A blessing of this blog are the people who correspond with me. Some are patients, some are survivors, some are caregivers or friends; some are Christians and some are not, but we all have one thing in common, cancer and it’s changing impact on our lives.
Recently I was contacted by Sean, a son who watched his mom travel the cancer road and lost her earthly battle but is forever in Eternity with her Savior and Lord, Christ Jesus. In reading his story, his mom’s cancer and her faith brought an understanding and desire for his need and relationship with Christ.
In his love for his mother and inspired by her pilgrimage, he wrote a song for her and all others who share the common bond of cancer. Music is comforting and therapeutic, calming the unpredictable storm; the ups and downs, the unknowns and uncertainities, the victories and set backs. I know because music was one of my anchors during my journey.
Sean sent me a link to his song, “Deliver Me”, and his authenticity and humility are felt in the words. I asked him to share with us his mom’s journey and how she inspired him. Please enjoy and find the peace you may be looking for in this song of comfort.
My mother Aurora was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer (glioblastoma multiforme) in the spring of 2004. She was an extremely strong and driven woman – wife and mother of two (my older sister and I), executive in the workplace, social butterfly, and active in the community. The thing that stood out to me most about her though, especially in the last two years of her life, was the amount of love and devotion she had for God.
That reliance on God carried her through the remaining 20 months of her life on earth. Suffering through 2 different major brain surgeries, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, strict dieting, and a whole slew of other treatment processes that are too numerous to count; she remained steadfast in her faith. While her body deteriorated, her relationship with God increased. Though we prayed for her miraculous healing, we knew ultimately that the decision was in God’s hands, and that His plans are greater than ours.
God sustained her for 20 months, which was literally 14-16 months longer than the original time frame we were given by the doctors. She passed away on November 9, 2005, just 2 months after she was able to walk me down the aisle as I married my wife Justine. She had asked God that, if anything, that would be the one last major event that she wanted to be able to attend in person, which He granted her before she went home to be with Him.
I can go on forever about my mom, and the impact she had on people’s lives, including my own. One of the lasting memories I have of her in her final days, was her smile as she repeated the words, “Always remember… God loves you.” It was the final line I was able to share at her funeral service in honor of her, and in that God began a work in me that is the biggest surprise of all.
I had just personally come to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of my life in 2003, the year before my Mom’s diagnosis. I firmly believe that His timing is perfect, as He had strengthened me and my faith over that year in between, which enabled me to support my mother and family through this difficult time and help us to focus on the eternal perspective. While the years between 2005 and 2012 were somewhat quiet for me as God developed and built me up, last year marked a sudden change as He thrust me fully into music ministry, that I never for the life of me, thought I’d ever be a part of.
And thus I’m sharing an original song I wrote called “Deliver Me”. I wrote the chorus during the final months of my Mom’s life, before I was even a “song writer” (I guess I’m one now!). I kept those words in my heart, and He recently completed that song through me earlier this year as I was praying for my friend Kristi, who is currently battling stage 4 lung cancer. It’s based on Psalm 18:2, which reminds us that we can depend on God through any circumstance, and that regardless of the earthly outcome, we have ultimate and eternal victory over every enemy through Jesus!
Kristi reminds me of my Mom, in the fact that she has unwavering faith in God’s goodness and mercy despite her circumstances. And I’m sure there are so many other women and men out there fighting cancer, who can share a similar testimony. I thank God for these brothers and sisters that, through their journeys, encourage and inspire the rest of us to continue to do better, to love more, and to honor God no matter what, because He is worthy and has a plan and purpose for each of us. My prayer is that this song can serve as a reminder of the hope, joy, and strength we have in God, in light of the trials we face.