April, 2010
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Friends,
What a wonderful Graduation Service here at Pentecostal Bible College in Nyang'ori, Kenya on Friday March 26! Though our numbers were not as high as originally anticipated we nevertheless were filled to overflowing with a spirit of rejoicing as 247 students graduated! Wow! Two-Hundred-and-Forty Seven is far and away a record number of graduates in the storied sixty-one-year history of Pentecostal Bible College. Just prayerfully imagine the incredible impact these Spirit-filled graduates will have on the spiritually needy nation of Kenya as they persuasively proclaim the Word of God and lift up the Name of Jesus in ministry!
What a wonderful Good Friday--Easter Weekend! Good Friday was spent visiting with Pastor John and Jane Okello at the Village of Hope near Kisumu as well as sharing a Good Friday Message with Pastor John's "Hope Chapel" congregation. Sheila spent the Saturday of Holy Weekend teaching three women who attend PBC how to bake "morning glory" muffins. Sheila taught them well. My mouth is watering even now as I remember those tasty muffins which were served at an Easter Sunrise service in our backyard attended by about 25 students who remain on campus working to earn money for the May-July term at PBC.
What a wonderful between-terms Extension Program here at PBC. Presently we are offering three weeks of courses for Pastors and key Church leaders (Board Members, Departmental Leaders, Sunday School Teachers, etc). Michael is teaching Spiritual Formation. Today's class was accompanied by a rich sense of the Holy Spirit's ministering presence as we prayerfully examined what it means to be "conformed to the likeness of [Jesus]" (Romans 8:29). The students throughly enjoyed prayerfully singing that "golden-oldie" To Be Like Jesus...All I Ask is to Be Like Him...
Thank you for praying for our teen-age twins--Gabriella and Moriah. They have adapted very well to the way of life here in Kenya. Presently they are enjoying an end-of-term break from Braeburn Kisumu International School. By the way, the BKIS report card is a sixteen page booklet! The twins have worked hard--(there is usually one to two hours of homework most nights)--and brought home good report cards. We are very thankful. As always, we deeply appreciate your prayerful and financial support. The challenge here is great but we serve a GREAT God who works through great people like you! God bless you abundantly in every aspect of your life!
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
December, 2009
Dear Come With Us to Kenya Prayer Partners,
It could have been a rather miserable moment...but instead it was a memorable moment. It happened earlier this month as the students at Braeburn Kisumu International School, where Gabriella and Moriah attend, were presenting their Christmas Cantata in the courtyard of a shopping mall in downtown Kisumu. There was a power blackout as the students were singing, O Come All Ye Faithful...Nobody groaned. Nobody gave up on the song. Spontaneously, immediately and serendipitously the audience blended their voices with the BKIS choir and finished the song. The power did return but the brief power blackout resulted in a powerful and memorable moment! Teamwork makes the dream work!
Earlier this evening--Wednesday December 22--we enjoyed a meaningful time of fellowship in our home with nine students from Pentecostal Bible College. We felt it would be important to have a Christmas celebration with these nine men who are working at the college over the Christmas holidays in order to earn money to pay for their tuition. We enjoyed singing a few Christmas Carols, reading Scripture, praying together and then sharing some Christmas refreshments. The evening concluded with each gentleman receiving a gift of a tie. The students were very pleased and very grateful. These gifts were provided by Bethel Pentecostal Church in Kaladar, Ontario. Teamwork makes the dream work!
We are so thankful to be in Kenya this Christmas! Last Christmas was considerably different...for us...with Sheila having recently come through breast cancer surgery and facing many months of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. We are delighted to share with you that Sheila had a very thorough and very successful three-month check-up here in Kisumu in early November. To God be the glory! Her next check-up is scheduled for February 2010. Thank you for your prayers, thank you for your support, thank you for your emails and thank you for your Christmas cards. We truly sense your partnership. We could not do what we are doing without your partnership. May God bless you! Teamwork makes the dream work!
Christmas 2009 Blessings From Our Home to Your Home,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
November, 2009
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
A VERY TRAGIC DEATH:
The disquieting sounds of mournful singing/music wafting plaintively over the winds from a nearby village were heard in our home this past weekend--really almost from sundown till sun-up--as the people of the village payed parting respects to a married twenty-three year old man, and father of four very young children, who succumbed to the HIV virus. Apparently the deceased, so we were told, was an alcoholic and a womanizer.
Only God knows how this man contacted aids but it would seem more than likely that it was the result of an immoral lifestyle. The death of a twenty-three year old man with an eternal soul is heart-rending by any reckoning but when one begins to consider the extensive collateral damage of this untimely death--a husbandless young woman and four fatherless children--this death is beyond sad.
OUR PURPOSE AT PBC:
Our purpose at Pentecostal Bible College is to equip students so that they will be able to offer hope and help to people in desperate need throughout the land of Kenya. The greatest hope, the greatest help our students can offer Kenya is that of well-rounded, Spirit-empowered ministry in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ--the only Savior, the only Healer, the only Baptizer, and the only Coming King--the One who saves for time and eternity "from the guttermost to the uttermost."
YOUR GENEROUS GIVING:
Your faithful and generous giving is making a definite difference here at PBC. Since arriving here in late September we--through you--have been able to provide scholarships for thirteen students (eight men and five women). We--through you--have been able to strengthen our library with dozens of very good books and we--through you--have been able to bless our Kenyan faculty with books for their personal libraries. We--through you--were also able to assist three children with fees for exams at their public school.
We are presently in need of a generator which will service the entire PBC campus--offices, chapel, dorms, classrooms, library, and faculty and staff homes. Blackouts--a very common occurrence in Nyang'ori--interfere with the routine of college life as well as undermine campus security. Earlier this year a blackout lasted for an entire week around the clock. A suitable generator has been priced at between five and six thousand Canadian dollars.If you would like to help PBC with this vital need, please send funds to the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada with the following designation: PBC Generator, Middlebrook, Kenya. Any contribution toward this need is greatly appreciated. When enough funds are collected a generator will be purchased.
As always, thank you for your prayers and giving. We could not do what we are doing without your help. God bless you abundantly!!
Michal and Sheila Middlebrook
Gabriella and Moriah
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
We are here in Kenya! Actually we have been here for almost three weeks but we wanted to wait until we had settled into the routine of day-to-day life prior to corresponding with you. Upon arrival we received warm Karibu Kenya welcomes (Welcome to Kenya) from the Nairobi-based PAOC misssionary team as well as from the faculty and students of Pentecostal Bible College in Nyang'ori.
Gabriella and Moriah have completed two weeks at Braeburn Kisumu International School. They are in Grade 7 which is considered to be High School at BKIS! BKIS begins at 8am and runs until 4:05pm. The girls are enjoying the academic emphasis and the community environment of BKIS. The twins, along with their new friend Arianna, have been appointed as designers and proof-readers of their class newspaper.
