My brother is dying

Christian2 · Post by **Christian2** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 4:06 pm

My brother is a Christian. Can any of you help me with Bible verses or any words of comfort that I can pass on to him to help him through this time in his life? He is dying of cancer.

Thank you.

BGoodForGoodSake · Post by **BGoodForGoodSake** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 6:22 pm

Christian2 wrote:My brother is a Christian. Can any of you help me with Bible verses or any words of comfort that I can pass on to him to help him through this time in his life? He is dying of cancer.

Thank you.

Psalm 23

beckyandretti · Post by **beckyandretti** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 10:59 pm

Christian2,

I'm so sorry about your brother. It is one of the hardest things to go through, please know that my prayers are with you, your brother and your families. If you need anyone to talk to, my best friend died of cancer last year, hes actually the reason I found this site. I'm here if you need an ear.

Rebecca

Kurieuo · Post by **Kurieuo** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:13 am

As a Christian he has nothing to fear, although it is sad that one must part company with a loved one. Paul once wrote:

"21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body." (Philippians 1:21-24).

Paul reiterates this in 2 Corinthians 5:1-8 of which I'll quote the latter passages:

6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7We live by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

We also read that, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." (Psalms 116:15) Why? Because God gets to gather such to Himself, the reason Paul saw it as better to depart.

Still, it is never nice having someone close to us depart since we still have to live on here without them. I see it is perhaps worse for those around a loved one, than the actual loved one facing death. I personally couldn't imagine what it would be like to loose my wife, and despite all the reassuring passages in Scripture, I couldn't imagine living life without her. Anyway, I pray that everything works out, or at least God will be with you, friends and family if He decides to take your brother.

Kurieuo

Christian2 · Post by **Christian2** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 7:02 am

Thank you to all.

My brother asked his doctor for his prognosis and the doctor asked him if he really wanted to know. He said "yes" and the doctor said, "you have 6 months."

His wife was there and she didn't take it so well. My brother took it better and seems in good spirits, but he has to be afraid, mostly for the family he will be leaving behind, especially his wife.

I have had a day or so to think about something: Would I want to know when I am going to die? Would knowing force me to live the rest of my life differently? What changes would I make? Since none of us knows when we will die shouldn't we live today like it was our last day?

Kurieuo · Post by **Kurieuo** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 7:52 am

I know someone who was given a few months over three years ago when her cancer markers were right up to 2400. They dropped down to 29, but sadly went right up again even beyond that figure I believe.

Thing is she is still alive today even though she should have died (according to doctors) in 2003. So doctors may give a figure based on their medical understanding and perhaps experiences, but then they are also often wrong. Not really sure if that offers any glimmer of hope, and still good to make the best of any time left and coming to grips with what may happen. I feel sorry for your brother's wife, and can only imagine what it would be like...

Kurieuo

Christian2 · Post by **Christian2** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 8:14 am

Kurieuo wrote:I know someone who was given a few months over three years ago when her cancer markers were right up to 2400. They dropped down to 29, but sadly went right up again even beyond that figure I believe.

Thing is she is still alive today even though she should have died (according to doctors) in 2003. So doctors may give a figure based on their medical understanding and perhaps experiences, but then they are also often wrong. Not really sure if that offers any glimmer of hope, and still good to make the best of any time left and coming to grips with what may happen. I feel sorry for your brother's wife, and can only imagine what it would be like...

Kurieuo

Thanks Kurieuo,

I did tell my brother that doctors are not always right. Your thoughts reminded me of a study that some doctors did--going from memory-- they did an experiment. Out of a group of patients that the doctors had given up on--doing all they could for them--they wanted to find out if the power of prayer was real or would have some effect on their patients. So they asked some people to pray for a certain number of the control group. The findings were that out of the portion of the group who received prayers there were more people who were "cured" than those out of the group who did not receive prayers.

I do believe in the power of prayer.

Also I believe that how we accept death will affect those around us. My mother also died of cancer and was in horrible pain, but she never lost her faith, she never blamed God; she accepted death with grace and was an inspiration for all of us around her watching her go through this horribly painful death.

My brother said he learned through her and I have too, but it took me a while. I lost my faith for a time and did blame God; I was very young.

My brother has been blessed with a wonderful wife, great kids and grandchildren. His wife will have wonderful support and I am thankful for that.

Judah · Post by **Judah** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 1:47 am

C2, I have only just caught up with this thread and I want to say that I certainly feel for you all facing this news. I will be keeping your brother and his family, and yourself, in my prayers and trust that whatever the outcome that you will all be very aware of the love of God and His wonderful peace that passes all understanding.

Doctors often try to avoid giving a prognosis like that one, knowing that they can be quite wrong - as Kurieuo's anecdote has proven. There are all kinds of factors involved, as you mentioned yourself with the effect of prayer in that little experiment, and I often think how we simply don't know when our own time will be up. I might have an accident tomorrow and it all be over - who knows these things?

