to rescue me from difficult. What He promises is that He will walk beside me through it. I feel His presence privately, through the church family that has embraced us, and countless friends from the past that consistently have called, prayed, and even graciously have cover expenses. So when someone asks, "Aren't you mad at God for allowing this?" NO!!! He did not give me cancer and He may or may not heal me from cancer, but He is my hope and will walk with me through this cancer.
Psalm 16:5-6 has greatly ministered to me over the last few week as the reality settles in:
The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; Thou dost support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places: Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.
My life is rich and my future secure and God's love. We have much to thankful for. Please pray for the adjustments ahead. The next set of treatments are back to back and physically taking a toll. Pray for Gabriela's support, and the kids ability to see their Papa weak and unavailable. This I think will be the hardness for me and them.
Thanks
Kelly
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7 comments:
Kelly & Gabriela,
Your words encourage and strengthen those of us who read your comments! Our Father is amazing and how thankful I am that He does not have us walk thru the trials alone........never! I remember (when you lived in Cda) how dependent Gabriela was upon you and I can only imagine the toll this "interruption" in your lives has made in your routine.
Our Father is Faithful, He sustains us, He provides for us, He guides us, He truly is our portion and He alone is the One who fills our cups until it runneth over.........may He do all that and more in the days ahead for you and your dear family.
Bless you my friends........love, Jackie
Hey Guys,
Kelly thanks for your positive attitude. It is very encouraging to us right now.
We thought of you guys last night and how you shared our 1st Fourth in our 'new' house. Hope your night went well.
We're still praying and will continue too.
Robert and Christy Wise (the boys too :)
Kelly,
I appreciate your good, strong words which are an encouragement to me in the midst of your sufferring. We continue to pray for you, and will especially pray for your wife and kids in the days ahead.
Your Texas brother,
Worley
Hi Kelly & Gabriela,
I am touched by your view of the cancer and God's role in the whole situation. I'll be praying for you and your kids. I am also forwarding your blog site to Common Ground and Single Cause leaders so that the folks in these groups can keep "updated" on your progress. God bless you,
Esther Mellis
Kelly - you are such a graceful and Manly example through all of this. I know that you feel the love of many of your friends who are and will rally around you, but do you have any idea of how you are ministering to us by your example? We love you, brother.
David Delisle
Hey Kelly. It is great to read your updates and how well you are doing. Too bad about the taste buds . . . I remember all those great breakfasts we shared. How is all of this affecting that six pack you were telling me about? :) I sense that the Lord is definitely in all this, though I don´t know if I could be so ¨spiritual¨in the same situation. I know he allows trials like this for those who can handle them and that He is glorifed as a result. May God continue to stregnthen and sustain your spirit for the duration. Know that you are loved and prayed for!
Kelly & Gabriela,
We just found out about your cancer through the TSM newsletter. We are sad to hear of this hardship, but it is evident from your most recent post that you are prevailing over this with the help of the Spirit. I love the verse you quoted from Proverbs. I have turned to it in times when I have felt exactly the opposite, to reorient my perspective. Sometimes it is difficult to say that the "lines have fallen to me in pleasant places" but that is our reality. I'm glad that this is your perception of reality. It is an encouragement to those of us who are also enduring hardship (of a lesser degree). I pray I may face the difficulties in my life as you are facing this tremendous trial. Our blessings to you, Gabriela and the kids. You are in our prayers!
Love Scott & Jackie Sevier
http://seviersaga.blogspot.com
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