The twice-a-day, hour-long round trip to BKIS is always an interesting experience to say the least! There is a lot of activity and "competition" for space on the pothole infested two lane road between cars, matatu vans (taxis) darting in and out of traffic, three-wheeled taxis, motorbikes, bicycles, workers hauling wagon loads of goods, pedestrians, and yes...cows and goats...So far, so good!!
We have 270 students at PBC this term. Fifty-four students are serving their internship program in various local churches throughout the length and breadth of Kenya this term. Therefore our student body consists of 324 students. I have stepped into the full responsibilities of the Academic Dean's office and am also teaching two courses--Spiritual Formation and Christian Apologetics.
Sheila is doing well. We visited her doctor simply for relational reasons immediately upon arrival in Kisumu. Presently I hear Sheila in the background humming an old hymn while she prepares supper. She is quiite busy making the mission house a home. Next week she will be spending time ministering to the children who attend a nursery school here on campus.
As always, thank you so much for standing with us in faith whether it be prayerfully, financially or both. We truly could not do what we are doing without your partnership. It amazes us when we realize that we are here in Kenya. May the God "who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20) bless you with a wonderful Canadian Thanksgiving weekend!
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook and Gabriella and Moriah
mMiddlebrook@paoc.org
Friday, September 18, 2009
Dear Come With us to Kenya Prayer Partners,
Call to me and I will answer you...(Jeremiah 33:3).
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine...(Ephesians 3:20).
Whew! It has been a whirlwind of activity the past several days. We still have "one or two" things to do prior to catching our Saturday September 19 evening flight out of Montreal enroute to Nairobi via London. As mentioned in our previous email correspondence we do have several "points of prayer" which we would like to share with you as you continue to stand with us in faith in this new season of ministry that lies immediately before us.
Prayer Point One: That Sheila, Gabriella, Moriah, and I will adapt and adjust quickly to daily life in Kenya. That Gabriella and Moriah, our twelve year old twins, will enjoy Braeburn Kisumu International School and that they will meet and make new friends. That Sheila and I will "seamlessly" step into life and ministry with our faculty, staff, and students at Pentecostal Bible College in Nyang'ori and that we will meet and make new friends as well!
Prayer Point Two: That, by God's grace, we will experience on a daily basis, excellent health spiritually, physically (especially Sheila), and emotionally. That God's shalom, shalom (Isaiah 26:3) will fortify and guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7) at night as we sleep, during the day as we drive the twins to and from school, and in every other facet of day-to-day life.
Prayer Point Three: The previous prayer point also applies in principle to our daughter Ruth and her husband Connor, as well as our son Stephen and our daughter Bethany. This is the first time that we will be in "two places" as a family...the four of us in Kenya and Ruth, Connor, Stephen, and Bethany in Ontario. We will certainly miss one another but we know that God is well able to help each of us walk this new journey with great strength.
Prayer Point Four: That God will, for His glory and for His Kingdom purposes, strategically use Sheila and I as we have the amazing privilege of being involved in leadership training of some three hundred spiritually "on fire" young (and in some cases older) Kenyans. (Pentecostal Bible College, founded in 1949, is a pastoral equipping center with marvellous centrifugal impact throughout the length and breadth of the great nation of Kenya).
Prayer Point Five: That God, working through His generous people, will continue to meet the ongoing financial needs of Come With Us to Kenya. We are so thankful for every dollar that has been designated to CWUTK by a church, a business, or an individual. If God is leading others to designate support to CWUTK please visit our website--www.comewithustokenya.com--and download our flyer or phone the PAOC (905-542-7400). Thanks!
As Christian missionary William Carey (1761-1834) prepared to leave England for India in 1793 he referred to those on the the home front who stood with him in faith as "rope holders" in the Spirit. We are so thankful for the many, many friends on the home front who stand with us in faith as we leave Canada for Kenya, who, as it were, "hold the ropes" in the Spirit through prayer. What a miraculous connection! God bless you!!
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
mMiddlebrook@paoc.org
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Dear Come With Us to Kenya Prayer Partners,
"You are the God who performs miracles (Psalm 77:14)." Indeed He is a miracle working God--past, present and future! On Saturday September 19 we--Sheila, Gabriella, Moriah, and I--will be leaving Canada for Nyang'ori, Kenya. "God's gifts and His call are irrevocable (Romans 11:29)."
On our final Sunday in Canada prior to departure, which is Sunday September 13, we will be ministering at Marmora Pentecostal Church in the morning service and at Bethel Pentecostal Church in Smiths Falls in the evening service. May God copiously pour out His Spirit, for His glory, in both of these services.
As the song says, "We've come this far by faith, trusting in the Lord." Thank you so very, very much for standing with us in faith these past two years as we have prepared to move to Kenya, and especially this past year during this very sudden--(to us but not to God)--and very serious trial by cancer which delayed our departure.
"For we wanted to come to you--certainly I, Paul did, again and again--but Satan stopped us....Now may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you ( 1 Thessalonaian 2:18, 3:11)." These verses have encouraged us many times during this interesting and challenging journey. God is good, all the time!
Deeply Appreciative of Your Powerful Intercessory Influence in Our Lives,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
mMiddlebrook@paoc.org
PS: We are going to prepare a prayer list which we will email you on, or before, Saturday September 19.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Dear "Come With Us To Kenya" Prayer Partners,
All systems are...almost go! We had a tremendously encouraging meeting with our missions leader, Murray Cornelius, at the international office of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada in Mississauga this morning (Monday August 31). Early in the conversation Murray asked, "So when do you think you will be ready to leave for Kenya?" Sheila responded, "Well, we already have nine suitcases packed!"
It appears quite likely that we will be leaving for Kenya within the next few weeks. Murray will be meeting with other executive leaders on Tuesday September 8. One of the matters pertaining to missions which will be decided in that meeting will be our departure date for Pentecostal Bible College in Nyang'ori, Kenya.
Our meeting today concluded with a time of fervent corporate prayer. Murray invited several members of the missions staff into his office as our meeting was drawing to a close. Irving Whitt, who serves as Global Educational and Leadership Coordinator for the PAOC, led in prayer--prayer for Sheila and prayer for our ministry in Nyang'ori. It was a very moving time of prayer. Praise God for the prayers of His faith-filled people!
To be entirely candid, our meeting with Murray also involved discussion about our missions budget as this continues to be an area of some concern. We continue to believe that The God of the Breakthrough (cf. 2 Samuel 5:20) will bring an influx of needed blessing in this important area ( cf. Isaiah 60:22b).
