June 9, 2024 • 73 mins
If you didn’t get a chance to attend or watch the livestream last Sunday, you could watch the recording of a wonderful time when we honoured and remembered our dear friend and pastor, Jen Reding.
Jen was a teacher to us, loyal in prayer, a pastor who had much love for our community and birthed a vision that will now be her legacy, all the while being ever faithful to her Heavenly Father.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
it's a sweet, uh spirit here today.
I'm uh, I'm reminded of psalm133 um, how beautiful and
pleasant it is when his kidscome together and dwell together
in unity.
It's a sweet, smelling offering, and it says that it's there
(00:35):
that he pronounces his blessing.
So welcome this morning.
There's so many faces that haveso many memories, and so we're
(00:57):
here to be together.
We're here to support eachother and, most importantly,
receive his love in our hearts.
And so, father, what a privilegeit is to come together in
oneness in our common union.
(01:18):
In you.
You are in us and we're in you.
And, father, we just give youfull access to our hearts.
Today, whatever you have for us, we say yes and amen.
Thank you for holy spirit,you're, you're this, you're the
(01:42):
comforter and you lead us intoall truth.
And so we come and we want tobe sensitive to all that you
want to do, but thank you foryour goodness and your love and
all that you have for us today,in Jesus' name, amen, amen.
(02:09):
And all that you have for ustoday in Jesus name, amen, amen.
Well, we're, we're full thismorning, and I just encourage
you to grab a chair so that wecan see how many more chairs we
might need to pull out.
Our gentlemen at the back willhelp ensure that there's ample
seats for everybody and kids aredismissed.
(02:31):
Kids are dismissed and theremay be a possibility that kids
will go outside, and so ifthere's a jacket, please bring
your jackets.
And teenagers, if you're heretoo and you're like you know
that kind of looks fun or I wantto help out, we would love that
(02:51):
you are welcome to help outwith the kids today.
No pressure, though.
No pressure.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
All right, can I?
Speaker 4 (03:03):
borrow that.
Thanks Dad, All right Can.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
I borrow that mic stand.
Thank you Well, well, well, Ihope that we could just be real.
(03:54):
Yeah, keep it real.
We have many online that couldnot be here this morning, and so
we say a welcome and a hello toyou as well.
There's many that wanted to behere that couldn't be, and it's
just good to be together.
We've got a few things that wefeel we felt like Holy Spirit
wanted to do this morningencouragement we want to do
(04:15):
communion together and, mostimportantly, just entering into
his presence in worship.
My last physical picture ofbeing with Jen was her standing
right here and in full abandonedworship two weeks ago, and
(04:39):
that's pretty much the lastingpicture.
It's just so embedded in mymind and it's.
She is a worshipper and she'srunning and fully alive, fully
healed, in the presence ofFather right now and she would
(05:07):
be just so enjoy.
She is enjoy knowing that we'rehere together as family,
worshiping and and loving eachother, receiving father's love.
So this morning we just want todraw close to him.
He draws close to us.
It's a promise you know andencourage each other.
(05:34):
I've been rereading the book theShack and there's that one
scene where Holy Spirit, theyfirst meet Mac and Holy Spirit
and he's having an encounterwith the Father which is not who
he thought he would look likeat that moment and he's just
(05:58):
undone and he's, he's letting it.
You know, the tears are comingand Holy Spirit, before he even
knows what's happening, has justcaptured all his tears and he
says Holy Spirit says to Mac,mac, we all collect treasures of
things that we hold dearly andI don't know about you, but it
(06:24):
just comes in waves.
I mean it's just waves of wheredid how many of you been in the
ocean?
And it's like where did thatcome from?
And it just hits you and it'sit's it's mourning and grieving,
but it's anchored in hope.
And that is so tangible whenthe Holy Spirit is just, he's
(06:50):
with us, he's loving us and weare fully embracing Him.
And it's messy sometimes.
(07:14):
Thank you, rob and Donna, donna,for last week that you hosted
online, that just beautiful time.
Not everybody could make it,but it was.
It was amazing because we gotto just, you know, kind of sit
together in a space, in a safespace of sharing what was on our
hearts and memories, and justin shock, I mean we're in shock.
(07:35):
Um, siobhan and I still look ateach other this week and go.
I can't believe it.
And it causes us to rememberthat every moment is precious
and not to take people forgranted, each other for granted,
(07:58):
and to hold short accounts.
Oh, that's a tough one, butit's a reminder.
We're thankful for thesereminders this morning.
So, yeah, worship team, just befree.
Thank you for being here.
We're going to flow.
There's a few that are going toshare this morning.
(08:20):
We're going to do communion.
There's a few things thatFather put on my heart to just
share.
This morning.
We're going to do communion.
There's a few things thatFather put on my heart to just
share this morning.
And you know, jen was aspiritual mother to many of us.
(08:40):
She was a mother and nana formany years.
How many of you had theexperience of being receiving
prayer from Jen?
(09:01):
Just put up your hand, wow, howmany of you have?
How many of you knew that Jenwas praying for one of your
family members or one of yourfriends as an intercessor?
Wow, how many of you had or didRTF ministry with Jen?
(09:26):
I mean faith, right, she couldtell spirits to go like nobody
else's business.
I was in shock.
You know go.
I'll never forget that.
Walks how many of you went forwalks with Jen and your dog
(09:51):
Maybe a Starbucks in your handtoo, at the same time.
That was common.
How many of you remember hersaying I have faith for you for
that.
For that thing, I have faith.
For that, yeah, totally,totally.
Have faith for you for that.
For that thing, I have faith.
For that, yeah, totally.
How many of you remember herpraying for you for healing?
(10:11):
She had just a gift of prayingfor healing I.
It was amazing, I could go downthe list.
You know a glass of wine sheloved wine.
Down the list.
You know glass of wine sheloved wine.
She's drinking the best wineright now.
I mean, I'm just, I'm reallyjealous.
Foundations class yeah,foundations class with jen
(10:38):
father heart ministries.
There's one point where there'san opportunity to come up and
receive the mother God as motherhug, the storge love, and I
struggled with this one.
I'm going to be honest.
I think I skipped it the firstfew times I went and then, just
(11:04):
a year ago, I felt okay, I'mready, and it was Jen that I
felt safe enough to go to andI'll never forget Just the
(11:27):
comfort and the nurture that sheimparted and allowed herself to
to be a container for wow to bea container for wow.
I came prepared.
(11:50):
Thank you, my love.
But how many of you received amother hug from Jan and that,
yeah, this is just a small listFrom Jan and that, yeah, this is
just a small list of manythings that she's left a legacy
(12:12):
in our hearts with?
And, yeah, we did.
We wanted to honor her thismorning and just remember these
things and share these things.
I also want to say, on behalf ofthe Redding family, thank you
so much for your support andencouragement, amazing support
(12:36):
and love this week and prayersover this week.
There's been meals prepared,there's been, you know,
donations that have come in.
We I believe it's June 29th, no28th, sorry, 28th that is the
(13:02):
plan to have a celebration oflife Preparing for, and so
there's many that are going tocome from out of town for that
even, but there's a lot ofplanning for that.
If you haven't been on theemail list of communications,
(13:23):
just please let us know on that.
If you haven't been on theemail list of communications,
just please let us know on that.
But, yeah, navigating my wayhere, yeah, I had a call with
(13:44):
Leon Fontaine's, the late LeonFontaine's daughter, this week,
springs Church who, a year and ahalf ago he passed away on the
Saturday night before theirservice and I shared with her
what happened and we weregetting some, some, some advice
(14:08):
from them on things, and and she, just she just felt this
overwhelming sense of God isgoing to do something great in
your church.
I just sense it, I know it, andshe encouraged us that it's as
hard as it is, you know,father's going to meet you all
(14:30):
and do a deep work and you willbe surprised by joy.
And I received that on ourbehalf.
And I felt this week, as wewere praying a few times times
that you know, I kept hearingIsaiah 55 of enlarge the place
of your tent, get ready tostretch out your tent curtains
(14:55):
wide, do not hold back, lengthenyour cords, strengthen your
stakes.
And why do we do that?
To to make more room for whathe wants to do, not just
quantity, but there's a qualityof hospitality and union that he
(15:18):
wants to do in our hearts.
And I, we, we just have beensensing this week a preparation
for that, and so this morning wejust wanted to encourage you
with a few things that willremain Faith, hope and love.
You know, gift of miracles,evangelism, tongues these things
(15:40):
will all cease.
We won't need them anymore, butfaith, hope and love will
always remain.
And on this side of heaven, youknow, we can't avoid pain.
There are mysteries that we getto carry here, that we just
don't have answers for.
(16:01):
But he is bigger than all ofthat and he's good, as we sang
this morning.
