Celebration of Life - Madi and Jayce

Welcome

On behalf of the families thank you for coming and celebrating Madi and Jayce’s life

Both Madi and Jayce were so well loved by their families and friends

But even as much as they were loved, they loved their family and friends even more

We know that the love they had for everyone, can only come from one place

1 John 4:7–8 ESV

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Because Madi and Jayce were both believers, the love God had for them poured out of them for everyone else

Madi Testimony

Madi grew up going to church, and had amazing Christian influences that poured into her life. From her mother, her grandparents, her whole family, to student volunteers, christian friends and so many others

One summer while attending REVO, Madi went with the Student group to summer camp. While there she met Jesus personally

A few months later Madi got baptized, and in her own words she said “God has always been a part of my life, but when i started attending REVO I realized I didn’t have a real realtionship with Him… God has given me a new heart and changed my life, and I want to share that with others today.”

Since that moment you could see evidence of Madi’s love for God in everything she did. Rather that was loving her mom and sister, writing Bible verses on her leg before volleyball, or even making sure her friends were coming to church, even if she had to drag them there!

Jayce Testimony

Just like Madi said at her baptism, she never stopped sharing her faith, and you can see that in Jayce’s testimony

Jayce grew up a lot like Madi, going to church, and having a family that was always praying that he would have a personal relationship with God

Shannon told me how she always talked to Jayce about God, eternity, and salvation, and prayed that Jayce would have a personal relationship with God.

She even prayed that God would bring a godly woman into Jayce’s life, so that maybe he would listen to her

God answered that prayer by bringing Madi into Jayce’s life.

Jayce started to coming to church with Madi, and one night at students he started asking a lot of questions about God, Jesus, the Bible and Eternity.

God moved his heart, and Jayce told his mom that He accepted Jesus as savior

I still remember the joy in Madi’s face and voice when she told us about Jayce getting saved.

Transition to prayer

Madi and Jayce weren’t perfect while on earth, I’m sure their family and friends have plenty of stories that can back that up.

But because of their faith in God, though they were not perfect here on earth, they are now forever in perfection

Prayer

Thanking God for...

Their salvation

Their love poured out to everyone

Music

Grace singing Amazing Grace

Scripture Reading

Fran Grillone

2 Samuel 15 - ways to grieve like David

Eulogy

Memories about both

Talking with the families this week several words kept popping up

For Madi, she was protective

She was protective over her friends, over her sister, and her mom.

She would always spill the beans to Katie about whatever Libby was doing because she always wanted to keep her sister safe. Rather that was telling Katie how Libby had ran over 4 curbs on the way home, or always making sure that everyone knew exactly who Libby was seeing so we could all keep an eye out

She was so protective that in December when the Students went to Tennessee for a youth conference, she was distraught at the fact that her Libby was all the way in Tennessee without her

Whenever the three of them would ride in the car together, if anyone would honk the horn, Madi was always the first one to stick her head out of the window yelling “you better not be honking at my mama”

Madi was so protective because when she loved, she loved hard!

For Jayce, he was caring

Jayce was caring. He cared for his family, he cared for his friends, he even cared for animals that none of the rest of us would ever dream to care about

One day Jayce called his momma and told her that he had found a baby skunk, that it looked injured and he wanted to help it. So naturally, like any mom would, Shannon told him not to touch the skunk. But Jayce, cared so much that not only did he touch the skunk, he brought the skunk home to take care of it, and hopefully keep it as a pet.

Though Jayce cared for animals, nothing could compare to how much he cared for his mom

Jayce cared for his mom in so many ways, like when they both had to get shots for rabbis, because of the skunk! To take care of his mom, Jayce went first so that his mom wouldn’t have to be

Jayce also cared for Madi, he showed this in all the little things like: always opening the car door for her and even cracking open the crab legs and pulling the meat out, so she didn’t have to

Jayce was caring, and he cared hard

For both of them, Madi and Jayce were hard on the outside, but soft on the inside

Both Madi and Jayce portrayed a hard exterior. They were always the ones to step up, and make it seem like nothing ever bothered them

But once you got to know them, you’d find out that they both were soft on the inside. They loved spending time with their family playing games, going fishing, or just sitting and talking

Jayce always tried to portray the skater look, but deep down when everyone had left, all he wanted was his momma to take care of him and rub his head

Even though Madi was the protector of the family, she was always the one that was most sensitve. She was always tore up inside whenever she saw her mom or sister hurting, and even last Friday she asked her mom to lay in bed with her and hold her while they talk

Madi and Jayce always seemed to be hard on the outside, but they really just wanted to protect and care for the ones they loved

Now as we continue to celebrate and remember Madi and Jayce, the family has a few words they would like to say

Letter to Jayce from Shannon

Letter to Jayce from Summer

Grayson

Poem to Madi from Grandmother

Letter to Madi from Katie

Letter to Madi from Libby

Music

Closing Words

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 ESV

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Apostle Paul said it best - we don’t grieve as others who have no hope.

Both Madi and Jayce, through their confessions and faith are now with the Lord

They are in perfection with Jesus, that is something to celebrate!

Katie. Shannon. Your babies aren’t here anymore. But what a blessing it is to know where they are.

Libby. Summer. How sweet it is to know that they are now bathed in perfection, forever.

Families. Friends. How joyous it should be to know that there is no more pain. No more tears. No more sadness. They are with the Lord. With the one who created them, loved them, cared for them, and is with them.

We know where Madi and Jayce are, but what about you?

What will happen when you fall asleep?

Will you be joining Madi and Jayce with the Lord?

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus tells us that He is the only way

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

And that we are saved through our faith in Jesus

That Jesus lived the life we couldn’t live, died the death we should have died, and rose from the dead to offer us life

The most important question you can answer - the one both Madi and Jayce answered is this: Do you believe in Jesus?

Everything else is going to pass away - but as Paul said those who believe in the Lord will be with Him forever.

Madi and Jayce believed and are with the Lord.

If you took your last breath would you be with them?

Closing Prayer

Thank God for...

Bringing Madi and Jayce into this world, and allowing us to know them and love them

That they accepted You as savior

That we don't have to grieve as others who have no hope