In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake: Trusting the God Who Meets Us in Our Storm

PRAISE FOR IN A BOAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A LAKE

"Although suffering is an inevitable part of life, we value and cling to control and comfort. In this book, my friends, Patrick and Ruth Schwenk, share their personal story of being in the eye of the storm and provide practical ways to walk through difficult times while knowing that God meets us right where we are. In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake is a powerful reminder that our current reality is not our final reality, and God is Lord over all chaos and suffering!"

—CANDACE CAMERON BURE, ACTRESS AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

"Patrick and Ruth Schwenk have written a book that will help you redefine personal struggles and suffering from a biblical worldview. You will not find five steps to solving your pain or hopeful platitudes. Their writing is deeply compassionate, real, and profoundly hopeful. You will read how pain, suffering, hurt, and disappointment are never without purpose, never done alone, and never hopeless in God’s economy. The Schwenk’s don’t just know this, they have experienced it. If you find yourself in the middle of a trial, wondering Why me?, or wanting to encourage a sufferer, I highly recommend this book."

—DR. GARRETT HIGBEE, DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL CARE FOR THE GREAT COMMISSION COLLECTIVE, FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER OF THE BIBLICAL COUNSELING COALITION, SPEAKER, AND AUTHOR

There are very few books these days that I can’t put down, but this is one of them. For me it was a mountain and for the Schwenk’s it was a lake—but for all of us, there are unexpected storms and a Savior who says, ‘Peace be still.’ I loved this book, its space for thoughtful reflection, its reminder that we are not alone in our suffering, and its encouragement to keep going.

—KRISTEN WELCH, AUTHOR, BLOGGER, AND FOUNDER OF MERCY HOUSE GLOBAL

With the vulnerability and honesty that have long characterized their ministries of help and hope for so many families, Patrick and Ruth invite us into the boat that took them across the storm-churned waters of suffering a dreaded cancer diagnosis. They dip their feelings, fears, and faith into the lifegiving water of God’s Word to remind us that Jesus is in the boat with us and has his sight set on the shore. Whatever your own journey of suffering, this is a story to remind you that no matter what the destination, Jesus will not let you drown. He will walk those waters with you all the way.

—CLAY AND SALLY CLARKSON, FOUNDERS OF WHOLE HEART MINISTRIES AND AUTHORS OF THE LIFEGIVING PARENT

"In our broken world hardships happen, and In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake offers powerful reminders of how God proves over and over again how he uses hard times to push us toward intimacy, trust, and dependence on him—the only path to lasting joy and purpose. Our God is not limited to good circumstances to do something good. Thanks, Patrick and Ruth Schwenk, for writing this, and even more, for living it."

—MICHELLE MYERS, FOUNDER OF SHE WORKS HIS WAY

"No one wants to wake up and suddenly realize they’re in the center of a storm. But how many of us have found ourselves in just such a situation? And we honestly don’t know where to turn or what to make of it. This is why I highly recommend Patrick and Ruth Schwenk’s much-needed message shared In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake. These two offer powerful, compassionate, and biblical encouragement for anyone navigating those inevitably choppy waters of life."

—LISA JACOBSON, FOUNDER OF CLUB31WOMEN.COM

With a fine balance of humor and deep biblical truths, Pat and Ruth remind us that when we face suffering and hardship, God is with us. Their ability to show us how God uses pain as a catalyst to cultivate a deep, faith-filled life is something to be thankful for. We literally could not put this book down!

—MIKE AND CARLIE KERCHEVAL, AUTHORS OF CONSECRATED CONVERSATIONS: 30 CONVERSATIONAL DEVOTIONS FOR CHRISTIAN COUPLES

This book was a warm balm to my soul. But it did not just comfort me—it challenged me. Pat and Ruth have walked through the valley of the shadow of death and yet remained strong through the fiercest of storms. They are honest about their wrestling with the Lord, while pointing the reader to the One who is always there for us and never fails us. If you have suffered from pain, loss, fear, or disappointment, then this book is for you—it is life-changing!

—COURTNEY JOSEPH, AUTHOR AND FOUNDER OF WOMENLIVINGWELL.ORG

The phone call with a diagnosis or the sudden loss of someone you love can come like a bolt out lightening out of nowhere. Now what? Drawing on their own personal experiences, Pat and Ruth share their struggle through fear and pain. With their honesty and vulnerability, they show us that when the storms of our lives meet a good and faithful God, hope is within reach. If you are looking for a compass to help you find direction and peace in the midst of your chaos, this book is for you.

—SANDRA E. MADDOX, WOMEN’S MINISTRY LEAD AT SADDLEBACK CHURCH, AUTHOR, AND BLOGGER AT THEARTOFDOMESTICITY.COM

"Who among us hasn’t received ominous news that threatened to rock our world? A medical diagnosis. A marriage in crisis. A wayward relative who is self-sabotaging. Looming financial ruin. If you feel like life’s circumstances are threatening to sink you—spiritually, and maybe even physically—In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake is the lifeline you need. Full of personal stories and biblical encouragement, this powerful book will cause you to stop complaining, ‘Lord, get me out of here!’ and instead calmly ask, ‘Father, why have you brought me here?’ Highly recommend."

