A request

Dearest friends and family,

A quick practical word as I prepare to visit Steve this morning.

We have been overwhelmed with the most wonderful offers for visits. We are requesting that you refrain from phoning or visiting the hospital at this time.

In time, our community’s real presence will be a gift and motivator beyond telling. But for now, every second of Steve’s emotional and physical energy (and mine!) is bent on his short term recovery. I have imagined the pain as one long birthing contraction without pause. Steve relates to this image. Every minute he is just trying to get through to the next moment. A mere “hello” is costly. Also, with his ever considerate spirit, Steve feels terrible for the pain he is causing others. He literally cannot bear to think of it and so we talk of nothing but what is immediate – the few immediate family members in the room and the moment at hand. I share Steve’s focus and have neither the emotional nor the actual minutes to devote to anything but the most necessary. We are all completely devoted to Steve getting through this initial, critical stage.

We feel so very deeply loved. Your prayers and postings are what keep us afloat, both emotionally and in reality. One day Steve will no doubt spend many hours weeping over your well wishes. Please do not stop!

With love and gratitude for this new day,

Michelle

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  • Cbsample

    Courage, peace, grace, moment by moment. How God makes His light shine through you both in the very dark times. Many will see and take heart and trust in Him.

  • sue and jim economides

    As always……you are in our hearts and prayers! Be brave, have courage and we are ALL sending you strength through our prayers! You are in HIS arms…………….sue and jim economides and family

  • Pamnacpil

    Praying for you today… Pam

  • riezl

    i believe that prayer is the fastest means of communication(the second you say amen we know it has been heard), it also has the widest network (as wide as the network of God… boundless)… but what i like about prayer is its ability to transport you to as close as the heart of the one you are praying for.

    When anne and i pray, we feel like were kneeling beside pastor Steve's bed in the hospital… no visa, no passport, no overseas call charges, just linked together through God's love.

    May the peace of God that surpasses all understanding abide with you and pastor Steve.

    we shall continue to pray alongside you in faith…

    riezl and anne

  • Dale and Annie Roth

    We are praying for the surgery today. May God work miracles!

  • Debi Gordon

    Dear Steve,
    You are in our prayers, we trust God and his recovery plans for you.
    We celebrate each new bit of news of your recovery and pray for relief from pain.
    We welcome you back to Seattle for your rehab.
    You are loved by us at FPCB.
    debi gordon

  • Claudine

    Hi Michelle and Steve,
    As I read your posts Miche I have had that vision that Steve's pain is like a never ending labor contraction. I am praying for some relief from this for Steve. Your specific requests are great and help keep us all on track and praying so intensely specific as a group. I'm thrilled to hear the nurses have been so wonderful – that really makes all the difference in a situation like this. When the glorious day comes that you leave the ICU you will miss them.
    I was so glad to hear your prayers answered as you and Steve navigate the details of his next step of recovery. Your community in Seattle will be an amazing support and I look forward to seeing you there and putting my arms around you!
    Thank you so much for sharing these intimate and painful details with all of us – I can feel the prayers going out around the world to lift Steve up.
    May God bless you on this new day – it is a day for rejoicing!
    love – Claudine

  • Pastor Bob Belford

    I am Bob Belford, Senior Adult Pastor at Woodland Hills Church in Asheville. I was almost killed in my own motorcycle accident a few years ago. My pastor had asked me to contact you to see if there is anything we can do for you. I am respecting your note not to visit although I am in the St Jo as this is being written. If we may be of any service to you please call my cell at 828-450-9367. You are much in our thoughts and prayers. Sincerely-Bob

  • Jen S Tawatao

    Steve and Michelle, our constant prayers have been with you and your boys since we first heard of your accident. Our prayers actually began before we even knew who we were really even praying for, then as more information came out, the puzzle pieces came together and we realized that these friends of Chris and Tiffany were actually our old neighbors on Evanston Ave. We are sending prayers of healing, comfort, wisdom and peace to you all and those around you.
    Peace and healing to you all,
    Jen, Dave, Maya and Grace Tawatao

  • irene

    my daughter had designed a poster and journal that says “Taking One Day at a Time”. His mercy is new every morning. We have seen His hands and we can trust that He will continue to hold your hands.

  • Debbie Priest

    Praying w/o ceasing this day for the surgery…what a blessing to be able to stand behind you in this way. It is a privilege to be a part of Steve's healing.

    Debbie Priest

  • Sandra

    Michelle and Family…

    Although we don't personally know each other I feel as though the Lord has lead me to you through my friend Stephanie (Sevilla). If/when you do come to Seattle for Steve's treatments and therapy, if you don't have any family or friends in the Seattle area, please know that our home is open to you. It's not a “grandiose” house by any means…but it is a home. You can stay however long you need to. However, if you do have family or friends up here, I certainly won't be hurt if you turned my offer down. :) I think I heard Stephanie mention that you were here in Seattle before moving to Manilla? I could be wrong. In any case…please know there is an open invitation for you and your family to come and stay with us. :)

    I'm continuing to pray for Steve's pain management (first and foremost) and for his overall healing in general. In this situation…I hate to say it, but everything is in God's plan and it's difficult to see right at this moment how or why this much pain would be in ANYONE's plan…and I know it pains the Lord to see his child going through this…He hears and sees Steve's suffering…but it's all in His plan. Hold on to this. I had to terminate my pregnancy 6 years ago while I was 5.5 months pregnant, after having my minor stroke…and it was THE worst pain that I had to go through…but yelled out to the Lord for comfort during every step of the way…because as terrible as it was, I held on to the fact that it was all in His plan for me. We had a beautiful and smart little girl in 2008 and she IS the child that was intended for us. She is so well behaved, aside from the “terrible 2's” monster that pops out every now and then…and even then, it's not all that terrible. She is our gift and blessing from the Lord. I still don't know how losing our first child was in the Lord's plan…maybe He wanted me to share this story with you some day…a question that will be answered in Heaven some day I guess? But it was all in His plan, and I'm ok with that.

    I also pray that Steve relinquishes feeling terrible for the “pain he's causing others”. He needs to know that his loved ones are not in pain…they are overwhelmed with love for him and wants to see him out of pain, right? He should not feel bad for what has happened to him. What a wondeful person he is and such a man of God.

    I also pray for strength and peace for you Michelle. Please get your rest when you can and do not neglect your health. (Advice I got from the nurses last month when my father passed away.) “You're no good for him if you're not well.” I know in your heart you want to stay by his side 24/7 or more if it were even possible. But you need to be healthy and strong for Steve too. Even if it's only for 30 minutes…or an hour outside of the hospital…take care of yourself…get some fresh air. It's not being selfish. Sorry…that's just my 2 pennies…what I've been told…and it's so true.

    God Bless…still…Keeping the Faith…

    Sandra

  • Marilyn Wilt

    I continue to uphold your family in prayer. The energy required for every moment is correctly spent with immediate family and on this moment in time. May God sustain you today, tomorrow and all the days of this recovery. Marilyn Wilt