Wednesday June 17th, 2009
I’m truly glad right now because we have made it through scary step one: the brain biopsy. Early this morning david was admitted to undergo this procedure. He’s doing great…such a trouper. Love him. Anyways, what I find so unbelievable is this: in the pre-operative room as they were prepping to drill a hole in his head, one of the technicians said to david, “Um, this may sound like a strange question, but are you on Jasmine Star’s blog?”
Seriously, Jasmine?????????
Wednesday June 10th, 2009
I woke up this morning and it kind of hit me like a truck all over again, but david is still sleeping so I had a few moments to sit down and give you an update. We took a flight last night from San Francisco to Minnesota as David has been referred to Mayo Clinic here in Rochester. His initial appointment is Thursday at 6:45am. We thank God for this referral for many reasons…not only is Mayo at the top of the list for neuro science, but we are also closer to home and are one step closer to a plan of treatment.
Emotionally we are both up and down. There are moments when I am so full of the Holy Spirit of God that all I can do is praise Him and sing songs. I want to tell anyone who will listen to me “I love you, O Lord my strength!” I’ve been praying for months for the courage to be more direct and vocal about my faith in Jesus. My friends, the time is now. I want to tell anyone who doesn’t know my Jesus to run to the word of God and read the book of John. If you believe on Him He will save you from your sins, give you eternal life, and fill you with his all-powerful Holy Spirit, and you will be made new. I want to tell Christians who are living for anything but Christ to drop it all. Drop everything and run to Him. Hunger for him as for your very life. Hunger and thirst for righteousness. You will never find peace and happiness in the things of this world, in achievement or within yourself. You will forever be wandering. This is truly what is in my heart and has been driven home for me so strongly in the past several months. Even in suffering I am finding joy, because I know our loving God and I know that life on this earth is not what we are living for. We hope in heaven, in eternity and in standing someday as a workman approved unto God. I desire for my heart and life to be completely God’s and God’s alone. To know Him is to know love, and I am only begining to taste of it’s fullness.
There are also moments when fear tries to takes its grip on me and strangle the life out of me. The room starts to grow black and I feel my feet coming out from under me. Then God reminds me that fear is a defeated foe. That I can claim victory and Satan has to flee from me in the name of Jesus. Praise our God! This is where I know all the prayers of the saints are standing in the gap for me and for David. We feel sustained…david described it as pillows all around him. I feel it as a current underneath my feet. I feel escorted along as though carried by angels. Sometimes I’m not even sure how I’ve gotten from here to there. Especially my flight from Grand Rapids to San Francisco all alone after just having heard the news. I am here to testify that God is beginning to make real to me that there is no darkness Jesus cannot sustain you through. We are so thankful for each person praying for us and for all the people spreading the word about our situation. Thankful is such a trite word. We are amazed at how quickly God has raised this multitude of prayer warriors I requested, and once again we are also amazed at the power of the internet. =) We read each email, blog comment, text message and facebook comment and drink in the continual outpouring of encouragement and hope. It definitely gives us a sense of being surrounded. It continually fills up our well of faith.
I can tell you there is no one I would rather go through this with than David. I love Him so dearly. He is my best friend and soul mate. From the moment I met him I knew I’d found that person I could trust. Even in this trial we find ourselves laughing over things and seeing the humor in different situations we’ve been subjected to. Someone commented on his Facebook page that “humor follows him even to the hospital bed.” It’s so true. He’s an amazing person. His friends will testify to that. He’s going to pull through this and come out tried as gold. I know God has BIG plans for his life. My prayer through all of this is that many will come to the Lord, be filled with His Spirit, and that people’s faith will be renewed by God. According to his word, that is the only thing worth living for and I believe it to be so.
Know that we hold each one of you (even strangers) close to our heart. We love you. Thank you for all of the offers for help coming in from everyone. I wish I could write each one of you individually, but please know that I have bookmarked your emails and will definitely call on you when the need arises! We know we can’t get through this alone. I am so especially touched by the photography community. I blogged a few months ago that I felt blessed to be a part of it. How little did I know at that time what a blessing it would prove to be. Through your blogs, twitter and facebook you have managed to spread our story literally across the world and raise up people to pray within a mere 48 hours. God bless you.
I desperately want to share these scriptures that have been in mind in the past few months….
“And this is the testimony, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”
I John 5:11
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Ephesians 4:16-18
“Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed. He will answer them from his holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen, but we have risen and stand upright. Save, Lord! May the King answer us when we call.”
Psalm 20:6-9
And a verse God has spoken over my life time and time again…
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unseachable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:28-31
I love you, Lord!!!!!
