By Kristen Entwistle

The story of Brittany Maynard has been covered in news outlets, Facebook posts, blog posts, and websites for weeks now.  If you aren’t familiar with the story, Brittany was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal brain cancer this year and was given six months to live.  She moved to Oregon mid-year such that she could be prescribed a medication that would allow her to take her own life before the cancer completely took over her mental faculties.  She very publicly campaigned for death with dignity, and announced that she would end her life on Saturday, November 1st.  Despite reports that she had decided not to do so, her website has posted her obituary, and reports are indicating that she did in fact take her life on Saturday.

You can visit her website here to read her obituary and other information on her story.

I have not voiced an opinion on this story, mostly because I do not think it is my place to judge another person, particularly when I am not in their situation.  That being said, there are not sufficient words to express the loss of a loved one, no matter how their life ends.  It is not easy.

As someone with a chronic illness, I can relate to Brittany on some levels – not wanting to fight anymore, not wanting to put family and friends through pain.  But what I have a hard time identifying with is the sense of hopelessness that I get from reading Brittany’s posts.  It seems that much of her joy in her last few months came from things – doing things, seeing things, and being with people.  My joy is different.  I do find joy in people and in the things I get to do in my life.  But my joy is made complete because of Christ.  My hope, my rock, my joy, and my salvation is in Christ my God, who has redeemed me, chosen me, and loved me even though I do not deserve it.

No matter how bad things get, no matter how tough it is to get out of bed in the morning, no matter how many medications or doctor’s visits or hospitals fill my weeks, I have hope.  Hope that I have been placed here, with these circumstances, for a purpose.  Hope that He is still working out His plan in me, and that He is not done with me yet.  Faith that He will continue to bring me to a new day as long as He has ordained.  Faith that He is working ALL things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.  Hope that no matter what comes, He is with me.  Faith that what Romans says is true: that suffering (of all kinds) produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope.  And that hope is the most glorious thing of all because of God’s love.  And it will never fail.  Never give up.  Never leave us hanging.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. […] For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?

Romans 5:1-5, 8:24

I do not doubt that Brittany did not come to this decision lightly.  I do not doubt that it has been hard for her, for her husband, for her family.  I do not doubt that it will continue to be difficult for them in the days to come.  I cannot say that I agree with what she chose, though I cannot say that chemotherapy, radiation and slowly dying would have been a better option.  It is a hard situation, and one that I pray I never have to face.  But regardless of her choice, her death is still death.  In this world, that is final.

But we have a hope eternal, one that promises something after this life.  A God who has conquered death and the grave.  A God who uses the circumstances in our lives to teach us, grow us, and mold us.  A God who loves us more than we will ever know.

My prayer for the family of Brittany Maynard is that they will see this hope, this faith – lived out in the people around them, that through this they would see the grace of our Savior, that they would have hope for tomorrow.

I pray that you also see hope today, no matter where you are or what you are facing.  For our hope is in the Lord, through whom we have been saved.