Sheila has one more important cancer-related appointment as part of the follow-up program she has been on the past few weeks. She is scheduled for a mammogram on her "healthy breast" tomorrow (Tuesday September 1) at Brockville General Hospital. This mammogram is simply a routine matter for breast cancer patients following radiation and chemotherapy. Our prayer is that that is exactly what it will prove to be--routine!
Thank you so much for standing with us in faith during this journey to Kenya. At times the journey has been turbulent but the Lord has never failed to remind us that "With Christ in our boat, we will keep afloat" (Mark 4:35-41). Your prayers have been strategically used of God to bring edification to our lives. God bless you!!
Eager to Enter the Next Chapter Which God Will Write in the Story of Our Lives,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
mMiddlebrook@paoc.org
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Dear "Come With Us To Kenya" Prayer Partners,
Hooray! Praise the Lord! At Sheila's follow-up appointment yesterday afternoon at Kingston General Hospital (KGH), the first words the medical oncologist spoke as he walked into the room were, "What is the weather like in Kenya at this time of the year? I guess you will soon find out!" Well, that makes it unanimous! Without hesitation and without reservation our family doctor (Wednesday August 5), the radiation oncologist (Friday August 14), the surgeon who performed the modified radical mastectomy (Friday August 21), and the medical oncologist (Tuesday August 25) have each expressed wholehearted affirmation that Sheila is ready to move on with life! Holy Scripture, the Christ-follower's Magna Charta, reads, "In the multitude of counsellors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14, 24:6 KJV). We are very thankful for the expert care these skilled medical practitioners have provided for Sheila over the past ten months. As we hopped into a good friend's vehicle yesterday and began driving out of the parking lot of the KGH Cancer Centre we were rejoicing in the Lord, praying in the Spirit, and declaring victory in Jesus' Name (and alertly watching the road)! We enjoyed a praise the Lord celebration a little later at home with our family as well!
There are two more key dates on the immediate horizon. The first key date is Monday August 31. On this day we will meet with Murray Cornelius (who serves as Assistant Superintendent for International Missions for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada) in order to discuss a departure date for Nyang'ori, Kenya. We appreciate very much how our leadership team--Murray, Stephen Chaloner (Africa Regional Director), and Kirk Kauffeldt (Kenya Field Director)--have stood with us in firm faith and empathetic understanding during this cancer crisis. Please pray for a very clear "it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us" meeting with Murray (cf. Acts 15:28). The second key date is Tuesday September 1. On this day Sheila is scheduled for a mammogram on her "healthy breast" at Brockville General Hospital. This is simply a routine matter and it is our prayer that that is exactly what it will prove to be--routine. ( Sheila and I-- both in many ways quiet and reserved by nature--have been very open with you about our journey. At a later date we will share with our prayer partners biblical and practical reasons as to why we believe the Lord has led us to be transparent about an issue as "sensitive" as breast cancer. Suffice it to say for now, we have simply wanted our intercessory partners to pray as specifically and strategically as possible).
In spite of the wonderfully optimistic follow-up reports Sheila has received from the medical community, she will always stand in need of ongoing prayer. As any one who has battled breast cancer knows, there is always a risk of recurrence. It is simply a statistical reality to acknowledge this matter of potential recurrence; it is not a "lack of faith" to acknowledge this matter of potential recurrence. The statistics show that given the nature of the breast cancer that attacked Sheila--combated by the ensuing six cycles of chemotherapy, sixteen sessions of radiation therapy and five years of hormonal therapy (Tamoxifen)--the risk of recurrence is 20-25 percent. Our focus, as the medical oncologist stated, should be on the 75-80 percent column of nonrecurrence. That is exactly where our faith-in-God-focus is...in the 75-80 nonrecurrence column. Sheila and I have now been married for twenty seven years. It is our desire and our faith-based focus, as Jesus tarries, to celebrate fifty years and beyond of walking through the various vicissitudes of life together, hand-in-hand and heart-to-heart, "in sickness and in health" as we covenanted with God and with one another on our wedding day of April 24, 1982. Deo Volente. May the will of God be done.
Please allow us to conclude this update with one more important matter. Throughout this entire cancer-ordeal we have continued to network with people regarding the financial foundation of Come With Us To Kenya. As noted in our August 2009 Newsletter (posted on the home page of our website... www.comewithustokenya.com) there have been some praise reports and some challenges regarding the raising of funds. Please pray that God by His Spirit will touch hearts and move people whom He desires to support our ministry so that Come With Us To Kenya will be built on a solid financial foundation and thus the ministry will be launched in Kenya with success (Luke 14:28-30). Please don't misunderstand the figurative words "financial foundation". Every God-honouring, Christ-centered, Spirit-anointed ministry must be built on a solidly biblical foundation. Indeed, it is our rigorous and vigorous intent that Come With Us To Kenya be based and built on a solidly biblical foundation. However, every ministry (like any other worthwhile endeavour in life) involves "financial fuel". Please pray that God will fully meet the tangible needs of Come With Us To Kenya. May God shower copious, generous blessing on your ministry endeavours as well! A great big thank you to all who faithfully pray for and/or support Come With Us To Kenya!!
Eager To Depart For Kenya In God's Chosen Time,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Friday, August 21, 2009
Dear Friends,
Sheila received another excellent report in today's (Friday August 21) check-up with the surgeon in Brockville. "You look great," were the first words he spoke to Sheila. Amen! Other than making a few practical suggestions regarding international travel he has no problem with Sheila moving on with life.
He allowed for plenty of opportunity for Q and A. It was a very upbeat and encouraging meeting. We are very grateful.
Today's appointment was Sheila's third check-up over-all. Three down, two to go! The next check-up is with the medical oncologist in Kingston on Tuesday August 25. Your prayers are a tremendous source of strength. Thank you so much and may God bless you with a wonderful weekend!
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Dear Friends,
We just wanted to let you know that we were very encouraged as a result of today's (Friday August 14) appointment with the radiation oncologist in Kingston.
He did express mild concern about Sheila looking a wee bit tired but other than that he was extremely pleased with her progress. The radiation sight "looked great." He also said that from his perspective he saw no reason why Sheila cannot begin to "get on with life." Praise the Lord!
Sheila's next follow-up appointment is with the surgeon in Brockville on Friday August 21. Your effectual fervent prayers for these follow-up appointments are deeply, very deeply, appreciated. God bless you abundantly!
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
mMiddlebrook@paoc.org
PS: Sheila now has a very full head of very short hair!! She looks great!!
Monday, June 29, 2009
This is just a brief note to let you know that, as of Tuesday June 23, Sheila has completed her treatment regimen for breast cancer. Sixteen sessions of radiotherapy, along with six cycles of chemotherapy, are now in the rearview mirror! Praise the Lord! Thank you so much for your faith-filled prayers!
