Just over three years ago was one of the most challenging times of my entire life. Let me explain. My mom had been battling cancer for one and a half years. Her treatments had been successful in the sense that the medications had been keeping the cancer cells in her body confined to the liver. Nevertheless, on March 7, 2023, I received a phone call from one of my sisters that I should get to the hospital as soon as I can. My heart sank when I heard this. I quickly did what I had to do to leave work, and I headed to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital to be with mom, my dad and my five siblings. This was one of the hardest days of my life! It looked like mom had lost her battle with a disease that was causing complications in other parts of her body. Much to everyone’s surprise, the medications that the doctors gave to mom that day had a positive effect on her body. In the beginning of the day, mom was incoherent, her body was breaking down, and she was suffering from a body temperature just over 103 degrees. By the end of the day, mom was coherent, her body responded positively to the medicines, and her temperature went all the way down to just over 97 degrees.
Our family is very big on the belief that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, He died on the cross for love of each one of us to forgive us of our sins, and we can spend life with Him in heaven for all of eternity after we physically die. We are also very big on prayer. We pray to God every day, especially in the circumstances that we were faced with our mom. Before these circumstances, everything that took place in the hospital, and all that took place since then was going to be left in the hands of God and what His will was for my mom and what was going to happen to her for the rest of her life. Two very important items that helped me, my dad, and my brothers and sisters with what had been taking place with our mom for that year and a half of her life and what would have taken place in the future are four words from The Our Father: Your Will Be Done, and a fan-favorite song in our family: Jesus Take the Wheel.
My family is amazing when it comes to reaching out and helping others, especially when someone in the family is not feeling well. The support and encouragement I received from them each day during that very challenging time was out of this world. It helped me so much! Below is “The Our Father” and several lyrics from “Jesus Take the Wheel.” These words are very helpful during very challenging times in my life. I hope you can find peace and comfort in these words also.
The Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Jesus Take the Wheel
Jesus, take the wheel
Take it from my hands
’cause I can’t do this on my own
I’m letting go
So give me one more chance
And save me from this road I’m on
Oh, Jesus, take the wheel.