He's good all the time.
All the time he is good.
So if you want to worshipsomeone where there are no
(16:23):
mysteries, well, your God mightbe a little too small.
It just comes with life, and Iknow some say that there's a
deeper level of his presencethat we find in suffering or in
the valleys, but I don't knowabout that.
What I do know is that there'sa greater appreciation or an
(16:50):
awareness of his presence inthose places, because he wants
to be very close and present allthe time.
Right, but it seems to beamplified sometimes in our
darkest hours.
I look around the room and Inone of us are have avoided pain
(17:18):
and I can say probably somemore than others.
Verna, I want to honor you thismorning too.
You know all that you've beenthrough.
It's just a testimony of yourjoy and your faith, his
faithfulness in your life and hebrought your mother this
(17:40):
morning.
We love you, our heart is withyou and we're so glad that
you're here.
But I, you know, I've stumbledacross.
Our heart is with you and we'reso glad that you're here.
But I've stumbled across an oldsong.
It's a classic that has beenremade and revived in one of my
playlists.
It's a Simon and Garfunkel song.
(18:02):
You probably know it.
It's called the Sound ofSilence.
I'm just new to it.
This year is the first timeI've heard it.
I'm sorry, steve's gonna giveme a beating later, but I was
compelled to research this songbecause what is it about this
(18:23):
song that keeps hitting me, likeI'm literally at the gym and
I'm getting hit by the, themessage here and uh.
And so, as I understand it inan interview the sound of
silence.
Art, garfunkel's friend, one ofhis best friends in university,
(18:46):
named Sanford, suddenly all of asudden lost his vision and
Garfunkel called himselfdarkness in a show of empathy to
his friend.
He was at a point of justgiving up.
He didn't want to continueschool or anything, he was just
(19:06):
alone in darkness.
Uh, by himself gave up, and uh,and art comes to him and finds
him and and begins to sayremember all the things that we
talked about, remember ourcommitment to each other,
remember the plans that we had.
(19:27):
And and he explained that I wassaying that I want to be
together where you are in thedarkness.
He would just come and saydarkness is going to read to you
now, and there's a line in thesong that says hello, darkness,
(19:47):
my old friend.
And and it's the song is allabout restoring his vision.
His vision is not limited towhat we can see with our natural
eyes.
It's far deeper than that andthis morning I feel like Papa
(20:10):
wants to give us a deeper visionfor his kingdom, for his heart,
for his people, for each other.
I mean, thank God we don't haveto stay in darkness
metaphorically, but that we canfind him in there, in that pain,
in the disappointment, that wecan come out with a greater
(20:34):
depth of appreciation andawareness and an intimacy with
him than if we didn't.
Only God can do that.
So many ask the question do wehave to go through the pain?
Do we have to have suffering?
I don't know, I'm not smartenough to answer that, but life
(20:59):
just happens and if you're stillbreathing you will have
disappointment and pain.
It's just part of life.
But Father is so good, he useseverything to draw us closer to
Him, and so Holy Spirit isreleasing a new measure of hope
(21:23):
for you, church, and that's whatI want to say this morning is
hope is an anchor, it's, it'sfaith.
Is that evidence of things thatwe don't have to see?
And it's like it's going tohappen.
I know it.
Hope is something deeper.
It's a foundation of trust, andjust rest in him.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
He's got that, he's going to cover it, and so in a
moment we're going to takecommunion together, but I'm
going to ask Rowena to come andshare hey, family, it's a
(22:23):
privilege to be with you guysthis morning, just kind of
processing, as I'm was sittingthere listening to Carl and feel
like Father just wants you toknow how much he loves you guys.
He really, really loves you.
And this week, as I was, youknow, just processing everything
that's happened, I saw apicture I shared this with Katie
(22:45):
yesterday but I saw a pictureof Jen's prayer journal and, if
any of you have ever noticed,jen was a note taker.
She would spend hours with Godand write meticulous notes,
write down things that God wasspeaking to her.
And I just saw this, this book,and it was full of little seeds
, you know, just planted inthere, and then I saw the Holy
(23:09):
Spirit just beginning to letthose seeds like open up and
like you know, like when yourkids bring home that bean from
school in the plastic cup with alittle piece of paper towel,
keeping it wet, and you can likesee it begin to sprout and the
little roots go down, a littleplant come up, and I just saw
this like beauty coming out ofher prayer journal, like all
(23:30):
these seeds just starting toblossom, and I really believe
that's a picture of you guys,it's a picture of the things
that she faithfully, via theholy spirit, like the holy
spirit through her, planted ineach one of our hearts and that
there is beauty coming out ofyour hearts.
And as we were worshiping andLance was leading us, I saw a
(23:53):
picture of just inside of ourhearts.
There was like a shell aroundcertain areas, certain tender
spots, and we had gone with ourlittle pickaxe and we tried so
hard to pick at this littleshell, trying to break it open.
And then God was just like,gently came, just like, touched
(24:14):
us on the shoulder, took awayour little tiny like pickaxe
that we thought was really heavyand he just was like, you know,
like a walnut.
Have you ever like knocked awalnut right on the top and it
just like splits right open.
He was just like, and just like, split off this shell and let
the tender parts of our heartsjust be healed by his love.
And, um, yeah, so just encourageyou all this morning that, uh,
(24:39):
yeah, god is with us in everyseason.
We know that.
But there's a really specialplace, there's a a grace in this
season to receive his love inin a way that that maybe we
haven't known him in thoseplaces yet.
We've known him, but in certainplaces in our hearts we haven't
(24:59):
been able to, and it's maybenot for lack of trying, it's
just, you know, we've beentrying with our little pickaxe
and God's like I just want topop that open just gently for
you and let you receive me.
So, um, I wrote down about amillion verses and I've just
been asking God which one, um,which one he wants me to read to
(25:20):
you guys.
But, uh, this is one of myfavorites of all time, um, and I
just feel like God hassomething for you guys in it.
But it says do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the
earth.
He will not grow tired or wearyand his understanding no one
(25:44):
can fathom.
He gives strength to the wearyand increases the power of the
weak.
Even youths grow tired andweary and young men stumble and
fall.
But those who hope in the Lordwill renew their strength, they
will soar on wings like eagles,they will run and not grow weary
, they will walk and not befaint.
And just to encourage you, godwants to journey through us in
(26:09):
every season and he's here in aspecial way for every one of us
today.
So love you all and just toencourage you.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
God wants to journey through us in every season and
he's here in a special way forevery one of us today so love
you all, I love what has beenshared, that there's this beauty
of the hope and in his presence, you know, he's opening up
(26:34):
those places in our hearts.
I just have been feeling thismorning this sense of
encouragement that we all likethis season.
What God's doing, we'll all gothrough it very differently, you
know, and even this morning, inhis presence, as he touches
places in your heart, you mightfeel joy, unspeakable joy at
(26:54):
what he's releasing.
You might feel grief, you mightfeel a sadness or a comfort
that you've never felt beforeand in that you can rejoice.
And I just encourage you in thepresence of family and it's so
good to see faces that I haven'tseen for a really long time and
it's just so beautiful thatthis amazing woman that we're
(27:15):
celebrating it just drew you allhere Because it's family and
that's what she cared about sodeeply.
But in this place I justencourage you to feel what he's
doing and it might be different.
For some it's tears and grief,it's shock and it's processing,
(27:35):
it's something.
And for others it's likelooking around here and going,
wow, look what he's done throughthe years.
So enter in fully, feel all thefeels.
That's why we're here, in hispresence, that beautiful
(27:55):
presence that makes it a safeplace for those seats to open up
.
And as you leave this place,carry that with you.
Let him do the fullness of whathe started in the days and the
weeks to come, whatever hestarts here, in the presence of
(28:18):
family, in the presence, in hispresence.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
Good morning everyone .
There was a group of us and I'msure there was lots of group
that met on Saturday to pray forJen, but there was also a group
that came afterwards to prayfor Jen and we got together on
Zoom and we decided to go visitJen in heaven.
That might be weird for some ofyou, but for a lot of us, or
(28:54):
some of us who have had heavenvisits, it's lots of fun.
And so one person saw Jen goingto the park department and she
was grabbing pieces.
So all the prayers that she waspraying for healing for you
guys.
She was grabbing the piecesfrom the part department and
(29:14):
what I saw in the vision becauseyou can enter into these
visions together is a foot andall those who knew Jan that was
the one thing she prayed for wasfor her foot to be healed
Because she had places to go,people to meet and things to do
Like she hated that, thathindered her and that.
(29:38):
And then, as we considered topray, continued to pray.
Another person got a vision ofher with what looked like
camping equipment.
I saw a fishing pole and asleeping bag and just pondered
that and she had so many otherthings.