Monday June 8th, 2009
I don’t know how to write this so I am just going to begin. Here’s the situtation. The workshop has been cancelled. I said goodbye to the girls at the mixer party and booked the first flight I could get to San Francisco. I’m sitting in a hospital bed with my husband David right now. Yesterday morning I received a phone call from paramedics that David suffered a seizure and was rushed to the hospital. The doctors have found a mass in his brain. We are still waiting for more information and biopsy. They believe it to be cancer at this point. In all of this we believe and trust in our savior Jesus Christ who is not only our source of salvation, but our hope, joy and healer. We are asking that you pray for us. I have specifically asked God to raise a multitude of people to pray for us during this trial. We need strength, clarity of mind for making important decisions regarding his treatment, and we need more faith than we have ever had before. Please pray for David’s complete healing.
David is in good spirits and on the outside seems healthy. I can’t really wrap my head around what is happening. I can only trust God. True to form, David has updated his facebook and his blog with a detailed account of what went down. He can tell it much better than I. I only wish I could have been by his side when it all went down. My friends, we covet your prayers.
www.jumpdavidjump.com
Amy
Tuesday June 2nd, 2009
We have a potential opening in the June 8-10 workshop. Due to a medical emergency someone needs to sell their seat. If you are interested, please email me asap! You must live and work outside a 100 mile radius of Grand Rapids in order to attend. For more info on the event, please check out the workshop website and see the post below. Thanks!
Tuesday June 2nd, 2009
When I was about 4 years old the little boy and girl down the street decided to put on a carnival of sorts in their basement for all of the neighborhood kids. They recruited the help of me and my sisters and we spent what felt like weeks but was probably only a few days dreaming up the games, entertainment and refreshments. We filtered through toy boxes and selected all sorts of prizes to give away…everything from G.I. Joes, to matchbox cars, to bouncy balls and costume jewelry. We even planned and semi-rehearsed a dancing marionette puppet show to the song “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” We then walked around the entire neighborhood and deposited a flier into each and every mailbox. We thought we were soooo cool. That is until the morning when everyone started showing up.
Typical of the 80’s parenting style, there were no adults present and we kids were left to run the show. More kids than we ever could have imagined started pouring into her house and down into the basement. Our eyes grew larger by the minute and we started to sweat. We were short staffed. BIG TIME. Nothing was running according to plan and it was only a matter of minutes before the total chaos ensued. All rules went out the window and I just started handing out prizes because I didn’t understand how to run my game (cut me some slack I was 4!) The puppet show was a total flop. Kids just stood their staring at my sister blankly as she danced around with her puppet feeling like an idiot and forgetting all the words. We grew more and more mortified by the minute as kids decided it just wasn’t worth their time and started filing out the door to traipse back home. And the lovely grand finale included me accidentally dumping over a gumball machine. I stood in horror as the whole room went silent and turned to gape at me while the little boy who it belonged to gave me a public verbal thrashing. I fled out the back door weeping and ran home only to find my house locked and my mother gone to the grocery store. Just mentioning this carnival to my now adult sisters makes their faces turn pale and their eyes glaze over.
So fast forward to the future. The night of the workshop as David and I sat waiting for everyone to arrive at the mixer I couldn’t quite get my dinner down. My stomach was churning. It came to me quite out of nowhere, the memory of the basement carnival. The memory of planning a grand event that goes horribly, horribly wrong. But once everyone started arriving and introductions and the laughter and stories started flowing I knew that these women were not going to file out the door disappointed and leave me with a handful of G.I. Joes. In fact, meeting everyone at the mixer proved to be some of the most fun I’ve had in a long while! At one point I was laughing so hard the tears were rolling from my eyes as I crouched on the floor. These girls brought so much positive energy, authenticity and talent to the workshop. They put me at ease from the very beginning. I don’t think I could have asked for a better first time teaching experience. We spent 3 intense days together packed with learning, sharing and practicing. We were all pretty exhausted by the end of it. But the whole experience was such a blessing to me and I know I will be that much the better for it. I wanted to share with you some of the photos I captured of the models and some quotes from the girls who attended. I can hardly believe another group of 20 will be flying in just 5 days from now!
And then there was the senior day which was a total blast. I felt so bad for these girls though because it turned out to be so windy and chilly. They definitely got a taste of the real world of modeling having to look so relaxed and natural even though they were freezing their butts off! Here’s a quick few of my favorite captures.
Just to get you guys excited who will be arriving in a few short days, here are a few words from the girls who attended the last workshop!! A few are personal notes they sent and some are testimonials they submitted.