Other than an element of fatigue, Sheila is doing very well. Though we do not have exact dates, as of yet, follow-up appointments will be scheduled with Sheila's medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and her surgeon. We are very optimistic as we consider what the future holds for us in the will of God.
Perhaps one day the Lord will allow us the opportunity to share our thoughts in a transparent and edifying manner on this particular season of life. If so, we shall entitle our thoughts--"Breast Cancer: The Battle and the Blessing." We have truly experienced the blessing of God amid this battle with cancer. God indeed is good all the time!
In mid-summer we shall send out a detailed newsletter when we have more information to share with you about Sheila's follow-up appointments and also about our ministry at Pentecostal Bible College in Nyang'ori, Kenya. In a recent email, our principal mentioned that God's Spirit is on the move at PBC! How exciting!
Partners Together in Preparing Christian Leaders at Pentecostal Bible College in Nyang'ori, Kenya,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
Hooray! "But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession...(2 Corinthians 2:14)." Sheila's six cycles of precautionary chemotherapy are now in the rearview mirror. Over the next several weeks the remnants of chemo will leave her body and her immune system will be strengthened. From mid-June until mid-July Sheila will receive sixteen treatments of precautionary radiotherapy. Radiation will be administered to the chest wall in the mastectomy region as well as to the lymph nodes near her right collarbone. While we will not rush things, the time appears to be coming soon whereby Sheila, in the words of her optimistic oncologist, will be able "to get on with life." God is good!
From May 8 until May 23 I shall be away in Nyang'ori, Kenya ministering at Pentecostal Bible College. Sheila's encouragement has been the driving force behind me taking this trip at this time (during the break between chemotherapy and radiotherapy). Other than three overnight trips to churches in Toronto, Ancaster and Stratford respectively, I have not been away from Sheila during this trial by cancer. Thus it is my prayer that my time in Kenya will be positive and productive but much more than that I pray that things go well with Sheila during my absence. Our God is able! A friend and colleague in ministry, Rev. Kevin Mills, will be accompanying me on this ministry trip. As always thank you so very much for your prayers! God bless you abundantly!
Trusting In the Lord Who Heals and Standing On His Powerful Word,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
When I arrived home from Ancaster on Sunday evening, I had to take Sheila into the Emergency Department at the hospital here in Smiths Falls as she had experienced a rough day. As it turns out, she was diagnosed with febrile neutropenia which means she was running a fever and her white blood cells which combat infection were low in count. At midnight, intravenous antibiotics were administered to begin the process of killing off the infection. We were back at the hospital at eight o'clock Monday morning for another dose of IV antibiotics.
Sheila is now sporting a fanny pack around her waist. She is here at home. The pouch of the pack contains a portable Cadd Prizm infusion pump which is programmed to administer IV antibiotics every eight hours for the next several days. Amazing! We are so grateful for the health care that is available here in Canada.
We are hoping that this is only a slight hiccup on the chemo-journey. We are hoping that the timing of Sheila's fifth chemo-cycle (scheduled for Tuesday April 14) is not disrupted. We are also needing to gain the mind of God regarding the possibility of a seventeen day trip into Kenya which I would take in May during the one-month window between chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Sheila has encouraged me to do this and she was about to purchase the airline tickets online. We now need to talk to her oncologist about the advisability of the trip.
As always, thank you so much for your prayers. We deeply appreciate your ongoing intercessory influence in our lives. We pray that your Holy Week will be deeply blessed as you contemplate the supreme sacrifice of the Crucified One and as you celebrate the rich reality of our Risen Redeemer.
Trusting In the Lord and Standing On His Word,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
"But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat (Nehemiah 4:9)." So said Nehemiah when facing considerable opposition while rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in Old Testament times. When we were facing "opposition" ten days ago in the form of an infection/fever in Sheila's body we--and those who stand with us in faith--prayed to our God and posted a guard, as it were, with our visit to the Emergency Department in Smiths Falls.
Thank God for the synergistic relationship between faith-filled prayer and expert health care! Within two days of the seven day regimen of intravenous antibiotics Sheila had rallied and was back to feeling tickety-boo! We are happy to report that she had her fifth round of chemotherapy today (Tuesday April 14) thus remaining on cycle. Five down, one to go! The final chemo-cycle is scheduled for Tuesday May 5. Thank you so much for your prayers.
Trusting In the Lord Who Heals and Standing On His Powerful Word,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Monday, March 30, 2009
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
Sheila has now been through four rounds of chemotherapy. So far, so good. Except for periodic nausea, which is to be expected, Sheila has responded very well to chemotherapy. Two weeks ago we started going out for walks every evening. Most nights we enjoy a three kilometer jaunt. We praise God!
Four down, two to go. The final two cycles of chemotherapy are scheduled for Tuesday April 14 and Tuesday May 5. Approximately one month after the final chemo-cycle Sheila will begin radiation treatments. Sheila will receive a daily dose--Mondays to Fridays--of radiotherapy for three or four weeks.
We cannot say enough about the medical personnel in the cancer clinic at the Kingston General Hospital. Their skill and their care are magnificent. We are also meeting many new friends who are walking the same journey--battling cancer-- that we are presently walking. It is a pleasure to connect with these fine people.
Regarding "Come With Us to Kenya" we have managed to gain Sunday morning bookings for all four Sundays of April! Our schedule is: Sunday April 5 (Ancaster), Sunday April 12 (Marmora), Sunday April 19 (Kaladar), Sunday April 26 (Stratford). Presently we have one Sunday morning engagement for both May and June.
As always, we are very thankful for your prayers. As well, in all candor, on so many occasions it has been your call, your email, your card, or your visit which has proven to be a tremendous source of encouragement amid this season marked by a certain level of, humanly speaking, discouragement. God is good! And so are His people!
Trusting In the Lord and Standing On His Word,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Dear "Come With us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
It has been several weeks since our last update. Sheila is now sporting a funky, spunky, punky look...at home...when she is not wearing a cap or her wig! Yes, the chemotherapy cocktail, colloquially known as the "red devil" has--as expected--clawed Sheila's curly brown hair from her scalp and has left her looking...beautiful!
I find a great deal of wisdom in the title of a book by Tim Hansel which I purchased many years ago at one of my favorite used book stores, Books For Less in Accra, Ghana. The book I am referring to is "You've Gotta Keep Dancin': In The Midst of Life's Hurts, You Can Choose Joy!" A very wise prescription indeed!
Sheila is scheduled for her third cycle of chemotherapy on Tuesday March 3. This will mark the halfway point of chemotherapy treatment. Sheila's attitude remains vibrant and upbeat amid this trial by cancer and the various spin-off trials this ordeal inevitably brings. As always, your prayers are deeply appreciated. Thank you!
