 You are a gift to God and you are a gift to us and we're so glad you're joining us this Monday on Hope Today. I am here with Amanda and Tom and Tom we're going to talk about a very delicate but important conversation today. Yes it is you know I have to tell you guys something when my grandfather passed away I was 15 years old and I was standing at the viewing by his casket very as just as we had opened the doors and a lady from our church an older lady came in and said this is a debt we all have to pay as she was standing there. I didn't know my 15 year old mind couldn't really comprehend what that meant exactly. Well Robert Walgemuth reminds us he's going to be with us in just a minute. He reminds us that since our first parents Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden death is a reality for us. It's an appointment we all must keep but Jesus came to eliminate the fear of death and Robert will share his own personal story of facing that fear and also many practical and important ways we can prepare our family for this our ultimate journey. I know like you know Monday morning or Monday talking about this subject may be hard Amanda but it you know as we're prepared all that fear goes away. That's right I just I believe that God knows the people sitting on the other end of the camera which is you and he knows that some of you are walking through this season right now so he cared enough to connect us with Robert because this is an important topic to talk about just like grieving is there's many different things in this life that we endure and we cover a lot of those and we always try to give hope into every area no matter what you're walking through so you're going to find that today and if you know someone who's walking through this right now please give them a call tell them to watch or let them know about our YouTube channel and sign on it their convenience so that way they can be comforted and that removal of the fear of death oh death where is your sting. That's right. You know just like recently my husband and my mother-in-law like they lost my her father my husband lost his grandfather and so one thing I just want to share and if mama Brenda you're watching because it's such a beautiful thing is that she shared with us I mean I remember we FaceTime there was like a like Jake had an opportunity that the last day that his father I mean his grandfather was here on earth that he had a chance to say hey grandpa we love you I remember at our wedding like grandpa was getting down and dancing with my favorite memories of him and my mother-in-law that she brought in a worship team like just to come in and this they sang praises unto God and then that later like I like it was like four in the morning I was early in the morning that he passed away but I mean just to prepare him well to transition into heaven it was such a beautiful story and so just even hearing with my family just like what they like walking through and how you know my mother-in-law had to like take care of her dad and different things and I've watched with my own parents like I've seen my like my grandmother just different things I think we've all walked through these seasons it's a topic I know a lot of us don't really it's hard to like face when you see a loved one that that is in a situation like this but it is a great hope that we know through Jesus Christ for those that are in Jesus for those that have given our lives to him we know that our eternal resting place is in heaven which is a beautiful place haven't been there yet but I know one day we'll all be joined there together and I hope there's a big buffet we're all able to like dance with Jesus and love one another and I think that's exactly the way it's going to be you know if we're honest with ourselves facing death it can be a very scary thing and not necessarily for ourselves because we know we'll be with Jesus in heaven like Sidney just said if we believe and accept him as our Savior the fear may be for our loved ones we leave behind and Robert Walgemuth's new book Finish Line he provides a new way to think about end of life preparation that will help you take care of your loved ones so you can approach your own finish line with hope join in peace Robert welcome to hope today oh it's so great to be with you guys thank you Tom thank you Sidney and Amanda what a privilege to be with you this morning this beautiful Monday morning well we're so glad that you've joined us now you know it's an interesting book that you've written here an interesting topic could you tell us about your own journey your family's journey and your personal journey that sparked the the the whole concept of this book well like like all of you guys people listening and watching we all face death we all have stories of loved ones who have died in 2012 Valentine's Day 2012 my late wife was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer it was a complete surprise that's it's a very stealth cancer and so we began the journey 30 months later Bobby stepped into heaven um and I had the joy of being her primary caregiver I mean because I was healthy enough to be able to do that why would I invite somebody I didn't know to be next to her to be with her in fact all the way to the very end and I tell the story in the book my daughters came in I have two daughters 50 and 47 and they were the three of us were together four of us were together in the living room the hospital bed in the living room and uh actually Bobby turned to me and she was wide awake I'm telling you she was wide awake she turned to me she took me by the shirt she pulled my face in right next to hers she said I love you so much and she died the the hospice nurse was there she had just been there for a few minutes she put her hand on Bobby's chest and she said she's not breathing she's gone so I tell that story because Bobby's death the courage that Bobby exhibited the 30 months of her dealing with cancer eliminated I know that sounds crazy eliminated my fear of death you know the scripture says in fact her favorite go-to verse was 1st Corinthians 2 9 it's amazing listen to this I has not seen ear has not heard neither has it entered into the heart of man the things that God had prepared for those who love him so like when you're in you're in the car and you're headed for vacation the fact that you're going to a place that everybody can't wait to be with or be there the joy your kids are