“It’s been almost 2 weeks since I’ve attended Amy’s first workshop, and I’m still under the spell. She obviously put a lot of effort into organizing the workshop. Logistically it was perfect. The meeting room was spacious, in a lovely downtown area, everything was in walking distance, the food was delicious… The quality of teaching was as professional as Amy’s images. She was an open book to her talent and skills. She was as delightful in person and as witty as on her blog. I returned home refreshed after spending 3 days in company of a fabulous group of 20 photographers, full of new ideas and a plan to take my business and photography to “the next level”. Thank you so so much Amy!
-Arielle www.ariellelanghorne.com/blog
“Just wanted to say that I am still flying high from the past few days!! So amazing really!!! I have been sitting here all day trying to think of the words to write and I can’t really think of anything more than amazing. I came home with such inspiration and more knowledge than I would have ever thought I would. You made it so comfortable for everyone to just ask you anything that was on ours minds. I just downloaded my images and can’t believe I took half of them. You gave me that push I needed. Thank you thank you thank you a million time over for teaching us what makes you - you!!”
-Allyson www.allysoncrozierphotography.com
The Amy Wenzel Workshop was an absolutely fabulous time! Every thing from the snazzy lunches and cozy talks over breakfast to the sassy little booklet Amy gave me to write my notes down in was planned out in top notch detail and was straight up classy! And of course, I’ve yet to mention all the exclusive details she gave us on how she sets up such exquisite shoots with her clients… She shared all her secrets on editing, client prepping, and more! She was such a sweetheart and I am thrilled that I was able to be a part her of workshop… I am certain my business will profit from the things I learned - And *that* makes me very, very happy!
Thanks Amy!
-Reata www.sugarshotsphotographysite.com/blog
“The workshop surpassed my expectations in so many ways! You thought of so many wonderful details from the pretty flowers on the table, to the great sign in the window (even with the help of a GPS I was looking around to find the specific address and voila, there was your bright cheery logo!). Your warmth and the camaraderie you fostered (loved the ice breaker games!) amongst the participants made it a wonderful learning atmosphere. In spite of my relative new-newness to this field I didn’t feel intimidated by you or anyone else. You gave very helpful information and I appreciated the tips that others shared in the sessions as well as around the meal table. I just wish I could have stayed longer! It was a like a fun summer camp but without the uncomfortable cabins or overcooked cafeteria food! I came home recharged and excited to put into practice so much of what I’ve learned. And thanks also for the vendor list in the back of the book — I’ve already ordered some of the products you’ve recommended! So helpful!”
-Cydil
i just wanted you to know that my thoughts, heart & prayers are most certainly with you both during this time. <3
Comments
Ha ha! That’s hilarious!
Well, the power of the internet…right there! And you think you ‘know’ of so many people praying for you guys! Think about all of the people that you DON’T know of out there! So amazing!! Glad to hear that you made it through this morning…still praying!
That’s hilarious! It’s amazing how the Internet can link us all!
That is hilarious!!
My husband and I have been following your and David’s journey and praying for you both along the way!
Blessings,
Bethany
lol
Wow, what a small world! It seems that everyone admires Jasmine these days. She’s the “in” thing. LOL! So glad to hear that everything went well this morning! Praise God! My family continues to pray for you and David both.
HAHAHAHAHA!! I’m DYING of laughter!! God is SOOOO good! You see, that was a sign just to prove how much I adore you both and how much I’m praying for you.
LOVELOVELOVELOVE you.
haha! Awesome! Praying for David!
That is so truly amazing.
That is soo cool!! I love both you and Jasmine soo much!
Oh my not only is she well known but so are the two of you! Those photos she took were awesome but then again she rockin hot people to photograph.
So happy to hear all went well today! Prayers continue.
the power of friends and loved ones. it multiplies. Crazy.
I know what you are feeling. After each of my husband’s 3 biopsies the last 2 months, i felt relief just to get the procedure over. You get closer each time to attacking the illness. much love to you.
Love it!
HAHAHHAAAa!! I have to admit that I wasn’t familiar with you too. But when this story of your current experiences landed on my Twitter page and I looked… I had that same thing happen. Hey that’s the guy from that hot couple on Jasmine’s blog!
I guess there are worse things to be known for than how hot you are.
Praying that you hear nothing but GOOD reports!
Are you freaking serious?!? That is crazy hilarious!! The Lord certainly knows how to lighten the mood of a scary and tense situation!
I am a long time reader of your site and just wanted to say that I am thinking of you and David and keeping you in my prayers.
