Memorial Service

Memorial Service For

Cecelia Holland Morrell

April 27, 2007

(55 year old Christian lady)

John 14:1-6

14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

2 "In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 "And 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.

4 "And where I go you know, and the way you know."

5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"

6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Revelation 14:13

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: ’Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ " "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."

We have gathered here this afternoon to CELEBRATE the home going of Cecelia Holland Morrell.

Each one in this place has special Memories of Cecelia…and that’s good.

An old Gospel Song says:

“Precious memories, unseen angels,

Sent from somewhere to my soul;

How they linger, ever near me,

And the sacred past unfold.

Precious memories, how they linger,

How they ever flood my soul.

In the stillness of the midnight,

Precious, sacred scenes UNFOLD.”

When I think of Cecelia… I remember a Lady who:

1. Loved God….she was a Christian and a Witness to her faith in God.

(And let me add….her faith WAS STRONG).

Several days ago when the doctors told Kevin,

Cecelia only had a few days to live, Kevin told

her and her reply was: “I’ll see you In Heaven.”

Cecelia had made preparations to MEET GOD.

Have you? Jesus said “I AM the way, the Truth,

and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by me.”(John 14:6)

2. She Loved Her Church…Berryhill Baptist was

indeed fortunate to have a member like her. For

many years Cecelia sang in this choir…she loved JOYFUL songs….Songs of Praise. Just think WHAT A SHOUTIN TIME IN GLORY Cecelia is having today. There in the presence of Jesus, along with all the Saints above, along with the Angels in Glory…they have gathered together

To Sing that CHORUS:

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive POWER, and RICHES, and WISDOM, and STRENGTH, and HONOR, and GLORY, and BLESSING.” (Revelation 5:12)

3. Loved Her Family….Kevin you were indeed blessed to have a wife like Cecelia. Kevin you told me that Cecelia is the one WHO LED you to the Lord…You were indeed doubly blessed to have a wife that cared about you Physically, but Spiritually as well.

Carly…(Cecelia’s daughter).

Your mother loved you so much and those

Grandchildren…they were the apple of her eye.

4. Loved Her Friends…she stood with her friends

through thick and thin. Many of you here today

could stand and testify that when you were down

Cecelia was there and lifted you up.

5. Loved LIFE AND made the most of every situation she FACED.

Even when she was FACED WITH Cancer….she was a fighter.

She battled Cancer with a fierce determination. She learned many lessons in the SCHOOL OF ADVERSITY.

Cecelia learned that CANCER is so limited:

-“IT CANNOT CRIPPLE LOVE

-IT CANNOT SHATTER HOPE

-IT CANNOT CORRODE FAITH

-IT CANNOT DESTROY CONFIDENCE

-IT CANNOT SHUT OUT MEMORIES

-IT CANNOT SILENCE COURAGE

-IT CANNOT INVADE THE SOUL

-IT CANNOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT

-IT CANNOT LESSEN THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION.”

FOLKS:

The promise of Scripture is that when a Child of God passes from this world below, they are WELCOMED into the world above...HEAVEN.

The bible says: “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8). That is, the moment a CHILD OF GOD dies….The SOUL goes immediately into the presence of God...

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PETER MARSHALL in one of his sermons told about a boy who had a TERMINAL ILLNESS.

“One night the boy was especially quiet and so his mother asked him what was BOTHERING HIM.

Mother, he said: WHAT IS IT LIKE TO DIE, does it hurt?

She was silent for a moment and then she said: “Son do you remember how you use to play so hard all day, that when night came you’d be too tired to undress and get into bed and that you would sometimes fall asleep on the couch in the den. And when you woke up in the morning you’d be surprised to find yourself in your own little bed, in your OWN ROOM. You were there because someone had LOVED YOU and taken care of you—YOUR FATHER had come and with his BIG STRONG ARMS he carried you into your own room and put you into your own bed.