Like I was surprised that shecould carry it all, because it
was hanging down and some of itand I was expecting it to drop.
(29:59):
And then, as I pondered this, Ithought, of course she's got a
fishing pole.
Anybody who knew Jen she was afisher of men.
If she could tell someone aboutJesus, she told someone about
Jesus.
And then I pondered thesleeping bag that I saw and
Jen's heart wanted to rest inGod.
(30:20):
And so these things weren'tabout her, they were about you
guys, because that's what shewas about.
And I thought here she is withall this camping supplies and
she wants to give someone here afishing rod.
Whoever feels led that way,someone's a place to rest in the
(30:42):
Lord.
And then I thought of more ofher in heaven and I thought if
anybody's joining anintercessory group with Jen,
it's gonna be her with Jesus isgonna be Jen, and I can just see
her going.
Lord, I'm sensing.
You know she did it and she was, yeah, like having so much fun,
and of course she's going tocome from a place of knowing
(31:04):
instead of sensing.
But, brent, I want to honor youand Jan for what you have done
for so many years in this church, like Amy was so little when
she first came, and I know youguys personally and I want to
honor that, even in the midst ofall your struggles, that you
(31:25):
guys were always here for thebody of Christ.
You guys were always available,and I just want to honor you
and Jen in that, because we'revery, very blessed to have you
guys as our pastors.
Yeah, and just one more thingwhen we were praying, we were
(31:47):
praying with Greg and Angelathis is also a legacy that has
been left to us by our pastorsis it doesn't matter where any
of you go, you're always welcomeback, you're always family and,
yeah, anytime you want to comehang out, come hang out time you
(32:16):
want to come hang out.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Come hang out.
Ah, it's good before we go intocommunion.
Um, maybe picking off a bit ofwhat Catherine said.
We know that I'm thinking ofthat verse.
Uh, we no longer recognize eachother according to the flesh,
and how many of you know that?
She sees things fully now,right, I mean, it all makes
(32:43):
sense.
And as I think about that, youknow, I feel like what would it
look like if we all, all thetime, saw each other according
to the Spirit?
And I'm like is that accordingto their spirit or the Holy
Spirit, Both?
(33:03):
But we don't see each other aswe are.
If you know what I mean humanlyspeaking, I mean the gifts and
the callings and the treasuresthat are in each of you and each
of us collectively.
What would happen if we sawthat every day, all the time?
(33:27):
What would happen if ourmarriage was able to cultivate
that?
And our kids?
Right that we would call thatout of them?
I don't recognize that.
What I do recognize is thisright.
So maybe, Siobhan, you had somethings to share along those
(33:49):
lines, I know.
Speaker 6 (34:08):
Before I share this, I just really sense the Holy
Spirit, just saying you'reblessed when you mourn because
he's going to come into thatplace, right where you are, and
bring his comfort and when youexperience that it changes you,
(34:29):
right like God said to Job, orJob said you know, I thought I
knew you, but now I know youface to face, like there's this
place of, of meeting, a meetingplace you know, and I and I just
believe that this has createdjust this appointment with the
Holy Spirit.
And he's brooding over all of usand he's saying behold, I knock
(34:58):
and if you open up, I'm goingto come and I'm going to dine
with you, I'm going to meet withyou and have a feast, you know,
in this place for you and me.
And he's taking us all the wayup to this high place where we
(35:19):
get to start to see, from hisperspective, things that don't
make sense.
But there's a promise that saysyou know, trust in me with all
your heart and don't lean onyour own understanding.
It's okay to not understand,you know you can still trust in
him.
And there's that sharpening ofjust hearing that still small
(35:43):
voice kind of start to nudge you.
And I was reading this thismorning.
It's a paraphrase of Hebrews 4,12 and it said soul realm
sources its wisdom frominformation gathered and
interpreted through our senses,our emotions.
(36:06):
You know what we see, what weunderstand, familiar avenues of
our cultural, historical orpersonal references.
But there is another source,supreme and most significant,
when your ears begin to hear thewhisper, the spirit to spirit
(36:26):
resonance and the logic of athought incarnate inside of you
and knowing that you are knownentirely Even before time, was
that you're lovedunconditionally and very
intentionally.
And this understanding cutslike a two-edged sword, piercing
(36:48):
to the division of soul andspirit, ending the dominance of
the self realm, neutralizing itseffect upon our human spirit,
what we understand, and in thisway our spirit's free from the
ruling influence and thethoughts, our spirit's free to
(37:11):
become the ruling influenceagain and the thoughts and
intentions of the heart.
And Jen was such a pursuer ofthe spirit and that still small
voice.
And he's speaking now and he'sbrooding now and you may not
know this, but it's actually.
(37:32):
We're entering into a pentecostand it was like the heavens are
open and everything you needfrom god is available through
his holy spirit and I justbelieve that he's going to you
know, even as we enter intocommunion I think Carl's going
to give some direction for that,but there's this place of just
(37:59):
communing with him.
You know, we remember, right,and we're part of this great
cloud of witnesses that Jen's apart of now, and the veil gets
thinner and thinner, you know,when you know people that have
gone to the other side andthey're still here, right, and
so all of us are partakers ofwhat Jesus has done, and Jen was
(38:23):
so passionate someone told meshe took communion every day.
Peggy, I think she said Jen tookcommunion every day and it's a
place of communing with right.
And so, again, holy Spirit isknocking on each of our hearts
right now, and so I justencourage you to open the door,
(38:48):
you to the rooms of your heartthat maybe have felt pain or
sorrow, or anger or just I don'tknow anymore.
You know, and just allow him tocome in and pitch his tent, you
(39:11):
know, and all his love, father,son and spirit, and just eat
with them of him.
Speaker 1 (39:19):
You will be satisfied so so we have a table prepared
at the back and father says Ihave a table prepared for you
(39:42):
yet another example of how themost seems like the most
powerful worship songs come outof such pain and wrestling
through.
But it is well with our soul.
Yeah, and it's a declaration aswell.
(40:05):
Declaration as well.
The night that he gave himselfup, he met with the disciples
and did this together and saidto continue to do this in
(40:26):
remembrance of me.
He said in his last prayer inJohn 17, you know, we get a
glimpse of it in the garden andhe's.
His prayer was that we would beone.
I believe Jesus' prayers areanswered and he has given us
(40:50):
everything we need to enter intothat oneness, that common union
.
And I know that it's been saidthat unity is the manifestation
of humility, it's the fruit ofit, and as we see each other, as
(41:10):
he sees us and we, we enterinto that.
Together we come and we're,we're literally family, brothers
and sisters, all equal, and Ilove that verse.
And you know, in hebrews 12, ofthis great cloud of witnesses
(41:32):
Gloria, you shared it on theZoom.
It's not just up there, we'resurrounded by them and it is
like a baton race when theydon't just leave after they ran
the first lap and go have ashower.
(41:53):
They are very engaged until therace is done, actively cheering
us on, waiting to receive theirprize as we finish and finish.
Well, yeah, so let's take this.
(42:18):
Jesus took the bread that night.
This was a common practice mealthat they do every year
Passover.
It meant something to themevery time and he just fulfills
(42:39):
it.
He says that which you've beendoing all this time always
pointed to me this is my bodythat is going to be broken for
you.
And so we remember all thathe's done, that this represents
(43:02):
healing, this representssacrifice, brokenness, and that
we get to be broken vessels aswell.
So let's take that and remember.
And then he took the cup again,which was a representation of
(43:38):
the lamb that was being spreadover the doorposts.
Every time they had this supper, they remembered salvation, we
were saved, and he says thisactually is my blood for you.
If you can enter into it, it'sall there for you, not just on
(44:03):
the other side, but now, righthere.
But now, right here.
The kingdom of heaven was forhere and now, and it permeates
everywhere it goes.
It's permeating into our heartsright now.
Speaker 6 (44:40):
So we take this cup and we remember this is Jesus'
blood for us.
Another name for Jesus Princeof Peace.
I just sense him saying mypeace I give you in the midst of
this.
So, father, I just declare yourpeace over each and every
(45:04):
person here, god, a peace thatpasses all understanding.
So, father, pour out, lord.
Pour out Jesus.
Pour out your peace, lord, god.
Every anxiety, every fear,every pain, god, we just declare
(45:27):
peace to those places.
We thank you, jesus.
You said you'd never leave us,you'd never forsake us.
You're with us always, god,whether we see it or not, you're
always with us.
So I just pray that you'd openthe eyes of our heart to see you
(45:47):
right here with us as we gointo the week and as we go into
the rest of the day and as we gointo the years.
We thank you, god, for the giftof each day full of you, full
of peace.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
Would you stand together?
We're going to sing one moresong, worship.
Would you stand together?