That’s so funny…I think everybody reads Jasmine’s Blog. I’m so happy to hear that David did well during his biopsy. He is so brave and has such a great attitude. I hope he continues to do well and will be completely healed…
Many prayers have been sent your way as well as Davids! I must say though, I laughed really hard when I saw this!! I’ll continue to pray for the best!!
too funny! such a small world! still thinking and praying for you multiple times a day!
That is classic. such a connection with photographers over the web who really care. I mean that is how I heard…jasmine’s blog!! so happy to hear you got through this step. God’s grace for every moment.
God did that just for you two. As if you are not already positive with all of this, God just wanted to send something your way to make you smile. I am another invisible face that has been praying for you two. Lots of love sent your way.
LOL!!!!! in all seriousness, just wanted to send my love and support to you guys. My husband was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 24 so I have been down a very similar road. Take care of yourself as much as you can.
Unbelievable…small world. I wish you both good luck! Everything will be great!
That made me laugh out loud: what a time to have a blog-stalked moment! That is awesome! But I’m not surprised, because I found you through Jasmine’s blog and immediately bookmarked the page so I could pray and keep track of David’s progress. I hope you feel the love and support of this curiously linked group of people.
What a way to break the ice in such a serious situation and allow both of you a little chuckle!
I too found you through Jasmines blog. I want to tell you how hearing about your faith in the Lord through this painfully trying time has been such an inspiration to me. Although I have never met either of you…I can feel your love through reading your words. I am praying for you both and for the healing touch and peace of our Lord to be evident to you. xoxo
That is awesome… what the doc said, not the drilling part. You & David are being lifted so high in prayer right now. It’s quite remarkable. Our prayers are with you all… ~ Dawn & Bob
Thanks for the update and continued good vibes sent your way!
What a small world with the internet…. Who dosen’t love Jasmine
HAHAHAHHAAHA! Seriously, that is FUNNY!
Glad that step is done. LOL at the Jasmine comment
That is hysterical!! Keep the spirits up…thinking of you all daily and sending prayers your way!
That is funny! My hubby and I are still praying for you both (we’ve been following David’s blog too)! I’d love to say “Wow, the power of the internet!” but you really see the POWER OF GOD in moments like these
This is freaking fantastic! Just shows how we are all connected! All the best wishes!
Glad to hear that David is doing great….=)
OMGoodness! Wow! That’s would have made me laugh some and released some stress. Small world! Praying for you two!!!
now that is bloggin’ power!
glad to hear david is doing well. good thoughts.
LOL only Jasmine would be so popular that a surgery tech would follow her blog! Too funny! I am praying for a quick and successful biopsy and the results we all want!
That is VERY good!!!!! Hope he gets well soon!!!!!!
Wow- that is pretty funny! Still thinking of you both and praying all goes well!
i wish you guys all the luck in the world that everything turns out good! i am praying for david!
jasmine is everywhere isn’t she???
Still keeping the prayers going for you and your David!!
My prayers are still with all of you! Good to hear all is going as well as it could be right now. Since I heard David’s story, my own mother-in-law has been diagnosed with the early stages of cancer in her uterine wall. She found out yesterday that her chances of complete removal of the cancer are really good. Both your story and hers in such a short span of time just really make one appreciate how special time together with friends and family is and how we should utilize every moment of life to worship God, serve Him, and shine His light for others to see and to come to know Him. And I see both of you doing that and are grateful! Keep it up
P.S. The story about the technician and J*’s blog is absolutely hilarious. Y’all are all rock stars now
Amy~ My kids, Ally(14), Caiden(8), Adison(6), Kendall(3) sat in our den and said a prayer for you and David tonight. We know that faith will see you through this! The power of prayer is unbelievable!
Just wanted to say i am praying for you both and have David makes it through. I saw a post on Jasmine’s website and it really touched me that your friendship and love for David was so strong. All the best anyway xxx
Firstly, I’m so glad everything went well with the biopsy and that David is in good hands. Secondly, are you kidding me, even hospital technicians read Jasmine’s blog?! Wow!
That is SERIOUSLY unbelievable! What a small world….or is it that Jasmine is just THAT big?! I guess I am not the only Minnesotan who follows both Jasmine Star and Amy Wenzel. Too hilarious!
seriously funny! We are praying for you and David in this challenging time!!!
Thinking of you Amy, praying for you ~ love to you and David!!!
