There Are No Words

"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.  Do you believe this?  (John 11:25-26).

We were there, his family and loved ones and thousands of others who came to pay honor to a dynamic and covenant- connected-warrior of His heavenly Daddy.  It was to be a day of celebration and the pastor did an admirable job in making it that, but how does one paint a picture of the path of a young man whose focus in life was not to climb the corporate ladder, or become a great political leader, or to be something who ‘people of the world’ place on a pedestal?

As I listened to the words of praise for this young warrior I could not help but think of the story of Lazarus, a very moving and familiar story in John's Gospel.  Mary and Martha had sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick, to which Jesus replied "This sickness will not end in death" (John 11:4).  And we know the ‘rest of the story’, Lazarus did indeed die!  His heart stopped and his body was anointed with oils and wrapped in graves cloths and placed in the family tomb.

End of story, right?  No!  One might say it was the beginning of a story of hope for all who come to the realization that there is a great emptiness in their hearts that can only be filled by surrendering their lives to Jesus as Lord. 

The pastor, Rev, Bob Tisset, had had the privileged of marrying Ryan and Kendra seven years ago. This Celebration was a very tough labor of love for Bob had long ago been adopted into this family and was loved.  How does one stand before a thousand people and paint a picture of one of your family, when you are aching from the depths of your heart.  He said the toughest part of this act of love was going through the mega writings, speeches, and conversations of Ryan and his bride and pick out only a few that painted a picture of this man. 

I am nearly eighty years old and have been to many funerals in my lifetime.  It is a time when my friends of many years are completing their race on earth and being called Home.  I have heard many eulogies and have even been privileged to deliver some for very special people in my life, but we were blessed when the Pearl of great price of Ryan's life, his bride, got up and talked about her life with this very special man. Wow, what courage! Wow, such depth of love;  she wanted the world to know the man she was blessed to share her life with and his passion for his Lord and master Jesus Christ.

At the cemetery we, my wife and I, arrived before the others and I had a few minutes to stand quietly at the gravesite.  I was standing in the middle of a five- grave plot; to my left was two graves, that of my father and mother- in- law who served the Lord as ministers of the Gospel of Christ, and to my right the grave site my son, who also was called home at the beginning of a life of service to his Lord. And this day we would place the body of Ryan next to that of David.  Four saints of God who made a tremendous impact for their Lord. 

Soooo, my friends, will the impact of Ryan's life ever be known?  I think not.  For it is like throwing a stone in a pond and watching the ripples go out.  This ripple creates another ripple until the ripples cover the pond.  No, I do not believe we have we closed the book on Ryan Prudhomme on April 13, 2013,  his legacy will live on through his bride and son, and through his mom and dad, his brothers, his grandparents ,family, and the mega people he influenced in his short time of planet earth.

To close and not share Ryan’s passion with you would be a dis-service: “What is your purpose In life?  Where do you stand with God the Father? What have you done (what is your relationship) with His Son?  If you don’t know, now is the time to seek Him.  If you claim his as Lord and Savior, choose now to live in High Definition with Him. Say with Paul (and Ryan), "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like Him in death and so attain to the resurrection  from the dead." (Philippians 3:10)

Ryan, my Christians brother, I praise God that I was blessed to rub elbows with you for these past 26 years. 

Blessings, 

Your Grandpa Peanut