Eulogy of Ryan Abram Jr.

Isaiah 26:3

Opening Prayer:

“Father, we come to You with hearts that are hurting and questions we can’t answer. But we know You are always in the midst of our circumstance . Thank you for your unfailing love, Peace and even the joy. Hold this family tight for they need your comfort more than ever. Let Your peace, which passes all human understanding, guard their hearts and minds. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Introduction: We are here today to honor the life of Ryan Abram Jr. AKA RJ. Seven short years… and yet, what a powerful impact this little life made in this world. You can’t tell me he was not a perfect child, because I know who made him. I know that RJ was unique in so many ways. He loved Mickey Mouse, which, if we all told the truth, we all loved as kids. RJ, just like Mickey, touched you with his unique smile, his unique laughter, and some amazing hugs that filled your heart with joy. I appreciate the way God made children. They have a unique way of showing us adults what pure love looks like.

I know today is a very difficult day. A day that no one expected, but I pray to the God in the heavens that we all have come to give RJ an amazing homegoing. And to encourage this family, the best way God has shown us. Your prayers need to be a little longer, your texts to them need to be a little more intentional, and your calls need to be more about listening to their hearts. Is that alright?

When a child comes into the life of parents, you lose your identity. You’re no longer known as Minnie or Ryan, you become Rj’s parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even cousins. Your identity is consumed into loving and cherishing an amazing gift from God. And from the 1000 pictures in a drop box and the view of this crowd today, you all have lost your identity to RJ. He has touched you in such a way that even though it was 7 years on this side of life, He made a difference in yours.it goes to show what God makes is not about quantity but quality.

RJ never met a stranger, I can probably see him looking crazy at his teachers and parents when they tried to teach him how to respond to a stranger danger. In the eyes of RJ a stranger was just a friend he had yet to meet. What an amazing personality. Even if we didn’t get all the years we wanted, the love RJ shared with us was real and genuine. And love like that doesn’t end—it stays in our hearts forever.

It’s okay to feel broken right now. Even Jesus wept when His friend Lazarus died (John 11:35). If Jesus cried, it means it’s okay for us to cry too. God doesn’t expect us to have all the answers—He just asks us to bring Him our tears.

Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Right now, it may feel like the world has stopped. As though someone has removed your heart and stepped on it right in front of you. But you are not in this season alone. God is with you, and so are we, your family, your community and even RJ’s school friends,teachers and administrators. God makes sure you are not alone. So let’s try and provide some comfort you can leave with today. Place it deep in your heart.

The family placed a scripture in the program help us understand where is RJ now? A text to give us hope.

Jesus once said: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” – Matthew 19:14

That means RJ is now safe. That is one of the biggest worries a parent can have. Is my child safe? That’s really the question we should ask. RJ is now in the arms of Jesus, A risen savior who talked about his safe place. A place where there is perfect peace, perfect joy, and perfect love. RJ was the perfect child. This world may say different, But He was a perfect child for a perfect set of parents. Minnie and Ryan, I’m here to tell you how proud God is of you. You have done all that He asked and more.

People may say that you are broken, but if that were the case, then you would have failed as parents. No, what you are dealing with is pain because you are not broken. I didn’t say brokenhearted. We all get our hearts broken in life, but it’s not the end, we are not damaged goods that have no more worth and value. And with broken hearts, pain is what manifests from that.

We may not understand why this happened, but we can know they are safe, and that gives us hope. With that type of hope, we grieve, but we don’t grieve as people who does not know the type of hope we possess. . In

Revelation 21:4 – the bible says, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…”

One day, if we know Jesus, we’ll be reunited with those we’ve lost. This goodbye is not forever. It’s “see you later.” God promises eternal life to those who trust in Him. And that promise includes a reunion with those we love. I believe that If God has assigned an angel, her name would be Lillian Collins to RJ., and the two of them are up there talking right now. RJ is speaking his words so clearly as he says to his grandmother, 'Where is Disneyland? I need to go see Mickey Mouse.' I need a new sticker and shirt. IN

I don’t know a better person that God would trust with Kids than Lillian Collins. I started to title this sermon, RJ is now in the arms of his grandmother. We can find peace in knowing that. But

What can we do with this pain? We give it to God.

What do we do with this love? We keep sharing it.

How do we keep going? One step at a time, with Jesus holding our hand.

Let RJ’s life remind us to love like he did. Laugh like he did. Trust like he did. And lastly, most of all, RJ’s life should draw us close to Jesus, just like he is right now. Let me share a passage with you, and I'll take my seat.

