This Nugget is the first of those different stories from the other side of the Paradox
This Nugget has been fashioned from excerpts from the book:
Heartbreakingly Beautiful – A 52 Week Devotional Journey of Faith – Inspired by Bethany’s life 31/3/1995 to 5/3/2011 and written by Lynda Wake together with Dave and Bethany Wake
Many older kids would come to Bethany when she was a 14 year old to confide in her and seek her advice and input. She was one who embodied the wisdom of God at such a young age. She could hold in tension the light side and the heavy side of life. Many talk of going to see Bethany to comfort her after she was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour only to be comforted themselves. Bethany knew her life was to be lived for others.
In early March 2010 Bethany began to experience vision loss and pain which led to her having her appendix removed. By her fifteenth birthday Bethany was back in hospital with numbness and weakness down the left side of her body and was diagnosed with having an aggressive brain tumour. Within a month Bethany could hardly talk and had lost the use of her limbs on the left side completely. An intensive treatment of radiation therapy was undertaken and while it halted the disease for a while the treatment was so bad it seemed worse than the disease itself. The therapy did bring back Bethany’s speech and she was able to talk up until the last 12 weeks. However Bethany lived with constant pain and nausea. Seven months after the treatment had ended it was clear the cancer was on the move again. The family had the privilege of nursing Bethany at home with the help of family and friends. The last three months of Bethany’s life were horrific as she lingered much longer than expected while gradually losing every bodily function. Bethany took her last breath on this earth on 5th March 2011.
Bethany Wake is a remarkable young woman whose passion for following Christ and loving people was inspirational. You may wonder at the incongruity of me telling you Bethany breathed her last in March 2011 and yet I wrote above Bethany Wake IS a remarkable young woman. How can that be? Simple: because death is not the end. As her mother Lynda wrote in their book: “What would be the purpose of sharing her remarkably courageous journey if the valley she had to travel led to nowhere but a cold grave? The reason we have a heartbreakingly beautiful story to share with you is because bodily death is not the end but just the beginning of everlasting life for the believer in Jesus Christ.”
Below I have picked out of Heartbreakingly Beautiful some of the beautiful nuggets that abound in the book.
Here then is the beautiful side of the story . . .
- The night before her 15th birthday Bethany had a real sense that the LORD had spoken to her. “He told me He is going to get me through this Mum, but that it is going to take some time.” Bethany made such an impact with her attitude in having an MRI on her birthday that the whole floor of doctors and nurses came to sing and give her birthday presents.
- Throughout the whole ordeal the family witnessed Bethany’s ability to cultivate an attitude of gratitude, which lifted the eyes of visitors to the source of Bethany’s strength. We all need to find gratitude in dark times.
- Bethany found the jewel of Psalm 73 as her song to hang on to. As her journey progressed and her flesh failed, God became the ever-increasing desire of her heart. During the hardest days Bethany would return to this ancient song and find her strength again.
- “I am absolutely ready to meet my Creator. I am not afraid, I have never been afraid.” Bethany – January 2011
- “Lord Jesus, NO ONE or NOTHING has authority over me except YOU! Not cancer, not MS or any other disease they say I have – ONLY YOU!” After the diagnosis was spoken: Bethany said to David: “Daddy, there is no power but in the name of Jesus, so whatever they call this cancer it will have no power over me but only what God will allow – so we don’t have to fear.” – April 2010
- The week after the diagnosis was announced Bethany told her mother: “Mum it probably was the worst diagnosis I could get, but I sense that God is with me and I am not afraid at all. God told us that Christians would go through hard times but the difference is that He will be there holding our hand and always right beside us.” Lynda asked her, “Do you actually feel God’s presence with you.” Bethany replied with a strong, resounding “YES!”
- In church at the end of that week Bethany didn’t want to miss church. She asked if everyone could read aloud her go-to-Scripture, Psalm 73. The presence of the LORD was touchable and Wake hearts were filled with pride for their Bethany Joy.
- Lyn suffering the grief of all parents watching her child going through intense pain. When the pain subsided a little, Bethany said to her mum, “Jesus will heal me when He gets the most glory.” Lyn told her that she would have such gratitude to Jesus when she understood His suffering for her so much better. Then Jesus will get all the glory and so much joy from you Bethany.” “Thanks for telling me that Mummy.” She came to see His glory through all the family and friends He sent to help her through.
- David had a vision while he was praying of a massive boulder hovering over their heads threatening to crush them. But as he looked he saw that people were surrounding them on the perimeter of the boulder, each with a part of the boulder resting on their shoulders. July 2010
- Back at a Mission Event in January 2010 the whole Wake family were impacted as parents and children committed themselves again to God for His call on their lives. God whispered into Lynda’s spirit, “You have said you will go anywhere I send you, but will you let your children also go anywhere I send them?” Lynda stood there for a long time wrestling with God saying, “Too hard Lord.” All of the family was touched in some way but Beth came and said that she had told the LORD she would go and do anything He asked of her. She wanted her life to give Him SO much glory. It became clear in the coming months that God’s mission for Beth (indeed for them all) was “another kind of glory”.
