What time is it and How much time do you have?

Life is God’s gift of time to us. Let us live and enjoy the time He gives according to His will and purpose. Let us be steadfast that in the presence of countless and challenging obstacles, we will continue to live as Christ lived until He takes us to our eternal home.

Part 2 of Dennis Williams Story

Dennis Williams finally started living after experiencing God’s love shared by his nurse, Donna and the faithfulness of the gentlemen and ladies of IBBC. We became his true family during the absence of his biological family who gave him up and abandoned him because of his rare illness.

Life was difficult when he was growing up. He was either deathly sick in the hospital or in severe pain with much respiratory discomfort. I am sure there were times he thought of ending his life; especially when his family decided to leave him under the care of the hospital. I had a feeling the hospital consented to take him because he was a good subject for research and extensive study of his rare medical condition.

After he was saved, he started to enjoy his independence. He got an apartment, a car, and a regular job selling tickets and giving out fliers in the horse race stadium in Oakland/Emeryville. The greatest blessing was that the Lord gave him a church family who prayed for him and helped him with everything he needed. 

Many times he would be at Church, despite having difficulty; only to be among the people he loved to listen to and watch. There came a time when his skin color turned very jaundiced and he was totally dependent on his oxygen tank to breathe. But still, he refused to miss any Church services and home Bible Studies. Several times he drove himself to the house in San Francisco, Ca. and other places where the Bible Study was being held. 

Dennis was excited to live and enjoy his new life in Christ. He was alway loved to engage with us. I realized later that living the way he lived was not without sacrifice. He refused to show his pain and discomfort that several times I felt led to ask him if he was okay. He always replied, “yes, I am fine!”

After several weeks on a Friday evening, after a home Bible Study, he requested a meeting with me. We went to the corner in the living room and handed me some forms that he said I needed to sign. The forms included a Durable Power of Attorney and a Will. He asked if I would be willing to be his guardian, the executor of his will, and the one that would make all the decisions for him. I assured him that I would do everything he asked and we both signed the forms with 2 more individuals who also signed as witnesses. The contract required 2 witnesses or the forms would have to be signed by both parties before a Notary Public.

When we were about to leave, he requested us to take a live video of him reading the signed will and while giving final instructions just in case the Lord takes him. I honestly laughed inside myself when I heard him declared that he wanted all his assets to be divided between IBBC and the hospital. I took that funny because I was mostly aware of his needs and not of any assets or money in the bank. I knew about his car and his personal belongings at home. Anyway, I went ahead and instructed our video person to start recording and perform all his requests. After it was over, I noticed he looked relieved and satisfied. Many questions came to my mind, but I decided not to ask, at least at the time.

After about a week or so, I was no longer seeing him in the Church and in any Bible Studies. I was also mostly out of town visiting some churches; then I learned he was back in the hospital. His nurse Donna, called me and said that Dennis was again at the ICU and he wanted to see me as soon as possible.

With my assistant Pastor driving with me, we hurriedly went to the hospital and upon arrival, I rushed to his room. There I found him awake and totally conscious while hooked to all life support machines and IV medicines. 

When I started talking to ask how he was, he asked me if it is normal for a Christian to be afraid of death? I noticed and felt his fear and his anxiety about death. It was something he was warned about by his doctors in the hospital; a reality that he was afraid to face anytime soon.

Nobody could be prepared to give an honest answer to a person in his predicament. As his Pastor, I was not ready as well. Perhaps, in my heart I still wanted him alive and to enjoy life much longer. Then I realized he needed to be comforted and be assured in the face of death. 

I could still remember what I said. First, I made sure that he was saved and then told him that the Bible declares that death is the last enemy to face. But as a child of God he be victorious over death because God promised all His children, including him that we will rise again from the grave. I told him, because of Christ’s resurrection we will all conquer and defeat death once and for all. I continued to explain that he will only shed his temporary shelter, his sick body; but his soul will continue to live eternally with God. 

To make it more clear for him to understand, I used elevator as my example and said to think of death as an elevator to take him to the next floor. That when inside the elevator, he knows the direction is going up; and also knows exactly what floor to go. It is the same with death. He enters the elevator, which is a picture death that serves as a transition to take him up to heaven because in Christ he knows he is going there and he is confidently sure that will be with God forever.

That finally gave him peace. I could sense the peace of God took control of his fear and anxiety. When I asked him again about his fear of death. He answered and said, “that made sense. I am not that afraid anymore. I am now looking forward to move up,” while pointing his index finger upward. We ended in prayer.

While we were praying, I did not notice that my assistant joined us in the room. Later, while driving back to the Church; he shared what was happening when we were praying. He said that when he came in, and saw us praying; he all of a sudden noticed 3 beautiful white doves landed on the window sill outside, and one of them flew into the room where we were through an open window and the bird stayed perched on the metal holding the IV until we were done. He was not able to disclose this to Dennis because we noticed he was already fast asleep. We both took it as a message that Dennis would soon be taken home to be with Jesus.

Sure enough, the following day he died peacefully and went home to be with His Heavenly Father and his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I have to stop here again and I promise that this story will get more interesting and a blessing to you. The 3rd part will continue tomorrow. If you are blessed, please pass on and share. Please feel free to give your comments below. God bless! 

Dr J Hernes M Abante

IBBC Senior Pastor