Laura's Service

Laura’s Eulogy

We gather here today to honor the remarkable life and enduring legacy of Laura, a woman whose journey through this world was as unique as it was impactful. Laura, born on that historic day when man first set foot on the moon, July 20th, 1969, in Spokane, Washington, left an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know her.

From her early days growing up in Spokane to her inspiring achievements as an adult, Laura's story was one of resilience, creativity, and unwavering love. Graduating from North Central High School in 1987, Laura embarked on a path of discovery that would lead her to touch the lives of many.

Laura's first steps into motherhood were marked by the birth of her two beloved children, Curtis and Chelsea, in Spokane. It was in these early years that she began to demonstrate the strength of her spirit and her commitment to her family. In 1997, Laura moved to Montana, where she forged a new chapter in her life, ultimately joining hands with her soulmate, Bud Degele, in the bonds of matrimony in 2002. With that union came the expansion of her loving family, welcoming Joseph and Deserie into her heart and home in the same year.

Laura's artistic fortitude shone brightly as she adorned cakes for local grocery stores, a talent that would later flourish into her own thriving cake decorating business. With courage and determination, she stepped into the entrepreneurial realm, crafting cakes that became works of art, gracing weddings, birthdays, and special events. Her creations were not just confections; they were expressions of joy and celebration that reflected her passion for life.

Yet, amidst all her accomplishments, Laura's deepest dedication was reserved for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Her faith was the foundation upon which she built her life, guiding her actions and decisions, and inspiring those around her.

As life continued to unfold, Laura's thirst for knowledge led her back to school, where she pursued a bachelor's degree in communications with an emphasis on non-profits. This academic endeavor was a testament to her unquenchable thirst for personal growth and her desire to make a positive impact on her community.

Laura's career path took her to Missoula Aging Services, where she found her true calling. Working with seniors became the highlight of her professional journey, as she poured her heart into creating moments of joy and companionship for those she cared for. Her radiant spirit and unwavering love enriched the lives of countless seniors, leaving an enduring legacy of compassion and connection.

Laura's commitment to personal growth extended beyond her professional life. She became an active member of Toastmasters, a role that she embraced wholeheartedly. Her journey within the organization saw her ascend to the position of President, a testament to her leadership and communication skills.

As we bid farewell to Laura today, we remember the impact she had on each of us. She leaves behind a legacy of love, faith, and determination. Her memory lives on in the hearts of her beloved husband Bud Degele, her mother Susan Martin, her children Curtis (Tabitha) Mackey, Chelsea (David) Kadron, Joseph (Kristina) Degele, and Deserie (Shawn) Ives, as well as her twelve grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Her siblings, Trish (Mike Potts), Julie Martin-Ritz, and James (Jenny) Martin Jr., also hold her memory dear.

Laura's life was a tapestry of milestones, accomplishments, and connections that have forever shaped the lives of those she touched. Today, we celebrate her journey, grateful for the love she shared and the impact she made. May her spirit continue to inspire us all as we carry forward the lessons she taught us.

In loving memory of Laura, a cherished mother, wife, grandmother, friend, and beacon of light.

Laura’s Life through the beatitudes

Laura’s day of salvation - Poor in Spirit

As I read earlier, Laura came in to this world on July 20th of 1969. Her spiritual rebirth was later life. It was on that day that Laura came to the point that all who come to faith in Jesus Christ must come to.

The message I’m about to share today was specifically requested by Laura about a month before she went home to be with Jesus. In it we will walk through what’s know as the beatitudes from Matthew chapter 5. This was the beginning of the famous sermon on the mount which goes on for 3 chapters in the book of Matthew and it set the stage for what Jesus would teach by making the point that the attitudes he would describe would need to be present in someone who would call themselves a disciple of Christ.

One thing I feel is important is to define a word that will come up in ever verse we will cover. That word is blessed.

Essentially the word means “happy”, but not in the same sense as we understand it in today’s english language. Many would say that Laura was blessed, and I would agree with you, but what made Laura’s life blessed was the fact that her joy was not found in her circumstances. Her joy was found in her savior, Jesus Christ.