Trusting In the Lord and Standing On His Word,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
"One down, five to go," was Sheila's upbeat response following the first cycle of chemotherapy at the cancer clinic in Kingston on Tuesday January 20. It was a good day yesterday at the cancer clinic and it has been a good day today at home for Sheila. Nausea--a common chemo side effect--has not been a problem. Thanks so much for your prayers!
The consultation with the medical oncologist prior to the administration of chemo went very well. There is no evidence that the cancer that has come against Sheila has metastasized or spread. Praise the Lord! The next chemo cycle is scheduled for Tuesday February 10.
We continue to walk through this challenging season of life one day at a time. We thoroughly enjoy Matthew 6:34 in The Message: "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow: God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."
Joyful in Jesus,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out." These words from legendary basketball coach John Wooden have long been a source of inspiration. It is our purpose to make the best of the season of life that we are presently passing through. God, in His sovereign wisdom, has kept us from Kenya for the time being and instead has given us the opportunity to be His agents of hope, peace and joy, in a place where there is all too often very little hope, peace and joy--a cancer clinic.
Since we last connected with you on Tuesday December 23, Sheila has had a bone scan, a heart scan and a CT scan. On Tuesday January 20 we are scheduled to meet with the oncologist at the cancer clinic at Kingston General Hospital for a consultation regarding the results of the three scans. That same day Sheila is scheduled to begin the first cycle of chemotherapy. The chemotherapy "cocktail"--as the potent potion is often called-- will be administered through a PICC line.
A PICC line--a peripherally inserted central catheter--is a very thin and very flexible tube that will be inserted into one of the large veins in Sheila's left arm near the bend of the elbow. The line or tube will be threaded into the vein until the tip of the tube rests just above her heart. The PICC line will be left in place for the duration of the six cycles of chemotherapy that Sheila is scheduled to undergo over the next several months. The chemo cycles are to be twenty-one days apart.
As always, we deeply appreciate your prayers for Sheila. Please pray that any chemotherapy side effects will be minimal and that the benefits of chemotherapy will be maximal! Please pray that our travel from Smiths Falls to the cancer clinic in Kingston (ninety minutes each way) will be marked by safety. Please also pray that we will indeed be vessels through which the hope, peace and joy that comes from the Lord Jesus Christ will flow. Thank you for your prayers. We pray that God's blessings will be poured out upon your lives abundantly in 2009!
On a "Come With Us to Kenya" note, we obviously had no bookings for 2009 in Canada as we were scheduled to be in Kenya! However we do have a few openings--actually we have more than a few openings--if opportunities arise to present "Come With Us to Kenya" either mid-week or on Sundays. We are so grateful for all those who continue to support "Come with Us to Kenya" through the Missions Department of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. Thank you so much for your faithful support!
Joyful in Jesus,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
We continue to believe Yahweh Raphah--The LORD Who Heals--for a clean bill of health for my dear wife Sheila. The cancer that has attacked her body is known as "stage two" cancer. The Lymph Node Dissection reveals that of the ten lymph nodes that were removed, four were compromised. Certainly this is cause for concern but we have been told that there is no evidence that the cancer has traveled beyond these four lymph nodes. However, in order to ensure that the cancer has not traveled elsewhere in her body, Sheila will undergo a bone scan and a cat scan within the next few weeks. We mentioned to one of the medical specialists that we are very optimistic regarding Sheila's well-being. He said in reply, "There is no reason not to be."
It has been determined in multi-disciplinary fashion that Sheila's treatment will involve six cycles of chemotherapy which will stretch from approximately the middle of January until late Spring, followed by (after a month long break) several weeks of radiotherapy, as well as five years of hormonal therapy (which is administered through the ingesting of the prescription medication known as tamoxifen). The reason for these treatments is to reduce the risk of recurrence. Studies show that the type of cancer that has come against Sheila has a fifty percent likelihood of recurrence within ten years if no medical treatment is administered. Chemotherapy alone reduces this probability to twenty five percent. Radiotherapy and hormonal therapy will reduce the risk even more so, though by how much we do not yet know.
On occasion in these updates we have talked about the sovereignty of God. Our definition of the sovereignty of God is very simple: God is in complete control even when it feels as if the floor has fallen out from beneath us. Having said that, I must admit that I said to the oncologist today (Tuesday December 23), not complainingly but matter of factly: "Doctor, this is the craziest thing. We were scheduled to move to Kenya on Saturday December 27." His response: "This is the 'luckiest' thing. Better the cancer was discovered here in Canada than there in Africa." Touche! God is sovereign. God is in complete control. God is compassionately, omnisciently and omnipotently in complete control of our lives. He is absolutely trustworthy! Praise His wonderful and powerful Name!
We have prayed much, as have you, about the medical process. We are very peaceful about the pathway we are presently walking along. We believe that God, by His Spirit, is at work through the doctors and nurses who are providing expert care for Sheila. If all goes well--and remember, "There is no reason not to be [optimistic]"--we expect that Sheila will be given a clean bill of health in the summer of 2009 and that we will be Kenya-bound, with a year's supply of tamoxifen, by late August. Hallelujah! God is able! Thank you for standing with us in faith for Sheila's healing (which is far and away our first priority) and thank you for standing with us in faith regarding our ministry at Pentecostal Bible College in Nyang'ori, Kenya.
In an earlier update we mentioned that we have purposed to cultivate a joyful outlook amid this trial by cancer (James 1:2). "The joy of the LORD is [our] strength (Nehemiah 8:10)." "A cheerful heart is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22)." "Joy," Phillip Keller writes, "is a divine dimension of living not shackled by circumstances." Christmas is all about joy! The angel said to the shepherds that very first Christmas, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11)." We pray that each one of you will enjoy a very merry Christmas, and as Jesus tarries, a very blessed New Year!
Joyful in Jesus,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
We do have some news to share with you regarding medical decisions and ministry decisions. On Friday December 19 Sheila and I have an appointment at the cancer clinic in Kingston pertaining to radiotherapy (also known as radiation) and on Tuesday December 23 we have an appointment at the cancer clinic in Kingston pertaining to chemotherapy.
As far as we know at this point in time, Sheila will be entering--early in the new year-- regimes of treatment in both radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Also, as far as we know at this point in time, the purpose of these treatments is to significantly reduce the risk of cancer recurring in Sheila's body.
We have maintained from the beginning of this season of trial by cancer that God is able to heal before the surgery or because of the surgery. Obviously we are in the "because of the surgery" phase. If radiotherapy and chemotherapy are part of the journey on the "healing pathway" we are more than okay with that.
Our departure date for Kenya has been postponed. We will not be leaving for Kenya on Saturday December 27. However, as Pastor Tom Richardson recently spoke into our lives, "Delays are not denials." Please know that the passion remains burning in our hearts to fulfill our ministry mandate in Kenya!
