BIIL SIREVEL was wounded helicopter came and evacuated him to during the Vietnam War, in March, a Field Hospital. During this time he 1969. He and his wife, Susan had prayed as long as he was conscious been married 11 months. She was that the Lordwouldbrtng himback to living in their home in East Point, us. And the Lord, in His gracious Georgia,andwaspregnantwiththeir providence, did that. If it had not first child. A two-page telegram was beenforhimbeingwoundedhewould delivered to Susan describing all the not have been home when Orris was places the shrapnel had hit Bill and bornandtherewouldhavebeenyears the severe damage that the bullets without him. He was very ill, of had done tohisliver. That was the

must be calm.' And he said, 'I know, but I'm in extreme pain.' He was so distraught about complaining to the staff that when he returned home he wrote a letter to one of the nurses. In that letter he apologized and told her that he didn't act in a velY Christ-like manner and that he was very appreciative of everyone's help. " The nurse sent a reply to Bill and said she

beginrting of what Susan calls "Bill's struggle to know God." Susan, who has been a widow now for six years, was looking back during his birthday recently and remembering Bill and his walk with the Lord. Bill died in

Triumph Through Trial

had never received a note from someone about their attitude and it was a great encouragement to her. She accepted his apology.

Susan remembers Bill's compassion. "I think Bill was very caring about other people's spiritual

Susan Strevel recalls how her husband Bill's 'struggle to know God' left

April, 1986, due to the complications of liver damage. Their son Chris was 16 and their daughter Deanna was 14 years old.

The Strevel family joined Chalcedon Presbyterian Church eight years ago. To day, Chris and Deanna are students at Georgia State University. Chris is a newlywed; Chalcedon's Youth Pastor and is studying under Rev. Morecraft for the ministry. Deanna holds a fulltime job and also hasworkedwith the church's youth.

Bill related to Susan that his first thoughts after beingshotwere a prayer to God, "Please may I get home to my wife and my baby so I can be there for them?" Susan says, "It was his goal to get home. He said he laid on the ground for about two hours until a

a legacy for his family health and about his As told to Polly Bali"t testimony of God

towards other people.

course, for about two years and we were in and out of hospitals all over the counny and then throughout our marriage we had major crises with health."

While Bill was at the evacuation hospital he was in intense pain and the hospital staff said they couldn't give him any painkiIlers because the wound was in the liver area. Fortwo days, while the doctors decided what steps to take, he could not get any pain medication. Bill told Susan that in tlle hospital he "hollered and screamed" because of the intense pain. "Bill was not like that, normally. He was a very controlled, very disciplined person. He told me that he acted ugly and the nurses would say, 'Mr. Strevel, you

That's the way he was in our home. He'dlet the children see his tears and his anger. He'd let them see who he was. As !look back on his life and the contribution he made, it was such a greatoneinmy life because he was so human. He was weak at times, but he was also very strong. He was very controlled, very methodical, very disciplined. He was also a lover of life. He loved our birthday and holiday celebrations and having people in our home. He did funny things, too. He was always making lists and notes. He'd write me little encouragingwordsandwhenhedidn't have anything else to write on, he wrote on toilet paper and odd things like that. But when it came to discipline, he was very strong in the Word and he knew that his role as a

March, 1992 'F TIlE COUNSEL of Cltalcedon ~ 29

fatherwas to train this family up in the ways of the Lord. This was a very strong conviction and he believed it was his responsibility to take the lead and that I also had a subordinate and supportive role in the process.. I believe that Chris and Deanna can attest that there were hard, hard spankings over sins that Bill tried to address in their lives. He tried to address it from where he was and where the children were, so it made a big impact."

"Bill was fullof thoughts of God. It was because he was a student of the Word and be-cause he was on hiskneesin prayer to God so much of his life. He prayed about his health and the nine operations he wentthroughover the years,the family, our fi-nances and struggling to go to work when he didn't feel well. But Bill kept on, trusting God and believing God's Word, that 'we can overcome all things through Him who loved us.' That's how Bill lived. We struggled very much, but as I look back I wish I were doing it now. I do on my own but i~s different when we have a spouse to buffet things and be our balance. We're blessed to have Christian husbands because they take awaysomuchoftheburden. Theyare our wall to bounce things off of. I think that's what I miss so much.