This same word for blessed — in some sense means “happy”, but that word gets misunderstood these days. Happiness the way our world sees it is fleeting. We are talking about joy. A joy which has its secret within itself, that joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the chances and changes of life.” (Barclay)

Matthew 5:3 ESV

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

So, you will have a joy that is completely independent of all the chances and changes of life, once you come to grips with the FACT that you are poor in spirit. Once you realize that you are spiritually bankrupt! When it comes to you having anything to bring to your relationship with God on a spiritual level, you have nothing.

This is not that you are insignificant or without value. Instead it is a confession that you are sinful and rebellious and utterly without moral virtues adequate to come to God on His terms yourself.

This is the starting point for everyone who comes to saving faith in Jesus. It’s what makes us realize our need for a savior. A perfect savior who brings everything to the table spiritually. A perfect sacrifice that covers sin, to justify, placing His righteousness on us. We inherit everything God promises because God made it possible.

“The poor in spirit are lifted from the dunghill, and set, not among hired servants in the field, but among princes in the kingdom…‘Poor in spirit;’ the words sound as if they described the owners of nothing, and yet they describe the inheritors of all things. Happy poverty! Millionaires sink into insignificance, the treasure of the Indies evaporate in smoke, while to the poor in spirit remains a boundless, endless, faultless kingdom, which renders them blessed in the esteem of him who is God over all, blessed for ever.” (Spurgeon)

As long as we harbor illusions about our own spiritual resources, we will never receive from God what we absolutely need to be saved. Those who realize they are poor in spirit are blessed with a reward…the Kingdom of heaven!

Laura’s grief over her sin - Those Who Mourn

Matthew 5:4 ESV

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

The indication from the Greek word here points not at a casual sorry for our sin and the consequences of it, but a deep grief before God over the fact that we are born into this world sinners. This is the strongest word for mourn in the Greek language. It’s used for mourning the dead, for the passionate lament of one who was loved. It’s the kind of mourning we are collectively experiencing today. Laura came to this place about her sin after realizing that she was first poor in spirit. She mourned over her sin which drove her to accept Jesus. This mourning is the godly sorry that produces repentance to salvation.

2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Without regret! That is saying that us realizing our spiritual bankruptcy leads us to mourn over our sin as it grieves us to the point of repentance, not caring about what’s happening to us in this life, because it was worth it. It goes back to the definition of Blessed. joy which is completely independent of all the chances and changes of life.

what is the reward? For those who mourn over their sin and their sinful condition, they are promised comfort. God allows this grief into our lives as a path, not as a destination.

We have fellowship with Jesus in His sufferings.

We have a closeness to Jesus, the Man of Sorrows.

Isaiah 53:3 ESV

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

I thank God that we have a Savior that can relate to us!

Laura was suprisisingly Meek - The Meek

Matthew 5:5 ESV

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

I remember when I first met Laura. She was a noticeable force the first time I saw her walk in the toastmasters meeting room for the first time. I learned that although she was a driven, she was meek.

The meek person is not passive or easily pushed around. The main idea behind the word “meek” is strength under control, like a strong stallion that was trained to do the job instead of running wild.

To be meek means to show willingness to submit and work under proper authority. It also shows a willingness to disregard one’s own “rights” and privileges. It is one thing for me to admit my own spiritual bankruptcy, but what if someone else does it for me? Do I react meekly? This blessed one is meek:

They are meek before God, in that they submit to His will and conform to His Word.

They are meek before men, in that they are strong — yet also humble, gentle, patient, and longsuffering.

The promise “they shall inherit the earth” proves that God will not allow His meek ones to end up on the short end of the deal.

There in lies the question of our willingness to submit in meekness. Are we willing to trust God with the end result and in His power, persevere? Or are we going to continue to remain dependent on our own understanding?

One thing to notice:

Through the first three beatitudes we notice that the natural man finds no happiness or blessedness in spiritual poverty, mourning or meekness. These are only a blessing for the spiritual man, those who are new creatures in Jesus.

Laura hungered and thirsted - Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

Matthew 5:6 ESV

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

This is a longing that endures and is never completely satisfied on this side of eternity.

We see Christians hungering for many things: power, authority, success, comfort, happiness — but how many hunger and thirst for righteousness?

Modern man has little to no concept of what it means to hunger and thirst.

