Celebration of Life

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35 NIV

Although the shortest verse in the Bible, it carries a significant fact that Jesus cares. He had just arrived near the home of His dear friends, Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha.

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if You had been here, my brother would not have died.  But I know that even now God will give You whatever you ask.”

 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die;  and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11: 21-27 NIV.

Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead; all for the glory of God. Yet, He wept. Jesus cares about what hurts us, His children. In my sister Brenda’s passing to her rewards, she now stands in the presence of God. Yes, there are bittersweet emotions, but in the midst, I know she is safe in the arms of God, and I will see her again someday.

(Left-Angela, Brenda’s daughter, Center-Brenda, Right-Melody (me), Brenda’s sister

I wrote a little something about Brenda. I hope you enjoy it:

The Inspirations of My Sister, Brenda Stoehr

B is for beautiful. Brenda was gifted with beauty. Her sparkling blue eyes and dark hair (although later she chose to live as a blonde) first captured the attention of those who met her. Most important was her grace, which was her spirit: sweet, kind, and friendly.

R is for resilient. During times of trials and tribulations, Brenda’s ability to be strong demonstrated the trust and commitment she had in her relationship with Jesus Christ.

E is for earnest. Brenda was passionate about her music ministry. She recorded a song titled “Mending Broken People”. Whether singing as a soloist or in duets, trios, and quartets, Brenda’s heartfelt message of the Gospel ignited her urgency to pray and comfort those in need.

N is for nostalgic. Who doesn’t enjoy a trip down memory lane with family and friends concerning favorite reflections of times past? Brenda enjoyed getting together for holidays around the family table. The laughter, food, and fellowship were always an enjoyable occasion.

D is for dependable. Brenda had a Godly talent not only to write and sing music, but she could also play the piano by reading music and playing by ear. These abilities enabled her to accompany another soloist or ensemble by following their lead. She had a special gift and could change keys for the singer(s) if the song was in too high or low of a range for their voices.

A is for artistic. Brenda was also skilled in other creative arts. She had her own Academy of Fine Arts where she taught voice, piano, and keyboard. Other areas she excelled in were theater and stage production.

I remember Brenda and I went to lunch many years ago to write an Easter cantata. I loved helping her with some of the aspects, as she encouraged me through her drama classes to write and act in plays, monologues, and skits. As we finished our lunch, Brenda shared her thoughts and ideas for the service as I wrote down the scenes. By the time we began the dialogue, we were both in tears. The scene was a flashback with the women who headed to the tomb on Resurrection Sunday, which began on Good Friday at the cross. Our server came over thinking something was wrong. We shared our tears of joy as God inspired a script for us to use on Easter.

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A very special thank you goes out to my husband, Reverend Kevin Miles, and our amazing volunteers at “Love Thy Neighbor Food Pantry” for providing, preparing, and serving the meal. Kevin, I appreciate all you do. I’m so blessed to have you in my life, and that you knew and loved Brenda.