My mother and father both accepted Christ at the very end of their lives, in terrible circumstances, when they had no where else to turn except to God.  I am so grateful to God for this great blessing!  One thing always bothered me, though.  They were never able to share their testimony with others (you will see why as you read on).  I consider it a great privilege that I can give it for them, because I think their testimonies will be a great inspiration to many.  I give God all the glory for their salvation!  It shows us His great love, in that He welcomed these two even though they lived their lives as His enemies.  It also shows us that we can do nothing to earn our salvation.  As you will see, both were reduced to a state of complete helplessness.  I pray that their stories will inspire those of you already walking with Jesus, and especially for those who are seeking Him.  I think that their voices will speak to you of His great love.  Before we begin, you can go to the list and find them under the state of Illinois:  Stan and Sue Cooper.  You may find the verses, especially my mother’s, unusual, but after reading their testimonies, you will understand the choices.

My mother was rather spoiled as a child.  Although not wealthy, my grandparents had more than most.  She was a sickly child, so she was pampered and denied nothing.  Her personality was that of the perpetual victim;  nothing was ever her fault, or the consequences of her actions, but was the result of others robbing her of her happiness, or her poor luck.  Specifically, she blamed my father and myself (unwanted pregnancy).  Her methods of dealing with problems:  drinking, smoking and complaining!  (I am not saying this to slander my mom.  It is very important to her testimony.)

My mother was diagnosed with ALS shortly after the death of her father.  We had noticed her speech was slurred for some time prior to his death, but thought she was drinking again.  When I went home for his funeral, I was shocked at how thin my mother was, and how pathetic.  She was not able to handle his death, so we protected her and took care of things.  One thing was for sure, though.  She was not drinking, and was ashamed to be around others because she did not want them to think she was.

The diagnosis of ALS is always terrifying, but in my mother’s case was even more so.  She had not lost any strength in her arms and legs, but in her ability to swallow and speak.  When these symptoms come first, it normally indicates a rapid progression and death within 6 months to a year.  My parents were hopeless.

I was a new Christian.  On one of my trips home, my dad told me that they felt so alone when I was not there.  It broke my heart.  For Christmas (which would be bleak), I bought them Bibles and marked passages that I thought would bring them comfort.  I wrote long letters about my testimony and how Jesus had changed my life.  I also put together a collection of hymns, thoughts, and poems about God’s love.  Mom immediately read her letter and started on the booklet, but my father refused.  Now, their marriage had been difficult to say the least, as my mother resented my father throughout.  Dad loved my mother, or at least tried to, but she would have none of it.  He was bitter, and terribly angry at God.  Mom wrote a note that he should read the stuff I gave him, but for once he did not do what she wanted. 

Mom did not progress as we thought, and 3 years later, still had not lost her ability to move.  I continued to come home about every 2 months to help out and visit.  One time, while running errands with my dad, mom read my prayer journal for my family.  She brought it to me with a note saying “I like this- it is good.”  The next time I came home, my dad was complaining that she watched the 700 Club several times a day.  The next time I came home, I sat down to watch it with her one afternoon.  When Mr. Robertson began to invite people to pray with him for salvation, my mom got my attention, smiled, patted her heart, and pointed to the TV and then to heaven.  I was filled with overwhelming joy and peace!  My mother, someone you would think of as the least likely to ever surrender to God, had accepted Christ!

Unfortunately, lifelong patterns are hard to abandon, and my mother never was able to accept her illness and move on.  She also had some dementia issues, but as she could not talk, it was hard to discern.  She died, not of her illness, but because she refused her tube feedings.  She died in rather terrible circumstances, and it created difficulty between my father and myself.

After her death, my father returned with me and lived in my home for about a year.  It was a difficult time, as he was depressed, bitter, and drinking heavily many evenings.  I missed church for about a month between going to get him and getting him settled.  On my first time back, the first song we sang was, “He Brought Me to His Banqueting Table”.  God’s love and comfort began to flow over me!  Now, I had been resentful that my mother did not find the love of her daughter and grandchildren enough of a reason to live, and was angry with my father for not trying to push her to eat, etc.  God spoke to my spirit that day.  I realized that my mother was now able to eat and speak again, and not only that, but was at His table and singing praises to Him!  On her own, mom would never have turned to God.  God took her disease of ALS, turned it around, and instead of following the usual course (losing ability to move and to breathe), used it to take away her usual methods of dealing with problems (as above, drinking, smoking, and complaining).  She had no where else to turn but to Him!  Death, where is thy sting!  I was hardly able to stand up, I was so overwhelmed.  I also came to know in my heart that, while our relationship on this earth was difficult and disappointing, it will be perfected in heaven!

As I said before, my father was very bitter.  His marriage had been loveless and miserable, their retirement destroyed by my mother’s illness and death, and he was left alone.  To top it off, we found out that he had rather advanced prostate cancer.  My father also felt that life was against him and he was helpless in its throws, but he looked to me for medical advise.  Now, as a nurse, I knew the stats for him, but I have also seen many, many people defy the odds.  i became his “cheerleader”, and he once again moved in with me as he sought treatment.  We were never allowed to discuss anything about faith with him, though.  He would become tremendously angry and leave the room at even the mention of God. 