experiencing in the backseat on their way the destination has everything everything to do with how you feel about the journey and how you feel about death so my friend Randy Elkhorn was kind enough to give the the endorsement he wrote of course the the seminal work on heaven so knowing where we're going and being ready for heaven makes all the difference wow I mean it certainly does so I appreciate you being open with us and sharing that very touching story of Bobby's in fact you you even mentioned that at her memorial service you had a video that you had taken unbeknownst to her could you just tell us a little bit about that because I thought it was so touching well I shot a video from the balcony of our home in Florida and Bobby loved to walk and she loved to sing and she's singing when we walk with the Lord John Samus wrote this in 1887 trust and obey so I actually took that video and then at the end of her funeral service in November of 14 across the screen on a black screen where the white letters accept a kernel of weed fall into the ground and die it remains a single seed but if it dies it produces many seeds that's John 12 24 and Jesus spoke those words and and specifically he was talking about himself imagine the harvest that resulted from the death of Jesus Christ but it's a challenge to us that that when we die there will be a harvest based on the seed that is planted our own death the things that we've done during our life will produce a harvest after we're gone that's a great challenge for all of us boy it really is and I appreciate again you being open and sharing with our family here so this prompted a lot of different things that you have in the book of a practical nature but you remarried and and then you went through your own challenges could you tell us a little bit about that as well oh yeah that so yes 2020 who wants to do redo 2020 I don't nobody does the world doesn't so on top of the pandemic I was diagnosed with two completely unrelated cancers first melanoma and then lymphoma so I went through the chemo lost my hair but this is amazing isn't it in God's providence I had watched my late wife go through this very thing chemo all of that and I thought I can do this I mean so Bobby's death gave me courage to face it but yes I had my own excursion with with cancer and my precious wife she was single for 40 46 years did I say 46 56 years never married and she marries this guy and her life changes can you can you imagine like whiskers in the sink for the first time in her whole life but Nancy was was my companion I mean if you're going to get sick be married to Nancy Lee DeMoss I'm telling you she is amazing she's brilliant she loves Jesus she helped I never went to a doctor that either Nancy was there or we were FaceTiming with the doctor so she kept track of everything if you've gone through this and you have and you don't have an advocate it's a huge challenge but if you've got an advocate a colleague somebody who helps you keep track of all the medications and the doctors and their names had a dozen doctors and Nancy took care of all of this so what a joy to be married to Nancy we've been married now actually we count months so last week we celebrated our 93rd anniversary on the 14th of every month we celebrate the anniversary we did this to catch up to our friends who've been married like for 30 years so we've passed all of them we don't know anybody that's been married 93 years but that's just part of the celebration we love it and God has been so good to us God is definitely good and let me ask you is a lot of the book is about practical things just being prepared in various ways what would you say I mean there are several points that you have what's the most important thing that people can do obviously a relationship with Jesus Christ is most important but what would you say is like the most important thing that you can do in kind of the nuts and bolts framework even have a chapter called nuts and bolts I do I do 30% only 30% of us have a will for example so that means 70% of us the probate is going to figure out what to do with your assets that is that is stunning right I mean it's hard to believe but it's true so I talk about four pallbearers that you need to have a pastor you need to have a physician at the ready you know I punch a button on my phone and it's my doctor my doctor is amazing a financial planner somebody who helps you manage the future and an account who knows the numbers those four people I call them your pallbearers you need to have them and you don't this is we're not talking about wealth we're not talking about managing your estate and all kinds of property and so forth but those four people in your life are critical to set up at this point because it as I said you're you and I are gonna die it's in the book so the subtitle of the book says it all dispelling fear finding peace and preparing for the end of your life in that and I love the practicality of that I know that having gone through my wife's parents passing my parents passing and seeing the the preparations they did be very very helpful in in the in getting us through those times it's so so important but let me ask you about a different kind of topic you have a chapter called saying grace uh in here and talking about blessing others can you just speak on that topic for us and the importance of it yeah I'd love to yeah it is funny isn't it you know I'm gonna I'm on the tram at DFW and I sneeze and the guy across me says god bless you I'm thinking wow thank you what a nice thing to say well blessing is a real deal in fact I encourage readers to actually speak a blessing to their progeny to their children to their grandchildren it they'll never forget it in fact I have five grandchildren and one grandchild grandson-in-law and I've actually written in the book just to help people kind of prime the pump of giving a blessing to your children they'll never forget it so blessing your children and go through the Old Testament and discover that blessing is a real thing it it's it's given as a gift from the person who is about to die to the person who's surviving I tell the story of my grandfather who right before his death put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a blessing I'll never forget it so we I talk about how important it is as you get older as you head towards your own finish line to bless to bless your children to bless your mate your grandchildren