We are so thankful for all those who continue to stand with us in faith regarding our ministry in Kenya. Yesterday, one of our key supporting churches informed us that an end of the year missions surplus is being directed to our PAOC account and that their generous support will continue in 2009! This is so encouraging!
Today (Wednesday December 17) I enjoyed a couple of cups of coffee with a very good friend and he informed me that the church of which he is the lead pastor will continue their generous "Come With Us to Kenya" support in 2009! We serve Yahweh Yireh--The LORD Who Provides!!
The magisterial and ministerial doctrine of God's sovereignty has been a very important anchor on the sea of difficulty that we are presently sailing through. "The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His Kingdom rules over all (Psalm 103:19)."
How magisterial! God is gloriously sovereign or supreme in position: "The Lord has established His throne in heaven." How ministerial! God is dynamically sovereign or supreme in influence: "His kingdom rules over all." What an absolutely awesome God we have the gracious privilege of serving!
Nothing comes our way in life...including cancer surgery, cancer treatments and departure delays...that God in His exhaustive foreknowledge was not aware of when He placed His hand upon our lives. In the midst of this season of trial by cancer He sees a bigger picture and a better purpose than we see. Our trust is in Him!
God knows about every detail of our lives and God cares about every detail of our lives (Matthew 10:29-31). "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6)."
We deeply appreciate your ongoing prayers! God, in His sovereignty, works miraculously through the prayers of His faith-filled people. Please pray for us as we attend these initial radiotherapy (this Friday) and chemotherapy (next Tuesday) appointments which, in essence, will be explanations about: a) what we should expect (benefits and side effects) as well as: b) when the treatments commence and conclude. We will keep you posted.
Trusting in the Lord and Standing on His Word,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Friday, December 12, 2008
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds (James 1:2)." Wise was the one who coined the expression, "Your attitude determines your altitude." Very early on in this season of trial by cancer that we are presently passing through, Sheila and I made the intentional decision that we would cultivate a joyful outlook.
True joy flows from the fact that one is in relationship with God through faith in Christ! The greatest joy in all the world is that of knowing one's sins are forgiven (Romans 5:9-11) and that one has an eternal home in heaven (Luke 10:18-20) when this life is done (1 Peter 1:3-9). Therefore, while positive experiences in this present life are enjoyable and even desirable, joy--true joy--should nevertheless reside and preside in the Christ-follower's heart independent of positive circumstances and even simultaneous with negative circumstances (Acts 16:25, Romans 5:3, 2 Corinthians 7:4). Again, true joy flows from the fact that one is in relationship with God through faith in Christ! "The fruit of the [Holy] Spirit is ...joy (Galatians 5:22)."
The Psalmist said it well: "Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight (Psalm119:143)." Prophet Jeremiah, no stranger to severe seasons of trial, said: "When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your Name, LORD God Almighty (Jeremiah 15:16)." It was the incarcerated Apostle Paul who urged the Christians at Philippi to, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice (Philippians 4:4)." The example par excellent of true joy is of course the Lord Jesus Christ who was "anoint[ed]...with the oil of joy (Hebrews 1:9), and, Who, "For the joy set before Him endured the cross...(Hebrews12:2)."
Thank you so much for your ongoing concerns expressed to us, as well as your questions directed to us, about what tomorrow holds. From our vantage point the future remains somewhat fuzzy regarding medical decisions ( treatment options?) and ministry decisions (departure date for Kenya?) but we know that, in God's timing, things will come into clear focus. We will keep you updated. We continue to look to Yahweh Raphah--the LORD who heals--for Sheila's complete restoration to health and strength. What a mighty God we serve! As always, thank you so much for standing with us in faith. Our hearts were deeply encouraged yesterday (Thursday December 11) when one of our 2008 supporting churches notified us about ongoing generous missions support in 2009!
Please allow us the privilege of concluding this update with a heartfelt word of prayer for you--a prayer that Paul prayed for the Roman Christians way back in the early days of the New Testament Church. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13)."
Joyful in Jesus,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
Sheila experienced a little setback over the weekend while the twins and I were in Toronto presenting Come With Us to Kenya at West Community Church. Swelling and bleeding in the area of the incision resulted in a 4:20am trip on Sunday morning to the emergency room at the Brockville General Hospital. Kudos to our son Stephen for driving his mother to the hospital and many thanks to the ER staff for quickly diagnosing and promptly rectifying the problem. Sheila and Stephen were back in Smiths Falls by 6:30am!
It was back to the hospital today (Monday) to see the surgeon once again. The wound is healing nicely. The drainage tube was removed from below the incision area this afternoon. The surgeon is pleased with Sheila's progress. We were reminded in today's meeting with the surgeon about the likelihood of a chemotherapy regime as well as the probability of radiation treatment. We may learn more about proposed treatment scheduling prior to Christmas. We do have another meeting with the surgeon on Thursday afternoon of this week.
Throughout this season, a tremendous source of encouragement to us has been the inspirational stories of many friends, both old and new, about their victorious battle with cancer. God can do it again and again and again, He is the same God today as He always has been! What an edifying song! What a liberating truth! What a great and awesome God! Yahweh Raphah--the LORD who heals--is well able to restore Sheila to complete health and strength. Of that we have absolutely no doubt. The compassionate and all-powerful God has not changed!
We want you to know that the passion for missions has not been extinguished by this fiery trial that we are presently passing through! Not even close. Sheila has had some pretty cool "sharing her faith and telling her story" conversations with our general practitioner, the surgeon and the home health nurse. Sheila may not be in Africa but Africa is certainly in Sheila. What will happen on December 27--our scheduled departure date for Kenya--and going forward, God alone knows at this point in time. We, obviously, will know soon!
Of course our number one priority, absolutely and indisputably, is Sheila's well-being. The time to make medical decisions and ministry decisions is fast approaching. (Everything related to this season of trial by cancer has happened fast). As always, we deeply appreciate your prayers. Please pray that we will, in sensitivity to the leading of God's Holy Spirit, make the wisest medical and ministry decisions. Thank you so much! May God bless you "immeasurably more than all [you] ask or imagine" this Christmas season.
More Than Conquerors Because of Christ Jesus,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
A very wise man once said of God, "He is there and He is not silent." Last night (Wednesday December 3) Sheila and I heard from God in a very simple yet profound way. Last night "The God of the Breakthrough" impressed upon our hearts and minds (or at least reminded us) that there are "two pictures" in the present scenario of our lives.
1. THE LITTLE PICTURE NAMED TRIAL: The little picture in our lives is that cancer--often referred to as "the most feared disease" and one that thus "strikes terror to the heart"--has come against Sheila in potentially malevolent fashion. If Sheila and I allow this little picture to dominate our focus it will inevitably have a pessimistic and tyrannizing effect. Is that how we want to live, or have to live--emotionally tormented by the trial of cancer? Of course not!
