We were on a road trip, laughing over brisket and one-liners, when our friend Jerry’s voice suddenly grew serious. His son, Nicholas, had just been diagnosed with cancer.
Nothing prepares you for those words.
One moment you’re living an ordinary day. The next, the ground beneath your life shifts. Laughter disappears. Fear moves in.
Jerry and his wife, Cindy, did what most parents would do. They started searching. Reading. Praying. Asking questions.
Their first doctor told them Nicholas had a 35% chance of survival.
The second doctor said 65%.
The third doctor?
100%.
Same diagnosis. Same child. Three completely different predictions.
That kind of uncertainty can leave a family paralyzed with fear. But Jerry and Cindy did something important: they kept asking questions. They sought second and third opinions. They refused to walk through the crisis uninformed.
And slowly, something changed.
Clarity began to replace confusion.
Knowledge replaced panic.
And hope began to take root.
Because they took the time to ask their long list of questions, they left those appointments not just with information, but with peace.
They chose hope.
And today, Nicholas is healthy.
Not every story ends that way. But every patient deserves confidence, clarity, and compassion. That’s why I always recommend second opinions for serious diagnoses. And it’s why I’ve provided a list of essential questions for anyone walking this road, along with other tools in my Resources for a Serious Diagnosis guide.
If you or someone you love has received hard news, I want to remind you: there is wisdom, and there is hope.
Anticipating Heaven explores this space between fear and faith: how we process the unknown and walk with purpose anyway. I invite you to read it, share it, and cling to the promise that your story isn’t finished yet.
