A Death Bed Diagnosis: Now What?

Occasionally I get letters and e-mails of such a desperate nature that I feel sharing them would help others in the same place. I got word from a man <name withheld> who was in the hospital with end stage cancer. He was reaching out with tears in his voice for some hope, some light at the end of the tunnel. Is that you? The word of God is filled with encouragement to believe for the impossible. Healing happens. Miracles happen. In spite of a skeptical public the reality of divine intervention is unimpeachable. Not only does God’s word give us promise but I can tell you from my own experiences in life that I’ve seen some remarkable things. Just to keep it real and transparent I want to share with you my response and my prayer for this individual. I believe it can make a difference in your situation:

Hello …

This is Russ and Kitty Walden with Father’s Heart Ministry. God bless you for reaching out. I know that you must feel desperate and wondering if there is any hope. I don’t want to jerk your chain or manipulate you with platitudes. What I will do is share with you some things I have seen in the past. God is no respecter of persons!
Early in my years as a pastor I saw many miracles including 2 resurrections from the dead. The first one was when an elderly lady dropped dead in a service. Two RN’s looked her over and shook their heads. She was gone. I came off the pulpit and did the only thing I knew to do – prayed for resurrection. She opened her eyes, got up off the floor and sat down with her bible in her lap. God is gracious.
Another time a neighbor of mine was in the hospital in Kansas City. He called for prayer because the doctors said he would not live another 24 hours. I prayed the only way I knew how, for a miracle. The next thing he knew there were two angels in the morgue in the basement of the hospital who took the sheet off his face and drove him home 100 miles away. An astounding thing that only God could have done. Miracles happen.
I remember when my father experienced kidney failure and absolutely did not want to start dialysis. He was angry and frustrated and his wife was very down hearted. We drove to Atlanta and spent some time with them. I took dad on a drive and asked him some frank questions: “are you done?” He was quiet a minute and then answered, “no I’m not …”. My answer was well dad then walk on water or learn to swim. You may not be healed and if not then you need to do the treatments. He thought it would be a living hell but he adjusted and he has had some good years of his life before making heaven his home.
I remember when my mom was suffering respiratory problems and congestive heart failure. They called the family in from all over the country to “say good bye to momma…” What a heart break that was. She was conscious but on a ventilator. She was writing notes that we would see her in heaven. She weighed 80 pounds and we could see her heart beating between her ribs. She asked the doctor to take her off the vent. We wanted nothing more than mom to be out of her misery. We were angry when the doctor refused because he didn’t think she was aware enough to make the decision. He said she wouldn’t live out the night anyway …. then to our amazement she rallied and went HOME the next day. She went on to have six of the best years of her life. The week she passed she balanced her check book, cooked fried chicken for Sunday dinner and went to bed … she lapsed into unconsciousness after instructing us not to call the ambulance. Dad laid hands on her and released her spirit and she was gone. The moment she died a miniature wind chime on her desk “dinged…” and I was reminded of “It’s a wonderful life” and a bell ringing when an angel gets their wings ….
I remember this case of a family member who got a bad report from the doctor. The doctor’s opening line to tell us she had late stage small cell lung cancer: “I’m so sorry to tell you this….” They gave her four months to live. That was over 10 years ago. After doing all they could the doctor wrote in her record “this woman has had outside help….”
So …. I understand your feelings. As a pastor, I’ve seen people in pain I can’t imaging going through these things but I’ve also seen miracles, many of them. I remember a guy with ALS who was told he would never leave the hospital. I saw God come in the room and he walked out healed two weeks later.
The apostle Paul talked about being between two opinions whether to go or stay. Your life is your own and no one can tell you how to feel. I just want to give you another viewpoint. I’ve seen miracles. I’ve seen when healing didn’t come but the end result was not as horrific as was first imagined. You know the importance of maintaining a will to live. Don’t lose hope. Don’t give up. Likewise, don’t feel obligated to put up with all the religious platitudes either. You can trust God’s word. He loves you right where you are. Believe him for intervention and rely on his mercy. I’ve seen him come through time and again.
Let me pray for you – Father God I pray for . The doctors do what they can do but you will do what you can do. We look to all the miracles of the bible and times you came through at the 11th hour. We cry out to you. We take authority over this condition and command life to come. We declare that John will live and not die. We stand on your word. You said it, we believe it – by the stripes of Jesus (1 Peter 2:24) we are healed. Thank you Father for an outcome that medical science will acknowledge was “outside help”. Give the medical people wisdom Father as they do all that they can do. Give John peace to cooperate with all that asked of him knowing that you are with him and will never leave him or forsake him. In Jesus’ name, amen!

God Bless you!

Prophets Russ and Kitty Walden