The Battle

THE BATTLE
© 2022 Carolyn Patterson

When you start, you plan to win.

• You are fresh.
• You are strong.
• You are positive.
• You are hopeful.
• You are encouraged.
• You are full of life.
• You are loved.
• You are needed.
• You are vital.

Besides… You have won before.

But this is a different battle – a different foe.
You are older  – weaker.

And … the battle is long.

• The battle is tiring.
• The battle is wearying.
• The body is weakening.
• The body is wearing.

The battle is devastating.

Now … you are improving!!!

• You are getting your strength back.
• You are getting good help.
• You are doing everything right.
• You are focused.
• You are winning!!!

But… the old foe is changing tactics.

• It is setting up new battlegrounds.
• It is mocking
• It is strengthening.
• It is persistent.
• It is sucking out life.

Now… You are waiting.

• You are preparing.
• You are finishing.
• You are resisting.
• You are faithful.
• You are abiding.
• You are resigned.
• You are resting.

Focus on Jesus.

• He is the author.
• He is the perfector.
• He is the protector.
• He is the provider.
• He is the healer.
• He walks with you in the final battle.
• He brings perfect peace.
• He gives you the crown of LIFE.

The battle is won. You are home forever…in Jesus.
Well done, my good and faithful servant.

THE battle IS WON. The foe IS DEFEATED.
The crown of life is given.

Written by Carolyn Patterson in honor of Steve Wickland and all those in the battle. October 2022. © 2022 Carolyn Patterson

A Note from the Author:
I was awakened in October of 2022 and could not go back to sleep until I wrote down “The Battle”. I believe the Lord gave it to me. Steve was my sister Joyce’s husband and he was recently put under Hospice Care for pancreatic cancer. (He had been fighting this cancer for 3 ½ years.) I waited a couple of weeks before I read it to him – I had told him and Joyce that the Lord gave it to me, but I was concerned that it might be too hard on him to hear it. On November 5, 2022 my husband John and I, along with our daughter Laurie and her family, visited Steve and Joyce. I told them I had brought the poem. I prayed that if I was to read it that day that God would make it very clear to me. As soon as I came out of the powder room where I had prayed, Joyce asked me to come into the living room and read it to Steve. She had sent everyone else outside. He held my hand while I read it and would reply weakly, “that was correct”. At the end when talking about the valley of the shadow of death, Steve said that he was there now and “It was beautiful”. I was shocked at him describing it as beautiful and did not realize that he had said that he was “there now”. We had a nice visit and left feeling that he was not near death yet. He was free from pain, had still been working and teaching Sunday School until a couple of weeks before, and was able to sit in a chair and eat. So we left thinking that we would see him again.

He asked Joyce to stay with him that night and sleep on the recliner. The next morning, she went upstairs to get ready for the day. While fixing his breakfast, she realized that he had been very quiet. He had quietly passed from this life sometime while she was in the other room, about 15 hours after I had read him “The Battle”. I was asked to read it at his memorial service. Since then, many copies have been distributed and it was read at a pancreatic cancer symposium at WVU Medical Center.

In looking back, I realize that we all must go through the Battle at some time in our lives. It may not be due only to illness… but to divorce, problems with children, depression, financial loss, etc. In the end, how we handle the Battle is very important. And the sooner we realize what is really important – our relationship with Jesus Christ – the better able we will be to walk through the valley with Him. We cannot take anything with us – only leave behind the memories that we have made with our family and friends. Eternity is a very long time to be without Him. But we can’t get there without accepting His free gift of salvation for our sins. We can never be good enough, or do enough good things to get there. We all sin – whether we sin in thought, word, or deed. Jesus stands ready to forgive. Jesus waits for us. I’m looking forward to that day when I will be forever with Him.

Carolyn Patterson
French Creek, WV