God's mercy in a life's final day

Cancer has been the cause of death for so many, you hear about someone passing away from one type of cancer or another. I always felt such sadness for the families that stay behind to be without that person who has died.

In the case of my brother-in-law Ron, who had bladder cancer it came on so suddenly. He thought he had truly beat it. He was feeling healthy and great for two and half years, but all of a sudden the cancer came back and in full force. My husband Larry and I had quit smoking and would try to encourage him and my sister-in-law Pat to quit, but they just wouldn't give it up. Larry had already experienced the horrors of cancer when his first wife had passed away from lung cancer. He didn't want this to happen to his brother.

I'll never forget when we got the call from Pat that Ron was very sick and he was going to the hospital, he was admitted right away and the scans revealed the cancer was everywhere. When we got to the hospital room, we went in just as the Dr. was telling Pat the very sad news about his cancer and his kidney's which had stopped functioning. The Dr. was giving him only months to live. Then sadly Larry leaned over to Ron and he looked up like a child looking up to his big brother and said "I don't want to die". Those words will be forever in my heart and brings me such sadness every time I recall him saying them on that dreadful day.

Ron went home the next day and all his family members came to see him, but he wasn't aware they were even there. It was so sad. I tried to reach my pastor from the church to come and pray with Ron before anything happened, but he was not available. So I did the next best thing. I had everyone stand around Ron and hold their hands together and we lifted him up to God, he wasn't a believer so I knew this was very important to do, we prayed with tears in our eyes.

A week prior to all this Ron and Pat had purchased a trailer, because we were going to go camping together. We had also recently purchased an RV and we were all so excited because finally, we were going to do some traveling together. Well, this would never come to pass.

A few days later, Larry lost a loving brother and partner in business, but he was given back his baby sister Marsha. See Larry and Marsha had not seen each other for years, so it was a sad day but also a blessed one because of the re-union.

After Ron's passing, Pat became very ill. She too had cancer years before, it was breast cancer which had also been in remission. But now that Ron was gone, I believe her will to live and get better deteriorated. She began to be bed ridden because she couldn't walk it was too painful. The cancer had come back and was in all her bones.

Pat's daughter cared for her for a few months, but when it became too much for her she was placed in a home. This was Pat's wishes. Larry and I would come and visit as often as we could and bring her treats, she loved that. I also prayed with her and just kept her company and we chatted about everything under the sun. But when she was getting really sick I began to pray harder to the Lord. See Pat didn't know the Lord, I would try to talk to her about Jesus but she wasn't very receptive.

Until one night when I was asleep, I felt a strong urge in my spirit from God, he was telling me to tell Pat that he loved her very much. When I awoke, I knew what I had to do. That day we were to see Pat and even took her lobster for lunch, she didn't eat very much of it but what she did eat she enjoyed very much.....the smile said it all. After Larry took our plates into the kitchen, I saw her tear up and I felt that strong desire to tell her what God had told me to. I leaned down and held her hands and looked at her with tears in my eyes and said "God loves you so much Pat" and then hugged her dearly. She started to cry and then she said - say that salvation prayer with me. I believe the presence of God was there and he touched her heart at that very moment. My heart rejoiced with such gladness that she wanted to give her life to Jesus. She said the prayer and we just cried for a few minutes. Larry came back in the room and Pat looked up to him and said - I guess I will be seeing you in heaven dear brother. He knew what had happened so he went over and gave her a big hug as well.

I believe that God was telling us she didn't have much time left, and that was the case. Pat died peacefully in her sleep a few nights after she gave her life to God. She died almost a year after Ron's passing.

If God can take someone who didn't believe in him and save them at the last days of their life, do we serve a truly merciful God! Absolutely - I'll see you in heaven Pat, my hopes and prayers are that Ron and my father are there too!