UPDATE: At 1:10 PM the Lord showed His goodness and took Kristin home. Please pray for Mike, his children (Alyssa, Sean, Caralynn, Ethan) and her parents, Dave & Carol Cook, and her brother, David.
Here's a note that Mike Wheeler, my friend Kristin's husband, wrote this morning:
From Where I Sit
On January 2nd I received a phone call from a pastor in Washington State, asking me to visit a relative of one his new converts. She was unsaved and on her death bed. I remember arriving at the ICU around midnight and no one was with her. This poor lady was struggling to live, she had tubes for drainage and sanitation coming out of her and she was semi responsive. I sat next to her that night and talked with her, prayed with her, witnessed to her and loved her the best I could. I returned the next day in hopes her family would be around her but yet again she was alone. How heartbreaking, the nurses said they hadn't been there all day and this poor lady only had moments left to live. I once again witnessed to this lady who was unable to respond, but I prayed with her, I encouraged her to accept Christ as her Savior and I asked the Lord to give me an outward sign. Well just then one tear fell from her right eye and went passed her bruised face and to the mattress. I told her I loved her and I would continue to pray for her and visit as I could. I don't know for sure if she got saved that day, but I do remember my wife at home urging me to go, even though she had head pain like she had never had before. She was going to manage taking care of Ethan and picking up Caralynn from school. Kristin loves the ministry and was always a great help to me in the ministry.
On April 20th, I saw a different scene but this time it was in my home. A dying woman, unable to speak or move, A woman struggling for breath and not moving much. She was surrounded by her father who during his entire life has desired to serve the Lord, love his wife and be an example to his children. I watch him cry over his daughter lying in that bed, but I never once saw an ounce of doubt about the place she was going to go to. A man that left his job to be with his daughter, unsure where the next paycheck may come from. I saw her mother, a lady of great kindness and love, a lady in every way. Tear up as she looked on to her daughter, just a week and half before she was going shopping with her and now, she can't even open her eyes. I am in awe of her faith as I hear her wish for the rapture to come and the grace in which she has handled things so far. I saw a couple sit by her bed that saw her grow up before them, they were able to share stories about her life and the crazy things she had done. They were friends in every sense of the word. They brought with them joy during a time where there is little joy, they allowed us to smile. But as the Lord led, they went from being friends to being ministers, when the tears would flow and the sobbing would start they were there with warm hugs, encouraging words and they even cried themselves. They uttered prayers that will never be published but have never sounded so beautiful, the right words, said at the right time to calm our hearts. They were not gods, but they serve the God and it was evident. I saw a brother, not one for dwelling on negative feelings ask his family to join around his sister for a time of prayer. I knelt at her feet and prayer was said, the family wept, the brother showed his great love for his sister. Even though they are brother and sister, they appeared to be more than that, they were friends. I saw a little two year old boy come in the room, climb on the bed and kiss his motionless mothers lips and utter words he had never said to her "I love you". Then this young boy climbs off the bed, grabs a toy and goes about playing. I saw another boy enter the room, appearing nervous and uncomfortable. He gives his mother a hug, but not to hard, he doesn't want to hurt her. He kisses her cheek, looks at her face and says "I love you Mom", then he quickly leaves the room to a place more comfortable for him. A six year old girl enters with her big sister. She sees the tears in the eyes of those around and begins to cry herself, she cuddles up next to me and weeps. The older girl begins to sob and leans unto me for comfort, I think to myself, what can I do to help them when I'm in no place to help? After the emotions died down, we went to bed all of us kissing her sharing our love and hoping to speak with her just one more time tomorrow.
The next day was more of the same, but this time I had a few hours by myself with her. Oh I poured my heart out, I thanked her for loving me, I thanked her for forgiving me when I failed her, I thanked her for my four wonderful children. I told her how much I loved her, but my vocabulary didn't have the right words to adequately share my feelings. I played songs that for her that glorified the Lord "Wonderful Merciful Savior" & "Wonderful Grace of Jesus", I played "I will be here" the song that was song at our wedding. I held her hand, kiss her lips but it wasn't the same, they were motionless. After my time with her, our friends entered the room again and she responded, I quickly asked if she was in pain or needed anything and I asked for a kiss and she responded by puckering her lips, It wasn't a long kiss, it wasn't a passionate kiss, but a short kiss that showed my love for her and her love for me, the greatest kiss since our first.
Now I lay in a bed next to her with the lights out and I listen to her breath, I get scared every time there is silence only to be rewarded with the sound of her breathing again. I'm confused how to pray, I don't want her to suffer, I don't want her to be in pain or even experience sadness, in some ways I wish the Lord would take her home. In other ways, I don't want her to go, I'll take care of her like this as long as I have to, I just don't want to lose her.
Oh Lord, please work your will quickly and show mercy. You are a good God, you are merciful, you are loving, I know your way is perfect and you have a plan, may my actions honor you. Bless my wife, I thank you for her, I found a good thing when I found my wife. You may take her tonight and if you do, then I will glorify you. If you let her stay with us a little longer I will thank you and I will spend another day at the bedside of my wife worshiping you. May you receive the glory.
You see, there is a difference between families that know the Lord and those that don't. The lady I visited in January had an unsaved family and couldn't be bothered with her or the thought of death. My wife has a saved family, we love her, death does not scare us, but it does sadden us. Have you reader, ever considered your soul? Do you know where you will spend eternity when you die? I can tell you that God loves you with an everlasting love, a love that knows no limits and has no weakness. He sent His Son Jesus, to this earth nearly two thousand years ago to die on a cross for sins you and I committed. Have you ever considered what the Bible says is wrong and right, have you lied? Have you stolen or and an impure thought? These are wrongs or sins in the eyes of God and God is a Holy and perfect God that doesn't allow sin to go unpunished. Well the reason Jesus died on the cross wasn't to place you on a path to Heaven for you to earn the rest of the way, he died on that cross because His blood would wash away your sin, God would forgive you of your sin. My wife trust that God has forgiven her sin because Jesus paid the price for forgiveness. Her family knows in their hearts, that when she breaths her last breath in perhaps moments, that she will close her eyes in death and open them and behold the Creator of everything, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the I AM, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the lily of the valley, you see, she will behold Christ. Will you?