2. THE LARGER PICTURE NAMED TRIUMPH: The Larger Picture in our lives is that of Christ--the One of Whom it is said, "took up our infirmities and carried our diseases (Matthew 8:14-17)." With all due respect--please don't misunderstand my heart here--cancer is the temporal little "c" while Christ is the eternal Big "C." When we, by a Spirit-enabled act of our wills, choose to focus on the Larger Picture it inevitably has an optimistic and liberating effect! Daily we choose to focus on Christ our Saviour, Christ our Healer!
Two pictures--a little picture named trial and a Larger Picture named triumph--a totally simple concept, a totally profound impact. It works for us and it will work for you too. This is not "human mind over hellish matter." This is the powerful person of the indwelling Lord Jesus Christ enabling us to see things, at least in a measure, the way He sees things. Is the Risen Christ intimidated and tyrannized by cancer? Of course not! Does the Risen Christ live within us by His Spirit? Of course He does! Does not Holy Scripture state, "I can do everything through [Christ] who gives me strength" (Phillipians 4:13)? Hallelujah! We can and we will focus on the liberating Larger Picture--Christ--rather than focus on the tyrannizing little picture--cancer.
In today's meeting (Thursday December 4) with the surgeon, a man we appreciate very much, he mentioned that Sheila would soon be receiving a call from the "cancer clinic" in order to discuss treatment options, treatment options which include that other dreaded small "c" word...chemotherapy. Admittedly at times, especially when the spectre of chemotherapy is raised, it is hard to focus on the Larger Picture. It is even more especially hard to focus on the Larger Picture when we have given the last eighteen months of our lives in a concerted effort to move to Kenya and, as a matter of fact, we are presently scheduled to leave for that great east African nation on Saturday December 27... 23 days from now...and now there is talk of chemotherapy... However, we must and we will focus on the Larger Picture! Christ rules over chaos, even the chaos of cancer!
Thank you for your continued prayers for Sheila. Please pray for us that we will make the decisions God would have us make regarding medical advice and treatment options. It is the intercessory influence of your prayers that truly help us to focus on the Risen Christ and thus live in joy, peace and hope in an otherwise very difficult and perplexing time. God is good and His Word is true. We are trusting in the Lord and standing on His Word. We could not do this without you! God bless you abundantly!
I will be presenting "Come With Us to Kenya" in Toronto on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Gabriella and Moriah will probably accompany me on this road trip. They will be delightful company for me. It has been a while since the twins have been on a "Come With Us to Kenya" road trip so this promises to be an oasis of joy amid the challenging journey we are presently walking! Sheila, who is gaining physical strength every day, will remain at home in Smiths Falls under the loving care of Ruth, Stephen and Bethany as well as the expert and compassionate care of the Bayshore Home Health nurse (who visits daily).
More Than Conquerors Because of Christ Jesus,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Dear "Come With Us to Kenya" Prayer Partners,
The winds are blowing a little bit harder. The waves are rising a littler bit higher. We learned late this afternoon (Monday December 1) that the cancer was not entirely localized in Sheila's right breast. According to the report of the pathologist, relayed to us through the surgeon, "some of the lymph nodes were involved."
We are uncertain at this point in time what this all means but it definitely appears, apart from a divinely miraculous breakthrough, that chemotherapy is on the immediate horizon. We will be meeting with the surgeon again on Thursday December 4 to learn more about this present painful journey.
While we are still digesting this latest "hard to swallow" piece of information, we do want you to know that in spite of the stress and strain of this "without warning" storm, the anchor holds. Hallelujah! With Christ in our boat we will keep afloat.
God is faithful. Yes, the winds are blowing a little bit harder and the waves are rising a little bit higher. However, we are learning in a deeper way the truths of Lamentations 3:22-23: "Because of the LORD'S great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Thank you for your continued prayers for Sheila. Your prayers are a tremendous blessing. God, in His sovereign wisdom, will strategically utilize your Spirit-sensitive prayers to propel us through the choppy waters that we presently find ourselves in. God bless you abundantly!
More Than Conquerors Because of Christ Jesus,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Friday, November 28, 2008
Dear Friends,
Twenty-eight years ago in Peterborough, Ontario I was bitten and smitten by the "Sheila Shears Love Bug." True love, of course, grows over the years and today my love for Sheila is deeper than it has ever been before. How could it be otherwise after all that she--and we--have been through in the past few weeks? As a Christ-follower, the supreme privilege of my life is that Sheila and I share the pleasure of serving the Lord together!
Speaking of the last few weeks, the enormity, the severity and the uncertainty of this all-of-a-sudden "cancer trial" is, at times, more than challenging. The good thing is, we are not in this alone! "The eternal God is [our] refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27a)."
When we met with the surgeon on Wednesday morning, just prior to Sheila being discharged from the hospital, he remained optimistic that the cancer was entirely localized. We will meet with the surgeon again on Monday December 1 so that he can see how Sheila is progressing. The next significant event in this journey is the report of the pathologist which should be released within the next week.
Your continued prayers for Sheila are deeply appreciated. I will be presenting "Come With Us to Kenya" at Maple Community Church this coming Sunday. Sheila will remain at home in the loving care of Ruth, Stephen, Bethany, Gabriella and Moriah and the expert and compassionate care of the Bayshore Home Health nurse (who visits daily).
We Remain on Our Knees and In His Arms,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Dear Friends,
Twenty-eight years after first meeting her at Bridal College (I mean Bible College), Sheila's ability to amaze me continues to amaze me. Last night (Tuesday November 25) in her hospital room at Brockville General, after the anesthetic-induced grogginess had cleared away, a smile almost as wide as the Grand Canyon spread across her face, she flashed a triumphant "v for victory" sign and said, "I am so glad to be on the other side of the surgery!"
Of course I understand that it is Jesus in Sheila who is the Amazing One. It is Jesus who enabled Sheila to experience the vibrancy of victory in her spirit immediately following the mastectomy. We serve a Great Saviour. We praise His wonderful and powerful Name!
This morning (Wednesday November 26) we will meet with the surgeon. We have already been told by the surgeon's nurse that "the procedure went very well" and that there were "no surprises" and that the surgeon believes the cancer was "localized" in the breast. While we are eagerly looking forward to meeting with the surgeon and hearing his thoughts firsthand, it will be a week or so before we hear what the pathologist concludes regarding the lymph nodes. We pray that no cancer will be found in the lymph nodes.
Thank you for your prayers. Sheila is not "out of the woods" yet, but we are very, very optimistic! We are "standing on the Word" and trusting in the Lord, who is, among numerous other Biblical descriptions, the God of Hope (Romans 15:13) and the God of Peace (Philippians 4:7). May God bless you abundantly.
