Cory's Celebration of Life

Testimonial of Cory’s life

I am humbled and thankful to the Watt family for the opportunity to share about Cory’s life. I know there are thousands of memories and stories of Cory and his big love, heart, and life. I remember the first time I met Cory was his freshman year of high school. There was a rumor going around that this kid was cocky, arrogant, and nobody would talk to him because he said he was going to start on the varsity baseball team as a freshman (which he did do). He wasn’t cocky he was just truthful. I sat beside him at lunch and got to know him myself instead of listening to what everyone else was saying and that birthed a friendship that I will cherish forever. When trying to write all of this down the word that continued to come to my mind when I think about Cory’s life is thankful. I’m thankful that I, as many others, had a person in their life that would speak the truth to them even if it hurt. I’m glad I had a friend that would push me to be the best that I could be and physically wouldn’t let me settle for anything less than that for myself. I’m thankful for a person that held a certain level of excellence for himself and everyone else around him. I’m thankful for the smile from ear to ear that was always on his face. I’m thankful for a guy that did everything to the best that he could. I’m thankful for someone would could lighten up the heavy mood in any mood with a quickness with the “man, why’s everybody so sad?! SMILE!!!” And I’m thankful that he lived the way he lived because it taught me so much and made me want to be better, love harder, tell the truth more, smile bigger, not take life so seriously sometimes, and live like there is no tomorrow. Cory lived that way and all I can say is thank you my friend.

Share the Gospel

Thank you all again for being here to celebrate Cory’s life. I want to share with you all a verse in 1 Thessalonians that I think gives us much insight on grief. In 1 Thess. 4:13-14 Paul says “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.” Grief is normal and necessary for every person to experience and walk through process. Everyone in this room on some level should welcome and as Carole shared with me a few days ago as we were planning what today would look like. She said “You have to let the grief wash over you and just accept it. Because out of that dark time comes healing.” God uses dark moments like today to mold, refine, shape, and strengthen us as we long for eternity with Him. Jesus has conquered death, hell, and the grave…so believers in this room be encouraged to grieve with hope for eternity with the Father. And as verse 13 says grieve with hope as a believer…but why? and how can we? verse 14 makes it very clear. Our faith that Jesus is Christ, that he died a sinners death that we deserved, that he rose again on the third day, and because of his invitation to abandon everything to follow after this Jesus and be adopted into God’s Kingdom. THAT IS THE HOPE THAT WE HAVE. That means that yes, we grieve, and we allow it to wash over us with hope for tomorrow and eternity.

But, Paul also makes a distinction that we should all pay attention to here today. If you do not have faith in Jesus you will grieve with no hope. This past Monday and the reality of a dear friend, brother, son, cousin, etc. passing away at the age of 25 should remind every single one of us that no moment past now is promised to any of us. If you hear me now and you have never put your faith and trust in Jesus to be Lord of your life I am telling you now that God desires to have a relationship with you. God sent his only Son to die on your behave and raise from the dead so that you could have a right relationship with him FOREVER. Jesus can and will change your life. I am living proof of that. Colossians 2:13-14 says “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even if he dies. And those who live and believe in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26) I urge anyone in this room that does not believe that Jesus is Lord to assess your life, look at the words that Jesus spoke and make a decision to follow Christ or follow your own way.

We aren’t promised anymore time than the time we have right now. So I encourage all of you to hold your loved ones a little tighter, tell them you love them as much as you can, show that you love them just as often, and reach out to those that are hurting and broken so that they know that they are seen and loved. Let’s pray.