Papa’s body has slowly been shutting down over the past 24 hours. We’re all here, each spending time sitting with him, holding his hands, kissing his cheeks and telling him how much we love him and appreciate all he’s done for us. By the tears that keep coming I think it’s obvious that each of our hearts are breaking over temporarily losing our Papa.
I’m writing to you this morning in place of my mom because she’s sitting at my dad’s side. For the past 24 hours she’s held her position there letting him know right where she is by talking to him, reciting verses, singing hymns, showering him with kisses and holding his hand. The nurse who’s been here all night said that in her 19 years of working in hospice care, she’s never seen a patient in the end stages of pancreatic cancer hold on this long, or seem as peaceful as he does. We’ve all been praying for a peaceful passing, knowing that where he’s about to go will blow this entire world out of the water. I think God’s answering those prayers.
My mom plans on giving a detailed update later tonight. As of now, Papa’s still holding on with a faint heartbeat and shallow breaths and she’s still by his side.
With Love,
Louisa
I am praying for peace, And God bless everyone in your family/
Thank you, Louisa for sharing with us this morning. You are all in my prayers.
Thanks for the update, Weezi. We love you and are holding you all up in prayer. Praying with you for a peaceful passing…
You are all in our prayers constantly. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee”
Praying that your little cottage will be filled with peace, hope, joy and the glory of God! Oh, Lord, please uphold and sustain Margaret with your supernatural grace.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” Num. 6:24-26
Goodbye Nathan. I’m glad that Margaret, Louisa and the rest of your lovely family are by your side. You have lived a wonderful life.
Praying along with you Weez, and thanking God that He is answering prayers, even in these last days. “..the truth is seen in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining”. Love and prayers for all of you.
WE are all so sorry about Nat’s Health and we will surely miss him. He was always a good man and a brother in Christ so I am sure he will be going to a wonderful place with Christ. I am so sorry for all of your family’s loss. It is really to soon for him to leave, but that is not our call.
Tears flow and I’m singing “In The Sweet Bye and Bye”………..Nate will meet you on the “other Shore”.
May the Lord keep you all safe and close. Our prayers are with you all from San Diego.
Love,
Nicole, Steve, Ky, Kirk & Travis
Louisa, I love you. Thank you for your words. Please give your family my greetings. The love and life, so thick that I can almost touch it, just flows from you and your family, and it’s such a testimony of his goodness and sovereignty. I know saying goodbye is so unfathomably painful. I am in awe of you and your strength Louisa. I love you. I know I keep telling you that, but I really do.
Your family keeps adding new dimensions to the “peace that passes understanding” as you so graciously share your heart-breaking vigil with us. Your “getting through this” family will not leave your side, either, as our prayers and tears are the only way we can show you how much we appreciate all you have given to us. To see God being glorified–a family so united, a faith so tested and found so true… in such a time as this– has been life-changing.
You are so in our prayers today. May you know the Peace that passes all understanding.
our hearts go out to you and our prayers are with you too. I know God is working for His perfect time to take Nate. I’m glad that we all know that He is in control. Love you all becky
our heart and prayers go out to all of you. I am so glad to know that God is in control and He is planning the perfect time to take Nate. Love to you all..becky
Great job Weez. Love you.
Thanks Weez for the update today, we will all miss your PAPA :(… I always felt like a family memeber when I came to your house in Chicago and MI. God bless you all!!
I feel so helpless until i pray to the lord above, knowing he will take this man and make him smile as he goes home to be with his father.I feel your pain, thank you god for Jesus
I am praying for all of you for comfort with the passing of your loved one. THese will be difficult days but our Heavenly Father will be by your side and see you through. You are being surrounded by the prayers of all of us.
Thanks for sharing so profoundly, Louisa. We’re praying with you for your dad to have a peaceful passing to heaven. We love you all and continue to pray for comfort and strength for each one of you.
Thanks for the update, Louisa….you all..are in our prayers daily. Your dad is not really leaving you, just his earthly body….yes, he will be in a much better place….and. watching over you all. It was a pleasure to have met him and he has left a good legacy in all of his children. He had a good life.
As my mother has said so many times, “May you know the peace of God that passes understanding,” and his strength and joy for each day.
Much love from our family to yours.
I’ll See You In Heaven Mr. Nyman… I Will Never Forget You…
Thank you for your sweet and articulate writing. You are all amazing and a tribute to the power of family and love.
Jane and Bob
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” Isaiah 64:4. Love and prayers to all of you.
I am praying for you and your family Louisa. I feel like I know you through Anne and this blog. Peace to your sweet Dad as he goes to be with Jesus our Saviour and Lord. Love to you and your family.
