My dear friend Joan recently passed and is now in heaven with her Savior. As I speak at her celebration of life today, I’ve chosen 2 scriptures to highlight in memory of her. She was a friend like no other. Our example in scripture of true friends is Jonathan and David. They had each other’s backs, could see good when evil was present, kept their focus on what was right in spite of dangers and loved each other. 1 Samuel 20:42 “Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city. Today as I think about bidding my friend good-bye, I know that we will be reunited forever and for now I am to go in peace filled with the knowledge that she is with Jesus. We are and will be forever friends. She was a true friend to me like David and Jonathan.

The second scripture I chose was James 5:16-17 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.” My friend was a prayer warrior. I could call her anytime and ask her to pray and she would. She upheld me before God and covered me with His comfort and love. She would always hold my confidence and I never had to worry that she would speak to others about me. Like Elijah, she was a woman of prayer and prayed fervently for others. She prayed believing all things were within God’s power. What a true gem.

I know my friend Joan loved Jesus. She sought to follow Him, intercede with Him, study about Him in the Word, speak out about Him and worship Him. Now she is rejoicing in heaven, singing praise to her God. I was mightily blessed to have her in my life.

Thanks you Jesus for the gifts of love and hope she brought into my life. I am truly richer for having known her.

Because Christ died and rose from the dead, I can rejoice in the homegoing of my dear friend.

Linda