Angelyca LeAnn Cowdin Funeral
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SCRIPTURE READING:
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father it is with a heavy heart that we gather today;
We gather on behalf of the family and friends of Angelica Cowdin
To celebrate HER life, To recognize HER dedication to HER family and friends. And to honor HER as a friend, and a valuable part of the lives those gathered today.
But we also gather to mourn HER absence in our families, and fellowship.
Let this service be one of honor and blessing for both YOU and these loved ones gathered in this place.
Let your name be glorified
And let your Spirit have His way In Jesus Name…
Song: I’ll Fly Away
FAMILY COMMENTS:
Song: Hallelujah
SERMON:
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
When we read this scripture we can’t help but ask: How does our affliction or hard times work to produce greater glory?
Well, in verse 18, it tells us that what we “look” at is important when we are going through difficult times.
Every person can choose what to focus their vision on in life. We get to choose what we spend our time “looking” at in any given moment.
Like all people, I am sure that Angel had some difficulties in this life. Some known and some unknown to those who loved her. We can only know the difficulties we see on the outside of a person’s heart, but God can see the inner workings of a person.
The Word of God says that He can look at the heart of a person. He knows everything we think and feel. This should give us comfort to know that God not only sees, but He cares about every issue we face.
We must know that God loves. This should be the perspective we have when we lose those we love.
When we lose a loved one we should consider where to “look” for help.
When death happens we “Look down”
When death happens we “Look down”
This is natural to drop our gaze in the moments after experiencing loss. We feel sorrow, pain, and sometime a weight of something that feels even impossible to bear.
It is natural to mourn the loss of those we love. We must remember in our mourning, or looking down, we must not quit, stop, or give up.
Psalm 30:5 (NKJV)
...His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
While we are “looking down” in our mourning, I encourage you to think on the good memories. Keep those in your mind.
Remember Angel at her best. Think about her smiling and the good times you had with her. Kindness Generosity, and Love.
This will not erase the pain you feel, but it will remind you of the joy that you have experienced and the joy that will return.
There is pain in the days ahead. This is a heavy burden for those who are left behind.
While you are experiencing this pain, while you are “looking down”, it’s a time to consider the most important things of life.
Weeping and sorrow and pain may endure for a “season”, but there will be another sunrise, a new day, with new opportunities and a renewed joy.
These days of looking down will eventually subside. The pain of loss will never fully leave, but as life moves forward we must find new joy.
As we find the joy that comes in the morning we must...
Look around
Look around
There are people around you that need you.
You might agree that Angel would remind every person here that you need to take care of each other, love one another, and to comfort each other during this time.
In the absence of Angel the best thing you can do for each other is to “be there” for those you love the most.
The greatest commandment that God gave us through the ministry of Christ is to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength and, to love other people like yourself.
Jesus said these two commands are the most important things we can do in this life.
And really, this is how we honor Angel, by taking extra time and effort to show love to your family and friends - take care of someone - reach out to the needy.
In essence we must “Look around” and meet the needs you can meet.
In times of loss we look down in mourning, we look around for those we love, and...
Look up to see God
Look up to see God
We read in the Bible about King David, one of the most famous kings in human history, and how he experienced the loss of a son. In 2 Samuel 12 it tells us that his baby passed from this life to the next.
Before he passed, King David fasted and prayed. There was nothing else he could do for his son. His child still died.
What David did next was important and it can give us hope today.
David “looked up” to see God. He knew that his child was in God’s hands.
David said, I can not bring him back, but “I SHALL GO TO HIM”
He knew that one day he would see his son again because he had faith in God that there is a life to come after this life.
My hope and desire is that you know there is a life to come. This life is not the end.
We must look up to see God. Look to the God who saves the lost souls. He is the God of mercy and grace. He is the God of second chances.
The prophet Isaiah had a moment in life that we should remember in our sorrow. He was experiencing great sorrow in his life and He saw the Lord in all of His glory.
We see things all around us that cause sorrow. Corruption, chaos, and today we are sorrowful for the loss of someone you love.
But in our sorrow, if we “look up” just as Isaiah did, we can see the Lord.
Listen to how Isaiah described his experience:
“in the year that king Uzziah died, I also saw the Lord, seated on His Throne, high and lifted up and the train of His robe filled the temple.
And, I saw an angelic host crying Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His Glory.
When we learn to “look up” we can experience the greatness of God. We can see God for who He really is; “High and lifted up” Holy and surrounded by Glory.
Looking up, is about giving your life to Christ; and receiving the promises of faith.
God has made it clear, if we call upon Him, He will answer.
If we “Seek Him” we will find Him.
If we surrender to Him He will give us a new life that is abundant and eternal.
Where we look is important. We look down in our loss, we look around for those who we love, and we loo up to see God. After doing those things then our perspective can change.
We can...