We're going to sing one moresong worship and just allow the
Holy Spirit to continue to godeep.
(46:32):
Father, we keep our eyes on you.
Thank you that you say younever leave us or forsake us.
We just love you.
We open our hearts and we justwant more of you.
(46:56):
Just thank you that you'repouring in.
It's that deep well that neverruns dry, where you said if you
knew who I was to the woman atthe well and I thank you for the
(47:17):
springs of life that justcontinue to flow.
It's not by works or effort.
We rest.
We rest in you.
Our soul chooses to rest and beanchored in hope.
So thank you for what you'redoing here.
Yeah, it's good you may beseated.
(47:43):
We uh, we're so blessed thatthe family's here and we said no
pressure.
But I'm glad, Brent, you cameup and you just really wanted to
address us and say somethingand I would invite you to come
(48:07):
now and we would love to hear.
Speaker 3 (48:18):
Careful careful.
This is going to be a short word.
How many believe that?
Hey, cloud of witnesses, I knowyou're there.
I get the last word today.
For those of us who havegathered here over these last.
(48:43):
You know it's so funny.
All day this week I got the textthat the council was going to
put something together and youdon't have to come, come
whatever.
And I had.
Well, I don't even know, Idon't even think I made my mind
up until yesterday and I'm soglad I did, because I heard of
(49:04):
some people that were coming anddriving distances.
And for those who asked me onthe way in, you know, is this
the celebration of life?
No, that's friday the 28th andcity pastors have wanted to know
about it, and people fromoverseas and different things
like that, and so I can't eventell you how many texts and
(49:30):
well-being things that have comein and it's just impossible to
respond to them all and Ihaven't been on Facebook for so
long and all of a sudden that'sblowing up for people who don't
know my text number or anything.
But first I want to say I'm soglad I'm here and we're glad
we're here, even though we'refeeling the pain, as you know
(49:52):
it's.
It was a shock.
I I do know.
I just got a three short thingsone.
A few weeks back or a while ago,we hosted a conference in near
Vancouver, near Langley, andthere was I don't know what 250,
60 people from around the worldthat came, and one one of the
speakers was, you know, goingthrough palliative chemo and
(50:17):
they were talking about howprecious the Lord had become to
them in that moment, knowing ina sense that his days are
numbered.
But it doesn't bother himbecause he knows he has hope.
It's that first.
Thessalonians, four verse,where, you know, encourage them
to grieve with hope, not likehow the world grieves.
(50:40):
And the hope isn't just somefake thing.
The day is going to be bettertomorrow.
The hope is this bigger picture.
The joy set before christ heendured the cross.
What's the joy set beforeChrist endured the cross?
What's the joy and, as Carl wassharing, it's just the joy is
that cloud of witnesses ischeering us on because of their
lives we're living off for,shoulders after shoulders after
(51:02):
shoulders, and most people inthis room would know there are
just volumes of things.
So much has happened in thisweek that I look forward to
sharing part of that down theroad.
As to the assurances of what'sgoing on.
Most of you know I would standup and say almost half my life I
spent as agnostic and atheistand tried to disprove God.
(51:26):
And I was challenged by a verybright Cambridge professor who
had had the shift and hehappened to be in a little town
of Fox Creek and said you know,why don't you basically try and
disprove God?
And I thought that would beeasy.
Every university in the world Ididn't know it, had anything to
(51:46):
do with the heart.
I thought it was about headknowledge, I thought it was all
about science, I thought it was,and of course, it took three
and a half years because thisheart's a bit stiff and didn't
get nurtured the way Jennurtured her kids and nurtured
many of you and me.
I think I'm her first and mostimportant prayer topic.
(52:09):
I think I'm her first and mostimportant prayer topic and it's
working.
It's working and I can't beginto tell you, as this guest
speaker in Vancouver unpacked it, how much they began hearing
since that time.
And for me this week has been.
You know, I get to bed, go tobed quite late Well, try to fall
(52:31):
asleep and the presence isincredible.
I know why Jen asked me, askedto send out certain things that
you know, cara, you were quotingfor some sort of speak, for
some of it today, and it's notbecause she believes so much in
the presence.
He lives here for those whosaid I surrender, and it's the
(52:54):
last prayer of Jesus, and say inlove, you've loved me.
Now let it be in them, as Iwill continue to reveal myself
to them and I will be in them.
And I've realized in this timethere's just such a quietness
where he's coming and things arehappening.
I can't even explain it it, butit's in a way that's just
(53:15):
incredible.
The joy set before Jesus and usis this my little cup cracked.
I thought, well, that's howblood is spilled.
And I just first wanted to saythank you for your prayers, your
encouragements, everythingthat's going on.
(53:35):
It's going to take some time.
Some incredible people fromaround the world that have been
down this road a few years ago,whichever, have been sending me
specific insights and they'vebeen just so good.
But it's like don't rush it,don't put it in a box.
Know, everyone in this room,including our family members,
including our grandkids, aregoing to go through this
(53:56):
different.
I loved it when my son anddaughter, you know, dustin and
Katie and Andrea and Matt toldthe oldest grandkids and they I
think I'm going to quote realnow, where she, uh, you guys,
sat her down and she said, hey,mom, dad, what, what's wrong
with your face, like, look,you've been crying, what's wrong
(54:20):
?
What happened?
And you told her and she, shesaid she's with jesus, she's so
happy, she's with Jesus, she'sso happy.
And and I and Bella same way.
And they came over yesterdayand they came into the house,
bella and Jack, and I could tellthey were looking for Nana.
(54:41):
I was a bit hard and then Bellaand I went out and cut lilacs
that Jen's favorite.
If you've seen her backyard,it's been turned into a forest
and all her hand, all her doing.
And we started cutting theseand I said, oh, nana would love
to give these to people.
So she started running in andgiving it to everybody and she
goes.
But so, papa, well, how do youknow that Nana would love that?
(55:05):
Did she just talk to you?
And I said well, you know howyour brother, jack, how he loves
dinosaurs.
You know he loves dinosaurs,right?
So if you gave him a dinosaur,you just know he'd like another
one.
And I just know enough abouther and I know the legacy that
she's deposited is beyond me.
(55:26):
She was the best and is thebest thing that's ever happened
in my life, and so there's a lotof processing to go, but I feel
there's a lot that's going tocome out.
The joy set before us, that, thehope that it talks about in
thessalonians, all through faith, hope and love.
The hope is there's nothinghopeless.
(55:47):
The hope is why was Jesus forthe joy?
The joy is some people haveseen pictures of her chatting
with Jesus and they're havingthe greatest theological
conversations known to man.
It's he, because he is truetheology.
He is it.
And I just go tell me that 30years ago I would have, like 20
(56:11):
years ago, I'm getting there.
It's a journey.
When I walked in here I thoughtwould I be allowed to stand up
at the first second and just dowhat I always did for those
years was because I didn't growup in the church and and I
remember as people startedcoming and that science theater
started getting filled withpeople and I'd say you didn't
come to church.
(56:31):
You know, you are it.
It's just a word that describesfamily, it describes Ecclesia,
and so if you're here and youdon't know what he's really like
and you've only heard the talesthat one song is about and what
he's really like and you know,oh, it's so different.
This is actually a familyreunion really like and you know
(56:53):
, oh, it's so different.
This is actually a familyreunion.
Glenda duboninski, when theystarted coming, she asked me a
question and she said somethingabout it and I said, uh, and
braden is not here today, but hereminded me of a couple years
ago.
He said you remember what youtold me when you met me in 2016.
I said what he said um, take alook around.
I'm not sure how many peopleare going to be able to make the
turn, and we've talked aboutthat a lot.
(57:16):
The turn is basically goingfurther and further into him and
what he has for us, and I justGlenda reminds me all the time.
One day she says I just Glendareminds me all the time.
One day she says you rememberwhen you told me you'll know
when this community, when wehave actually completed, if you
will, the Great Commission, noone will show up Because they're
(57:45):
going to be doing exactly whatthey're supposed to be doing as
a son or daughter.
It doesn't say that familydoesn't gather how many of you
have left your homes and you'renot with your parents all the
time, but you still celebrate,and so it's always been my
premise and so many city pastorsare calling because John
(58:07):
Hutchinson and Aunt Olive andall the history has always been
about unity.
I could never figure out my 13years in the corporate world why
it seemed like the corporateworld had more unity than the
church did, and it's because itwas a lack of love.
We had theology, we hadknowledge, but it's here and all
(58:27):
the things that have been saidtoday, this pain, this hurt.
I know there's people in thisroom that have gone through more
than I have, or us your ownversions, and you know, in there
you can take a dark turn, itcan take a while to come through
, but count it all joy when youexperience these trials and
tribulations.
Why?
