2 Year Anniversary~Where We're At

 

December 9th, 2009
Candlelight Memorial Service

Many feelings, emotions, and thoughts of what I wanted, those interested, to know; began to churn inside me just a few days before the anniversary. Having felt, as a family, our outlook was one filled with celebration for the Christmas season and an expectant hope of the things God still has for the Works family to be and do; we didn't want the service to be one for grieving, remembering yes, but mostly about giving (those who have carried this burden with us) permission to be happy and not sad for us any longer. And for all of us to look in hope, to God's remaining purpose in this life.

My thoughts became crystal clear to me as I was looking in His word for what would best say all that was in my heart (and the shared feelings of the family) to say. The evening before I shared with David the scriptures I wanted to share. And as our little family, David and I, Grace & Laurie, gathered for a special luncheon tea in our home, before the service; I shared the scriptures with them as well.

In the following readings, titled, No More Sorrow, are the scriptures I shared on the 2 year anniversary and as a matter of record want to make them available for those, of you have shared in our sorrow. I would have liked to have shared a few more lines from scripture to complete all that I had in my heart that day; therefore, I will be adding them today.

No More Sorrow

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.

....

Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope.

And He will yet deliver us, you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again.

For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful?

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

So death works in us, but life in you.

But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.

For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.