A Life Too Short, A Hope Eternal

Welcome

“Good afternoon, family and friends.

My name is TJ Girt

pastor of Crescent Valley Baptist Church

and I am honored to be with you this morning

We gather today to remember and celebrate the life of Brenda Gail Densman Jennings.

On behalf of the family,

I want to thank you all for being here

to honor and support them during this time of loss.

Your presence is a reminder of the love and care we all share in Christ,

and it means so much to the family

As we walk together through this grief.

Though our hearts are heavy, we also come to reflect on the hope and comfort that God provides."

“Let us bow our heads and pray.

Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts,

but with gratefulness for the life of Brenda.

We thank You for the love,

memories, and joy that she brought to so many.

In this moment, we ask for Your comfort to surround us,

as we grieve this loss.

Lord, we acknowledge that in our pain,

You are near to the brokenhearted,

and You save those who are crushed in spirit.

Help us to rest in the truth of Your presence,

to feel Your peace,

and to be reminded that

You are our refuge in times of sorrow.

Be with us in this time of remembrance,

and may Your grace

and strength carry us through.

We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.”

Funeral Sermon: A Life Too Short, A Hope Eternal

(For Brenda Gail Densman Jennings, aged 52)

Scripture Reading:

I would like to begin this mornings message with sharing with you Brenda’s favorite bible passage…

1 Corinthians 13:4–8“4 Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, 5 is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. 6 Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends.

As I met with the family yesterday afternoon,

Love was the overwhelming theme of the discussion

as we laughed and cried

in remembrance of this wonderful woman

I learned of her love for dancing in a tutu while a little girl

all the way to racing race cars

as a young woman

apparently still in a tutu (purple in fact)

I learned that she was called YAYA by her grandchildren

and that you never left her home hungry

I learned there was never a dull moment around her

and that in fact her filter was non existent

I learned that if you needed the truth

you could be sure

she would tell it as it was

I learned how she would rebuild carburetors as a young girl

and even read the parts manuals for fun

as her love for cars and racing developed in her daddy’s shop

I learned that she never met a stranger

and that she was a mom to anyone in need

I learned that she had perhaps the biggest heart

we could ever imagine

as well as one of the biggest voices

Seeing how her cheers could be heard even over the racing motors of racetrack.

It is for those reasons and so many others

that Love was the focus of her life

that laughter surrounded her memories

and giving of herself

was the foundation of her being

Love is what she will be remember for

giving is what she will be remember as

and the perfect mom,

will be forever solidified in hearts of all of those who loved her

Therefore today, we will grieve the loss

of Brenda Gail Densman Jennings

I. Introduction: Facing the Unthinkable

Charles Spurgeon once said “My dear friend, when grief presses you to the dust, worship there.”

Grief is a weird thing, isn’t it

It’s not some

“one size fits all” emotion

You can usually tell when someone is happy, or upset

But you can’t always tell when someone is dealing with grief

in fact, we all deal with it differently

some laugh, some cry

some go to work to stay busy

some never change their expression

and some may seem to not be grieving at all

But no matter what it looks like for you

grief is real

grief is normal

grief is needed

See we are emotional creatures and we are meant to express our emotions

Brenda was only 52 years old when she died

far too young,

with so much life still ahead.

Her death,

sudden and unexpected,

leaves a deep void in our hearts.

Now, we cannot and should not shy away from saying the word “died”

Death is part of life

everyone will experience it

Death is a reality for all of us

but we don’t have to be scared of it

or not talk about it

Psalm 30:5b tells us “5 ...Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning.”

So we stand together today

in the tension of grief and love,

loss and remembrance,

searching for words to express the sorrow we feel.

There are no easy answers to explain why someone who still had so much to give

would leave this world so soon.

In moments like this, that we are reminded of the fragility of life, and yet,

even in the depths of grief, we gather in the presence of God

to find comfort and hope.

So what I want us to do today is find these two concepts in the scriptures

so that as the waves of emotions come

and beat against the walls of your heart and mind

they will stand firm

because they are founded upon THE ROCK

Body

Quickly I want to give you 3 examples of biblical grief, sadness and mourning.

Deuteronomy 34:7–8“7 Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not left him. 8 The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.”

They sat where they were, and wept and mourned for 30 days…

When someone means this much to you…it’s really hard to just pick up the pieces and keep going.

