Lisa Marie (Gronso) Deur - Celebration of Life Service

Intro:

Well this Corona Virus has, yet again, put a damper on how many folks we could have here today. However, we are thankful for the folks that are able to join us here… And, thankful for the ability to have the service live streamed for others.

As we get started today, let’s turn to the Lord in prayer.

Prayer:

Thank God for the life that He granted to Lisa

Continued comfort for the family

Thankful for her relationship with Christ

Encouragement from Scripture:

The news about Lisa’s passing came as a shock to everyone. However, it did not take God by surprise. In Psalm 139 David is speaking to God and says in verse 13

13 For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

David goes on to say in v. 16

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;

And in Your book were all written

The days that were ordained for me,

When as yet there was not one of them.

These verses were not only true for David, but they are true for all of us as well… God is the One who created each and everyone of us “He formed us in our mothers womb” and He knew, before we were even born, how many days we would be alive on this earth. He knew that 44 years after Lisa was born, that He would call her home.

God is the only One who knows for sure when our time on this earth will be finished. In the latter part of his letter, James tells us…

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”

14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

There are times when we do not understand the will of God, however, we must trust Him and trust His plan, even during the times when we want to ask, why…

Paul, in his letter to the Phillipians tells us to “4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” And again in his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul says “16 Rejoice always;

17 pray without ceasing;

18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

We are to rejoice and give thanks at ALL times, not just the good times. Even through hard times we can rejoice and be thankful… thankful for the time we were able to spend with Lisa, thankful for the legacy she leaves within her two boys, thankful for her friendship… and I am sure the list could go on.

Even Job, the man who lost everything, all of his livestock, all of his servants, all of his children… He said

“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him”.

And, We are told that “Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.”

Job trusted God, even when he didn’t understand why he was going through such mysery. About half way through the book of Job, he says...

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth… Whom I myself shall behold, And whom my eyes will see and not another.”

Even as we go through hard times, we too can rejoice in the fact that our “Redeemer lives” and, as the Psalmist said, “He is our refuge and strength, A very present help in troubling times”

Favorite Hymn - “Because He Lives”

One of Lisa’s favorite hymns tells us that “Because He Lives” I can face tommorow. Listen to the words of this favored hymn...

Reading of Obituary

This past year has been an especially difficult one for all of us, and Lisa had her share of trials as well… I am told that one of her favorite verses to lean on was Isaiah 41:10, 13

10. “Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”

13. For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,

Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’

I am also confident that she would not stop reading there, and when she made it to Isaiah 43, she would have read these words

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine!

2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,

Nor will the flame burn you.

3 “For I am the Lord your God,

The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;”

Special Song - Bless the Broken Road

This next song is not necessarily a song that you will here on a christian radio station. However, it is a song that portrays how Lisa felt about her trials and how she felt about you, Scott... This was one of her all time favorite songs. It’s called “Bless the Broken Road”

Message

Lisa was a tender hearted, loving mother… she was daughter, a sister, an aunt, a cousin… and I am sure, a wonderful friend to many people. I am certain that she cared for everyone in this room and for those of you that are watching online… She loved visiting her folks in the U.P. and getting in her fair share of fishing and kayaking while she was there.

If she would have known that her 44th birthday was going to be her last day on earth, she would have made as many phone calls that she could, to let you all know how much she loved each and everyone of you… and if she were able to come back for one last day, I can gaurentee that she would want you all to know that Heaven is for real and she wants to see you there.

I think Lisa would want you to know four facts. For ease of remembering, each of these facts begins with one letter of the word FACT.

The letter “F” stands for the fact that heaven is a free gift. Jesus said that God is preparing a place for each one of us in heaven.

John 14:2-3“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

This means that, God wants people to go to heaven.

Eph. 2:8-9 “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

This means that heaven is a free gift, it is not something that you can earn. That’s the good news... Now here’s the... not so good news.

The letter “A” stands for the fact that all have sinned. Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

This verse lets us know that, not everyone gets into heaven. Simply stated, sin blocks the way. According to this verse every one of us has done something wrong, and God is going to hold us accountable for our actions and attitudes. Romans 6:23 tells us that “the wages of sin is death” ...Death meaning; separation from God. For us sinners, that’s bad news... However, there is more good news.

The letter “C” stands for the fact that Christ died on the cross to forgive our sins. Another one of Lisa’s favorite verses was John 3:16 “For God so loved the world...”

Romans 5:8 tells us “8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Every year we celebrate Good Friday and Easter. These events remind us that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and three days later, rose again according to the Scriptures. Now that is really good news...

The letter “T” stands for the fact that if we want to go to heaven, we have to trust Christ.

John 14:6 “6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

We need to ask Jesus to forgive our sins. 1 John 1:9 Says, “If we confess our sins...”

These facts demand a response. We can either accept them or we can reject and ignore them.

Lisa knew these facts, she believed these facts and she based her salvation on these facts… She has proved that...

Life is short. We brought nothing into this world, and we can carry nothing out. In the midst of life we are in the midst of death. The Bible says in Hebrews that “people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27), let us here purpose to seek the Lord with all our hearts and respond to the opportunities of salvation extended to us through His grace… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved!

The Bible says it is “God’s kindness” that “leads [us] to repentance” (Romans 2:4). And repentance leads us to His greatest gift, the gift of eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ. May each gift of God’s kindness remind us of His love for Lisa and His love toward us in Christ.

Prayer:

Thank you for the salvation that you provide through your Son Jesus Christ.

Thank you that through this salvation we have the hope of seeing our loved ones again.

May we all consider the FACT’s that were shared and respond to them in a way that is honoring and glorifying to You.

Please continue to comfort Lisa’s family and friends as we move forward in the days ahead.

In Jesus Name… Amen!

Hymn - How Great Thou Art (or Special Music)

Dismissal