For the letter P, in the A to Z challenge, I posted a blog asking for prayers for my friend Roxanne Clemen, diagnosed with leukemia. Last night she entered into Heaven. Roxanne was a loving, kind, and faithful soul and will be greatly missed by many. Thank you for your prayers. She was and is in God’s loving hands. My condolences to her husband Roger and to her lovely children, Travis, Bobby, and Tiffany and all those she loved like her own.

The following is from her Facebook information page, and contains much wisdom: If only we could properly comprehend how precious life really is, we’d certainly treasure and enjoy every minute rather than being bitter or complaining about the silly little things that just don’t matter. Forgive love laugh & never hold a grudge!

I love God with all my heart. I am married to a wonderful man named Roger. When I married him I became an instant grandma! Between us we have 5 children and 7 beautiful grandchildren. I love being a grandma. My family is my life!

This is has been a sad week. We also lost our dear friend and church member Amber Kirkland to cancer.

Losing loved ones is never easy, but as Christians, we have peace, knowing that this is only a temporary separation. We will rejoice with them someday in Heaven.

It’s a comforting and interesting concept that all those whom we meet and love on Earth, we will also love and hang around with in Heaven. There are books written by people who die, go to Heaven, and meet loved ones, then miraculously return. 90 minutes in Heaven: A true story of life and death by Don Piper is an excellent book that tells the story of a man who did that.

Given the thought, I’d like to meet, befriend, and love as many people on earth as possible, like Roxanne and Amber did. That way, once in Heaven, I’ll have a large crowd to party with! Roxanne and Amber will have a magnificent gathering around them. They have both loved well on earth and are loved by many.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

The Hope of the Resurrection

¹³ And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died^[a] so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

¹⁵ We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.^[b]16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died^[c]will rise from their graves. ¹⁷ Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

1 Corinthians 15:51ff What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. ⁵¹ But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! ⁵² It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. ⁵³ For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. ⁵⁴ Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die,^[c] this Scripture will be fulfilled:  “Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵ O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?^[e]”

Eternal rest grant unto Roxanne and Amber, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

I will miss you both, but will see you again, dear friends, Roxanne and Amber.