You break a leg, it’s evident to everyone around you you’re hurting, and not much is expected.

You get your heart broken

no one around you may know how much you’re hurting.

Just like a broken leg needs time to heal, a broken heart needs time as well…

There is a book in the bible called Lamentations.

The entire book is God lamenting over the people of Israel.

If lament isn’t a word in your vocabulary, like me,

it means a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.

Why do I bring this up?

An entire book of the bible is dedicated to God’s passionate expression of grief and sorrow.

One thing I’ve always thought was odd

is most jobs give you

3 days of bereavement and you’re expected to go back to work and perform your duties like everything’s okay…

But, I want to encourage you with this:

if you’re grieving,

numb, angry,

lamenting, or whatever state you find yourself in

… take care of yourself.

And by “take care of yourself”, I mean, cast all your cares on Christ…because He cares for you. (1 Pt 5:7)

John 11:35 "Jesus wept."

Christ the Savior wept.

He wept over the death of Lazarus, his friend.

Tears of sorrow are real,

and really helpful

in expressing those built up emotions that

will harm you

if you don’t deal with them,

process them,

or find a way to cope with them.

I think it’s important to recognize that grief doesn’t just disappear when the casket closes… or when you go back to work.

It sticks around, and will surprise you…

at the first Christmas, or first birthday.

And I agree, next year we are skipping October

Now, the next 12 months will be filled with lots of firsts…

So Next time you wonder if it’s okay to cry,

just remember…

Jesus wept.

Now how does this help us to celebrate the life of Brenda?

All of these people we read about were deeply loved, and cherished.

And as they all took their last breath on earth,

those who were left behind…

had to deal with the loss of their life.

I don’t believe love has any greater expression

in death than grief. [Pause]

There’s a quote from a show we watched a while back called

WandaVision and it said this:

“What is grief, if not love enduring.”

What is grief if not love enduring?

See your grief,

is a testament of your Love

When we think about these people I’ve mentioned,

we must remember the people left behind

hurt, mourned, wept and grieved

far longer than the scriptures could ever tell us,

because love endures…

So I encourage you today…l

et your love have its full effect.

Go through all the emotions of your grief

denial/shock,

anger/frustration,

bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Don’t wallow in it,

but take that journey through it all.

Think about the good times,

the bad times,

and recognize just how precious life truly is.

For none of us are promised tomorrow,

and it usually takes death for us to really sit back and consider our own mortality.

Now grief is not the only thing I want to speak about today.

We must not forget, funerals and memorial services aren’t for the deceased…

but for the living.

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit.

Matthew 11:28–30“28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.””

The same Lord who is with the broken hearted in Psalm 34,

is the same Lord who will give you rest.

The same Lord who hears your cries for help,

is the same Lord who will deliver you out of all your troubles.

For when we are brokenhearted…He is near.

When we are crushed in spirit…He saves us.

Many are the afflictions of His people…

but Christ delivers us out of them all.

So as we continue to think about Brenda,

we see someone who knew how to love even in the face of hardship.

Her life was not easy, and as many of you know,

she faced sickness in her final years.

But what stands out is that even when she was not feeling well,

even when her body was weak,

her love remained strong.

See Brenda overcame her sickness with love.

She didn’t let her physical pain stop her

from caring for others.

Even when she was the one who needed comfort,

she made sure others were cared for.

Whether it was her grandchildren,

whom she loved so dearly,

or the countless others she welcomed into her life and her heart,

Brenda’s life was a testimony to sacrificial love.

Her love was patient, and her love endured.

She embodied the passage we read earlier from 1 Corinthians 13.

And even as her body grew weak,

her spirit of love grew stronger.

That’s something we can all carry with us—

her example of enduring love,

a love that bore all things,

believed all things,

hoped all things,

and endured all things.

This is the kind of love that points us to something greater—

the love of Christ.

Just as Brenda loved and served others through her trials,

Christ loves us through His perfect sacrifice.

It’s a love that conquers even death itself.

IV. Our Hope in Christ

And this leads us to the hope that we,

as believers, hold onto—

the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

While today we grieve the loss of Brenda,

we also look beyond this moment

to the hope that comes from knowing Jesus as our Savior.

As the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, “We do not grieve as those who have no hope.”