—KAREN EHMAN, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF KEEP IT SHUT, PROVERBS 31 MINISTRIES SPEAKER, WIFE, AND MOTHER OF THREE

"In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake takes us on a journey—a finely woven tapestry—combining Patrick and Ruth’s personal experience with key biblical texts and narratives for our understanding and growth. It is a real and raw roller coaster ride that will deepen your appreciation for the role of pain in your life and give you a new perspective as to what matters most."

—DAVE KRAFT, AUTHOR, SPEAKER, AND LEADERSHIP COACH

Through the pages of this book, Patrick and Ruth pastored parts of my heart that I didn’t realize needed pastoring. We need voices like theirs in times of great uncertainty, and even in times of perceived security. Their words were a gift to me.

—SARA HAGERTY, AUTHOR OF ADORE: A SIMPLE PRACTICE FOR EXPERIENCING GOD IN THE MIDDLE MINUTES OF YOUR DAY

This book is a tangible gift for those sitting in their own boat wondering if Jesus cares about them. Dipping their pens in the words of 2 Corinthians 1:4, Ruth and Pat offer real comfort to fear-filled followers of Christ because they themselves have found him flawlessly faithful. I am grateful for the grace they extend in letting us ‘tether’ our boats to theirs and encouraging us to deeply trust that Jesus will get us to the other side just as he promised.

—STACEY THACKER, AUTHOR OF THREADBARE PRAYER: PRAYERS FOR HEARTS THAT FEEL HIDDEN, HURT, OR HOPELESS

"For anyone searching for hope in a dark or desperate season, In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake beautifully touches on all of the ways God is working in our lives to bring hope in our suffering and transform our hearts through his amazing grace. No pain is ever wasted, and Patrick and Ruth are proof of that. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It is one I will read over and over again. It is the reminder we all need that God is good, he is for us, and he is making all things new."

—AMBER EMILY SMITH, WIFE OF GRANGER SMITH, ACTOR, PHILANTHROPIST, AND INFLUENCER

In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake

© 2020 by Patrick and Ruth Schwenk

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®

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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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Please note that the endnotes in this ebook may contain hyperlinks to external websites as part of bibliographic citations. These hyperlinks have not been activated by the publisher, who cannot verify the accuracy of these links beyond the date of publication

To Tyler, Bella, Noah, and Sophia:

May God, who is your perfect and forever Father,

give you grace to walk humbly with him. And in

your generation, may you be found faithful; fully

devoted to Jesus no matter what storm you face.

To our fellow companions in a boat:

May you meet Jesus in your storm and find him faithful,

good, and trustworthy. And may he be your joy,

strength, and hope until he gets you to the other side.

CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter 1:    IN A BOAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A LAKE

Chapter 2:    IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY

Chapter 3:    THIS IS WHAT GOD IS DOING

Chapter 4:    PRY ME OFF DEAD CENTER

Chapter 5:    TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF OUR SUFFERING

Chapter 6:    THE BLESSING OF THE UNBLESSED LIFE

Chapter 7:    WE ARE NOT ALONE

Chapter 8:    DISCOVERING WHAT WE REALLY BELIEVE

Chapter 9:    WHAT SUFFERING SAVES US FROM

Chapter 10:    WE NEED ONE ANOTHER

Chapter 11:    YOU HAVE A FUTURE

Acknowledgments

Notes

About the Authors

CHAPTER 1

IN A BOAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A LAKE

Would

you spell that for me?" I (Patrick) asked the nurse over the phone. My head was already spinning. Heart pounding. I scribbled a word that I had, until now, never heard before onto the only scrap piece of paper I could find in our car. A word that would turn our world upside down.

For nearly four months, I had known something was wrong. My wife, Ruth, and I are both over forty, so we’ve grown accustomed to less energy, more body aches, and injuring our necks just from sleeping the wrong way. I’ve always been accused of being a bit of a hypochondriac, but this time was different. My body wasn’t right. And I knew it.

The first signs were a kind of chronic and nagging bone pain, mainly in my spine and wrists. Then my body struggled to heal from an ear infection. In November of that year, I injured my left hip. A week later, I injured it a second time. The pain became so severe I had trouble walking and could not lift my left leg without assistance. By December, my muscles were growing increasingly fatigued. So much so that most Sunday mornings I would sit during my sermons.

My doctor eventually ordered an X-ray, which looked pretty normal. But, suspicious there was more going on, he referred me to an orthopedic specialist. You shouldn’t be in this much pain, he told me. I agreed. He ordered another scan, an MRI.

Christmas was just a week away. So when the doctor called to go over the results, we were hoping