Spurgeon said this of the one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness

“‘Alas!’ says he, ‘it is not enough for me to know that my sin is forgiven. I have a fountain of sin within my heart, and bitter waters continually flow from it. Oh, that my nature could be changed, so that I, the lover of sin, could be made a lover of that which is good; that I, now full of evil, could become full of holiness!’” (Spurgeon)

A man who hungers and thirsts for righteousness is more concerned about THAT then any other thing. More than any job! More than any hobby! More than ANY OTHER ISSUE! It’s not that you aren’t concerned about those other things, but they aren’t the things you hunger for the most!

What is Jesus’ promise for those that hunger and thirst for righteousness? That our hunger would be satisfied! We would be filled but in a way that keeps us longing for more.

The misconception here is that we need more of God. He wants more of us!

The Merciful

Matthew 5:7 ESV

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

When this beatitude addresses those who will show mercy, it speaks to those who have already received mercy. It is mercy to be emptied of your pride and brought to poverty of spirit. It is mercy to be brought to mourning over your spiritual condition. It is mercy to receive the grace of meekness and to become gentle. It is mercy to be made hungry and thirsty after righteousness. Therefore, this one who is expected to show mercy is one who has already received it.

The merciful one will show it to those who are weaker and poorer.

The merciful one will always look for those who weep and mourn.

The merciful one will be forgiving to others, and always looking to restore broken relationships.

The merciful one will be merciful to the character of other people, and choose to think the best of them whenever possible.

The merciful one will not expect too much from others.

The merciful one will be compassionate to those who are outwardly sinful.

The merciful one will have a care for the souls of all men.

If you want mercy from others — especially God — then you should take care to be merciful to others.

Laura had a pure heart - The Pure in Heart

Matthew 5:8 ESV

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

the phrase pure of heart has the idea of straightness, honesty, and clarity.

Not image of purity or ceremonial purity, but of inner moral purity.

The other idea is of a single, undivided heart — those who are utterly sincere and not divided in their devotion and commitment to God.

Ultimately, this intimate relationship with God must become our greatest motivation for purity, greater than a fear of getting caught or a fear of consequences.

Your reward for being pure in heart is that you will see God! Scripture says that we will see him face to face one day, we who are truly His!

Laura was a Peacemaker - The Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9 ESV

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

This does not describe those who live in peace, but those who actually bring about peace, overcoming evil with good. One way we accomplish this is through spreading the gospel, because God has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). In evangelism we make peace between man and the God whom they have rejected and offended.

As the frame work continues to grow we have become aware of where our heart is inwardly, we will begin to pour outwardly, first starting with mercy, which leads to being pure in heart. And we couldn’t be a peacemaker or live peaceably without having a pure heart. A carnal heart would taint our motives towards others to accomplish what we want and not want God would want for our relationships.

The reward of a peacemaker is that they are recognized as true children of God! They share his passion for peace and reconciliation, breaking down the walls between people!

How the world will treat these people!

Matthew 5:10–12 ESV

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The character traits described in the Beatitudes are not valued by our modern culture. We don’t recognize or give awards to the “Most Pure in Heart” or “Most Poor in Spirit.”

Persecuted for righteousness sake and for the sake of Jesus! What a way to honor him! By living a righteous life, standing out in the world as being identified with Jesus, belonging to Jesus, living like Jesus, living for Jesus, telling others about Jesus, so they too will know him and be HIS!

What is our response when we are persecuted? REJOICE and be EXCEEDINGLY GLAD!

Literally, we could translate this phrase to say that the persecuted should “leap for joy.” Why? Because the persecuted will have great reward in heaven, and because the persecuted are in good company: Jesus and the prophets before them were also persecuted.

Yet the world persecutes these good people because the values and character expressed in these Beatitudes are so opposite to the world’s manner of thinking.

Have you truly repented and placed your faith in Him?

I’m reminded of the passage in Hebrews 3:13

Hebrews 3:13 ESV

13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

While it is called today, understand where you are spiritually. You are poor in spirit whether you realize it or not. Romans 3:23

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Realize this and that sets you up to mourn over your sin.

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This sets you up to receive mercy if you will simply believe.

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

We are never promised tomorrow!

Alter Call!

Lets pray!