Look Again to See things as they Really are
Look Again to See things as they Really are
This is what happens when we surrender our lives to Christ. It’s the only way to have hope in this life and the life to come. It’s how we see things differently and completely.
“Reality” means you see things for how they really are, not just with your physical eyes, but through the eyes of faith in Christ. He is the only one who brings hope.
God can take these hard days and turn them into something good.
Remember the words of Paul.
Romans 8:18 (NKJV)
18 ...the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
God is more than willing to “Reveal” some good and glorious things in your life when you put your faith and trust in Him.
Here is a promise for those who love God.
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Let’s remember the situation that the Prophet Elisha and his servant found themselves in one time. They were surrounded by their enemies and Elishas servant asked what should they do?
He was asking in other words, how are we going to get out of this mess. He was seeing the reality of a very dire situation.
But, you know what? “Reality” isn’t always the end of the story.
You might feel surrounded, you might feel the pressure of reality right now. But this does not have to be the end of your story either.
Elisha prayed that God would open his spiritual eyes that he could see how God sees the situation.
God answered his prayer and he saw in the spiritual realm that there God was on his side.
When he “looked again” with his eyes opened to the way God saw things he saw chariots of fire and angels with swords covering the hillsides in every direction!
He had help. God was with him!
And you know what? God can be with you today.
You just need to “look again”.
Surrendering your life to Christ will change the way you see everything.
How do we surrender to Christ today?
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
What you see with your eyes and what you experience in life is never the whole story. If you allow God to take His place in your life then you will be able to stand firm in the reality that He’s got you covered. That you can make it through the hardest times.
When you are surrendered to God you will find Peace.
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
Part of this peace that God gives is knowing that there is a place called heaven that we can look forward to in this life.
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
This is a difficult day. There will be more difficult days in our lives. But our hope can be full when we know that we have made peace with God. Once we have made peace with God then we can experience the peace of God.
The peace of God may not change your difficult circumstances, but it will always change the way you go through those difficult circumstances.
We need to celebrate the life that Angel lived.
Remember the good times, remember the funny things that Angel said, and remember the things she did.
Don’t let the sad days after her departure to dominate the good memories you have.
Remember there is a heaven. God has made a way for those who have called on His name. We can have hope. We thank God for Angel.
Song: Just As I am
Closing Prayer:
Father it is in you that we find peace, we have come together to mourn the loss of Angel.
It is our request from you today is, that though there has been a void created in our Hearts and Lives. That your Holy Spirit would move into that void, and bring Peace and comfort as only you can.
And if there are those here today, that do not know of the Blessed Hope that you offer to your Children, may they know today, that true life is only found in a relationship with you.
Let each of us keep in our hearts the loving memory of Angel, and let your Spirit constantly remind us of the guarantee we find in your word concerning the life changing presence of Christ, where You said “I will never leave you nor forsake you, even until the end of the world.”
Please be with these dear people as they experience this day of mourning,
Let your mercy and Grace guide us in the hours and days to come.
In Jesus name
Graveside Service
OUR BLESSED HOPE
It is from the word of God that we find hope in a time like this:
13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.
14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.
17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.
18 So encourage each other with these words.
These words are given, not to scare us or make us anxious, but to bring Comfort and Assurance.
We can know that the Lord Himself will return and we will be reunited with loved ones who have gone to the Lord before us.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
Oh death, where is your sting, O grave, where is your victory;
God alone gives us the victory over death, hell and the grave through Jesus Christ our Lord.
No death shall hurt or torment us in Christ, and no grave shall hold us because:
“where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom”
COMMITTAL STATEMENT:
Angelica, has finished this earthly life with many friends and family standing here to affirm his efforts of love and kindness. But as we stand here this day, Angelica has gone before us, her spirit has already ascended and she has already experienced the very presence of God. It was Jesus that said to one of the men dying on the cross, “ this day you shall be with me In Paradise”.
So what lies before us now is but the earthly tabernacle, the house in which she lived among us for a time. Tenderly and reverently we commit that house to the grave. The body returns to earth from which it came; earth to earth ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
Her spirit returns to God who gave it, waiting for the day when both spirit and body shall again be united at the coming of our Lord.
GRAVESIDE PRAYER:
Heavenly Father into your hands we commit the body of this friend and loved one; and as we have shared this blessed hope as it is written in your holy word. We anxiously anticipate the return of your dear Son. On that day the grave shall give up the body to be rejoined with the spirit, and to be reunited with loved ones.
Until that wonderful day we also commit into your merciful hands the family and friends of Angel, and ask your rich blessings upon them, make alive the hope that is available to all those who call upon Your Name.
Bless them each one with your presence, for in your presence is fullness of joy and life everlasting. Bless them with Your sweet Spirit, because You have said where Your Spirit is there is liberty.
Let each of them discover as they battle with emotions and a sense of loss, that they can experience from You “a peace that passes all understanding”
Go with them today , refresh each one in mind and soul by the power of your Holy Spirit
In the Name of Jesus