By: Tania Harris
Melanie’s parents divorced when she was 8 years old and her father moved out. Six years later, her mum was diagnosed with brain cancer. The cancer was aggressive and had already spread through her body. Over the coming year, Melanie’s mum was in and out of hospital, being treated with different therapies but with little success. The cancer was progressing fast and the prognosis was dismal.
Questions now turned to Melanie’s future. She was 14 years old and unable to fend for herself. Living with her father was not an option so the decision was made for Melanie to move in with her Aunt Anni.
Hurting, Angry and Finished with God
From then on, Melanie started visiting her aunt’s home regularly. Aunt Anni was a Christian and took her to church where she heard about God, but it had little – if any – impact on her. She does remember one Sunday though.
On this occasion, an older woman testified to being miraculously healed of breast cancer. While everyone in the congregation celebrated, Melanie was enraged. What kind of God would heal an old woman while leaving a young mother to die and abandon her daughter? God became the ultimate enemy. Every night, Melanie cried into her pillow saturating it with tears of anger and hatred.
That summer, Melanie was sent away to a Christian camp. A day after she arrived, her mother’s condition deteriorated, and she was placed in an induced coma. Knowing that her mother could die at any moment and unable to reach her, the camp was the last place she wanted to be.
The Night God Showed Up
One night at the camp, Melanie couldn’t sleep. Thoughts of her mother’s impending death plagued her. Would she even be able to say goodbye? She stepped outside her tent and began to unleash her pain to God. She had so many questions. “Are you even real? I really hate you for doing this!”
Suddenly through her tears, Melanie had a vision. She saw her mother’s hospital room and knew that Jesus was standing beside her. Written across the scene of the vision like a subtitle was a bible reference: “Luke 23:43.”
Melanie didn’t know the Bible; nor did she know what the verse meant. Afterwards, she returned to the the tent and woke up the girl beside her: “Can you help me find Luke 23:43 in your Bible?”
There they read Luke’s words describing the scene of the two thieves on the cross next to Jesus – and then Jesus’ words to one of them: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Melanie looked at her watch. It was 1:45am. With the vision came a surge of hope. A deep sense of peace and security settled over her whole being. She was not alone. Even though she might be losing her mother, her home and friends, everything was going to be okay. For the first time in a long while, Melanie tucked herself into her sleeping bag and fell soundlessly asleep.
Hope After Goodbye
Next morning, Melanie was woken by one of the camp leaders. Melanie’s dad was on the phone. Her mum had passed away. Melanie had only one question; “What time did she die?” Her dad answered, “1:45am.”
In that moment, Melanie knew God had met her mum. But she also knew that God had met her.
When she arrived home, Melanie’s aunt Anni took her aside and shared her story. At 1.45am the morning her mother had died, Anni had woken to hear God say the same words as Melanie; “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”
It was a turning point for Melanie’s life. All her questions fell away. Her anger dissolved. In the months to come, as she mourned the loss of her mother and faced all the adjustments that had to be made, Melanie was sustained by a deep sense of hope. She had lost her mother, but she had also found faith. She knew that God held both her mother and her in his hands.
Article supplied with thanks to God Conversations.
About the Author: Tania Harris is a pastor, speaker, author and the founder of God Conversations.
Feature image: Supplied