During this time, he began to correspond with a neighbor who had recently lost her husband.  They eventually fell very much in love.  My father finally had a woman who would allow him to lavish love on her, as he had wanted all his life.  She was also a Christian, and he attended church to please her.  I saw the bitterness beginning to fade away.  They were married in a very poignant ceremony.  Dad was unable to attend on their first date, as he was in the hospital.  He was frail at the ceremony.  The promise to love and honor in sickness and in health, till death do you part, brought tears to all our eyes.  They were married only 6 short months before he entered the hospital for the last time, 6 months of chemotherapy and progressive weakness.  He had to have back surgery to relieve intense pressure and pain.  During the recovery, he developed a massive bedsore and a resulting infection, and we knew he was near death.  Their minister came to visit, and told me that she would have prayed with him, but that he was asleep.  I knew it was now or never, so I grabbed her and said it would have to be now.  We woke him up.  She asked if he would like to know Jesus, and he grabbed her hand and said, “Oh yes, please God, oh yes” .  As she began to tell him about Jesus and the salvation and pardon for sin he offered, my father began to cry.  Then, he was looking beyond us, crying, and saying over and over, “Oh, the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all!”  I think he saw Jesus!  I can’t describe the look in his eyes!  It is one of my most precious memories (as a real Daddy’s girl, I have a lot of good memories!), and I thank God that I was present.  It was he last really lucid period, and he died an agonizing death 3 days later.

After his death, I just fell apart.  I was glad he was in heaven, but so angry at his poor medical care.  The cancer was enough, and he would have died eventually, but having to endure the pain of the most massive bedsore I have ever seen (I am a nurse) was inexcusable.  So many things were missed in his care, and his doctor was one of the coldest, most unfeeling persons I have ever met.  I guess I was also grieving the loss of my mother as well, as I had been so busy with dad that I had put that on the back burner.  I drew out settling his estate for several weeks before returning home.  I almost could not leave the house, as I felt that I still had a part of my dad as long as I was there.

When I returned home, I continued to struggle with anger and grief.  Now, I was leading a Bible study at the time based on Max Lucado’s “He Chose the Nails”.  As I prepared my first lesson since returning, I was reading about Jesus being beaten and flayed, to the point of being unrecognizable as a human.  I considered what this would mean from a medical standpoint, realizing that Jesus would be dehydrated from blood loss.  I also realized that he would have been horribly vulnerable to massive infection as his skin was nearly destroyed in the flaying.  Now, I was not even thinking of my father at the time, but was crying over what suffering Jesus must have endured, and was praying “Why God, why was this necessary?”  I then realized that Jesus had died in much the same circumstances as my father- horrible wounds, massive infection, and dehydration, all accompanied by uncontrollable pain and agony.  Again, I was overwhelmed as God’s comfort began to envelop me.  Jesus spoke to my heart, and said that He had to die this way, so that He could stand by my father as he died and assure him that He understood his suffering!  Jesus did this so that one old, sick, man, who lived his life in rebellion and sin against God until 3 days prior to his death, would have a Savior.  Not a Savior who was unable to relate to what Dad was going through, but one who had done it himself!  I loved and just about revered my dad, but had to admit that if you are not living for God, you are His enemy. 

It did not stop there!  Again, I felt bad that Dad, like Mom, never had a chance to live for Jesus, and to share his testimony.  Again, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart.  I realized that those horrible last hours when nothing controlled my father’s pain, actually served a purpose in his life.  He DID get to live for Jesus!  He was allowed to share in Jesus’ suffering on the cross in a way few of us ever will!  Death, where is thy sting?!  Jesus showed me that it was a rare privilege, and that He was by my dad’s side every moment.

Friends, when my father accepted Jesus, he was at the weakest and lowest point anyone could ever be at.  He could not even move in bed without total assistance, could not lift his head from his pillow, hold a cup to his mouth, or even manage the strength to push the button to summon the nurses.  He could do NOTHING to save himself (no good works), and never had the chance to do so after accepting Jesus.  Like the thief hanging next to Jesus, he could do nothing to save himself.  He was at the end of himself, broken and dieing.  Our God has such compassion!  He looked upon my daddy and saw a child that He loved, that He died for, and He opened His arms to receive this prodigal son.  Imagine, the very heavens rejoiced when my dad opened his heart!  Death, where is thy sting?!!!!!! 

I have had the opportunity to share the testimonies of my mom and dad many times, and used them as a Christmas letter that year as well.  I hope they are an inspiration to you.  Please, leave me comments, and share your testimony as well.  The purpose of this site is to honor God, and to encourage others.  I hope you have been encouraged and strengthened by your visit here.

Sharing your testimony will inspire and comfort others.  God provides us comfort, to the point that it overflows and spills out to comfort others.  Death, where is thy sting?!