Funeral for Joy Brandt

Welcome and intro

Good afternoon everyone,

I was asked to share some words about Joy, and to bring her many loved ones comfort from the word of God as we celebrate her life.

From what I have heard and read about Joy from those who loved and admired her, Joy was small but mighty. Along with her husband Don, she was active in her community, as a business owner at Brandt’s flowers, and as a philanthropist especially with the Huntsville Honey’s Hockey team. She was a fantastic cook, gardener, and a friend to all whom she met.

One thing about Joy that was brought to my attention repeatedly was how much she loved her family. This was a love that was not merely a feeling towards her family, but a love that was expressed through her actions, and tangeably felt by those who recieved it. Her husband and three sons (Steve, Kim, and Darren) recieved her love and care, but she also extended this love beyond those in her immidiate household.

Those who weren’t a part of her immidiate family, or who werent blood relatives at all, recieved care and were covered by Joy’s love for them.

Passage (Proverbs 31:10-29)

As I heard about this industrious woman who so greatly provided love and care to her family, friends and community, I couldn’t help but think about the kind of woman described for us in Proverbs 31.

In this passage a picture is painted of a woman who exudes freedom and virtue. One whom can be admired by all who see her for her character and conduct. Let me read just some protions from this book of wisdom.

Proverbs 31:10–29 (ESV)

An excellent woman who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.

She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.

She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.

She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household

and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength

and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor

and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household,

for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself;

her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates

when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them;

she delivers sashes to the merchant.

This is a picture of a woman who’s virtuous, diligent in business, and full of love for her family and community.

She is a woman whom everyone, men and women, young and old, can watch, learn from and admire. I especially love the last several verses of this passage. It says,

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”

Joy’s walk with the Lord

Joy found delight in puring herself into her business, her community and her friends and family.

Something else I learned about Joy however was that she also found great peace, guidance, and joy through her faith.

These verses from our passage in Psalm 31 show a woman who walks confidently in the grace and favour of God.

As the passage says, a confident walk with God clothes a person in “strength and dignity.”

In a time when there is so much uncertanty, and many things that one can worry about, it is through a stong, confident faith in God that one can laugh at the time to come.

This isn’t foolishly running headlong into uncertainty, but resting in the fact that God is with you in whatever you may face, success and failure, good and bad.

In a time where people are looking for answers and wisdom, God gives it through his word enlightening those who seek it from him. Lighting their path, and giving them words to encourage and help those around them.

In a time when many people are content to merely look at and lament the state of the world, those who walk in the grace and favour of God are empowered, not to be idle, but to be a blessing to their community, friends, and family.

Though life comes with real challenges and is not at all easy, Joy had all of these because of her faith in Christ. She could walk confidently through good times and bad because she knew that she belonged, and to God.

More than that, even when we face death, if our faith is put in Jesus Christ and his promises (what he accomplished on the cross) we can still meet death in confidence that we will spend eternity with him on the other side.

The Gospel

As someone who shares Joy’s faith in Jesus Christ, I can speak with certainty that her greatest desire is not only that you would remember her love, but that you would recieve the love of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Joy had certainty as to where she would be after her time on earth was at an end. She had believed the message that Jesus so clearly and succinctly proclaims to us in John 3:16 .

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

This is the good news, the gospel, that we are taught in the Bible. That even though we all sin, and because of that are due the punishment for sin which is eternal death away from the glory and presence of God. God loved us, not because we are so great but because he is so good. He took the punishment for us in our place on our behalf. He then rose from the dead, defeating Satan, Sin and death.

All of this was the outworking of God’s love for you and me. Though we could never earn or deserve it, Jesus did this for us. All we have to do to recieve God’s love and salvation in Christ is turn from our sins and believe in him for salvation.

It is through repenting, turning from our sins, and believing in Jesus as your Lord and saviour that you and I can walk in the confidence of belonging to God in this life, and being with him in the next.

This is the confidence and the hope that Joy walked in, and I know she would want you to recieve it and experience it for yourself.

Conclusion and Prayer

It is through receiving the salvation, love and favour of God that we can truly say, this person is blessed, like is said about the woman in Proverbs 31, like we can all say about Joy.

Before I hand things back to Terri:

Let me just close this portion of our time with a prayer, thanking God for Joy’s life, and asking for comfort and peace for her beloved family and friends.

[Prayer]