- Beth asked the Lord to open her eyes and show her His glory. He answered her, “I AM, I AM.” Eight months later Beth would see the LORD face to face. July 2010
- Pastor Geoff asked Bethany what message she would like to give to the church. “Please thank the church and tell them after 43 vomits I am still trusting God. He got me through it and He is still my strength.” July 2010
- Lyn told Beth through a devotional book “YOU CAN TRUST THE ONE WHO DIED FOR YOU.” Beth responded immediately with excitement, “That is what He said to me a few weeks ago – “YOU CAN TRUST THE ONE WHO DIED FOR YOU.” Lyn asked Beth how God told her. She answered “In a kind of whisper”. August 2010
- It appeared that Beth’s life was being cruelly taken from her by cancer. Yet she saw her life as an offering that was given to Jesus, because she had given her life to God for His glorious purposes before she had become ill.
- “Mum, some people in my situation wouldn’t be able to say that God is good. But He really is Mum – He has been so good to me.”
- “Mummy, you can stop praying for healing now. If it is ok with you, I just want to go and be with Him.” Bethany December 2010
Bethany had chosen the better way. (Luke 10:38-42)
People often complimented Beth on her amazing strength but she always pointed to God as her source. Beth and her family constantly looked for opportunities to share the reason for the hope that was in them with whomsoever would listen. They were an inspiration to all who came to offer condolences and comfort to Bethany and the family. Hard to do with people who are being carried along by the Christ in the midst of their storm.
Bethany is the epitome of generosity and sharing. Before she was sick Bethany came home from school one day challenged by something her teacher had shared about young women in Africa with a condition called obstetric fistula. Many of these women were teenagers like herself. “Mum, we just have to do something about this.” Bethany began to raise funds and awareness for the plight of these young women. She planned to become a midwife so she could play a part in preventing future birth injuries among the poorest women on earth. During her sickness, Bethany’s friend Erin gave her a little blue box to hold little treats for Bethany. Friends and visitors would come and give her gifts, little things they knew would delight her. But Bethany being Bethany would choose something from the blue box to share with those who came to see her. I can imagine Bethany now hooning around heaven giving people treasures from the storehouse in her heart. What an amazing inspiration she was on earth despite her young age. As a result of her longing to help the young women in Africa profits from the sale of Heartbreakingly Beautiful will go toward Bethany’s Blue Box Stop Fistula Appeal.
Videos
- Go to the CBN Australia Home Page.
- In Memory of Bethany – CBM Australia
- Bethany’s Legacy
- Bethany’s Blue Box
- Fight FIstula Appeal
- Feature Documentary I See You
This family truly buries the myth that if you are not healed then you must have sin or a lack of faith. These precious friends of ours are the living proof that that kind of thinking is nonsense. Think about this! This family are committed heart, soul, strength and mind to Christ Jesus, their church prayed for Beth on-goingly and she had the prayer might of Wycliffe Bible Translators worldwide behind her. You say “where two or three are gathered”. I say, “what if those people praying numbered in the thousands?”
Still there are times when God has a higher plan for His Glory.
BETHANY QUOTES:
You think cancer is scary? Try getting Jesus angry!
Bethany Wake
Beth asked the Lord to open her eyes and show her His glory. He answered her, “I AM, I AM.” Eight months later Beth would see the LORD face to face.
Bethany Wake
I know everyone means well when they say “REST IN PEACE”, but after lying around in a bed for a year, there is no way Beth will be resting now.
Jade (Bethany’s friend)
Nestle, not wrestle; snuggle, not struggle.
Beth & Lyn Wake
Mum, are we going to be people who only praise God when everything is going OK? I don’t want to be a fair-weather friend to God. I want to love and praise Him no matter what!
Bethany Wake
This is your chance to catch a glimpse and participate in the other side of the story. This remarkable book is available from www.bereaninsights.org in New Zealand and from http://be-blessings.com in Australia. Professional musicians and friends gathered to praise God with Beth and her family. The worship ascending to God would cause Bethany to tingle. It touched her spirit deeply. Don’t miss the opportunity to buy the book which includes the CD of music written for and / or shared with Bethany. The proceeds go to Bethany’s Legacy.
Thank you Ian for remembering Bethy and telling her story. It has been 10 years and we still miss her very much but there is much comfort knowing that we will see her again because of Jesus. Thank you good friend.
I consider it a privilege to know you and to be allowed to tell Bethy’s story. She is an amazing young woman; still is, although she is no longer here on earth. I am sure she is lighting up heaven with her smile. She is now safe in the lap of Jesus and has been living the Life of the Age to Come for 10 years now. You and Lyn and the family have the privilege ahead of you of seeing her again in her new redeemed, cancerless, fully functioning body one day.
My hope is that many will join you in supporting Bethany’s Blue Box Stop Fistula Appeal either directly via CBM or by buying the book Heartbreakingly Beautiful. Your family’s story spells the death knell of the healing is for everyone philosophy. We must help this generation develop a healthy theology of suffering. I trust these Puzzling Paradox Nuggets will do that.
Praise be to God for Bethany and the Wake family. Bethany’s legacy lives on.
Amen John. Just imagine the rejoicing among the angels with Bethany looking on and dancing. Yes dancing and singing.
Wow… thank you for sharing Bethany’s story and her relationship she had / still has with Jesus.
I have just added the links to some videos of additional aspects of Bethany’s story.
Thank you Ian for telling this story, as a parent I could feel it to how heartbreaking to see our child going through pain yet through Bethany & her parents responses and how her legacy being so much impact, I also could see and feel God’s love
That’s great Regan. The very reason why I write the Gems and Nuggets.