your great-grandchildren if the Lord has given you those as well so again just nuts and bolts you said it Tom just things that we forget sometimes until it's too late so getting all this squared away before we step into heaven is a really really important thing amen Robert thank you so much for just sharing your heart I know we're blessed you know just to hear you and see how you have trust the Lord and obeyed him through every season and it's it's a beautiful image an example for all of us but I was just thinking for that one that might be listening who does not yet have that relationship would you share the good news of the gospel with them today amen thank you Amanda what a wonderful question January 2nd 2023 Nancy and I are watching Monday night football and a Buffalo Bill defender made a tackle and dropped dead remember Damar Hamlin was his man and every player on the field went to their knees and it's it's fun because the former quarterback for the bills Bill Jim Jim Kelly his wife Jill is a very good friend knows Jesus loves Jesus so we were in contact immediately and here's here's the point when when we're facing death the gospel takes on a whole new meaning knowing Christ is something that everybody is interested in ESPN there was an announcer on ESPN who said everybody's talking about praying for Damar Hamlin let's pray right now right on television I mean talk about something that's never happened before but when when you're facing death when I'm facing death the truth of the gospel the power of the gospel takes on a whole new meaning so Jesus died and rose again so that we did not don't need a fear the same faith that death that is eminent for us so this this is all part of dispelling the fear of of our own death knowing the veracity knowing the truth of the gospel changes everything we have something to hang on to and and I talk in the book about being ready that is knowing Christ before this happens to us you know the anticipation of heaven changes everything and the truth of the gospel Jesus came lived died and rose again for our salvation to bring us to faith in him thank you so much Robert for sharing that and if you just listen to that and you want to give your life to Jesus give us a call on our prayer line at 888-665-4483 of a prayer partner will connect with you and lead you to next steps and one thing Robert you just mentioned Damar Hamlin Damar is actually from Pittsburgh and it's kind of apropos because the Steelers in the Buffalo Bills did a pre-season game on Saturday that they played we actually the Steelers actually won but yeah we just wanted to like mention that because we were talking about Damar Hamlin and just the amount of prayer and just in that situation that life and death situation because so many people we will find ourselves in those moments and it's important that we know where we're going and with Jesus and Tom do you have any yeah when you know Jesus death is a wonderful thing I know that sounds crazy but how how cool god bless you Sydney yeah well Robert is there anything that maybe you didn't have the opportunity to get in the book I mean you put a lot in here I love how you ended and you talk about saying I love you to people now and I think that's so important maybe you could speak on that a little bit for us oh yes one of my favorite stories is two men actually pastors walking down the sidewalk together and one of them drops dead these guys have been friends their whole adult lives drops dead on the sidewalk and his buddy kneels down next to him and starts pounding on his chest and people around thinking that he's like bringing back to life the man is calling out and he said don't die until I tell you how much I love you so I have I have had great joy over the last whatever 10 years when I sign off a memo even a text I tell people I love them so that's don't don't get tired of of saying that people don't get tired of hearing it so God's love shining through me whether it's at the grocery store or texting a friend that I know and love say I love you say it every time you get a chance amen there's not enough we don't say it enough the book is called finish line by robert wall gamuth subtitle dispelling fear finding peace and preparing for the end of your life again not maybe a topic we talk about we think we talk about on monday morning but you did a great job in sharing it with us thank you for sharing your story robert thank you friends what a joy to be with you god bless you yeah well again uh i want to just thank robert wall gamuth for that we're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back no matter your age or circumstances god wants you to move forward join best-selling author and teacher dr david germaya in a master class revealing how to live fearlessly you'll discover that it's never too late to find your purpose dr david germaya reveals powerful ways for people of any age to live a life that's meaningful inside forward you'll uncover strong bible teaching coupled with incredible real-life stories and practical biblical insight learn how god wants to expand your dreams give you divine direction equip you with tools to overcome fear and much more request your copy of this life-changing book when you support cornerstone television call 888-665-4483 or give online at ctvn.org slash donate find air times for turning point with dr david germaya at ctvn.org donate and request his book forward thank you for your partnership with cornerstone tv wow what a meaningful interview we just had with robert and hearing him even say those words i love you they're such important words and we love you here at cornerstone we are so thankful to have you sitting on the other side of the screen or your phone however you're watching but we just want to thank you for being a part of our family here those words are very important they just they ring within my spirit i just the love of god is reckless it goes after everyone not one of us is not seen by our heavenly father but we love to turn to the word and robert did mention this scripture earlier but it comes from first carinthians 2 verse 9 it says but as it is written what no eye has seen no ear has heard and no human heart has conceived god has prepared these things for those who love him we encourage you to to be in love with your heavenly father be in love with him give him everything surrender everything to him because there is no one who's going to love you back