Well, it produces endurance.
(58:48):
Well, why do you need endurance?
Because you have purpose.
There is a reason for us hereon this planet.
Our hope lies out in the future.
Is that true?
If we're not sure, we'll befearful and controlled, but if
our hearts get to see what thisis all about, we'll live without
(59:10):
restraint.
And Jen was breaking out andhas broken out and has always.
Our hearts get to see what thisis all about.
We'll live without restraint,and Jen was breaking out and has
broken out and has always beenahead of me in this.
And there's so many neat thingsI'd love to share with you, but
that's for another time, maybein two weeks, maybe whenever.
But I just wanted to encourageyou and thank you.
We feel it.
I know this is not something togo through alone.
(59:32):
I could pick names out of thisroom and all these memories are
flashing by and I'm going.
I think Peter Bubik, who's overin Czechoslovakia now.
He'd come down to my officedowntown at 6 am.
We'd meet every Friday one ofthese engineers and I was over
all these engineers and theysaid how did you come to faith?
(59:52):
Because it doesn't make logicalsense.
And we had these longconversations and I remember the
.
I remember his shift and hewent all in and he come over and
he said I'm going to help planttrees for Jen and she would say
put it over there there and youdig a hole for an hour.
No, over there.
(01:00:14):
And I'm like, no, he's just astudent, he's got work to do,
he's got exams to and he'd godig another hole.
I think that tree moved threetimes and that tree now is about
50 feet high and and I just go,how many people I knew in this
room have been.
I said, can we get a really bigkitchen, because I never had
family growing up?
Can we just have the open doorpolicy?
(01:00:36):
She goes well, no, there'sgoing to be some guidelines here
and there's only so many chairsaround the table.
And one of the things for methis week has been the
invitations to go walking ortalking or to connect are beyond
all.
This wonderful family Jen'ssister, jane and John and
(01:00:59):
brother just flew out last nightTim was here, laura.
I have found myself in themiddle of a family now, with
kids, siblings and a bunch ofgrandchildren six of them and I
love the screaming because Igrew up with me and that was it
(01:01:20):
and I'm going, oh my gosh.
And then, for most of you whoknow me know that this is not a
career for me, this is not ago-to-church thing, this is not
ahope-you-believe-the-right-thing
, it's family and we're all indifferent phases of it, of our
understanding and growth.
(01:01:41):
And it's funny for me, who grewup without anybody in my life,
I didn't think I needed anybody.
And what does God do?
He says we're going to draw youout of the corporate world and
put you in front of are youkidding, I don't know how to do
this John Hutch crying, we'reall crying.
One day and he said God's toldus to come here and you're to be
(01:02:03):
our pastor.
I said, john, that makes nosense.
You read Rabbi Zacharist toChrist, mother Teresa, blah,
blah, blah.
It goes on and I was thinkingit was about knowledge and
capacity and competency.
And through their tears theyjust said, smiling, brad, he
doesn't want someone who knowswhat they're doing, he doesn't
(01:02:26):
want someone who knows whatthey're doing.
That's taken me 25 years tofully start to see.
As much as knowledge is great,it's about the heart it really
is, and the only way that worksis in connection with people and
all that stuff.
I'll leave with this.
(01:02:46):
Everybody's here exceptyou-know-who Amy Jen's last
picture and she loved pictures,a lot of selfies on my phone
that she made me take.
And if you come to theCelebration of Life, you're
going to see not so muchpictures but hopefully the video
(01:03:07):
clips of her vibrance and allthese things going down the
rivers and stuff.
But the last picture that Iknow that was taken was a week
ago, wednesday, and Amy wasreceiving her blood transfusion
with new stem cells from ananonymous donor A 10 out of 10
match that would allow her to beborn again, basically.
And Jen and others said it's amiracle, it's what we've been
(01:03:34):
waiting for for a few years now.
And I remember I asked himyou're gonna, what do you want
to say about this?
And he's I've got this.
I said okay.
When it came back, I said okay.
You said you got this.
I don't push for anything more.
But he said I do, but I haven'ttold you how okay.
The next time it was like thisone's how do we get through this
(01:03:56):
?
I had to get my car and driveended up on the top of Mount
Norquay crying out to God thisis your precious baby girl that
you can't fix, you can't do ityourself.
And he says he whispers at thistime he says we've got this and
it's taken me since that timeprocess of understanding.
(01:04:19):
The we is this.
The we is outside this room.
The we is the cloud ofwitnesses, the we is the trinity
, if you will, plus.
They don't exist without us.
They love one another.
We're in.
And so we all got kind ofinteresting news that she was
going to be released early, andso she was released after three
(01:04:41):
and a half weeks, instead offour or five weeks that it takes
, and so she's at home restingright now.
She's pretty having to recover.
It's going to take a long timefor her to get all her strength
back and things like that, and Ijust would ask you to pray for
her in this.
She doesn't get to do thisright now and she was right
there at the hospital when itall went down and I just feel
(01:05:05):
for my kids.
It's a shock.
It's a shock, but all thesesongs are true.
I give my soul, I let it out, Igo for it.
So I know there's a lot toprocess and I invite you to join
in to the journey and I knowI'm going to have this
(01:05:29):
interesting time.
As everybody heads back to theirhomes, john and Jane have
cleaned my clothes, by the wayJen would have.
She made me wear these.
She bought these for me becauseshe said you've lost weight and
the other ones are too baggy,and I said, yeah, but they're
tight.
You know I'm used to baggy nowand she goes yeah, but you have
(01:05:51):
to wear that belt all cinched up.
And so I told Jane today.
I said I've got to wear themand I know her favorite color
was kind of purplish.
Our front door in our housewould be that color if I had let
her.
Everything else is her.
But no, no, the door.
We're not going to do that oneyet.
The door.
(01:06:13):
We're not going to do that withyou.
But I thank you and um, I'vehad phone calls from so many
leaders around the worldshenonke in africa, jim lefoon,
for know him, live and praying,and rice brooks, and others, um,
james and east jordan, etc.
Etc.
And they all have this similartheme the older they are and the
more they're close tounderstanding what we're talking
about, this hope, the more theyencourage us as a community and
(01:06:35):
myself, that in the same wayyou're being comforted, you will
comfort others.
We all will have things to gothrough and this morning I'm
just going to read one verseJohn 16, 33,.
Jesus is speaking and we allknow Jesus actually did the
(01:06:58):
verbal.
But what he said, I only saywhat I hear the Father say.
Everything I've taught you hasJesus taught you anything?
Everything I've taught you Isso that the peace which is in me
Will be in you and will giveyou a great confidence as you
(01:07:24):
rest in me.
For in this unbelieving worldyou will experience trouble and
sorrows, but you must becourageous, for I have conquered
the world and in that hope thejoy is flowing and it's just so
(01:07:45):
hard to explain it all.
But it's incredible Heart,heart.
But it's amazing what I've beenreading from people and these
people are encouraging us and Iknow there's many people in this
room have been there.
I think I don't know if vernahas where you are, she's gone
but in the icu, when we had our,when we had our last minutes
(01:08:12):
with mom, it was the same roomthat I went in and we prayed for
Verna, and the same one in ICUand I was like all these little
things happening.
These are sound, really, butthis butterfly flew past the
window two days ago and I'venever seen a butterfly in our
backyard like this and it wentby.
(01:08:32):
It was one of those things andthen was it a bunch of others.
The next morning you guys sawanother one or the same one and
I thought these things are notour senses.
Pick up on it, as was saidtoday, and so be very tender.
Let him show you things and Iwill be available in the weeks
(01:08:58):
to come to answer the hardest ofthe questions, as from what I
know.
But don't get caught up in whyand how comes.
God is not at liberty to haveto tell you.
Don't make it up, don't letyour theology come down to your
experience.
Let him draw you into who he is.
(01:09:19):
His ways and his thoughts arebeyond us.
And in that that's where Jen hadgone to and I can remember when
I didn't know she'd said this,but every minute she was in
perfect health, except for herfoot had it fused, and so that's
been her biggest can't ski,can't skate that well can't.
Can't.
(01:09:39):
Run, can't.
Oh.
And as she grew in these last,since that time she's met people
who've had metal leave theirbody and all that kind of stuff.
And and I'm like a bit cynicalabout it, like until I meet them
, you know, and she goes, but Iknow he can heal, I know, and I
know, when she told Amy, thatthe first thing I'm going to do
(01:10:04):
when I'm healed, when my foot'shealed, is run.
And if you read the email thatyou guys passed on, you have to
realize the person who wrote ithad no idea that Jen liked
running and swimming and no idea.
And so there's this comfortthat's coming, and I'd love to
(01:10:24):
share it with any of you to know, regardless of what your face
like, it could be like mine 30years ago well, 40 years now, 42
years ago that I didn't believe.
