Be a survivor!
By Erik Farstad
"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock,
in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my
stronghold." Psalm 18:2
This devotional is dedicated to my mother, who gave me life, love and
tears. My prayer is that you are waiting for me in Heaven, I love you
Mom!
Some of you are struggling in life. Some of you are feeling pain you
never thought was imaginable. There is someone out there that wants to
cry, but can't form a single tear. Someone reading this is struggling
with a fatal illness or knows of a loved on that is. There is pain in
life, that is inevitable. If you are reading this, God brought you here
for a reason and I think it's to hear this: You can be a survivor!
I've personally dealt with death, my mom died of cancer when I was
sixteen years old. I watched a beautiful woman turn into a frail
skeleton in less than two years. Through my tears I am smiling, how?
Because my mom always did. While laying lifeless in a bed, not able to
move a muscle, my mom could light up a room with just a smile. Death
was knocking on her door but she would fight to see the sun come up the
next day. She said she lived for my sister and me! Wow, living solely
for another person! Yes, these are treasured memories of mine and now
they are yours too. I'm sharing them with you for a reason, you too can
be a survivor!
No, my mom didn't survive the battle of cancer but she survived for me.
Here life and ultimately her death taught me a lot. It taught me
appreciation for the little things, for family and what sacrifice is.
She lived years beyond what the doctors anticipated, how? For her
children. You see, parents want to give everything to their children.
The legacy of life, love and living, my mom left me is priceless. When
you face tragedy you either let it kill you or you learn to live through
it. Anyone who can stand up to tragedy is a survivor!
My tears are real and painful in this story as it comes to the end. My
mom left this world, but I don't know where she went. I did not know
Jesus when my mom died and don't know if she knew Him either. I cry to
this day when I think of a Heavenly reunion without her. There will be
no tears in Heaven, but if my mom died not knowing Christ did she really
survive anything? I can't believe I'm writing this to you, but the Lord
put it on my heart to share it with you. This hurts to the core of my
heart but if this can change one person's life it's worth it. As my mom
lived for me, so did the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ live and die for
you too!
My mom taught me to be a survivor in this world, but my Lord Jesus
Christ is teaching me to be a survivor for eternity. My mom lived for
me, Jesus lives for you. My mom lived a cancer filled life but
eventually died, Jesus lived through death on a cross but rose again.
No matter what you do, where you go or how you live, you will eventually
die. Don't wait for a fatal disease to test your survival. My mom
passed on every survival tip this world has to offer except for one, how
to survive eternal damnation. And the only way to survive it is to
accept Jesus Christ into your heart. Surviving in this world is great,
but ask yourself where you want to spend eternity? Oh, trust me you
will survive beyond this world. You'll just be spending it in eternal
darkness or eternal bliss. You decide.
I wrote this poem shortly after my mom passed away. When reading this
ask yourself, "Where will I slip away to?"
The Sleep
Alive.
Quiet.
Lying in the lonely bed.
Breathe once, then wait.
Twice again.
The body motionless,
But awake inside.
Thank the Lord,
We cannot hear her cry.
Though the roses are dying,
Her face so warm,
Soft.
Tubes, machines,
Buzzing, piercing the room.
This is home.
I watch the clock,
Hold on, hold on, hold on!
Knowing. Waiting. Wondering?
I close my eyes,
For a moment.
Forgetting what was real.
The cry, the scream.
Death and silence.
Breathing no more.
The dark blanket lifted,
While the angels came.
I am relieved.
Sad.
Now anger sets in.
I hold the hand,
That once was life,
While she slips away.
Quiet.
Sleep.
Don't slip away without knowing Jesus Christ! You can be a survivor!
In Him, "E"