Hi Amy, I stumbled across your blog today and am praying for you and your husband! Last August a similar situation happened in my family. That would send us on a journey we never imagined. I wanted to share the titles of two books that were soo helpful to us, besides our Bibles of course. You absolutely will love Everyday Strength a cancer patient’s guide to spiritual survival by Randy Becton and What Cancer Cannot do stories of courage by inspirio. We found them at our local Christian bookstore. Blessings Kyndra J. Blackman
What I find amazing is how it seems we’re all a part of the situation. I speak to others as if David is a friend of mine. We as readers feel like we KNOW you guys because we read about you on your blog, David’s blog, watch videos, and read JASMINE’s blog. It’s like were all in this together, rooting and praying for David.
Still praying for smooth process.
amy and david, i don’t think anyone can truly understand the feelings that go along with what both of you are going through right now, unless they have been there themselves…but we can ALL offer you all the prayers and love that we could possibly give for recovery, enlightenment, strength. I’m adding myself to this amazing list of friends, family, strangers who are all sending power and love your way.
I admire your faith, courage and wonderful work. I balled when I read the news, in disbelief of how this can attack such a beautiful young person such as David but I am so glad to know of your trust in God because Jesus being authority Himself gave unto us the authority to cast out sickness and ask for His abundant life in Heaven and here on Earth. May He be your strenght and may this serve to make many believe in Him who is the only one who is able and capable to do all things! Will be praying for you both! and can not believe the nurse asked about Jasmine’s blog
I have been a fan of your photography for awhile and have fallen behind in the blog world. I am so sorry to hear the news of your husband, and will be keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers and hoping for a full recovery!
I read about you on Jasmine too and already sent to many friends to keep you in our prayers. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5
I will keep you both in my prayers.
Amy, I am so moved by your love and passion for the Lord!!
Please know that I am praying for you and David.
There is nothing our God can’t do!!!
you’ve got to be kidding!!! LOL that is nuts!
Hi Amy,
I met you briefly (along with Jasmine) at WPPI earlier this year. I’ve read the updated news on your husband. Just wanted to let you know that we are thinking about you and your husband and are hoping and praying that things will be well soon and that it will work out well!!!
Love your work.
All our Alohas!!!
Ma’ele and krew!!!
I have been praying!
Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language.
Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them.
And the point is to live everything.
Live the question now.
Perhaps then, some day far in the future, you will gradually without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.
-Rainer Maria Rilke
just dropping by to let you know that i continue to pray for david and for you. you are in my thoughts. xo
Hi Amy~
Huge fan of your work, and read about your story (you and your husband’s story!) on Jasmine’s blog. Just wanted to let you know I’m praying.
Praying for you and David. May God’s love pull you through.
Hi Amy, I hope you are doing well!! I just read David’s blog - I’m so happy that the P’s and Q’s are in order! I continue to pray for you and David.
God Bless!
From an Amy Wenzel fan
Amy,we all miss you! Our prayers are with you and David.
Hi Amy! You and David are in my thoughts and prayers as you begin the healing process!
Been a huge fan for as long as I can remember! Your creative images, smart outlook on life, writing style, and shy humor inspire me to the fullest. Just came by for a much needed visit and realized that your world recently got turned upside down. You have no idea who I am, but somehow just by having this blog you’ve secretly helped me find direction in my world when I needed it and I would like to thank you! I will be praying for David and your family, continue to stay strong!
Hi Amy and David…God is indeed good! He does
show up at very/weird funny times just to let you
know he’s there always. My prayers are with your family!
((hugs))
Lisa
That’s crazy!!! Ha.
Just wanted to let you know we’ve all been thinking and praying for you at I Heart Faces:-) We are following your story and pray that God heals your lovely husband:-)
I like to call that…a GOD THING!
Still prayin’ for you both.
–Love & Blessings from LA
amy -
just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know i’m thinking about you! i hope you guys are settling in back home well! i’ve been reading david’s blog to keep up with the new developments. you guys are amazing. god is amazing. he amazes me with the ways he makes himself known! praying for you guys as you continue through this journey. and as weird as it sounds - a tad bit “jealous” at how closely you are experiencing Him! that’s a little nerve wracking to even admit, but i might as well cuz He already knows it!
xoxo,
audrey habeck
(workshop girl)
You all are in our prayers! This is something you should have support for, and you have support all over, even if we have never met.
I have been praying like crazy for you both! (;
Hi Amy!
I just wanted to let you know I’m thinking about and praying for you
Great that it goes well and the Jasmine part is fun
Hi Amy,
I was visiting with my friend Julie today and she started telling me about her cousin who is an amazing photographer, whose husband recently found out he had a brain tumor. It was all sounding really familiar so I asked Julie what their names were and it was you! I’ve been following your photography (read about you on Jasmine’s blog) and I couldn’t believe it.
Please know you all are in my prayers!
Jonalee Earles