When you say goodbye to someone you love, it can be hard to express your feelings. Several moments during the grieving process give an opportunity to speak about your relationship and the impact of the deceased on your life. In these moments, especially after the interment of ashes, many people find themselves at a loss for what to say.
Through our connections with our clients, we’ve seen many different moments for memorializing loved ones.
Table of Contents
During the Ceremony
After the Memorial
Bible Verses to Remember Your Loved One
To begin, the memorial service or funeral provides a chance to share your thoughts. There are also moments after the ceremony that bring closure and peace. Many people appreciate time spent at their loved one’s scattering site for years into the future.
In this post, we provide Bible verses that you can use to memorialize your loved one.
During the Ceremony
Today, funerals can be adapted to a variety of formats. With cremation, people can choose between a formal funeral, memorial service, or celebration of life ceremony separate from scattering ashes. These may be formal, such as in a church or hall. Informal ceremonies have also become popular. These usually take place in a location of special significance to family and friends.
Regardless of location and format, it can be hard to know what to say.
In most cases, it’s appropriate to speak from the heart. You can talk about familiar topics, such as:
- How you met the deceased
- Your favorite memory of them
- Something special you shared
- The last thing they said to you
Many people also like to read something that captures their feelings like a prayer, poem, or Bible verse.
After the Memorial
After the memorial, you can select a location for the interment of ashes. It may be a traditional graveyard, a columbarium, or even a scattering garden.
At our property, we provide a beautiful, mountaintop location for scattering ashes. Although the ash scattering ceremony is unattended, we do open up our property twice a year to visitors. We call these our Days of Celebration.
Once in the spring, and again in the fall, we invite friends and family members to visit their loved one’s memorial tree on our property. It’s a meaningful time to visit, remember and reflect.
During our celebration days, family members often mark the moment with a few private words of remembrance.
Bible Verses to Remember Loved Ones
You may find it hard to summarize your sentiments in a single statement. As you remember your loved one, you can speak to their life, your relationship with them, and their impact on the world. Let the following Bible verses inspire your heartfelt message.
Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Psalm 9:9, NIV
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:10, NIV
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 119:76, NIV
May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.
Psalm 121:1-2, NIV
I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 147:3, NIV
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Isaiah 41:10, NIV
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
John 14:27, NIV
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 16:22, NIV
So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Philippians 4:6-7, NIV
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 5:10, NIV
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
Remembering Your Loved One
At Rest Ashured, we help people say goodbye to their loved ones. Our property contains a cremation ash scatter garden overlooking the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and the James River.
For those looking for a place to put the ashes of their loved ones to rest, we offer an unattended ash scattering ceremony.
First, we ship you a special package with the appropriate containers. You can place it in the mail through your local post office. (We also provide personal pickup for an additional fee.)
When we receive the ashes, we scatter them reverently on our mountaintop garden. We also place an engraved memorial stone at the site. Finally, we send you a keepsake Certificate of Release, noting the date and location of the placement.
We are honored by each scattering, and we strive to help people say goodbye with dignity and respect. If you have any questions about our services, please get in touch with us. Call 434-534-4007 or email us at info@restashured.com.
