Resolved to rejoice.

The many adventures of Ryan & KJ...and Duds.

[ryanandkatiejo]

Sometimes when I'm most weak, I feel the most loved. Flowers from a friend, my spouse doing the laundry--these simple gestures make it possible to receive the truth that "The Lord is the stronghold of my life." Isn't it beautiful how others make it easier to "Wait for the Lord," to "be strong," and let our hearts "take courage"?

[ryanandkatiejo]

@fredoniachatt. The designer in me is so happy right now! #soloviva #chastyle #CHA #localdesign #fairtrade (at Fredonia-Provisions For Women)

[ryanandkatiejo]

Such a proud moment as a designer! Got to see my purse collection for sale at @fredoniachatt. Amazing to see them in a store! #thankful #chastyle #CHA #pursedesign #soloviva

[ryanandkatiejo]

These are a few of my favorite things... Sound of Music quotes come easily when exploring the hills behind my parents house. #thehillsarealive #wildflowerlove #naturalcolorsarebest #mt #406 #igersmontana

[ryanandkatiejo]

May 12, 2014. Hard to believe "summer break" starts this Friday! #coloradospring #springsnow #mayshowers #denverweather #crazy

[ryanandkatiejo]

Peaceful shores, far from home. (at Sunset Beach Pier)

[ryanandkatiejo]

Fruit that lasts

“If our suffering unbolts our own heart to allow freer entrance by the Word of God, it also unbolts our heart to allow freer flow outward of empathetic love.”

D.A. Carson in How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil, p. 123

I've seen this fruit in others, most markedly in one of my professors. (Her capacity for empathy is unlike anything I have ever encountered!) I've felt for a long time that suffering is transforming me into a conduit or vessel through which Christ's love can more freely flow. This is my prayer and the crowning joy of living in company with physical pain. 

-KJ

[ryanandkatiejo]

Catching Our Breath

After consecutive weeks of being buried in books it's nice to get away, even for just a few hours! We took a brief trip to an apple orchard today to get a taste of fall and it was pretty awesome. Fresh air, fall leaves, farm animals, apples, cider, and amazing doughnuts. It was great to catch our breath. 

We're back at it the next few weeks until Thanksgiving break. Pray for energy and joy for both of us if you think about it. Katie Jo has been resilient and is doing really well in school despite not feeling great (bronchitis is gone--praise God--but not AS). We'll need wisdom going forward about her course load and any necessary adjustments to continue to protect her health. Thanks again for all the love and support!

Ryan

[ryanandkatiejo]

This morning we woke up to the first snow of the season! I'm glad for the reminder that just as the seasons change, so do seasons of the soul. 

[ryanandkatiejo]

Thank you for praying!

Update: 

I'm totally in the clear with regard to bronchitis! Feeling SO much better! Thank you all for praying. I'm well enough to start up my Remicade infusions again, so I'll be going in on Monday afternoon. Please be praying for this new treatment to be effective in:

Reducing morning stiffness/pain

Stopping the process of joint damage, especially in my spine

Overall symptom relief

Hopefully soon getting me off of steroids (Because they are NO FUN/scary.)

Pray also that God would keep protecting my immune system while I'm on immunosuppressant drugs. 

Ryan's been a little sick for the past few days. Pray for energy, alertness, and health for him as he has a midterm tomorrow. Speaking of midterms, I've got two next week (One is in the class Ryan and I are in together.). Thankful I feel better so I can focus a bit more on school!

Again, thank you for praying for us. We are encouraged at how God heard the prayers of his people and clearly had his healing hand on me. 

In his hands,

KJ

[ryanandkatiejo]

Be praying

Hey friends,

Please be praying for my health. I've been struggling with bronchitis for almost six weeks now, and I really need to get better. As many of you know, my immune system is suppressed because of my treatments for AS. This makes it a) easy for me to get sick and b) a lot harder for my body to fight infections and get better. So far I've gone through two courses of antibiotics, steroids, an inhaler, and tons of mucinex, and I'm still exhausted and coughing hard every day. It's made keeping up with school pretty difficult.

I've hesitated to post about this because I hate to complain; I kind of prefer to keep my personal challenges a bit more private. But I believe God hears our prayers, and I really could use yours today and throughout this week. Pray for wellness, energy to keep up with school, and also pray that God would keep helping me have perspective, joy, and faith. It's hard to face having a body that can be so weakened by simple infections, but I don't need to dwell on that weakness. You know?

Thanks, friends.

