Joyce Jackson and her husband, Bert, were missionaries to Cuba for years. They had to leave when Castro took over. They returned to the states and both worked at Granada Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Coral Gables, Florida. They were mighty servants for the Lord and are with him for all eternity!

“I will give you treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord “ (Isaiah 45:3).

Her First Coma
Joyce Jackson lay in a coma. What darkness that conjures up…what bleakness…what despair and hopelessness. But Joyce awakened and recovered from the dark abyss of her coma and related a different story…a story of great peace and contentment. Let me share her story with you.

Harbor Happenings – Joyce’s Story
“Heaven’s shoreline loomed majestically on the horizon. The city foursquare with its twelve enormous portals, each inscribed with the name of an apostle, formed the boundaries of the celestial city. In the harbor all was calm and still except for the ‘swish’ of the waves as they lapped against the sides of our little boat. My companion, at the helm, allowed us to drift at will. We swayed back and forth in the waters, sometimes almost reaching the sandy shore. I could see the shiny, golden pavements. Beyond them stood the ‘many mansions.’ They were surrounded by fruit bearing trees. Then the boat would drift out to sea again and the shoreline would be almost invisible in the mist. I longed to go ashore, to walk the streets of gold and see loved ones who had gone before me. I wanted to enjoy the peace and serenity of this place which had no night and where there is no more sorrow or tears. I felt that I belonged there. I was a citizen of that country. My heavenly Father awaited me, and with Him were all the angels that had protected me on my life’s journey. The tranquility and bliss that I sensed even in the harbor, made me want to remain forever.”

Her Second Coma
Her still body lay in the hospital bed. The once strong, active, vital woman’s fighting spirit was ebbing away. Every now and then her eyes would open, but only to respond with a squeeze of the hand or a nod in answer to questions. Her daughter, Lois, brought in the article, “Harbor Happenings.” It was just published in the PCA Messenger, and  Joyce had not seen it in print. She could not read the story that the Lord had laid upon her heart to write. But Joyce did not write it for herself, she wrote it to help others learn what the Lord had taught her and that was to not fear death. She wanted others to know that when Christ died He arose and in His resurrection He conquered death. He removed its sting! Her story also told of how Jesus Himself was her companion on the small boat that was crossing into eternity.

“For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end” (Psalm 48:14).

Lois watched the nurse wheel the huge dialysis machine into the critical care unit. There the nurse hooked Joyce to the machine that would clean her blood. Two hours can pass slowly when spent watching tubes and monitors. Lois started talking to the dialysis nurse about her mother. She showed her the magazine that carried Joyce’s story. The nurse asked if she could read it.  Silently the nurse read as Lois looked on, longing to talk some more about the mother she loved and is losing. With tears rolling down her cheeks the nurse looked up from the pages and her voice broke as she said, “You know, all of a sudden your mother is not the patient in ‘D bed’…now she is a person. May I make a copy of this story?” she asked.

The Nurse’s Station
Later, Lois saw her mother’s story taped to the window of the nurse’s station for nurses and doctors to read. Many visiting their loved ones also stopped to read Joyce’s story.  It quickly got into the hands of one of the kind counselors who deals with patients that are approaching death.

Though she lay silent, Joyce’s testimony of God’s graciousness and the hope of His Glory was being told to a hospital of people who daily dealt with death. God’s purpose in His time was being served.

Joyce Jackson, wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and friend died that day. There was no sting of death for Joyce. She is now on the much longed-for-heavenly shore! She had served her Lord long and well. As His faithful servant she had “entered into the joy of the Lord!” Praise God!

Epilog
Joyce Jackson and her husband, Bert, were missionaries to Cuba for years. They had to leave when Castro took over. They returned to the states and both worked at Granada Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Coral Gables, Florida. They were mighty servants for the Lord and are with him for all eternity!

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly” (Hebrews 12:22).

Miriam Gautier is a member of Treasure Coast Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Stuart, Fla.