Prayers for my Grandmother

In 2014 Grandmommy (Sherry Kennedy) was diagnosed with Glioblastoma. She had a surgery following this diagnosis to remove the tumor. The surgery went as planned and she was scheduled to begin standard cancer treatment. This treatment produced some stroke-like symptoms. She slowly lost her ability to move around and slowly lost her ability to speak. Now, three+ years after the initial diagnosis and surgery, the tumor is "back" and larger than it was originally. In this life, she has an estimated 5-10 months before she goes to the "far better" to continue her fellowship with God without the physical limitations of this life.

Undoubtedly this will be difficult for Granddaddy and the rest of my family, but I imagine that she has been preparing for this ever since the diagnosis. My grandmother is one of the best Bible students that I know, and she was instrumental in my love for God's word. Every Sunday I would sit between her and my uncle Micah in Sunday morning worship. She always gave me cough drops, and I would use those to time the lessons (lol!). She is the one that influenced me to take notes during the sermon - she always wrote down just the verses and maybe a word or two. She also wrote down all of the songs that the song leader led and would quickly nudge me if there were any repeats from the previous week (lol). Even after she began to lose her speech, she was still a sharp thinker. We even would play cards with my uncle and one of his friends at their house, and, yes, she would still beat us as soundly as she did before. Knowing this about her intelligence, it is safe to say that she knows that she will never die. John 11:25-26 says, "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?'" (John 11:25–26). As Granddaddy would ask after quoting this passage, "Do you believe this?" I know that my grandmother does, and I know that even when her spirit leaves her body, she will continue to live on in the kingdom God - age without end (Ephesians 3:21). Right now, the family is like David when his son was sick (2 Samuel 12:15-18). Whenever the time comes, however, for her to leave this earth, I pray that God will give us the wisdom and strength to respond as David did, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the Lord may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’ ²³ But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:22–23). So, in your prayers please remember Grandmommy, my family, and Laura and I as we face the coming months.