Our hope is anchored in the

life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It’s this hope that assures us that death does not have the final say.

In John 14:1-3, Jesus said to His disciples,

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms… I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

Jesus has prepared a place for Brenda,

and for all who believe in Him.

We may not understand why her life was cut short,

but we can trust that she is now in the presence of her Savior,

free from pain,

free from sickness,

and full of joy.

And this is the hope we all can have.

Brenda’s life—

her love, her generosity, her care for others—

was a reflection of the love of Christ.

But even the most loving life is not enough to save us.

It is only through Jesus,

His sacrifice on the cross,

and His resurrection from the dead that we find eternal life.

V. Gospel Call

So, I want to ask you today:

Do you have this hope?

Do you know this Jesus who conquered death?

If not, I urge you to consider what Christ offers.

He offers you life,

both now and eternally.

He offers you peace in the midst of grief,

and joy in the midst of sorrow.

You see, we are all going to face death one day.

It is inevitable.

But Jesus offers us a way through death into life eternal.

He said in John 11:25-26, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

This is the hope we have in Christ—that through faith in Him,

death is not the end, but the doorway to eternal life.

So if you haven’t yet placed your faith in Jesus, today is the day.

There is no better time to respond to His love and receive the hope that only He can give.

VI. Conclusion: A Life That Points to Christ

Now as we close,

we remember Brenda as a woman who loved deeply,

who gave sacrificially,

and who lived joyfully.

Her life was too short,

but her impact was eternal.

And her love for others points us to the greater love of Christ.

And now, as we say our goodbyes,

we do so with both tears of sorrow

and hearts full of hope.

We mourn because we miss her,

but we rejoice because we know where she is.

She is with her Savior, and one day,

we who believe will see her again.

Let us leave this place holding onto that hope.

Let us love as Brenda loved,

and most importantly, let us look to Jesus,

the author and perfecter of our faith,

who gives us the victory over death and offers us eternal life.

Stop for song!

Let us Pray

Heavenly Father, we thank You for being with us today as we have remembered and celebrated the life of [Name]. In this time of loss, we are grateful for the hope we have in Jesus Christ, who has conquered death and offers eternal life to all who believe in Him. As we reflect on Your Word and the truth of Your love, help us to carry that hope with us, knowing that You are near to the brokenhearted and that You are our strength in times of sorrow.

Lord, I ask that You continue to surround [family members' names] with Your peace, comfort, and grace in the days to come. May Your presence be their source of healing, and may the memories of [Name] bring joy even in the midst of grief. As we leave here today, remind us that Your love is greater than death, that Your promises are sure, and that we can rest in the assurance of Your eternal care.

We pray this in the name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Amen.”

At this point, I want to say thank you on behalf of the family

your thoughts and prayers have been greatly appreciated

after the gravesite service, there will be a meal at wood hi community center

Graveside

Psalm 23 CSB

A psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. 2 He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, 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 overflows. 6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.

Today, as we lay Brenda’s body to rest,

we remember that this is not the end of her story.

The Good Shepherd has been with her all along,

and He has now led her to a place

where there is no more sickness,

no more pain, and no more sorrow.

Her journey through the valley has come to an end,

and she now dwells in the house of the Lord forever, just as Psalm 23promises

As we lower her body into the ground, we do so with the hope that comes from knowing Christ.

Death is not the final word for those who belong to Him.

Just as the Lord restores our souls,

He has restored Brenda’s.

We take comfort in knowing that one day,

because of Jesus,

there will be a glorious resurrection,

where we will be reunited with our loved ones,

and death will be no more.

So today, as we say our goodbyes,

we also say,

"Thank you, Lord,"

for the promise of eternal life,

for Your presence in our grief,

and for the hope that Brenda is now with You,

experiencing the peace and joy of Your eternal care.

Let us commit her body to the ground

in the sure and certain hope

of the resurrection through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Our closing Prayer will be an excerpt from The Valley of Vision

A collection of poems and prayers from the Puritans

Let us pray!

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,

Where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;

Hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox That the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, That the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

That the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, That to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, That the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime, stars can be seen from deepest wells,

And the deeper the wells, the brighter thy stars shine;

Let me find thy light in my darkness, thy life in my death,

Thy joy in my sorrow, thy grace in my sin, Thy riches in my poverty thy glory in my valley.

Amen.