And uh, so with Amy her lastpicture that I know of was her
in the hospital room with AmySunny.
(01:10:46):
Her husband is sitting there.
She'd been going in every dayfor all that time and now it's
time for the blood transfusion.
It's now time for the spillingof someone else's blood.
Who sacrificed their blood?
It had the right match thatwill go into her and restart a
(01:11:06):
new immune system.
And we're like, wow, this istoo close to the truth.
And she's so.
She said I don't know who shegot to take the picture, but she
got behind Amy.
Amy's in the bed in thehospital and Sonny's there and
here she's beaming over the top.
And I thought I know right nowthat I currently have and our
(01:11:30):
family has.
I know right now that Icurrently have and our family
has.
You know, we know that we'regoing to nurture her.
Her getting out early wouldhave been a dream to Jen and she
would have been there dailydoing her thing, and so I just
thank you for your prayers and Ithank you for being here.
This is how you process, this ishow I process, and the thing I
(01:11:50):
avoid the most was people,typically until I'm with them
and then I'll talk you off Untilyou tell me to stop.
I tell all my friends you canstop, you just go.
Like this, rice Brooks andothers say, okay, brent, I need
to process.
Okay, keep going.
And there's people in this roomwho told me oh, there's a name
for what you have, brian, it'scalled expanded memory.
(01:12:11):
I just did it a number of times.
I tell you to a certain point,go there.
And then I go, oh, yeah, overthere, and then I go there.
So if any stories are notcompleted for you, come and tell
me and I will complete them.
So thank you so much.
I know our family and hopefullywe'll see you in a few weeks
and hear some of the story ofher whole life.
So, bless you.
Speaker 5 (01:12:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:12:40):
We love you.
February 28th, I think it's.
I was just testing you to seeif you were listening From one
till three.
Right, which church is that?
(01:13:02):
Okay, bow Valley, awesome,we'll send it out.
But awesome, I don't know aboutyou, but I heard he likes to
have children around, so parentsjust go ahead and drop your
kids off, and he loved that.
So, um, can we do one morething?
One last thing.
This is kind of the thepinnacle.
(01:13:25):
We want to.
We want to stand up and singthe blessing over this precious
family.
So would you stand with me aswe do that together?
it's a sweet, uh spirit here today.
I'm uh, I'm reminded of psalm133 um, how beautiful and
pleasant it is when his kidscome together and dwell together
in unity.
It's a sweet, smelling offering, and it says that it's there
(00:35):
that he pronounces his blessing.
So welcome this morning.
There's so many faces that haveso many memories, and so we're
(00:57):
here to be together.
We're here to support eachother and, most importantly,
receive his love in our hearts.
And so, father, what a privilegeit is to come together in
oneness in our common union.
(01:18):
In you.
You are in us and we're in you.
And, father, we just give youfull access to our hearts.
Today, whatever you have for us, we say yes and amen.
Thank you for holy spirit,you're, you're this, you're the
(01:42):
comforter and you lead us intoall truth.
And so we come and we want tobe sensitive to all that you
want to do, but thank you foryour goodness and your love and
all that you have for us today,in Jesus' name, amen, amen.
(02:09):
And all that you have for ustoday in Jesus name, amen, amen.
Well, we're, we're full thismorning, and I just encourage
you to grab a chair so that wecan see how many more chairs we
might need to pull out.
Our gentlemen at the back willhelp ensure that there's ample
seats for everybody and kids aredismissed.
(02:31):
Kids are dismissed and theremay be a possibility that kids
will go outside, and so ifthere's a jacket, please bring
your jackets.
And teenagers, if you're heretoo and you're like you know
that kind of looks fun or I wantto help out, we would love that
(02:51):
you are welcome to help outwith the kids today.
No pressure, though.
No pressure.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
All right, can I?
Speaker 4 (03:03):
borrow that.
Thanks Dad, All right Can.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
I borrow that mic stand.
Thank you Well, well, well, Ihope that we could just be real.
(03:54):
Yeah, keep it real.
We have many online that couldnot be here this morning, and so
we say a welcome and a hello toyou as well.
There's many that wanted to behere that couldn't be, and it's
just good to be together.
We've got a few things that wefeel we felt like Holy Spirit
wanted to do this morningencouragement we want to do
(04:15):
communion together and, mostimportantly, just entering into
his presence in worship.
My last physical picture ofbeing with Jen was her standing
right here and in full abandonedworship two weeks ago, and
(04:39):
that's pretty much the lastingpicture.
It's just so embedded in mymind and it's.
She is a worshipper and she'srunning and fully alive, fully
healed, in the presence ofFather right now and she would
(05:07):
be just so enjoy.
She is enjoy knowing that we'rehere together as family,
worshiping and and loving eachother, receiving father's love.
So this morning we just want todraw close to him.
He draws close to us.
It's a promise you know andencourage each other.
(05:34):
I've been rereading the book theShack and there's that one
scene where Holy Spirit, theyfirst meet Mac and Holy Spirit
and he's having an encounterwith the Father which is not who
he thought he would look likeat that moment and he's just
(05:58):
undone and he's, he's letting it.
You know, the tears are comingand Holy Spirit, before he even
knows what's happening, has justcaptured all his tears and he
says Holy Spirit says to Mac,mac, we all collect treasures of
things that we hold dearly andI don't know about you, but it
(06:24):
just comes in waves.
I mean it's just waves of wheredid how many of you been in the
ocean?
And it's like where did thatcome from?
And it just hits you and it'sit's it's mourning and grieving,
but it's anchored in hope.
And that is so tangible whenthe Holy Spirit is just, he's
(06:50):
with us, he's loving us and weare fully embracing Him.
And it's messy sometimes.
(07:14):
Thank you, rob and Donna, donna,for last week that you hosted
online, that just beautiful time.
Not everybody could make it,but it was.
It was amazing because we gotto just, you know, kind of sit
together in a space, in a safespace of sharing what was on our
hearts and memories, and justin shock, I mean we're in shock.
(07:35):
Um, siobhan and I still look ateach other this week and go.
I can't believe it.
And it causes us to rememberthat every moment is precious
and not to take people forgranted, each other for granted,
(07:58):
and to hold short accounts.
Oh, that's a tough one, butit's a reminder.
We're thankful for thesereminders this morning.
So, yeah, worship team, just befree.
Thank you for being here.
We're going to flow.
There's a few that are going toshare this morning.
(08:20):
We're going to do communion.
There's a few things thatFather put on my heart to just
share.
This morning.
We're going to do communion.
There's a few things thatFather put on my heart to just
share this morning.
And you know, jen was aspiritual mother to many of us.
(08:40):
She was a mother and nana formany years.
How many of you had theexperience of being receiving
prayer from Jen?
(09:01):
Just put up your hand, wow, howmany of you have?
How many of you knew that Jenwas praying for one of your
family members or one of yourfriends as an intercessor?
Wow, how many of you had or didRTF ministry with Jen?
(09:26):
I mean faith, right, she couldtell spirits to go like nobody
else's business.
I was in shock.
You know go.
I'll never forget that.
Walks how many of you went forwalks with Jen and your dog
(09:51):
Maybe a Starbucks in your handtoo, at the same time.
That was common.
How many of you remember hersaying I have faith for you for
that.
For that thing, I have faith.
For that, yeah, totally,totally.
Have faith for you for that.
For that thing, I have faith.
For that, yeah, totally.
How many of you remember herpraying for you for healing?
(10:11):
She had just a gift of prayingfor healing I.
It was amazing, I could go downthe list.
You know a glass of wine sheloved wine.
Down the list.
You know glass of wine sheloved wine.
She's drinking the best wineright now.
I mean, I'm just, I'm reallyjealous.
Foundations class yeah,foundations class with jen
(10:38):
father heart ministries.
There's one point where there'san opportunity to come up and
receive the mother God as motherhug, the storge love, and I
struggled with this one.
I'm going to be honest.
I think I skipped it the firstfew times I went and then, just
(11:04):
a year ago, I felt okay, I'mready, and it was Jen that I
felt safe enough to go to andI'll never forget Just the
(11:27):
comfort and the nurture that sheimparted and allowed herself to
to be a container for wow to bea container for wow.
I came prepared.
(11:50):
Thank you, my love.
But how many of you received amother hug from Jan and that,
yeah, this is just a small listFrom Jan and that, yeah, this is
just a small list of manythings that she's left a legacy
(12:12):
in our hearts with?
And, yeah, we did.
We wanted to honor her thismorning and just remember these
things and share these things.
I also want to say, on behalf ofthe Redding family, thank you
so much for your support andencouragement, amazing support
(12:36):
and love this week and prayersover this week.