Thank you Louisa,I’m so thankful to your whole family always taken us in as full members of the family while we’ve been visiting. All good memories we have with your dad,mom and all of you kids will always be in my heart forever. Love from all Strindös in Norway
Louisa, How all our voices are singing with you, that our Heavenly Father will continue to “Lead” your father “gently Home”. He majors in gentleness and gentleness takes a long time. A long good by heightens the heavenly welcome your PaPa will receive.
Sal & I were talking yesterday, we wanted to connect with both of you, but not sure where you were. No answers from folks at church. Sal found this website and we are utterly surprised and saddened. Overcome with all this, I want to share with you from our hearts. We have shared so many memories with our families and we love all of you dearly. Margaret and Nate, you are outstanding parents, honorable people and true friends. I thank God for the blessing of His everlasting love, for the joy of our friendship and the confidence we share that we shall be together with our wonderful Lord someday!
Louisa, Thank you for sharing with us and we are praying for you and your family and for your dear Dad, Nate’s peacefulness. You have an amazing and loving family and are so fortunate to have each other and to share this time with others is such a special gift. Love and Blessings, Debbie and Mike, Tom and Lisa
Your papa has been blessed with an amazing family! You have shown our family the treasures that Jesus gives when we devote our lives to Him. Thank you for the lessons of living and dying that you have shared!
We are praying for you all at this time. Thank you for sharing all of this. Know that we are thinking of you all. May God keep upholding you all. A, C & E
Louisa, your father is a legend. We are losing one of the best. I love all the Nymans. You are my family.
My 4 roommates and I are all praying for you guys!
John and I feel priveledged to have known Nate for these short five years. He and Margaret have been an inspiration as Christians to us. May he soon wake up in the precense of the Lord and each one of you be greatly comforted during the following days as you miss him being amidst your daily activities. Much love and prayers sent your way from both of us.
Louisa,
I love how you said, “temporarily losing our Papa”! I missed that the 1st time I read your post, but that’s truly what it is! My thoughts and prayers and love are with all of you ( and tears as well). Your dad was blessed to have you all as his family and I know you were blessed to have him also!
Thank you for sharing from the beginning to now. It must have become more difficult as each day has passed. Family & friends have gathered around to cover & embrace you in His love. But when it’s no longer possible to pray — remember that the Spirit within is interceding with groanings too deep for words. How great a love…He will not leave you
You are in our constant thoughts and prayers. “Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. You who hears prayer, to you shall all flesh come. When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!” (Ps. 65:1-4) We love you.
Dear Louisa,
Although I’ve been gone all day I have carried you and your family in my heart, trusting that the “God of all comfort” is very near you during these final hours of your papa’s earthly life.
We are praying with you for his peaceful passing. How precious that you are all together at his side.
The Lord God is our refuge and underneath are his everlasting arms.
Thank you,Louisa, for sharing your heart with us. I praise God for your faith and that of your family. You are a beautiful testimony to the Lord.
Weezi,
You have your mother’s writing gift. Thanks for sharing it with us. You, your dad and mom, your whole family are so special.
Dear Nate & Margaret. You sure have been such a Blessing to us these last 10 weeks.God has really blessed you with a very special family. We pray for you all and may Gods richest Blessing be on you each and every day.We love you guys and tell Nate someday we will meet again on the Blissful shore. Love Wally & Barb Fuja
Dear Margaret and Nate,
Soon and very soonwe all will see the King!!! I am keeping you all in my prayers as the Lord calls Nate home. May you and all of your family continue to experience the presence and peace of the Holy Spirit, as the Lord gently calls Nate into His Arms, may His love and comfort abide with you now and forever. May the Peace of God keep you and His Presence never leave you. The LOrd bless you and your family for sharing this experience with us all as it is the Lord;s desire that we die as well as we lived.
Love in Christ,
Ginny Tom
Dear Margaret and family,
Just learning about Nate yesterday and now he is with the Lord. We share your sorrow and tears, we loved him too. We will always remember his friendship, kindness and the dear Christian man that he was. We will truly miss him and his smile, but realize he is now with our heavenly Father in the glory of our real home! No suffering any longer. We will keep all of you in our prayers.
Love, Darlene, Sal and sons
Dear Margaret and All,
Our hearts are aching today, to know that Nate has passed away. Yet rejoicing to know that he is no longer in pain, and he’s with his Heavenly Father. We followed each day of Nates trials and the wonderful responce of your children, Mary and family. We are away, and won’t be able to be with you physically for the services, but do know that our hearts, and prayers are very with you. We will never forget Nate taking the time to come and see us on Beaver Island just a few years ago. That was so special. God hold you all close in this dark hour, till you can see the sunshine again. With Love, Shel and Pat