Prayer at Mom's Celebration of life

This was my prayer at my mother's memorial service. I am including it now because my father wanted me to publish it..... GBYD

Good Afternoon – In July 1976, when I almost lost my life, my Mother told me I was saved for a purpose. Thank you for giving me that, Mom.

Let us pray.

Our Holy Father God, thank you for the opportunity to come together. We celebrate the life of Barbara Hendershot, also known as Mother, Mom, Grandma, Maka, or Bobbie. We take this time to praise you Lord for the works of your Hands through her.

As Your servant Father, she reached out in Steven Ministry to hurting or lonely souls that needed Your Love. Now we take this time to feel Your Love & comfort. Help us to Glorify You in the laughter and tears shared in these memories.

We ask you Father, to let us see the blessings that each one of us has received through the life of our mother and friend.  Help us to be still and know that You are God. I pray that the Holy Spirit will take this time to speak to each heart, Lord. Let Your presence be alive in this service as we remember Mom, so we can show Your love as it tells us in 2 Corinthians.

Praise You, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are full of mercy and all comfort. You comfort us every time we have trouble, so when others have troubles, we can comfort them with the same compassion that You give us.

Because this was what mom taught us.

Let us see the Joy and compassion as we remember her life.

Thank you Father for each person who made an effort to come, and I ask that my Pappa-san will feel your presence with him today and in the future days.

Help us to remember, this is not a time about us. This time is to honor Mom’s life here on this earth, and a time to Praise You for her blessed life in eternity.

Father, we remember all those who have gone before us and praise you for the great company that Mom has joined. They each have finished their course in faith and now rest from their labor. We praise you for those dear to us whom we name in our hearts before you.

Especially we praise you for Barbara, whom you have graciously received into your presence.

 Jesus told the parable of the bags of gold in Matthew to remind us of your words as we come to you on our final approach. “Well done my good and faithful servant,” You say, “you have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things.”

Thank You Father, for giving her the many things; thank You, Father, for blessing her with the gifts she shared here on earth.  Thank You, Lord God, for her words of my being saved for a purpose that we each can know we have been created for Your Purpose.

Now, as we begin this Celebration of the life of Barbara June Guthrie Hendershot, I ask for your comfort to be with each person here including her first born living in Thailand, unable to be here today.

In Jesus Name, Amen