A rare "blog" from Kim!

A "rare" blog from Kim today! As cancer has again entered our lives and in a more "pressing" way, I’ve been challenged to delve more deeply into the Scriptures to see what God wants us to know regarding trials and His workings in them. I’ve relearned (if that’s a word) that trials are limited in scope and duration. 1 Peter 1:6 reads:
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. "
So no matter how deep the pain or far-reaching the effects of the cancer, neither will last forever. God will deliver us. God also promises that He will not allow us to go through anything that we’re not able to bear. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says:
"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."
God’s Word is good. Now since our Lord is completely good and completely powerful, we seem to come to a problem. Why is suffering allowed? I have heard that we can trust that God has purpose in suffering but that we might not ever know it until heaven. But I think that God has told us His purpose(s). He means first to test our faith - do we have faith ? and secondly He wants to add Christ-like characteristics to our lives through the trial. Both of those purposes are explained in the book of James. Even some materials and some hymns/choruses I’ve read over the years only conclude that God is with us in the trial and that we can look forward to being with Him as reasons for comfort. I believe both of those to be completely biblical and very comforting but I think we come up short if we don’t look at passages such as those mentioned in James and in Psalm 119 that reads "God has afflicted me in faithfulness so that I would learn obedience." I realize that those two passages barely skim the surface in addressing the question of why suffering is allowed but I believe them to be in line with the rest of God’s revelation of Himself. And I believe them to be the very means that God uses to comfort His children in suffering. He brings the trials into our lives so that we will examine to see if we truly have faith (and is there anything else in the world that matters more?) and if we have faith, He means to use the suffering to make us like His Son. I haven’t gone through my life knowing what those truths really mean and I think I am only beginning to now. But God is teaching me that His relationship to me/us is all that matters. Of course, that is worked out in our lives through the blessings of family and friends but His desire for me is to obey Him through trials that I might become like Christ. Maybe I am over-simplifying, and maybe these are well-known and accepted truths but I have had to be "brought around" to see things God’s way. He is so kind and good and I am grateful that He is with Rob and me each step of the way and we can depend on Him to keep working on our hearts. I write this as I sit here in Rob’s hospital room in Cleveland Clinic. His pain persists but is mostly manageable. He is receiving round 2 of RICE chemo (of which he will get one more) and 4 and 5 of the intrathecal chemo (of which he will receive 12 total). The plan is to go home tomorrow and come back in approximately 3 weeks for the last RICE treatment and then go from there. We do continue to ask that you pray for both of us to want to grow spiritually –we really do hold that as our highest desire. And as Rob’s immune system will be weak (to say the least) over the near future I would ask for prayers for health that would enable Rob to go through the treatments and for me to help him. We continue to be thankful for your prayers for us, for the ministry of our church family (ramp to our home, meals, visits, cards and financial help) and all the help from our family and friends (visits, meals new well pump, taking care of Kim’s Dad and Nadia and again, financial help.) I hope I’m not overlooking anyone or anything, just please know that anything you’ve done for us has been a help and comfort. We feel that we are being undergirded by all of your care for us and none of it is being taken for granted. We thank you for all the love that you’ve shown us. We love you all also and hope that we can minister back in any ways God might bring up. It’s time to eat dinner so goodbye for now. In Christ’s love, Kim

editor's note: I asked the love of my life to marry me 20 years ago this very everning! thankfully she said yes though I still have no idea why! Prov 31:10-31