“I’m Ready”

I will never forget how these two words made a lasting impact on my life. Sadly, Mama was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2013. Thankfully, she did not have to suffer long; she passed away in 2014

In April 2014, I received a call from her wonderful doctor, Dr. Adler. He told me that it had come to a point where my mom had to choose quality of life over quantity.

The next day, I took her to this dreaded appointment without her knowing the difficult news she would hear. Dr. Adler gently told her the situation. Mama responded with her soft, gentle voice, filled with an underlying strength: “Dr. Adler, this isn’t the news I wanted to hear. Please don’t feel bad; you were a good doctor and gave me the best care. All my life, I’ve believed in God, and He has been by my side. “I’m ready.”

Dr. Adler had to excuse himself from the room, tears in his eyes. I’m sure he had never heard this response from a patient before. I never saw him again, but I have no doubt he will always remember my precious Mama, Doris Prater.

I was strong too, because of God. Her words, “I’m ready,” are the best example of faith. I had the blessing to see and hear what true peace looks like.

As we left the hospital room, my kind and selfless Mama hugged everyone and thanked them for their care. My eyes were full of tears, and my heart was full of love.

I’m a blessed daughter. The last three months of her life were filled with joy. Daddy wanted her to go on a shopping spree, and she chose K-Mart. We sang, we laughed, and we soaked up every precious moment as she shared stories of her fulfilling life. Hannah, Jackson, and Lilly Grace created memory boxes filled with treasures celebrating their Mama Doris. She and Paw-Paw smiled and laughed with joy as they read their stories and adventures.

The words Mama said that day, “I’m ready,” embody the beautiful hymn It Is Well with My Soul. Mama shone with Jesus’s light—full of strength in God, complete surrender to His will, unwavering faith, boundless love, and perfect peace.

This is a big part of my testimony. It is a blessing for me to share it with others. As 2 Timothy 4:7-8 says, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Thank you, Mama, for giving me my name, Dawn, which means morning light. I hope I can shine with Jesus’s light, just like you did.