How we handle the trials of our lives tells people where we place our faith hope and trust. Tested faith is proven in the furnace where joy and sorrow are mingled. Meet my friend Gerty. Her testimony to the grace, goodness and faithfulness of God is evident as she has journeyed through the last years and days of her beloved Bob's life. For Bob, the best is no longer yet to come. It has come, and hope springs eternal.
Here's Gerty...
Here's Gerty...
For the last 1 1/2 years of his life our family knew that Bob had
cancer. Each day I asked God for grace and wisdom to face the challenges
that lay ahead as we began the journey of saying good-bye. God is good. He
did give me His grace, His peace and His wisdom, as well as a feeling of
contentment that though hard it was going to be okay.
Fifty-eight years ago, when Bob and I were married we chose Psalm 34:3 for
our wedding ceremony and life verse. "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name
together".
As time and life circumstances
passed, Psalm 34:4 also became meaningful. "I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all
my fears".
Through the years I have written various dates next to this verse.
The first date was in 1961 when my daughter Linda was thought to have leukemia. Thankfully,
she didn’t. In l969, my then 3 year-old son had difficulty walking because of a
growth on his hip. With aggressive care and no walking for 3 months, he was
healed. (A 3 year old on crutches, yikes!). When Linda was in high
school, she developed myocarditis (who knows how or why). A few years
later Sharon developed hepatitis and had to drop out of college for a
time. In 2005, Bob had peritonitis and needed a bowel resection (no
cancer at that time). Last year we almost lost our daughter Kristen.
Surgery and 16 units of blood saved her. Each time God brought Psalm 34:4
to my mind.
Several weeks before his death, Bob was lying on the sofa. He called for me
to sit by him. He took my hand and started praying, first praising God’s many
blessings over his whole life. Next, he thanked God for many things
individually. Then he prayed for each of our children and for me.
After that, he wanted to go to bed. He went downhill from that point on.
"I sought the
Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears". Psalm 34:4
The night before he died our entire family gathered around his hospital
bed. We prayed that God would answer our prayer and take him home.
The next morning Bob went to GLORY
at 10:30 a.m. Our prayers were answered and I have no fear.
Over my life, God has always been there. I am at peace and I know in
the days and months ahead He will sustain me and grant His grace and wisdom
because He has given me the assurance of Psalm 34:3-4.
"O magnify the Lord with me, and
let us exalt His name together! I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and
delivered me from all my fears".
