I Can Do All Things

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil 4:13

When this battle started raging with my health and Mom’s health at the same time, the Lord gave me a little chorus with this verse of scripture. It has helped me through so many difficulties over the past few weeks. The Lord knew what we were going to have to face. Dad and I sang this song to Mom over and over during her time in hospital. I know that the Lord will not give us anything more than we can handle. But, there have been many times over the past few weeks that I have questioned the Lord’s perspective on how much He believes I can handle. I’ve come to realize that when we walk hand in hand with Jesus and submit ourselves to His purposes, He will give us the ability to handle anything that we are facing.

It was one of the greatest honours and privileges for me to care for Mom over the past two weeks. My love and respect for Mom grew even more during this time. Mom did not complain once. She did not question. She did not get angry. Her response to nurses when asked how she was feeling was, “pretty good”; even in the worst of pain. Mom’s faith has been so strong this whole time. When the doctor told her that there was nothing more that could be done from the medical standpoint, she looked at us and the doctor with so much courage and said, “I am in the Lord’s hands now.”

I am not sure how I am feeling today. It’s hard to describe. I teeter between being numb and having emotions coming at me at full force. All I know is that the pain of separation is real, and I will miss my mom incredibly.

We don’t understand the ways of the Lord. But the whole time that Dad and I were in the hospital, we felt no defeat…we still don’t. We felt peace in the midst of the raging storm. We believed to the bitter end. Dad made a statement throughout this battle that will forever stick with me. He said, “I’d rather believe and not receive, than not believe and not receive.” We know that although our hearts are breaking, Mom is cheering us on from heaven. She desperately wanted to see a great ingathering of souls in a last days harvest. I believe that she will see it…just from a different vantage point.

Life will be different now. We still need to take this journey one day at a time. But, I know that Jesus will carry us through every day.

We will see you soon, Mom. Thank you for being the best Mom and Nanny we could have ever asked for. I love you forever.