KJ

[ryanandkatiejo]

Lord, help us keep sowing

Yesterday as I was slowly getting ready for the day, I ritually turned on some music. Having completely overplayed Sara Groves (Yes, I do still like her music.), I turned to something new from Bifrost Arts. Peaceful and soulful worship music in the morning helps my often anxious mind slow and breathe, expanding my heart to fit more than my own rushed ideals of perfection into the coming hours.

When "Psalm 126" (which you can listen to below) came on, I was instantly attuned:

"Although we are weeping,

Lord, help us keep sowing

the seeds of your Kingdom

for the day you will reap them.

Your sheaves we will carry.

Lord, please do not tarry.

All those who sow weeping

will go out with songs of joy."

You see, I'm a weeper. Ever since illness became part of my life, sorrow has been part of my life as well. Years keep teaching me that weeping is not something to squelch or run away from. Nor is it something of which to be ashamed. Rather, the pattern of scripture teaches me that suffering is the path of blessing. 

Sitting, still in pain from morning stiffness, slowly putting on makeup and sipping the coffee Ryan so thoughtfully makes each day, I hear, "Although we are weeping, Lord, help us keep sowing the seeds of your Kingdom..." Yes, although I am weeping, although it seems like one aspect of sickness or another is always influencing my ability and capacity to "sow" productively, I so deeply want to keep sowing. In the artist's voice, I hear my voice; I hear my prayer.

Weeping, sorrow, and grief likely will always be part of my life as long as God allows my body to have a disease. In the face of pain and the irritating consequences of disease (like getting infections easily as I have now), it can seem like suffering bars me from participating in true Kingdom work. But Psalm 126 teaches me that not only does weeping not incapacitate my ability to sow seeds of God's Kingdom, but that those who sow weeping have special fruit and joy coming. We weepers have a special inheritance and a world-defying ability to sow perhaps the most effective fruit-bearing seeds. Seeds that are sown in weeping are the seeds of Christ.

So keep weeping. Please keep weeping. Keep interacting with your pain, keep bearing it with open hands before the God who Himself knows pain, misunderstanding, and isolation so intimately. Your sorrow is not an obstruction to building God's Kingdom, but rather is the special means by which God bears fruit. One day, he will reap them. All those who sow weeping, will go out with songs of joy. 

[ryanandkatiejo]

Openness to suffering is really openness to life. Suffering is an inevitable part of life, and if we are to be open to any of life, we must be open to it all

Care of Souls: Revisioning Christian Nurture and Counsel, Benner.

[ryanandkatiejo]

We are starting school today! About to get oriented... (at Denver Seminary)

[ryanandkatiejo]

Good News!

Katie Jo and I are giving thanks to God for some great news we received in the last week! First, I accepted a job last week at Fellowship Denver Church! I will be serving as a Pastoral Assistant under Hunter Beaumont, the lead pastor. I am thrilled for this opportunity and can't wait to get started. Of course this also means that Fellowship Denver will be our new home church, which we are doubly excited about! It's a great church with vibrant worship, faithful teaching, and a heart for bearing witness to Jesus in Denver. Now that we've settled at a church Katie Jo and I hope to dive in. We look forward to investing ourselves in the church, new friendships, and any opportunities that await us! 

Secondly, Katie Jo heard back from her doctor last week after having new X-rays done. We were concerned there may be further joint damage in her neck or other joints not previously X-rayed, but we praise God there was no damage to report in the results! We were so encouraged and relieved. In addition, KJ really likes her new doctor and we feel she is in very good hands going forward. He is very personable, knowledgeable, and especially attentive to Katie Jo's particular history with AS. We thank God for this, as anyone with ongoing sickness understands. It is so critical to have a doctor and team that cares about you and is committed to you personally. 

So now we have about a week and a half before school and work begins. Thank you to everyone who has and continues to pray for us! God has taken care of us and we have certainly felt covered by your prayers. There have been so many sweet blessings, provisions, as well as generous gifts and acts of kindness. As we begin this new chapter we simply hope to replicate the love that has been shown to us. It's an amazing thing to receive love from people who are moved and stirred by the love of God. That's the kind of people we want to be. 

Ryan & KJ

[ryanandkatiejo]

So long, Montana. See you someday soon! Love living so much closer to my family! #thankful #montanagram

[ryanandkatiejo]

Back on the rocks! Praising God for the health and energy to climb again. What a gift! #vscocam #kickAS #justgoshoot #explore Living beyond #ankylosingspondylitis!