Text: Isaiah 26:3

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”

meaning “A Mind Stayed on God Brings Peace”

Peace is one of the most sought-after things in our world today—emotional peace, mental peace, and spiritual peace. We try to find it in relationships, success, and even in our distractions, but none of these truly satisfy. Isaiah 26:3 offers a promise from God—that perfect peace is available, but it comes only one way: through a mind fixed (or “stayed”) on God. God isn’t offering temporary peace or surface peace. He promises “perfect peace” (in Hebrew: shalom shalom—double peace, complete peace).

In 📖 Philippians 4:7 – “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Let’s use the example with ice cream, and you want it to last, so when the lady asks how many scoops? We are going to say two scoops, because we can taste it, and we want it to last forever. The next challenge is when you go out in the hot sun, the ice cream begins to melt, and you have to start licking or you're going to have a pure mess on your hands. And will only enjoy half of that amazing ice cream. Now with God’s peace, when you enter his presence and keep your eyes on Him, you will get a double portion of his peace that will pass all human understanding. And not only that, but he will guard your hearts so that you have more than enough time to savor His peace.

Now let's be real, Peace is not the absence of problems or pain—it’s the presence of God in the middle of them. That motto, out of sight, out of mind, does not produce peace; it grows into deeper pain.

The word “stayed” means anchored, focused, fixed. Peter, when he got out of the boat and walked A stayed mind is not easily shaken by emotions, headlines, opinions, or distractions.

The key to peace is mental discipline—choosing to keep our thoughts on God’s character, promises, and presence. Some of you have taken your eyes off God, some of you need God’s peace more than you can fake it. Stop running and looking for something that is not there. RJ's life was a testimony for us, not him. He fought a good fight from the day he entered this world; he never allowed any obstacles to still his joy, and God gave him a heart to share with others.

Closing remarks

In the Bible, the number 7 is a symbol of completion, perfection, and God’s divine order. When God created the world, He made everything in six days and rested on the seventh—not because He was tired, but because His work was finished and good. Throughout the Bible, the number 7 appears again and again as a sign that something is whole and meaningful in God’s eyes.

RJ was with us for 7 beautiful years. And while we wish with all our hearts that we had more time, we trust that those 7 years were not random. They were full, they were precious, and they were complete in God’s perfect plan.

RJ filled those 7 years with joy. He had a light in him that shone so brightly, especially when Mickey Mouse was on the screen. His laughter, his dancing, and the way his eyes lit up when that theme song came on—“Come inside, it’s fun inside!”—that was RJ. He brought fun. He brought life. He made you smile, again and again.

We believe that heaven is now RJ’s clubhouse—more wonderful than anything we can imagine. And maybe, just maybe, he’s dancing and singing with a joy that never ends.

His life, though short to us, was perfectly written by the God who loves him more than we ever could. He gave us a gift—7 years of pure, Mickey-loving, song-singing joy. And even though we say goodbye for now, we hold on to the promise that we will see RJ again, full of that same sparkle and smile.

You know, something special about Mickey Mouse is that no matter how many years go by, or how old we get, he never stops smiling. He’s always full of joy, adventure, and kindness. That’s part of why children love him—because he reminds us that the world can be full of wonder, laughter, and love.

RJ loved Mickey Mouse, and in many ways, RJ was a little like Mickey—joyful, playful, and always bringing smiles to those around him. He had a heart full of wonder and a spirit that made every day feel like an adventure.

Walt Disney once said,

“I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing—that it was all started by a mouse.”

And maybe that’s the gift RJ leaves us with, too: a reminder to never lose sight of the joy, innocence, and love that made him who he was. Just like Mickey, RJ’s smile lives on—and so does the love he shared with every one of us.

Closing Prayer:

We come to you with hearts full of love and grief as we say goodbye, for now, to our precious RJ.

Thank you for the gift of his life, for the joy he brought in just 7 short years, and for the laughter he shared with everyone around him. Thank you for his light, his music, and his love for Mickey Mouse—reminders that even in this world, innocence and joy are treasures You delight in.

Lord, we don’t always understand Your ways, but we trust You. We trust that RJ is now safe in your arms, surrounded by more love and beauty than we can imagine. We believe that his smile is shining even brighter in Your presence, and that the songs he loved are now joined with the songs of angels.

Give comfort to RJ’s family and all who loved him. Wrap them in Your peace. Carry them through the days ahead with Your strength. Let their memories of RJ be a blessing that never fades, and let Your hope anchor their hearts. We don’t understand why his time here was so short, but we thank You for every moment. I ask the mighty name of your son to hold this family close. Fill the empty places in their hearts. Give them strength for each day, and hope for the future. We place our pain into Your hands, knowing that You are the God who heals. “Lord, I will keep my mind stayed on You. I will trust You even when I don’t see the full picture. I receive Your perfect peace.

Until we meet again, we place RJ in Your hands—the safest, most loving hands of all.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen.

”In Jesus’ name, Amen.”