Maddy Harrington Funeral

Opening

My name is Jacob Cibas. I am the Children’s Pastor here at Charity.

My interactions with Maddy weren’t many, but they were memorable. I would see Maddy on Sundays when she, along with Debbie, would drop Ella off to attend our kids ministry. Maddy was always so sweet and friendly, and easy to talk to. She had a positivity and kindness that was contagious. Every interaction with her was pleasant.

It is evident based on those in the room today that Maddy Harrington was a name known by many, a person loved by many, and now someone deeply missed by many. Maddy made a lasting impact on everyone she met.

To further explain this, I can’t help but think of Maddy’s family. Families see the best and worst of each other. However, hearing the ways that Maddy’s family speak about her just shows how special she was.

Matt, you mentioned countless times that she was his baby girl, your rock, someone you could turn to and someone who was there for you in the toughest of times. Jordan shared about how special Maddy was, how she could light up a room with her sweet personality and kind demeanor. Ella raved about her older sister and how much she looked up to her.

Ella, you can be sure that Maddy loved you dearly, and that she loved being your big sister.

And myself, along with others can see the impact Maddy has had on you; how kind you are, how loving you are, your bright and positive personality, and most importantly, how you love Jesus, just like your big sister did.

Hope

We come here with broken hearts. We walk in here with grief, pain, and sorrow. We are crushed by the loss of someone so special. And we don’t understand why this would happen. Why would such a young life be taken from us in what feels way too soon?

Although we come here with broken hearts, we carry in grief, pain, and sorrow, we are not without hope.

You see, Maddy Harrington knew Jesus. She had a relationship with Him. She trusted in Jesus and this was evident by the life that she lived. And because of her faith in Him, we can be confident today knowing that Maddy is safe in the presence of her Savior for eternity. She is experiencing the peace of being in the presence of Jesus.

Paul in 2 Corinthians says that to be absent and away from the body is to be at home and present with the Lord. That is where Maddy is today, right this very moment. She is at home with her Savior.

David writes in Psalm 34:18

Psalm 34:18 ESV

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

The Lord is Near

To those of us who hurt beyond words, to those of us who have cried to the point where there are no tears left, to those of us who have wondered how we can go on without someone we love…

The Lord is near.

He sees our every tear, He knows our every thought, He is with us right now in this very moment in the grief that we are experiencing.

There will come a day when there will be no more tears, no more sadness, no more mourning, no more grief, and that day is only possible because of Jesus Christ, who Maddy knew and placed her trust in.

Maddy recognized that she was a sinner and she needed a Savior. She realized that relying on her own good works to be right with God wasn’t enough, and ultimately that it was impossible. She understood that Jesus lived a perfect life, took her place on the cross and paid for her sin, and rose again back to life three days later, defeating death once and for all. And she believed in Him.

For those who of us who have also recognized these things and placed our faith in Christ, we will see Maddy again. We will be reunited with her one day. Today is not goodbye, it is simply “see you again soon”.

My hope and prayer for anyone attending today is that if you haven’t surrendered your life to Christ, that you would do so, that you would turn from your sin and turn to Him, clinging to Him with all that you have.

Maddy would have wanted us to do so. She would want us to know her Savior and where she is today, and the joy she is experiencing in Heaven.

If you have questions about following Jesus, please come speak with me, or any of our pastors here today. We would love to talk with you about Maddy’s Savior, who can also be your Savior.