don’t seem to “couple” very well.
One of my favourite books on the subject is called The Problem of Pain, by C. S. Lewis. He tackles this unseemly marriage in this book. I commend it to you, if this is something you are wrestling with as a result of my circumstances or someone else’s situation. This quote from the book resonates with me:
We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.1
Thank you for your kind words and beautiful prayers for my family and me. Please know that we pray for you too!
Day 26—Anchor
By Kristin Pue—January 26, 2014 3:58 p.m.
For those of you that don’t know me, I am Kristin, Brenda’s daughter-in-law (married to Jason).
As I was driving to church this morning I was struck by the fact that only a short four weeks ago, we were finishing up our family Christmas activities and settling in to enjoy the last part of our holidays. A week later we started on this journey with Mom that has changed everything. The last three weeks have felt like months, but in this time I have grown to love my family more and more with each passing day.
I married into the Pue family almost 10 years ago. From the moment I met Brenda and Carson, they treated me like a daughter. Jer and Jon have always been my little brothers that I never had. And for the last 12 years, my parents and Jason’s parents have been friends. That is something I will never take for granted. The love and care that our two families share is beyond anything I could have imagined.
For as long as I’ve known Brenda/Mom she has carried herself with such amazing grace and faith. She loves her boys beyond anything, and she has wisdom that is better than any book! She has often been the one I’ll call in tears of frustration in raising my two boys, and she gladly and calmly talks me through each situation. And no matter what she has going on, her family is always put above it, and in this situation that she is now faced with—this has not changed.
Mom is leading us all through this with such strength. Her unwavering faith, her positive attitude, her strength and her character constantly amaze me. Now I’m not saying she hasn’t had her moments, because we all have, and we all will, but she always comes out with a smile on her face because she is being held by the hand of God.
As a family, we are constantly encouraged by the amazing support that you all have shown us. We know without a shadow of a doubt that there is an army behind us, praying for Mom and believing for her healing. Thank you for doing that for us.
There have been days that have felt so low, so hopeless, but no matter what, God has given us all a peace that passes our own understanding. This song has been one that I’ve clung to these last few weeks:
ANCHOR
By Ben Fielding and Dean Ussher
I have this hope as an anchor for my soul
Through every storm, I will hold to You
With endless love, all my fear is swept away
In everything I will trust in You
There is hope in the promise of the cross
You gave everything to save the world You love
And this hope is an anchor for my soul
Our God will stand, unshakeable
Unchanging One, You who was and is to come
Your promise sure, You will not let go
There is hope in the promise of the cross
You gave everything to save the world You love
And this hope is an anchor for my soul
Our God will stand, unshakeable
Unchanging One, You who was and is to come
Your promise sure, You will not let go
Your Name is higher, Your Name is greater, all my hope is in You
Your word unfailing, Your promise unshaken, all my hope is in You2
Beyond all the fear, the unknown, we know that God is our anchor and we know that He has the ultimate plan. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us.
Day 26—Calm Before the Medical Storm
By Brenda Pue—January 26, 2014 10:39 p.m.
I was given the gift of a beautiful, calm day today. I treasured this day. I want to remember all the details of this day.
Wife-care duty started at 7:30 a.m. so that Carson could head into church for the first time since this all started two weeks ago. It was so good for him and for the church to see each other. Meanwhile, at home, my friend and I read the Psalms and talked and prayed. Then we went for a long walk together.
When Carson got home, I made us a nice lunch, and we talked about the day. And then we went out for dinner together. It was a sweet gift to us, because tomorrow begins another big medical week. I have my fourth radiation treatment first thing in the morning, followed by an appointment with my radiation oncologist and finally a biopsy of the tumour in my lung. On Tuesday my fifth and final radiation appointment for this round is scheduled. The remainder of the week will be more tests, more results, etc. No wonder I’m so tired. This is a full-time job!
Here are a few of my biggest prayer concerns as I head into this week:
1. Minimize the impact of the radiation to all the normal, healthy brain cells while destroying the cancer cells.
2. No complications with the lung mass biopsy and that they would get a sufficient sample the first time—they don’t make more than three tries due to damage/complications to the lung.
3. That the genetic coding of the mass shows it is treatable.
4. I need a diagnostic mammogram appointment very soon.
5. That in the midst of all this we would not lose heart.
Those are the biggies—I know God will lead you to pray the long list of things that are not mentioned. Thank you for standing with me, and my precious family, in the greatest challenge we have ever faced. Your kindness/mercy towards us is a gift too rich for words.
Day 27—First@work
by Kristin Pue—January 27, 2014
On Mondays, Dad (Carson) typically writes an e-letter that goes out to business leaders at First Baptist Church. This week, in his absence, Darrell Johnson wrote it. Mom and Dad asked that I share it with you all to read.
First@work: A Framework for Prayer
I know that you, along with literally thousands of other believers, are praying for Brenda and Carson Pue as they, hand in hand with the Lord, continue the aggressive