There's been meals prepared,there's been, you know,
donations that have come in.
We I believe it's June 29th, no28th, sorry, 28th that is the
(13:02):
plan to have a celebration oflife Preparing for, and so
there's many that are going tocome from out of town for that
even, but there's a lot ofplanning for that.
If you haven't been on theemail list of communications,
(13:23):
just please let us know on that.
If you haven't been on theemail list of communications,
just please let us know on that.
But, yeah, navigating my wayhere, yeah, I had a call with
(13:44):
Leon Fontaine's, the late LeonFontaine's daughter, this week,
springs Church who, a year and ahalf ago he passed away on the
Saturday night before theirservice and I shared with her
what happened and we weregetting some, some, some advice
(14:08):
from them on things, and and she, just she just felt this
overwhelming sense of God isgoing to do something great in
your church.
I just sense it, I know it, andshe encouraged us that it's as
hard as it is, you know,father's going to meet you all
(14:30):
and do a deep work and you willbe surprised by joy.
And I received that on ourbehalf.
And I felt this week, as wewere praying a few times times
that you know, I kept hearingIsaiah 55 of enlarge the place
of your tent, get ready tostretch out your tent curtains
(14:55):
wide, do not hold back, lengthenyour cords, strengthen your
stakes.
And why do we do that?
To to make more room for whathe wants to do, not just
quantity, but there's a qualityof hospitality and union that he
(15:18):
wants to do in our hearts.
And I, we, we just have beensensing this week a preparation
for that, and so this morning wejust wanted to encourage you
with a few things that willremain Faith, hope and love.
You know, gift of miracles,evangelism, tongues these things
(15:40):
will all cease.
We won't need them anymore, butfaith, hope and love will
always remain.
And on this side of heaven, youknow, we can't avoid pain.
There are mysteries that we getto carry here, that we just
don't have answers for.
(16:01):
But he is bigger than all ofthat and he's good, as we sang
this morning.
He's good all the time.
All the time he is good.
So if you want to worshipsomeone where there are no
(16:23):
mysteries, well, your God mightbe a little too small.
It just comes with life, and Iknow some say that there's a
deeper level of his presencethat we find in suffering or in
the valleys, but I don't knowabout that.
What I do know is that there'sa greater appreciation or an
(16:50):
awareness of his presence inthose places, because he wants
to be very close and present allthe time.
Right, but it seems to beamplified sometimes in our
darkest hours.
I look around the room and Inone of us are have avoided pain
(17:18):
and I can say probably somemore than others.
Verna, I want to honor you thismorning too.
You know all that you've beenthrough.
It's just a testimony of yourjoy and your faith, his
faithfulness in your life and hebrought your mother this
(17:40):
morning.
We love you, our heart is withyou and we're so glad that
you're here.
But I, you know, I've stumbledacross.
Our heart is with you and we'reso glad that you're here.
But I've stumbled across an oldsong.
It's a classic that has beenremade and revived in one of my
playlists.
It's a Simon and Garfunkel song.
(18:02):
You probably know it.
It's called the Sound ofSilence.
I'm just new to it.
This year is the first timeI've heard it.
I'm sorry, steve's gonna giveme a beating later, but I was
compelled to research this songbecause what is it about this
(18:23):
song that keeps hitting me, likeI'm literally at the gym and
I'm getting hit by the, themessage here and uh.
And so, as I understand it inan interview the sound of
silence.
Art, garfunkel's friend, one ofhis best friends in university,
(18:46):
named Sanford, suddenly all of asudden lost his vision and
Garfunkel called himselfdarkness in a show of empathy to
his friend.
He was at a point of justgiving up.
He didn't want to continueschool or anything, he was just
(19:06):
alone in darkness.
Uh, by himself gave up, and uh,and art comes to him and finds
him and and begins to sayremember all the things that we
talked about, remember ourcommitment to each other,
remember the plans that we had.
(19:27):
And and he explained that I wassaying that I want to be
together where you are in thedarkness.
He would just come and saydarkness is going to read to you
now, and there's a line in thesong that says hello, darkness,
(19:47):
my old friend.
And and it's the song is allabout restoring his vision.
His vision is not limited towhat we can see with our natural
eyes.
It's far deeper than that andthis morning I feel like Papa
(20:10):
wants to give us a deeper visionfor his kingdom, for his heart,
for his people, for each other.
I mean, thank God we don't haveto stay in darkness
metaphorically, but that we canfind him in there, in that pain,
in the disappointment, that wecan come out with a greater
(20:34):
depth of appreciation andawareness and an intimacy with
him than if we didn't.
Only God can do that.
So many ask the question do wehave to go through the pain?
Do we have to have suffering?
I don't know, I'm not smartenough to answer that, but life
(20:59):
just happens and if you're stillbreathing you will have
disappointment and pain.
It's just part of life.
But Father is so good, he useseverything to draw us closer to
Him, and so Holy Spirit isreleasing a new measure of hope
(21:23):
for you, church, and that's whatI want to say this morning is
hope is an anchor, it's, it'sfaith.
Is that evidence of things thatwe don't have to see?
And it's like it's going tohappen.
I know it.
Hope is something deeper.
It's a foundation of trust, andjust rest in him.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
He's got that, he's going to cover it, and so in a
moment we're going to takecommunion together, but I'm
going to ask Rowena to come andshare hey, family, it's a
(22:23):
privilege to be with you guysthis morning, just kind of
processing, as I'm was sittingthere listening to Carl and feel
like Father just wants you toknow how much he loves you guys.
He really, really loves you.
And this week, as I was, youknow, just processing everything
that's happened, I saw apicture I shared this with Katie
(22:45):
yesterday but I saw a pictureof Jen's prayer journal and, if
any of you have ever noticed,jen was a note taker.
She would spend hours with Godand write meticulous notes,
write down things that God wasspeaking to her.
And I just saw this, this book,and it was full of little seeds
, you know, just planted inthere, and then I saw the Holy
(23:09):
Spirit just beginning to letthose seeds like open up and
like you know, like when yourkids bring home that bean from
school in the plastic cup with alittle piece of paper towel,
keeping it wet, and you can likesee it begin to sprout and the
little roots go down, a littleplant come up, and I just saw
this like beauty coming out ofher prayer journal, like all
(23:30):
these seeds just starting toblossom, and I really believe
that's a picture of you guys,it's a picture of the things
that she faithfully, via theholy spirit, like the holy
spirit through her, planted ineach one of our hearts and that
there is beauty coming out ofyour hearts.
And as we were worshiping andLance was leading us, I saw a
(23:53):
picture of just inside of ourhearts.
There was like a shell aroundcertain areas, certain tender
spots, and we had gone with ourlittle pickaxe and we tried so
hard to pick at this littleshell, trying to break it open.
And then God was just like,gently came, just like, touched
(24:14):
us on the shoulder, took awayour little tiny like pickaxe
that we thought was really heavyand he just was like, you know,
like a walnut.
Have you ever like knocked awalnut right on the top and it
just like splits right open.
He was just like, and just like, split off this shell and let
the tender parts of our heartsjust be healed by his love.
And, um, yeah, so just encourageyou all this morning that, uh,
(24:39):
yeah, god is with us in everyseason.
We know that.
But there's a really specialplace, there's a a grace in this
season to receive his love inin a way that that maybe we
haven't known him in thoseplaces yet.
We've known him, but in certainplaces in our hearts we haven't
(24:59):
been able to, and it's maybenot for lack of trying, it's
just, you know, we've beentrying with our little pickaxe
and God's like I just want topop that open just gently for
you and let you receive me.
So, um, I wrote down about amillion verses and I've just
been asking God which one, um,which one he wants me to read to
(25:20):
you guys.
But, uh, this is one of myfavorites of all time, um, and I
just feel like God hassomething for you guys in it.
But it says do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the
earth.
He will not grow tired or wearyand his understanding no one
(25:44):
can fathom.
He gives strength to the wearyand increases the power of the
weak.
Even youths grow tired andweary and young men stumble and
fall.
But those who hope in the Lordwill renew their strength, they
will soar on wings like eagles,they will run and not grow weary
, they will walk and not befaint.
And just to encourage you, godwants to journey through us in
(26:09):
every season and he's here in aspecial way for every one of us
today.
So love you all and just toencourage you.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
God wants to journey through us in every season and
he's here in a special way forevery one of us today so love
you all, I love what has beenshared, that there's this beauty
of the hope and in his presence, you know, he's opening up
(26:34):
those places in our hearts.
I just have been feeling thismorning this sense of
encouragement that we all likethis season.
What God's doing, we'll all gothrough it very differently, you
know, and even this morning, inhis presence, as he touches
places in your heart, you mightfeel joy, unspeakable joy at
(26:54):
what he's releasing.
