Sermon Tone Analysis

Opening Welcome

Good afternoon, My name is Darrin Brown, Pastor at New Life A/G and on behalf of the family, I would like to thank you for coming as we remember and celebrate the life of Cindy Huddleson.

As we begin, let’s ask the Lord’s blessing.

Prayer

Father thank you for the life of Cindy and for the precious memories that will live on forever.

Thank you for the way that she touched many lives, those in her family and all those who’ve had the privilege of knowing her as a friend.

Jesus, bless this time as we pause to remember and celebrate Cindy’s life today.

In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:54-58 “54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God!

He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.

Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

When we only labor for this world we only earn a temporary reward.

You will never see a u-haul behind a hurst in a funeral procession.

But... when our labor is in the Lord our reward is eternal.

When we die, we rest in the Lord forever.

Right now, we celebrate Cindy who is now beginning her rest in the Lord as we gather.

Cindy lived her life well as she labored in the Lord.

Obituary

Cindy L. Huddleson, 65, of Bronson, passed away Monday, October 24, 2022 at ProMedica Toledo Hospital.

Cindy was born July 7, 1957 in Rogers City, MI to Dean & Doris (Huntley) Darling.

She married Leonard G. Huddleson on November 19, 1998 in Angola, IN.

Cindy was a member of Jesus Name Apostolic Church in Coldwater and had waitressed at a variety of restaurants, including the former Big Boy and Benedict’s Steak House.

She had also worked at the former Fort Dearborn printing.

Above all else, she was a dedicated wife, mother and homemaker.

Cindy truly loved taking care of her home and family.

Cindy is survived by her husband Leonard; her children Cherie (Rich) Lawhead of Colorado, Amanda Huddleson of Coldwater, William (Rachel) Huddleson of Fremont, IN, Michael Huddleson of Canton, Alexis Huddleson of Bronson, Jennifer Huddleson of Bronson; her siblings Greg (Cathy) Kortman, Peggy Giesen, Tim Kortman; many grandchildren including JJ Muniz, Cheyenne Covey, Jazzmin Hernandez, Mazen, Victor, Khalani, Richie Lawhead, Bella Lawhead; great grandson Miles and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her son James Covey, sisters Donna Winger and Mary Jacobs.

Cindy’s life was more than a 190 word obituary.

We all have wonderful memories, funny stories, life lessons, and milestone celebrations that Cindy was a big part of.

At this time, Brother Teg Garn would like to speak on behalf of Leonard and Cindy’s pastor, Pastor Wade from Jesus Name Apostolic Church.

Stories about Cindy

Brother Teg Garn

Friend of the family, Rafino Muniz

As I met with the family, earlier this week, I heard many wonderful stories about Cindy.

Cindy was a part of so many family outings, celebrations, holidays, It’s had to imagine going through another year of those capstone moments without Cindy.

It’ll be hard going through the daily grind and responsibilities of running a household, fixing meals, and fixing the things that wear out around the house.

According to Jennifer, “Mom’s always Right.”

Ask Leonard who graciously admits that he is not the handy man.

When something needEd to be fixed around the house he will make an attempt to fix it and then he would humbly call Cherie to fix it right.

Cindy would warn about before the problem before it became a bigger problem.

“Mom was always Right” Who’s going to always be right?

Cindy loved her family, her husband Leonard, her kids and her grand kids.

Even though she was a home body, she loved spending time with her family.

She enjoyed cooking meals, eating Mexican Food, and celebrating life.

But more then anything, she loved Jesus and she wanted everyone to know Jesus especially her family.

In the last few weeks, Leonard said that she had a real closeness to the Lord.

She was praying more, reading her Bible more, and talking about the Lord more.

It’s almost as if she knew she was going to be in the presence of Jesus very soon.

Message

Thank you for sharing all those wonderful memories of Cindy.

Those memories are often the fuel that keeps us going.

As we go though life with a very noticeable void that can never be filled.

Loss is unfortunately a part of life but for those we loose who are in Christ... our loss becomes heaven’s great gain.

Paul encourages us in Philippians 1:21

But still loosing someone is painful and often times, at funerals there’s a tendency, by some, to blame God for death.

Since we don’t understand everything that God does.

It’s Ok.

Jesus is able to handle our questions

It’s OK to ask why.

God why would let my friend, my sister, my mom, my wife die?

Why didn’t you heal her?

Why didn’t you answer my prayers?

Listen, we don’t always know why things happen.

You shouldn’t feel guilty for wondering if there was something that God could have done.

Cindy went too soon, she went unexpectedly.

We may not understand why things happened the way they happened… But for some reason, in God’s great wisdom and HIS perfect plan HE took Cindy home.

The reality is we live in a world that has been damaged by sin.

Knowing that, we will all experience the sting of death and loss.

But… Jesus can handle our questions

Jesus is able to handle our pain

God is big enough to handle our emotions… our loss… our hurts… our confusion…

Jesus gives us this invitation in Matthew 11:28

God knows what it’s like to feel hurt.

Imagine a Father, giving up HIS one and only Son.

The hurt and the pain HE felt.

Jesus knows our pain and wants us to trust HIM with our pain.

Jesus wants those who are weary to come… Jesus wants those who carry heavy burdens to drop them off at HIS feet.

Jesus came to give us comfort in moments like these.

Jesus became the fulfillment of Isaiah the prophet.

Isaiah 61:1–3 “1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

(NIV)

Jesus came for those who are poor, brokenhearted, in prison, for those who are mourning, grieving, in despair.

Jesus came to earth… lived the perfect life… demonstrated HIS power… and became the perfect Lamb of God… to fulfil this passage written 700 years before Jesus walked the earth.

That’s why today at a funeral, we can talk about that good news because Jesus came to fulfill that for us.

Jesus can and wants to take our ashes and make something beautiful.

Jesus wants to give us a garment of praise for our heaviness.

Today, we are here to remember and to celebrate Cindy and to say our goodbye one last time but I know that Cindy would want nothing less then to give Jesus our full attention.

Jesus is the answer for our despair, our loneliness, our pain… She would want this moment to be all about Jesus.

When Jesus went to the funeral of his dear friend Lazarus, HE encouraged Mary and Martha with these words.

John 11:25-26 “25 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.

The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.

Do you believe this?””