"1 not onlymisshislovingsuppon, I miss his leadership. I don't believe that Christian women today reverence or respect their husbands enough. Husbands are in ahard place. They're under God's direct intervention and they're our leader and if we don'tlook up to them withreverenceand respect, it is difficult for them to see the need to be what they can be. So we have a great responsibility as women. If husbands are loved and cared for, they're going to want to do the right thinguntotheLordandmaketheright decisionsforthefamily. They'regoing

be an encouragement to him Bill, in tum, loved me with his whole being. That's what life is all about, the giving of your self for others."

Susan recalls inJanuary of 1986, Bill had been having major troubles again with his liver. He had visited the doctor he had been seeing for many years and underwent more tests .. The doctortold himhis physical problems were so severehewas inneedofaliver transplant. Theeveningfollowingthis appoinunent, Bill called a family meeting to tell us his situation. Susan remembers it well, "We always sat in

thefamilyroom for our devo-tions and family talks. Healways wanted us to sit close to him:

The Strevel family in J 98 J (L-R Deanna, Susan, Chris & Bill,

Thateveninghe had me sit on his lap and he told us every-thing. Hewas to be put ana liver transplant !istand in February he would be going to Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh for tests. It was a

to want to do the best job at work and they're going to want to the best husband and father they can be in the Lord."

Susan says she came to this sense of her role as a Christian wife and mother, but not early enough in her marriage. "The Lord showed me that I needed to love Bill with my whole self; look to him for answers and care about what he had to say. I needed to

very hardeveningforallofus. Billtold us to look to the Lord. He said, '1 believe this the answer now for us. I've been with this doctor for many years and he knows me. I'll be going in Februaryfortests.' Then Bill got out the Bible and read to us. We were encouraged by his bravery and his strength. He continually said to us, We want what the Lord wants.' We always knew Bill made choices, not for

30 ~ mE COUNSEL of Chalcedon ~ March, 1992

himself alone, but for us, too. Bill had suchstrengthin the Lord thatwhatever came he was able to cope with it. Our children saw that in his life, over and over, and I think that's what makes themstrQngtoday because they realize that God is in controL Bill's life had such a great impact on us. When I find myself without a husband and I look back, ifs exciting to have had so many blessings."

During the last few months of Bill's life he was in and out of the hospital in Pittsburgh. Oneofhisfavoritechapters in Scripture was Psalm 103. 'Just about everyday we read it together," says Susan. "One of the verses he talked about was, 'He will heal all our diseases.' Bill believed that it meant that God will take away our sin and make us perfect one day when we are with Him. Bill looked forward to being in the presence of God. Bill loved us so much, but he loved God more. I pray every day that our children and I can be the kind of example that he was in helping others see the only way to a good life is by serving the Lord wholeheartedly and looking forward with expectation to what the Lord wants to do with our lives. All these things arein His hands and Bill knew that in such a confident way. He didn't worry where he was going, he just wanted to live God's way. I think that's real important and I'm seeing that in my children's lives. They're thinking about, 'AmI doing it God's way?' It's so exciting. I'm very thankful I've had the experience of knowing Bill, his faith and his trust in God. He took God at His Word,I will take you through to victory.' "It was very exciting to bein the struggles and it is part of my disheartening at times now . . Sometimes I think, 'Lord, I'm

not struggling toward anything, I'm not moving ahead.' We all need to be growing in the Lord. Today I want to make a bigger contribution because of Bill's life and what it meant to me. I felt I was making a contribution with Bill and my children, but now it's on a different leveL "As for Chris and Deanna, they're just beginning their lives and it's exciting. They've got the backbone of Bill's example and his strength and what a wonderful example for me, too! That's where I am right now; finding God's place for meandwhatHewants me to do. If Bill

were alive now, he'd say, 'Susan, get busy. Look to the Lord, do what the Word says and be thankful for what He's already done and the blessings you're continually seeing in your children and your family. '"

BillStrevel died on April 27, 1986. Susan remembers him as such a humble man who never thought his life amounted to much, yet there were 640 people who came to the final celebration of his life and his passing on to be with the Lord he loved so much.Q

March, 1992 t- TIiE COUNSEL of Chalcedon t- 31