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A Whole New Meaning My oldest sister, Brenda, was absolutely beautiful, both inside and out. She loved life and I've never seen anybody enjoy being a mother more than she did. Anytime someone needed help, she was there. It didn't matter if she knew them or not. Brenda had a heart bigger than Texas. Little did we know that later in life things would take such a turn for the worst. Brenda had two sons several years apart. While pregnant with her second son, at the age of thirty-six, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Immediately after she delivered the baby, she had surgery. What started out to be the simple removal of a tumor from the cervix turned out to be extensive surgery. The cancer was also in the uterus and lymph nodes, and a tumor was removed from her colon. Then the cancer showed up on another area of her colon; More surgery. Then it popped up on another area of the colon; More surgery. Then one tumor after another surfaced on her bladder. Again, more surgery. With every tumor came another surgery along with a round of chemotherapy. In addition to surgeries and chemotherapy, she received numerous radiation treatments. So much radiation that she said she felt like she was fried. Nothing seemed to be working. No matter what the doctors did, the cancer just kept popping up one place after another. The doctor gave the last round of chemo a 30% chance of helping her, but she took the chance. She said, "I want to live to raise my son and to watch my oldest son get married." All the while she was suffering severely. My mother and I, along with many others, were fasting and praying for her. My friends from church pointed out a scripture to me from the book of Isaiah. I must have read and quoted it a million times over. I stood firm on that scripture and my faith was so strong. When every one else said, "it's over", I still believed in my heart that God was going to heal her. Despite all my fasting, praying, faith, and standing firm on the word of God, she didn't get that miracle. After a five year long battle, Brenda died at the age of forty one. To make matters much worse, my sister wasn't a Christian. Oh, how I cried out to the Lord! God, why? I fasted, prayed, and spoke unbelievable faith. I stood firm on your word, yet she died anyway. Why didn't you heal her? I was so distraught. I just didn't understand. My sister lived 500 miles away at the time she died, so there were many things that we didn't know, but when I went to her funeral, a lady named Sharon approached me and said, "You're Brenda's sister, aren't you?." I replied, "Yes, how did you know?" She answered, "You look like her." To me, that was the greatest compliment anyone could have given me. She said, "I don't know if this will be any consolation to you, but I have something important to tell you." She proceeded to tell me that she and my sister had been roommates years ago, but they had lost touch and hadn't seen each other for eight years. Then one day about a month ago, my sister happened to be in the store that Sharon's father owns, and they had a nice long conversation. Sharon had been saved and baptized a few years prior to this, and she used this opportunity to witness to my sister. They planned to get together in a few days to talk some more, but before the time came, my sister was back in the hospital for what would be the final time. Sharon made several attempts to reach Brenda by phone. Then she went by her house many times only to find no one home. Sharon finally reached my sister's husband by phone and learned that Brenda was in the hospital. So, the next day, she went to the hospital to visit. My sister was very weak and on so much medication that she was slipping in and out of consciousness. Sharon really wanted to pray with her, but Brenda just couldn't stay awake. Feeling very worried that time was running out, Sharon went outside of my sister's hospital room to pray. God, I truly believe that you allowed our paths to cross again, and I know in my heart that you want to do something special with Brenda. But, Lord, if you want to use me to do your work here, you're going to have to open her eyes and open them wide. Sharon walked back into Brenda's room and reached down to take her by the hand saying softly, "Bren." At that point, Brenda blared her eyes. She was able to remain alert long enough to pray the sinner's prayer and receive a blessing from God. My other sister, Helen, was there and witnessed this glorious event, and she said that as weak and frail as Brenda was, she was laughing and crying at the same time saying, "I love you, Jesus," over and over again. Oh, How I wish I could have been there. Just a few short hours later Brenda went to be with the Lord. However, through Sharon, God showed me that every thing I had done was not in vain because even though Brenda wasn't physically healed, she had received the ultimate healing...her soul. From that moment on, the scripture in Isaiah 53:5... But, he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Took On A Whole New Meaning! In
Loving Memory of My Precious Sister
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