An end of an era?

Ok, ok, I won't get so dramatic about this... but it has been nearly 4 years since I have had this blog, and I am pretty sure I am going to stop writing on it for a couple reasons.

1. I have a blog with my husband... why do I need two?
2. I am pretty sure no one reads either, but we have a better chance if we condense it to just one blog. :)
3. I feel like it.


There you have it. Hope you will continue to or start reading http://www.thewenzelfamily.blogspot.com/


In Christ, Kate
Of course, being the lover of pictures and photography that I am, I thought I'd end with this...

What May Come

How fitting that my favorite verse (one of the top 5 for sure) is Psalms 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength,a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam,though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

It seems this is a favorite verse, one the Lord has ingrained upon my heart and mind b/c there have been so many times in my life where the earth has given way in a sense. Whether it be a divorce, a death, anxiety, a long-term illness....etc and now this sudden possibibilty of having a tumor... and yet, we know that He is a VERY present help...a current, a NOW, an in-the-moment, down-on-your knees, help.
He is a refuge - there is nothing more an ill or weak person (whether that be physically or emotionally) longs for than a refuge. What is a refuge? The literal hebrew word means "shelter". Oh how we, how I, need a shelter from the storms that beat down. Thank God that He is a shelter. I am told not to fear BECAUSE I have the strength and shelter of the Most High upon me.
Lord, I pray You grant me the grace to trust in Your word, and in the truth that YOU are my shelter, that YOU have me in your right hand. That i am Your's, I am taken care of. Whatever may come.

It is Offical

It is official. I announced my resignation yesterday for work. I have three weeks left and then I will do as the Doctor's highly advised and take some time off to rest, regain strength and hopefully make progress on my health situation. We are about 95% sure that I have CFS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The video is to help people in my life understand what CFS is and how it impacts those who have it. Please take a couple minutes to watch and listen to it. The first time I watched it, I cried only because it was the first time someone or something conveyed what i have been feeling, word for word. It was as if someone took my thoughts, my feelings, my soul and made this to portray it visually.

Ministry while sick

I have been thinking a lot about many things... one of which is how I can best minister to others while I am sick and physically cannot do much else then work and sleep. I long to build His kingdom. Of course I know He doesn't need me, but I am here to glorify Him and ministry is an outpouring of this. Right now, the biggest thing I can do is be a prayer warrior, which is perhaps the most important ministry anyone can do...but there are days when I am too exhausted to do that as well.
I have much to learn. I know I magnify the Lord when I live in His joy and peace despite the physical... and that is certainly a stretching and learning process.
I pray this illness (which the Dr.'s believe is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) is only temporary...but it may last for my entire time on this earth. Either way, the Lord has all authority and I must trust His purposes and promises and allow the Potter to shape this futile clay that I am.

I would love to hear any thoughts one mught have on this. :)

Kate

Week Two: Picture of the Week

This is my husband engaging in his favorite pastime on our honeymoon...reading. :)

Picture of the Week 1

I decided that because I love photography so much...my personal blog is going to have a "Picture of the Week."

Sometimes it will be a photograph I took, sometimes it will be of me or another person in my life and still other times it will be a photo of whats going on in the world...



Without further ado, the FIRST picture of the week is...

A comical one. :) Two friends...dancing (can you call it that?) at a recent wedding we attended.

I hope you get as much joy from this as I do. :)

By the way, whoever can guess WHICH song these guys are dancing to, wins....

my admiration! :)

The Doctor Appointment

Today I went to see the Infectious Disease Specialist. She was very nice and talked with me for a full hour. She said my symptoms most match up with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but the only way to know for sure is through process of elimination. Today we tested for Lyme's' among a few other diseases. We will continue to test as we get the results and move forward from here. It was nice to have someone that actually seemed to want to find out what is wrong...compared to many of the Doctor's I have seen in the past few years. Praise God for that!

I am trying to be strong in Christ and find my joy, peace and hope in Him. There are no guarantee's in life. Each and every day is a gift and even if I face pain and sheer exhaustion, I am able to breathe and therefore, I am called to glorify God in ALL things. I hope to continue to do so even if I battle a long-term illness. God is sovereign in all things, and this is no exception.

Thank you again for your prayers and support during this time...

In Christ, Kate

Health Update

Hello everyone! I wanted to let you all know how God has worked in beautiful ways as of late...
He provided a way for us to try to afford the expensive testing and scans I need in order to find out what is wrong!!! It may not cover some of it...or even much of it but He showed His provision in a mighty way!
THEN, we found out that Jeremy's insurance at where he works (which will kick in hopefully around September 1st) doesn't look at pre-existing conditions. This change of events in both the provision and the insurance are allowing me to have a consultation with the Infectious Disease specialist on Thursday, July 26th. We will move forward from there.

Please continue to pray for...
-Wisdom for the Nurses and Dr.'s
-Continued financial provision by the Lord
-Strength to continue to endure extreme exhaustion, migraines and stiffness.
-Joy and peace in Christ Jesus
-Patience and continued understanding and strength for my husband, Jeremy.
and
-a GREAT, restful honeymoon up North in about a week!

I so love and appreciate each and every one of you,

Kate

His Promises Stand True

I've appreciated the prayers and support ... and wanted to specifically thank my husband, my mom, chad, abby, dad and monica, nick, jess, karen and a few others for their encouragement through cards, e-mails and messages!

"God is worth worshipping in the place of suffering" - the lyrics by Jason Upton ring true. There is nothing I have experienced in my 23 years thus far like illness that has forced me to lean upon the Lord in every moment for strength and endurance. This continues to be a humbling circumstance. I was praying the other day about how I love to serve others and am tired of having to be served so much... but God created the body exactly for that- to serve, to act as one, to be the strength for the weak and to mirror the relationship between Christ and the Church.

Be aware of how much you have the ability to help those in need, by a simple phone call or e-mail.

Your sister, standing on the Rock - Kate

To anyone who comes across this...

PLEASE PRAY....


Your prayers mean so much as I know the Lord hears them and answers.
I am 23 years old and just got married May 19th. I had 3 years from when I was 19 until 22 where I had severe Mono and was not healed no matter what rest, etc I received. All was of course the Lord's perfect will and I was greatly refined in the sickness and suffering. In the last few weeks, it has relapsed worse than ever before. The Doctor's believe I have an immune issue far beyond the mono and that I need many blood tests and scans done. Unfortunatly, the independant insurance I am on does not cover this. For now, we are at a standstill. Please pray for healing, for endurance, for strength for each day, for joy in the midst of suffering and for my new husband to continue to be patient to my inability to serve him in ways i long to. Please also pray that the Lord would provide financial provision to have the tests done and for me to not have to work full-time during this sickness.
Your prayers mean so much as I know the Lord hears them and answers.
Thank you Brothers and Sisters.
Kate

If any of you who read this has words of truth, of encouragement, or anything, please feel free to contact me or comment.

This is a picture of my dad walking me down the aisle to give me away to my husband!