It all began in July 1999, the test results were about to be revealed. A day that seemed unreal. My dad along with my Mother and oldest brother at his side was about to find out that he had stomach cancer. The doctor scheduled him for surgery as soon as possible. Phone calls are made to my 2 other brothers and myself. I made arrangements for my son and I to fly down for the surgery.

My dad was a truck driver for twenty-plus years. Daddy and Mother raised us in church, taught us faith in an Almighty God, who is always faithful and who is always in control. So, when we received the news of him having cancer the statement was made: Well, God is in control of the situation, and we must react to this news as if we truly believe it!

Within a week of getting the tests results, surgery was scheduled. We had no idea how bad it was. The morning of his surgery, all of us siblings and some of their spouses along with Mother gathered around his bed, and we prayed. There was a nurse that asked if she could join in, of course we welcomed her into that circle of prayer. We prayed for God’s hand to guide the surgeon, for God’s will to be done, that in all things He would be glorified. There was a lot of prayer that day for God to perform His will, and not ours. We, as humans often pray for healing in the body, but myself, I felt from day one of knowing that Daddy had cancer that this would take his life. I also know what the Word of God says, often we pray amiss, out of God’s will, and the answer isn’t what we want. How easy it would have been to pray for God to spare his life, regardless of what God had in store for him or us. The Word also says in Psalm 115:16…Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. I knew that Daddy was saved and that God would welcome him with open arms.

Surgery lasted twice as long as it was scheduled for, however it finally came to an end. The doctor came out and talked to us. He said it was the worse case of stomach cancer he had ever seen. They took out his spleen, ninety percent of his stomach, and took out as much of the cancer as they could. His chest cavity and esophagus was full of cancerous tumors. The doctors did not recommend treatment. Daddy told Mother that while he was in the hospital that the Lord spoke to him and told him, “It won’t be very long, you are coming home”.

For just a moment I would like to take you back to a revival that was held in the church that they attend. The revival was held in June, and the evangelist was ministering to people during the altar call. He ministered to my Dad, and the Holy Spirit touched him like never before. The Lord spoke through the evangelist to my Mother, and told her, “No fear, no fear, no fear. People may leave you, but I will never leave you, I will never forsake you I will always be with you.. I will never leave you.” This was repeated three to four times. At that time, they knew nothing of the cancer, just that Daddy was sick and they were trying to find out what was wrong.

Time had passed since then, and the doctors released him from the hospital. The surgeon told my Mother, “I’m sending him home where he can be comfortable and be around friends and family.” Basically he was saying there was nothing else he could do. So, Daddy went home and Mother became his caregiver. He could only eat small amounts of liquid, and his diet consisted of potato soup, boost and water along with all the medicine he had to take.

Once he was home, family and friends began to come by to visit him. Daddy has never been a loud person in his speech, and as he lay there in bed and people would come by to visit, they would sit next to the bed. He would speak very softly to them. He would tell them about Jesus, and only God knows what else he told them. A lot of people would leave that room in tears and wouldn’t stop to even say goodbye to Mother. What was happening was God was using my daddy to minister to these people through his sickness.

I had planned to go down August twenty-first to spend a couple of weeks with Daddy. However, I received a call from Mother a week earlier telling me to come on, that if I wanted any quality time with him that I needed to come on down. Daddy had told Mother to call me. He was slowly taking a turn for the worse.

Once he was home, my parents had begun to read Philippians chapter 4 every day. Verse four states, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” Verse seven: “And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” My parents stood upon God’s Word during this time, knowing that if they kept their minds upon God that He would give them that peace. Both of them told me that they had a peace about the entire situation. There was no fear!

I went to Oklahoma a week earlier than intended. I do believe that God was in control of that as well as everything else. That first week, we were able to talk and say our good-byes and share many things. I was included in reading the Bible with them and praying when they prayed. What a joy to share such as this with your parents, seeing how their faith stands tall in Christ, during a time such as this. A lot of time those prayers were weeping before the Lord rather than any words being said.

One of my Daddy’s biggest fears was of not being in his right state of mind and saying something he shouldn’t. I can say with thankfulness that he didn’t. We thank God for His word: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. We attempted to saturate his mind with the Word of God.

Those last three weeks of his life counted down quickly. The bad days begin to out-weigh the good. When we would pray, we would ask God not to let him suffer, or be in pain. We also asked God to heal him, if it be Thy will. Mother and I always tried to pray God’s will in this. We must also realize that sometimes that healing comes, (that total healing), by being taken home to be with Jesus.

Daddy touched many lives, some we will never know about. He was a witness in this life. Yes, he struggled as we all do. He probably even had times of luke-warmness. However, I can say that as his days drew to a close, that the glory of God came down and filled that bedroom. Daddy’s face shone! One morning about three days before his death, I was woke up by Daddy praising God at the top of his voice. He was saying, “ I love You, Lord, I praise You, Lord…not my will, but Your’s be done…take me home if it be Thy will.”

September second was his last day on this earth. We knew the time was drawing nearer and nearer. We had all said our good-byes, and told him we loved him. About four a.m., on September third, he drew his last breathe. Daddy’s death was an easy death, there was no struggling. We had prayed to God that he wouldn’t be in pain. He granted that request. He showed us His loving kindness, His gentleness, His goodness. God was merciful to my Daddy and all of us.

Yes, his passing causes grief and pain, we shall miss him. However, we must understand that he is in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. (For to be absent from this body is to be in the presence of the Lord). We should not mourn his passing, for he is where there is no pain, no tears and no suffering.

We have a glorious hope! All of us kids serve Christ, and we have seen God work in the grandchildren’s lives since he has passed away. We will see him again, and we will see Jesus. We know that God received all the glory through this illness and death. We have a stronger faith and trust since we’ve went through this. We’re going through because we have a strength that doesn’t come from ourselves but from Christ who lives within us.