{"id":30724,"date":"2026-07-29T18:22:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T16:22:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/?p=30724"},"modified":"2026-08-11T02:13:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T00:13:17","slug":"a-million-miles-in-24-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/a-million-miles-in-24-days\/","title":{"rendered":"A Million Miles in 24 Days: Brian’s Journey to Christ"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Brian Schwing was a hard worker who provided for his family year in and year out. But for most of his life, he wasn’t very interested in God. Then, in the space of a few weeks this winter, everything changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His wife, Raj, a longtime pillar of the Dayton, Ohio, church, was baptized more than 31 years ago. Both of their children, Ashley and Noah, were baptized into Christ, although Noah hadn’t attended church in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On January 14, Brian slipped and fell on ice in his driveway. He brushed it off and carried on, choosing not to seek medical care. But after a couple of days, it was obvious something needed addressing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On January 16, his daughter Ashley stepped in. She scheduled an appointment and gently but firmly insisted her father go. Brian agreed, leaving work that day, and Ashley went with him. While there, she brought up something else \u2014 a large bump on his hip that had been there for some time \u2014 and encouraged him to show the doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moment the doctor examined it, the tone in the room changed. Brian was sent to the emergency room, where tests confirmed cancer had spread quickly and aggressively through his body. He was assigned an oncologist, who gently explained that nothing more could be done beyond caring for him in his final days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of prayer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For more than 30 years, Raj had prayed for Brian to give his life to Christ, through seasons of hope and disappointment. The weight of life had pressed into their marriage over the years, leaving distance and unspoken hurt alongside that longing for healing. But through this heartbreaking diagnosis, God was at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A tumor in Brian’s stomach began growing rapidly. He was rushed to the emergency room again, admitted to the hospital, and made as comfortable as possible, now living under a quiet urgency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brian’s son, Noah, was serving reserve duty in Indiana with the U.S. Army. He came home without hesitation. He and Ashley stayed at their father’s bedside, watching, listening, and caring for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Schwing family<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When doctors first shared the diagnosis, longtime friend Traci Paige heard the fear in Brian’s voice as he said he didn’t want to die. Later, when she and Brian had time alone, Traci shared her own story with him. Traci, a cancer survivor herself, told Brian how she felt facing death before knowing Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“I shared my testimony with him, and the fears I once had about facing death without knowing Jesus,” said Traci. “We talked about faith, hope, and the peace that comes from making Jesus the Lord of your life. I asked Brian if he was ready to make Jesus Lord of his life, and he said yes.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reconciliation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From there, others from the church came alongside Brian. Willie Paige and Chris Hayes brought a shortened set of Bible studies on discipleship, the lordship of Christ, the cross, and repentance, prepared with help from the church’s minister, and headed to the hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before they arrived, Raj and Brian had a quiet, heartfelt conversation of their own. They spoke honestly, apologized, forgave, and released years of pain. It was a moment of reconciliation that only God could orchestrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the study went on, Noah held his father’s hand. Partway through, a nurse came in and gently removed the monitoring equipment, a quiet acknowledgment that there was nothing more the hospital could do. For Brian, it seemed instead to bring peace. By the end of the study, he was ready. He confessed Jesus as Lord and let go of his old life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day, February 3, the hospital made arrangements. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

“Maintenance staff brought in a baptismal and filled it with water,” said Ashley. “Nurses and hospital clergy stood by as the room filled. Though my dad was in pain, he was willing to gather his strength, get up, and be baptized with Raj, myself, and my brother, Noah, by his side. It was a special moment.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later that same day, Brian was transferred to hospice.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In the days that followed, his family shared a beautiful and meaningful time together. Raj stayed close by his side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the early hours of February 7, just three and a half days after his baptism, Brian died.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Willie said, “What I am most thankful for is that, in his final days, Brian made the decision to give his life to Christ\u2014without hesitation. Watching him take that step of faith was powerful and a beautiful reminder that God\u2019s grace is always at work and his timing perfect. For that, we give all the glory to God.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another friend, Steve Ryan said, “What happened over 24 hours was clearly the hand of God and the Holy Spirit at work. Raj, his wife and a disciple, has persevered for years, and God heard her prayers. ‘Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed…’ (Romans 4:18). I was honored to spend my brother\u2019s last day on this earth in hospice care with him and his family. He was a radically changed and redeemed man.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A million miles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Life for the Schwings was ordinary until January 14. From then on until February 7, Brian traveled a million miles. But it was the best million miles possible. Though his body lost the battle, his spirit triumphed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raj said, “We are so thankful for the people God placed around us during that time to support and walk beside our family. Though we grieve his loss, we are grateful for the peace and hope that came in those final days. To God be the glory!”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A remarkable testimony about Brian Schwing’s conversion to Christ in his final days.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":30725,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[12],"tags":[54],"post_folder":[151],"class_list":["post-30724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-testimonials","tag-north-america"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Brian2.jpg?fit=965%2C626&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"Sunday Awolowo","author_link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/author\/sawolowo\/"},"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/phsvEw-7Zy","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":29139,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/gods-ripple-of-reconnection-in-gainesville\/","url_meta":{"origin":30724,"position":0},"title":"God\u2019s Ripple of Reconnection in Gainesville","author":"Sunday Awolowo","date":"October 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A simple prayer to \"reconnect\" has sparked renewal, restoration, and revival, resulting in 29 baptisms and restorations across generations in Gainesville.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Reconnecting hearts","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Daniella-second-from-right.jpg?fit=1094%2C827&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Daniella-second-from-right.jpg?fit=1094%2C827&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Daniella-second-from-right.jpg?fit=1094%2C827&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Daniella-second-from-right.jpg?fit=1094%2C827&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Daniella-second-from-right.jpg?fit=1094%2C827&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5466,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/army-officer-baptized-in-columbus-georgia\/","url_meta":{"origin":30724,"position":1},"title":"Army Officer Baptized in Columbus, Georgia","author":"dtadmin","date":"March 25, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Our little church planting in Auburn\/Tuskegee (ATCC) is making a big impact (13 baptisms in 2017). 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