We Remain On Our Knees and In His Arms,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Monday, November 24, 2008
Dear Friends,
We wanted to connect with you once again just prior to Sheila's surgery. Again, we want to thank you so much for your prayers and your encouraging, faith-strengthening emails, calls and cards.
Yesterday (Sunday morning) Sheila spoke very well--she actually got on a bit of a roll and I thought I might enjoy a "day off"--as we presented "Come With Us to Kenya" in Elgin. God is good!
God, we are persuaded, has used your prayers to inscribe indelibly on our hearts the following three faith-building thoughts:
1. AN ASSURANCE of GOD'S PRESENCE: God never leaves His people. God never forsakes His people. He is with us in the good times, He is with us in the hard times, He is with us at all times. His perfect peace--the shalom, shalom of Isaiah 26:3--truly passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
2. A CONFIDENCE IN GOD'S POWER: We do not know what tomorrow holds but we do know who holds tomorrow--Almighty and All-Knowing God. Tomorrow Sheila will be in the hands of a skilled physician and for that we are very, very grateful, but more than that, much more than that, she is in the Hands of God!
3. AN ACCEPTANCE of GOD'S PURPOSE: There is never a good time to hear that one has cancer. However, God's Word brings home to our hearts abundant comfort and compelling counsel: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)."
We are to arrive at Brockville General Hospital on Tuesday November 25 at 10:00am at which time Sheila will be admitted. The hour-long surgery is scheduled to begin at noon hour. Thank you for your prayers for Sheila. God bless you!
On Our Knees and In His Arms,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Friday, November 21, 2008
Dear Friends,
We want to thank you so much for your prayers these past few days. We are so blessed to have so many prayer warriors battling with us and for us as we walk through this "out of the blue" cancer-trial.
We mentioned in our previous email that this trial has come our way in a sudden and shocking fashion. Indeed it has. This will be a somewhat lengthly email, but Sheila and I (and we are both fairly quiet people) feel that God would have us walk you through our present journey with a certain level of candor.
Sheila--who has always been healthy, never sickly--had been given a "clean bill of health" in both 2007 and 2008. When Sheila recently discovered a lump in her right breast, following a routine self-inspection, she was informed at the hospital that the closest available date for a mammogram would be December 24. When Sheila mentioned that we are scheduled to move to Kenya on December 27 the medical personnel administered the mammogram immediately. Praise the Lord for His intervention!
A short time later, on Tuesday November 4 while we were setting out on a three-day "Come With us to Kenya" road trip, Sheila's doctor rang us on our cell phone while we were driving down the 401. Sheila was told, "This does not look good..." A needle biopsy was scheduled for early evening on Thursday November 6...and, as you may recall from our previous email, we learned the official diagnosis--cancer, hopefully only in the breast and not in the lymph nodes--late in the day on Monday November 17.
Again, as you may recall, Sheila is scheduled for a modified radical mastectomy of her right breast on Tuesday November 25. The surgery, which will be of about one hour's duration, will begin at approximately noon. Sheila will then remain in the hospital overnight. Please pray for Sheila...please pray for the medical team (the doctor who will perform the surgery is an experienced and excellent doctor)...and please pray for our family.
Many of you who are praying for us have sent us amazingly encouraging emails, many of you have telephoned us and have spoken faith-building words of blessing into our lives and some have made timely visits to our home. We deeply appreciate every prayer that is prayed for Sheila. We fully believe that this battle will be waged and won in prayer. We also believe that God can heal before the surgery or because of the surgery.
When in conversation with dear friends in these days, the following related questions of loving concern are often asked: What are you thinking about the future? Are you still going to Kenya? Please know that Sheila's well-being is absolutely and indisputably our number one priority. Sheila is my sweetheart of 28 years (26 years of marriage) and her health is my main concern, and the main concern of our five children. It is my deep desire, as Jesus tarries, that Sheila and I celebrate 50 years (and more!) of marriage. Sheila is awesome.
However--in spite of this cancer trial-- and Sheila would say this with great passion, nothing has changed with respect to our desire to minister at Pentecostal Bible College in Nyang'ori, Kenya. We will be presenting "Come With Us to Kenya" at Bethel Tabernacle in Elgin, Ontario this coming Sunday--Sheila insisted that we keep this commitment--and I know that our friend Pastor Bob Crump and his congregation will feel her anointed passion as she shares in the service.
Yes our plane tickets have indeed been purchased and our bags have pretty well been packed. Will we be on the ground in Kenya in late December? Only God knows the answer to that question. Only God knows, at this point in time, if Sheila will be needing additional treatment such as radiation or chemotherapy following the surgery. God's perfect plan, amid this trial, will become increasingly evident as the days pass. We have found it best to live in the moment and to take life, especially at this time, one day at a time.
We were deeply encouraged today when another pastor friend phoned, prayed with Sheila, and then told us that his congregation will be directing a generous sum to our 2009 missions budget. Praise the Lord! Well, this has indeed been a somewhat lengthly report but we felt it important to explain in some detail the suddeness of this trial, our tremendous need for ongoing intercessory prayer from our prayer partners, and also to let you know that the passion remains to lift up the Name of Jesus, the Name above all names at Pentecostal Bible College in Nyang'ori, Kenya. We appreciate each one of you so very much. Thank you and God bless you!
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13)."
On Our Knees and In His Arms,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Dear Friends,
Greetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Name that is above every name, the most powerful Name in the entire universe. "Blessed be the Name of the Lord."
We have always appreciated the intercessory influence of those who faithfully stand with us in prayer. Thank you so much. We want you to know that we are in need of your prayers more than ever before.
Late yesterday afternoon--Monday November 17--Sheila was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is scheduled for what is termed a "modified radical mastectomy" at Brockville General Hospital on Tuesday November 25. The doctor is a very experienced and highly regarded specialist in this area. He believes the cancer is localized but he also believes it is "fairly aggressive" and thus he wants to make sure that it has not traveled to the lymph nodes. He believes the surgery "may take care of everything" but he also believes that there may be need for lengthly treatment, such as radiation or chemotherapy, following the surgery.
This is sudden and shocking news for us to digest. As you know, we are scheduled to depart for Nyang'ori, Kenya on December 27. Our tickets have been purchased and our bags are pretty well packed. This trial which has suddenly erupted is not sudden and shocking news to the Lord. Our confidence is in Him and He has been pouring His peace into our hearts in the midst of this perplexing circumstance. We believe that God is well able to heal Sheila before the surgery or because of the surgery. The one certainty we have at this uncertain time is the reality of God's faithfulness and the steadfastness of His Word.
The Name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10)
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).
Thank you so much for your prayers. We will stay in touch with our prayer partners.
On Our Knees and in His Arms,
Michael and Sheila Middlebrook