Did you know that even in death circumstance that Jesus can carry you through the heartache? Ask for strength and God will deliver you. Some of my readers have been sending me emails and asking why I have not published since January? I had been dealing with crisis in my family around my wonderful father Natividad Livas. My father had been taken to the emergency room a few weeks ago because of severe dehydration, and his body was very sick. In the process of his recovery we discovered that he had cirrhosis of the liver, and because of lying in a hospital bed in the intensive care unit for twelve straight days could not walk. By the grace of God dad seemed to bounce back after he was deemed medically stationary. We had no choice but to have him go a facility where he had to have occupational/physical intensive therapy to regain his motor skills. Another week had passed since releasing him from the hospital and he had been doing somewhat well in spite of not eating much, or drinking much fluid to stay healthy. He ended up having a heart attack and went back into intensive care for a couple of days, and then he peacefully went to be with the Lord February 18, 2013. With the help of prayer, support, and constant love from God, friends, and family all of my siblings were able to cope with the loss of such a wonderful strong man.
I was constantly reminded by the Lord that He would not forsake me or my siblings in this time of great need. Jesus carried me through the heart wrenching reality that dad was not going to pull through this second hospital stay hours before he left this world peacefully. God is good and faithful and I can only praise him with my lips. Amen. Scripture reminded me that the Psalmist says “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. (Psalms 27:10) those promises have helped me through this experience around losing my dad to the sting of death and to not feel alone, or abandoned. What I want to share friends is that death is a part of life, and that as sure as we are born, we live our lives hopefully as long as my dad’s, and then we die. My dad was healthy his entire 88 years of life and suffered the last three weeks, which broke my heart over and over again. Watching someone who was so strong become so weak is difficult, and heart wrenching. Simple things we take for granted become mountains when physical health is compromised. God is so faithful friends when it comes to giving us strength when we simply have none of our own. I appreciate that as soon as I prayed God answered by giving me His strength, and for certain He supplied dad with strength when dad needed it.
I have the assurance to know that my dad was received at heaven’s gate with open arms by Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior, my mother, and all my loved ones that passed before dad. All that I am, all that I have become, and all that I will become I thank my parents for. I can only hope that I continue to raise my own children as well as my parents raised my siblings and I. I want to share that my siblings and I have a deep spiritual connection to The Lord because this is the fabric my parents wove into us. Both mom and dad had spiritual gifts that The Holy Spirit blessed them with, and both knew Jesus. Please know that if you did not have parents that knew the Lord, or you do not know the Lord that It is never too late! My immediate prayer for you if you are struggling right now with the spirit of death knocking at your door is to take assurance that The Lord will deliver you by giving you His strength. You are never alone friends, stay strong God loves you and so do I. I send you blessings, peace, love, and Gods favor!
Prayer at the death of a parent, dedicated to Natividad and Aracelia Livas; Rest in peace this is not a final goodbye, but a see you soon dad and mom...
Father God, I have so much to be thankful for today. My father and mother lived long enough for me to know them. Strengthen me now for the responsibility that I inherit today. May I so live that I may be an unfailing source of wisdom, security, and encouragement to my children. Remove the spirit of guilt of my grief today. From this loss, I find that I could and should have done more. But I am not perfect. You know this, and my parents knew this. I thank you for flooding this moment in my life with divine forgiveness. You are righting every wrong and I thank you. As the fruit of the love of my parents I shall live on. I dedicate and commit myself to live honorably and respectfully so that the remainder of my years brings no disgrace to my family’s name. I rejoice and thank you for Christ’s promise of eternal life. “He who lives and believes in me shall never die.” “In my Father’s house there are many mansions.” I am strengthened now by your word: “When my father and mother have forsaken me, then the Lord will take me up.” I know that sorrow never leaves us where it finds us. I remember it is not what happens to me in life but how I react to what happens to me that is supremely important. Now, God, you will be constantly my heavenly parent. Bless the spirit of my parents until we reunite, in Jesus name! Amen.
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