better than jesus i just think even this like this topic in this conversation just reminds me of like there's something else robert that said that really stuck out about um the scripture and in the gospels where talks unless the seed falls the ground and dies it won't produce much fruit and one thing i remember when my grandmother granny she's in heaven i remember that when i was in college i was in my senior year of college and i'll never forget like i was so i was kind of upset because there was a lot of things are going on about to graduate i thought she was going to be at my graduation she used to live with my parents and she was staying at this like facility like we thought she was gonna recover and be fine and then she was gone it was like the most unexpected death like in my life and i remember i was shattered and i was devastated and i didn't understand why and i remember there was a point like i was living in i was living in a studio apartment philadelphia temple and i remember just god like spoke to me about why my grandmother had to leave was for our family and the harvest that it was going to produce and i can literally just see from that moment when my granny passed away has been a huge turning point with my faith and just all these different things just started unraveling and folding in my life and i just want to encourage you you know if you're watching and maybe you're that grandmother or you're that person you're hitting that older age and you're concerned maybe about your family let me just encourage you with this is that i can honestly attest and say that the people that have gone on to be with jesus i've seen it time and time again in my family i see the abundance of fruit of what has come out and it is absolutely amazing so just want to encourage you with that today that if you were at that season in your life and you know that you know your journey is coming to an end soon or you know that you know you're about to be on the other side of heaven be encouraged about with your family and with your loved ones if your children and your grandchildren there is such a blessing that does come when it comes to going on the other side of being with jesus you know i love a quote that's in the book it's from uh the evangelist dl moody and i've heard this quote before but i just want to read it to you it says this is him speaking he says someday you will read in the papers that dl moody of east northfield is dead don't you believe a word of it at that moment i shall be more alive than i am now and isn't that true isn't that the point isn't that what the the gospel is about it's about life you know have you made that commitment to jesus christ where you have opened the door of your life and you have uh invited him in and said lord i need you in my life you know we all know that we need something we all know that we need a part part of our life there's there's part that we just can't seem to figure out there's things that we just can't get past but when we realize that jesus christ is the reason that we exist that god himself has created a need for us deep within a need for christ deep within us we know that we we we've given that place where we say god i need you i need you in my life so very simple it's just hard to do simple but hard and that is that we need to lay down the lordship of our own life that we've taken up and say lord jesus come and be my lord and master and savior sit on the throne of my life and and be that one that is guiding me and leading me come into my life forgive me of my sins because that's the the key there is our sins have made a a breakage a barrier between us and god but jesus paid the penalty of those sins on the cross that you and i can be forgiven and we can experience new life in christ so why don't you do that today just say that simple prayer lord forgive me of my sins be merciful to me i know that jesus died for me come into my life and be my savior and lord fill me with your holy spirit and help me to follow you all the days of my life in jesus name amen if you prayed a prayer like that or if you just prayed with me color prayer partners and let them know there were joys with you and they'll encourage you to follow after christ i just love he brought up that song trust and obey and i think through all the seasons of life he has set a beautiful example for each one of us that no matter what you're walking through trust the lord he will never fail you he will never ever fail you and so we are just so glad that you went on this journey with us that we were talking about excuse me that we were just talking about the idea of life and death and just we are just so grateful that you've joined us and we hope that you have an eternal perspective because with an eternal perspective everything changes it doesn't seem sometimes in the moment we're not saying that death isn't can be scary and it can't be hard and there's going to be tears that are going to be shed there's going to be mourning and it's healthy to grieve but i think what the one thing that we can all have comfort and is there is nothing like standing at a funeral and when you see your loved one in the casket and you know where they are and you know that they are on the streets of gold they're in heaven they're eaten with jesus they're dancing with jesus and because all of us i think our heart is is we want even you to experience this when you come face to face with jesus you say well done my good and faithful servant there is no words like that and that is the hope that we have in jesus that we know yes this is a journey and this is the life that we're on but we know that there's an afterlife that we know that there's more beyond this and so we just encourage you today to really to just seek the lord while he still may be found to put your hope and your trust into jesus and know that he is guiding you he is with you he is walking with you and he loves you with an everlasting love a price that we could not pay it is all jesus we love you have a great day on tomorrow's hope today offering an alternative approach to anxiety as a path to our best selves in christ author curtis chang encourages those who struggle with worry and explains how anxiety can be viewed as an opportunity for spiritual growth don't miss tomorrow's hope today cornerstone television wishes to thank all our faithful viewers whose consistent prayers and financial support have made this program possible