John suffered from cancer for the last two of his 55 years. He established a personal relationship with Jesus soon after his diagnosis and was very receptive to The Holy Word of God ... On July 30, 2018, John went home to Jesus ...
John has less than 24 hours left in this world. He is coherent and chats with Kim, his wife of nearly 26 years, and other close family members. His niece reads Psalm 23 aloud. John asks her to “read it again” and lips the words.
With a big smile, John cries out “butterflies” … His eyes scan the room as he reaches out for them.
“Did everybody drink their water? It’s free!"
"It’s different there …"
"Kim, the ocean is different than what we saw.”
As he speaks to Kim and other family members, his gaze becomes distant. “Come on kids … come in and sit down.” (Kim had two miscarriages during their marriage and she wonders if these ‘kids’ he is motioning to could be their children).
John asks his sister, “Do you know the way?” He asks his sister in law, “Do you know the way? … I can’t find the stairs. I’ll ask Gram.” (Gram passed away many years ago) “Gram wasn’t here today. A guy who looks like a girl is helping me.” Kim asks John if the 'guy' is his angel and John nods in affirmation.
“A lot of people left down there.” To Kim, he says, “You meet someone.”
“A lot of people up here. Five ahead of me.”
John tells Kim, “I feel alright” and she responds, finally after two years. “Yea.”
“I’m dying.”
Empty handed, John motions to his niece. “Take the card.” Kim asks if she should take the envelope to the church. “Yes, take it now, I can’t go until seven.”
John’s smile did not falter throughout his last hours. His face remained radiant, with bouts of awe.
Kim alone sees the perfect pearlescent tears form in the corner of John’s left eye and turn clear as they gently roll down his cheek. He repeatedly whispers “I love you” to her.
The family senses he is no longer on the same plane as his upward gaze shifts down and behind him. John takes his final breath ... it is indescribably peaceful.
"The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl." (Revelation 21:21)
"... but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)
"For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
(2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
