A Conversation About the Power of Jesus
Jason: Hi mom (Judy). Thanks for your time today. How long were you married?
Judy: Yes, I was married for 38 years.
Jason: 38 years…and then Dad was diagnosed with cancer, fought his battle with it, but he eventually came to the end of his life. Can you share what happened at the end right before Dad passed away?
Judy: Yes, really, at that point, he was dying. He was very weak and couldn’t move much. He was lying in bed, and I was sitting nearby, holding his hand. My daughter was also with us, holding and watching him. Then, all of a sudden, he woke up, and he started signing excitedly. His eyes were shining and full of joy. He was talking on and on about Jesus Christ dying on a cross and about three crosses. It’s hard to explain what it was like to be there, but he kept on signing nonstop for two hours. I just kept holding on to him and replying yes, yes to everything that he was saying. He kept on talking about Jesus, until at one point, he emphasized, “Tell the world that Jesus Christ is our Lord!” That is what I remember him saying. It was powerful. What my husband said, to tell the world that Jesus Christ is our Lord, makes me think that we need to spread the good news and let people know.
Jason: I remember how Dad was signing all of that so powerfully for so long, and then he fell asleep. He woke up later and was confused. He asked, “Why am I still here?” Do you remember that part?
Judy: Oh yes!
Jason: I think Dad said that he saw Jesus when he was near the end at that point, right? Do you remember? Jennifer told me about how Dad said he saw Jesus.
Judy: True, Jennifer was there more than I was. I was in and out of the room. I can’t remember exactly what Jennifer said.
Jason: That’s okay. But I think that story is a good reminder whether we are near death or we are still full of life, we need to share about Jesus.
Judy: I remember most how happy he was when he was talking about Jesus.
Jason: I also remember Jennifer saying that Dad talked about the sound of music and the sound of angels.
Judy: Yes
Jason: It’s interesting because I was driving home after coming to see Dad when that was happening. I was driving and grieving. I went across the Tennessee border to my home in Alabama, and I decided to pray. I was wrestling with doubts about heaven and God and if heaven is real? Will Dad be going to heaven? At the same time, I knew that my doubts were not the truth. I believed that heaven is real and God is real. I did. I had confidence that Dad would go to heaven, but I was still worried about my sister. I wasn’t sure if she was a believer. So I prayed, “Lord, do something to show my sister.” About five minutes later, my phone started blowing up with text messages about what Dad was doing and saying. It gave me goosebumps to think about the prayer that I had just asked God. God showed you both in the room with Dad that God is real as Dad shared everything he saw before he passed away. I will never forget it.
Judy: Me too. It was beautiful and amazing, so powerful to see him talking about Jesus.