Patrick and Ruth Schwenk - In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake: Trusting the God Who Meets Us in Our Storm

In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake

2020 by Patrick and Ruth Schwenk

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ISBN 978-1-4002-1688-8 (eBook)

ISBN 978-1-4002-1687-1 (TP)

Epub Edition August 2020 9781400216888

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020936473

Printed in the United States of America

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CONTENTS

S hortly after we heard the word cancer, I (Patrick) called my two sisters, Sara and Sandy. They were the hardest two calls to make, but also the best. Each of them showed me love and offered support in ways well always be grateful for.

As I was getting ready to hang up the phone, my oldest sister said to me, all eyes are on you. What my sisters meant was that for nearly twenty years I had preached Gods Word, cared for others, and led in several local churches. Many people had listened to me, but now they would be watching me walk through the most difficult season of my life.

I received similar encouragement from a friend you met in the book, Michael, a stage-four cancer survivor. I sat in my driveway and called him as well. Before hanging up he, too, reminded me that my kids would be watching us suffer.

If we could do the last two years again, there is certainly much we would change. We havent always been a perfect witness, or always been worth watching. But early on we decided we were not going to waste our suffering.

As we mentioned in the book, we are not experts in suffering. Our motivation for writing In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake was to encourage others that in whatever storm they found themselvesGod is trustworthy. He not only meets us in the storm, but we are deeply molded by him, in the storm. We hope that has been true in your boat. In your storm. And in whatever water you are in.

In our boat, there were many by our side and for that we are forever grateful.

First, to our own kidsTyler, Bella, Noah, and Sophia: this has not been easy for us and we know it hasnt been easy for you. We wish you didnt have to know this pain or feel this fear. But just as with us, we know Jesus is going to use this in your life, too, for your good and Gods glory. We love you and are proud of your faith and courage over the past two years. We have no greater joy than knowing that you are walking in the truth and holding on to the same hope.

To Patricks parents: there was rarely a day that went by that I did not think about each of younow a part of heavens cloud of witnesses. You went before me, and I am grateful you did. You modeled for me a life of endurance, faith, and trust. The Jesus you preached when I was a kid is the Jesus who sustained me in my cancer. And he is the same Jesus who will raise me up one day, when we see each other again.

To Ruths parents: we could not have faced the last two years without you. You made Patricks favorite soup countless times when he was in the hospital and then when he came home. You remodeled our basement, a project you had just started a month before his diagnosis. And of course, you made us laugh! You were a steady and stable presence for usand for your grandkidswhen everything felt like it was unraveling. Thank you for your selfless and sacrificial love.

To Patricks sisters: this was not the first time we found ourselves in a boat in the middle of a lake. We said goodbye to dad in 2010. And goodbye to mom in 2012. Each of you have suffered in your own unique and painful ways, before walking with me through my suffering. Whether it was coming to meet us for lunch, visiting in the hospital, texting or calling, we never felt alone in our boat in the middle of a lake. You were with us in the water. We love you and are grateful for the countless ways you cared for us and our family.

To our Refuge Church family in Ann Arbor: when I told our kids to watch the church, you did not disappoint. You were the presence of Christ to us in hundreds of tangible ways. You cleaned our home, brought us meals, faithfully prayed, showed up to appointments, let me cry in every sermonthe list goes on! We could not have faced this without you. We moved to Ann Arbor together to start a church, but first and foremost, you were the church to us. Thank you for loving us, supporting us, and showing us grace in our hurt and our healing.

Thank you to our friends who stood with us from afar with your constant calls, texts, and prayers. Michael and Barb, Terry and Susan, Todd and Karen, Ron and Sandra, Courtney, and many more not mentionedwe are forever grateful for your friendship and love.

Thank you to the readers of The Better Mom and For the Family blogs. For so many of you, our fight was your fight. You stuck with us, not just watching from a distance but interceding for us. Words cant express our thankfulness for your many comments, messages, and prayers. We are blessed to be on this journey with each of you.

Thank you to Meredith Brock, our friend and agent. From the beginning you have been far more interested in Gods message and not just a creative idea. You are a woman of God, full of faith, wisdom, and compassion. You have also been one of our biggest cheerleaders. We are so grateful for you!