I actually have had to face that prospect concerning myself when I received a provisional diagnosis of lymphoma, one of the scariest words in the dictionary. And I have also faced the very real possibility of being a widow when I learnt that a Tamil bomb had taken out a bank in Colombo, Sri Lanka, while my husband was staying at the hotel opposite. His survival, as it turned out, was nothing less than a miracle as just 5 minutes earlier he had been waiting right there at the door of the bank. The wait for me to find out anything, knowing the degree of devastation that had occurred, was something I never ever want to go through again.

I think we would all be well advised to make the most of every day, not wasting them as though none of them matter that much, and it is not usually until something like this happens to you (or someone close to you) that the full appreciation of what we are given is truly experienced. In some ways that is a gift, and your brother and all of you have learned just how precious is our time with each other here. I nursed both my parents through their terminal illnesses and the memories are such rich and rewarding ones. I trust you will find this time very special even although you know there will one day come an ending as well. May you all grow richer in God's blessings and know His great love and perfect peace.

Christian2 · Post by **Christian2** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 11:23 am

Judah wrote:C2, I have only just caught up with this thread and I want to say that I certainly feel for you all facing this news. I will be keeping your brother and his family, and yourself, in my prayers and trust that whatever the outcome that you will all be very aware of the love of God and His wonderful peace that passes all understanding.

Doctors often try to avoid giving a prognosis like that one, knowing that they can be quite wrong - as Kurieuo's anecdote has proven. There are all kinds of factors involved, as you mentioned yourself with the effect of prayer in that little experiment, and I often think how we simply don't know when our own time will be up. I might have an accident tomorrow and it all be over - who knows these things?

I actually have had to face that prospect concerning myself when I received a provisional diagnosis of lymphoma, one of the scariest words in the dictionary. And I have also faced the very real possibility of being a widow when I learnt that a Tamil bomb had taken out a bank in Colombo, Sri Lanka, while my husband was staying at the hotel opposite. His survival, as it turned out, was nothing less than a miracle as just 5 minutes earlier he had been waiting right there at the door of the bank. The wait for me to find out anything, knowing the degree of devastation that had occurred, was something I never ever want to go through again.

I think we would all be well advised to make the most of every day, not wasting them as though none of them matter that much, and it is not usually until something like this happens to you (or someone close to you) that the full appreciation of what we are given is truly experienced. In some ways that is a gift, and your brother and all of you have learned just how precious is our time with each other here. I nursed both my parents through their terminal illnesses and the memories are such rich and rewarding ones. I trust you will find this time very special even although you know there will one day come an ending as well. May you all grow richer in God's blessings and know His great love and perfect peace.

Hello Judah, my friend,

Thank you for your comforting words. I am reminded of something I read years ago: "The only moment we are sure of is the moment we are living now" so as you said, we should make the most of every day.

Silvertusk · Post by **Silvertusk** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 2:43 am

Christian2 wrote:My brother is a Christian. Can any of you help me with Bible verses or any words of comfort that I can pass on to him to help him through this time in his life? He is dying of cancer.

Thank you.

God bless you Christian2 and your brother through this difficult time. I hope and pray you all take comfort in the promise that Jesus has made to us all. You are all very brave and I am sure a shining light to all around you.

God Bless

Silvertusk.

Christian2 · Post by **Christian2** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 7:36 am

Kurieuo wrote:I know someone who was given a few months over three years ago when her cancer markers were right up to 2400. They dropped down to 29, but sadly went right up again even beyond that figure I believe.

Thing is she is still alive today even though she should have died (according to doctors) in 2003. So doctors may give a figure based on their medical understanding and perhaps experiences, but then they are also often wrong. Not really sure if that offers any glimmer of hope, and still good to make the best of any time left and coming to grips with what may happen. I feel sorry for your brother's wife, and can only imagine what it would be like...

Kurieuo

An interesting update on my brother parellels your story. The doctors took him off chemo because of the negative effect it had on his feet and hands--he can barely use them.

They ordered another cat-scan. The cat-scan showed that even without the chemo his tumor is continuing to shrink. Now the prognosis is that instead of only having months to live he may have years to live.

He is in physical therapy to gain some use of his feet and hands.

I see the power of prayer here.

Judah · Post by **Judah** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 3:55 pm

C2, I am just so thrilled to hear that!

I've been thinking of you a lot, wondering how your brother is doing, and was about to PM you to ask.
That is just the very best news, and I pray that progress continues.

Woohoo!

Kurieuo · Post by **Kurieuo** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:45 pm

That's great to hear C2! I too will pray he continues to do well against the disease.

Kurieuo

IRQ Conflict · Post by **IRQ Conflict** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 5:59 pm

Awesome! God is sooo Good!

Also I have a prayer request for a family friends son Jeremy, who is in his early 30's has a wife one child (Judah) and one on the way I believe.

He was raised as a Christian.

He has leukemia. Here is a weblog he set up to keep friends and family apprised of his condition.

God Bless!

Judah · Post by **Judah** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:24 am

IRQ, will do.

C2, your news has personally meant a great deal to me and been very encouraging as I am dealing with some pretty big stuff in my own life right now. The power of prayer is awesome, as IRQ exclaims!

We don't always understand His ways, but we can certainly trust with utter confidence that He knows our every need and will never desert us - not ever.

Evidence for God from Science

My brother is dying

My brother is dying

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Re: My brother is dying