Pam Hearl

Good afternoon everyone.

On behalf the of the family we are thankful and grateful for your love, kind words and presence here today.

Prayer

Song

Obit

Song

Message...

These are difficult days, and we are so sorry.

You know there are times when we come to expect death to come to those we love when they have incredible health needs like Pam has these past few years.

She has had hard and difficult days, but now she is at rest.

And for you today, there is solace in that word, rest.

The Scriptures tell us Rev 14:13

Revelation 14:13 ESV

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Do you see that word, “Blessed” it refers to the state of the believer, those who love the Lord are blessed, they are happy, taken care of and at bliss.

The dead in the Lord are those who have died in Christ Jesus. We say “in” because our lives are in Him.

Pam’s salvation wasn’t her own work, it wasn’t her own efforts. This was entirely the work of the Lord. The Lord saved her when she receieved Jesus as her Savior.

That made her His, that moved her position from outside to inside of His life. She was made New...

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

She was made new and she lived in that position in Christ.

Knowing this family for the past 20+ years, I have seen Pam’s ups and downs, so many health problems, but she pushed forward like a trooper.

And then Kirby got sick, and he made his journey toward His heavenly home. I know they like so many couples have aspirations of things they want to do when get older and retire..

But things change, and I know she missed Kirby, she missed his presence, his humor and care for her. And that made her life more difficult...

Pam this last year has been in and out of the hospital, she was frustrated and desiring for things to be different.

Job tells us that man’s days are few and full of trouble, … Pam has experienced it. So many worked hard to help here and to help her keep her independence at home for a long time. Until she had to go to the nursing home.

She told me that place was for the birds.. but she endured it as she needed more care than could be given at home.

And in the course of her days, she was tough but today it has all changed.

But the Scripture here says that she is resting from her toils, her labors...

This shell that we knew Pam by, this body… it has suffered, got sick, so many things happening.

But now it is quite.. at rest..

It is at rest because of Jesus.

You see Jesus came and took our pain and punishment upon the cross. He took our suffering and bore all that, and our sin upon the cross.

Jesus did this to ensure that we would not have to endure the totality of death.

Death implies a separation from everything, but it doesn’t … if a person is in Christ.

In death the soul is separated from the body, but in Christ not from the Father.

Paul said to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. 2 Cor 5:6-8...

Pam is with her eternal Father, and now her physical father as well. She is with them in Heaven.

There in is our rest, to be in His presence…wow.

I think often of that song, “I can only imagine,; by Mercy Me..”

A portion of the lyric says:

I can only imagine When that day comes And I find myself Standing in the Son I can only imagine When all I will do Is forever, forever worship You...

This is Pam’s place even now, standing in the presence of the Son of God who gave himself for her…so that she could have her reward.

But today is so difficult....

It is difficult because we have say goodnight, not good bye.

We do not like death, the devil is the one who enjoys death.. but in Christ it is different.

We close the door today on death, this shell will be laid to rest, it will be still until that great day of the Lord comes..

And then Pam will be returned to her body, but it will not be the same, it will be a resurrection body, instead of broken, sick and hurting it will be made new, made perfect in every way as Jesus is perfect.

Listen to Paul’s words....

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 ESV

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Do not go away as the world would here, uninformed, not knowing and especially grieving toward those who have no future hope.

You have hope today. Hope that gives you strength and peace in the days to come...

Hope that comes with strength to wait patiently for the great day of the Lord.

A day Paul said would begin with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God.

And at that sound, the dead in Christ will rise first...

What does that mean?

It means that Pam will return with the Lord and supernaturally, all those who are his.. they will return to those bodies that have been at rest, but those bodies are changed, instantly, made perfect and whole just as Jesus is whole and perfect and her soul and body will be joined together.

And forever, we will be with the Lord.

There in is peace my friends...

We can be at peace today, knowing that because of Jesus Christ, we know exactly where Pam is, where Kirby is …in the presence of our Lord.

And as you think of this day, do not say goodbye, say instead goodnight, I will see you in the morning.

Joy comes in the morning.

Lets pray together..

Song

Closing words...