You might feel grief, you mightfeel a sadness or a comfort
that you've never felt beforeand in that you can rejoice.
And I just encourage you in thepresence of family and it's so
good to see faces that I haven'tseen for a really long time and
it's just so beautiful thatthis amazing woman that we're
(27:15):
celebrating it just drew you allhere Because it's family and
that's what she cared about sodeeply.
But in this place I justencourage you to feel what he's
doing and it might be different.
For some it's tears and grief,it's shock and it's processing,
(27:35):
it's something.
And for others it's likelooking around here and going,
wow, look what he's done throughthe years.
So enter in fully, feel all thefeels.
That's why we're here, in hispresence, that beautiful
(27:55):
presence that makes it a safeplace for those seats to open up
.
And as you leave this place,carry that with you.
Let him do the fullness of whathe started in the days and the
weeks to come, whatever hestarts here, in the presence of
(28:18):
family, in the presence, in hispresence.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
Good morning everyone .
There was a group of us and I'msure there was lots of group
that met on Saturday to pray forJen, but there was also a group
that came afterwards to prayfor Jen and we got together on
Zoom and we decided to go visitJen in heaven.
That might be weird for some ofyou, but for a lot of us, or
(28:54):
some of us who have had heavenvisits, it's lots of fun.
And so one person saw Jen goingto the park department and she
was grabbing pieces.
So all the prayers that she waspraying for healing for you
guys.
She was grabbing the piecesfrom the part department and
(29:14):
what I saw in the vision becauseyou can enter into these
visions together is a foot andall those who knew Jan that was
the one thing she prayed for wasfor her foot to be healed
Because she had places to go,people to meet and things to do
Like she hated that, thathindered her and that.
(29:38):
And then, as we considered topray, continued to pray.
Another person got a vision ofher with what looked like
camping equipment.
I saw a fishing pole and asleeping bag and just pondered
that and she had so many otherthings.
Like I was surprised that shecould carry it all, because it
was hanging down and some of itand I was expecting it to drop.
(29:59):
And then, as I pondered this, Ithought, of course she's got a
fishing pole.
Anybody who knew Jen she was afisher of men.
If she could tell someone aboutJesus, she told someone about
Jesus.
And then I pondered thesleeping bag that I saw and
Jen's heart wanted to rest inGod.
(30:20):
And so these things weren'tabout her, they were about you
guys, because that's what shewas about.
And I thought here she is withall this camping supplies and
she wants to give someone here afishing rod.
Whoever feels led that way,someone's a place to rest in the
(30:42):
Lord.
And then I thought of more ofher in heaven and I thought if
anybody's joining anintercessory group with Jen,
it's gonna be her with Jesus isgonna be Jen, and I can just see
her going.
Lord, I'm sensing.
You know she did it and she was, yeah, like having so much fun,
and of course she's going tocome from a place of knowing
(31:04):
instead of sensing.
But, brent, I want to honor youand Jan for what you have done
for so many years in this church, like Amy was so little when
she first came, and I know youguys personally and I want to
honor that, even in the midst ofall your struggles, that you
(31:25):
guys were always here for thebody of Christ.
You guys were always available,and I just want to honor you
and Jen in that, because we'revery, very blessed to have you
guys as our pastors.
Yeah, and just one more thingwhen we were praying, we were
(31:47):
praying with Greg and Angelathis is also a legacy that has
been left to us by our pastorsis it doesn't matter where any
of you go, you're always welcomeback, you're always family and,
yeah, anytime you want to comehang out, come hang out time you
(32:16):
want to come hang out.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Come hang out.
Ah, it's good before we go intocommunion.
Um, maybe picking off a bit ofwhat Catherine said.
We know that I'm thinking ofthat verse.
Uh, we no longer recognize eachother according to the flesh,
and how many of you know that?
She sees things fully now,right, I mean, it all makes
(32:43):
sense.
And as I think about that, youknow, I feel like what would it
look like if we all, all thetime, saw each other according
to the Spirit?
And I'm like is that accordingto their spirit or the Holy
Spirit, Both?
(33:03):
But we don't see each other aswe are.
If you know what I mean humanlyspeaking, I mean the gifts and
the callings and the treasuresthat are in each of you and each
of us collectively.
What would happen if we sawthat every day, all the time?
(33:27):
What would happen if ourmarriage was able to cultivate
that?
And our kids?
Right that we would call thatout of them?
I don't recognize that.
What I do recognize is thisright.
So maybe, Siobhan, you had somethings to share along those
(33:49):
lines, I know.
Speaker 6 (34:08):
Before I share this, I just really sense the Holy
Spirit, just saying you'reblessed when you mourn because
he's going to come into thatplace, right where you are, and
bring his comfort and when youexperience that it changes you,
(34:29):
right like God said to Job, orJob said you know, I thought I
knew you, but now I know youface to face, like there's this
place of, of meeting, a meetingplace you know, and I and I just
believe that this has createdjust this appointment with the
Holy Spirit.
And he's brooding over all of usand he's saying behold, I knock
(34:58):
and if you open up, I'm goingto come and I'm going to dine
with you, I'm going to meet withyou and have a feast, you know,
in this place for you and me.
And he's taking us all the wayup to this high place where we
(35:19):
get to start to see, from hisperspective, things that don't
make sense.
But there's a promise that saysyou know, trust in me with all
your heart and don't lean onyour own understanding.
It's okay to not understand,you know you can still trust in
him.
And there's that sharpening ofjust hearing that still small
(35:43):
voice kind of start to nudge you.
And I was reading this thismorning.
It's a paraphrase of Hebrews 4,12 and it said soul realm
sources its wisdom frominformation gathered and
interpreted through our senses,our emotions.
(36:06):
You know what we see, what weunderstand, familiar avenues of
our cultural, historical orpersonal references.
But there is another source,supreme and most significant,
when your ears begin to hear thewhisper, the spirit to spirit
(36:26):
resonance and the logic of athought incarnate inside of you
and knowing that you are knownentirely Even before time, was
that you're lovedunconditionally and very
intentionally.
And this understanding cutslike a two-edged sword, piercing
(36:48):
to the division of soul andspirit, ending the dominance of
the self realm, neutralizing itseffect upon our human spirit,
what we understand, and in thisway our spirit's free from the
ruling influence and thethoughts, our spirit's free to
(37:11):
become the ruling influenceagain and the thoughts and
intentions of the heart.
And Jen was such a pursuer ofthe spirit and that still small
voice.
And he's speaking now and he'sbrooding now and you may not
know this, but it's actually.
(37:32):
We're entering into a pentecostand it was like the heavens are
open and everything you needfrom god is available through
his holy spirit and I justbelieve that he's going to you
know, even as we enter intocommunion I think Carl's going
to give some direction for that,but there's this place of just
(37:59):
communing with him.
You know, we remember, right,and we're part of this great
cloud of witnesses that Jen's apart of now, and the veil gets
thinner and thinner, you know,when you know people that have
gone to the other side andthey're still here, right, and
so all of us are partakers ofwhat Jesus has done, and Jen was
(38:23):
so passionate someone told meshe took communion every day.
Peggy, I think she said Jen tookcommunion every day and it's a
place of communing with right.
And so, again, holy Spirit isknocking on each of our hearts
right now, and so I justencourage you to open the door,
(38:48):
you to the rooms of your heartthat maybe have felt pain or
sorrow, or anger or just I don'tknow anymore.
You know, and just allow him tocome in and pitch his tent, you
(39:11):
know, and all his love, father,son and spirit, and just eat
with them of him.
Speaker 1 (39:19):
You will be satisfied so so we have a table prepared
at the back and father says Ihave a table prepared for you
(39:42):
yet another example of how themost seems like the most
powerful worship songs come outof such pain and wrestling
through.
But it is well with our soul.
Yeah, and it's a declaration aswell.
(40:05):
Declaration as well.
The night that he gave himselfup, he met with the disciples
and did this together and saidto continue to do this in
(40:26):
remembrance of me.
He said in his last prayer inJohn 17, you know, we get a
glimpse of it in the garden andhe's.
His prayer was that we would beone.
I believe Jesus' prayers areanswered and he has given us
(40:50):
everything we need to enter intothat oneness, that common union
.
And I know that it's been saidthat unity is the manifestation
of humility, it's the fruit ofit, and as we see each other, as
(41:10):
he sees us and we, we enterinto that.
Together we come and we're,we're literally family, brothers
and sisters, all equal, and Ilove that verse.
And you know, in hebrews 12, ofthis great cloud of witnesses
(41:32):
Gloria, you shared it on theZoom.
It's not just up there, we'resurrounded by them and it is
like a baton race when theydon't just leave after they ran
the first lap and go have ashower.
(41:53):
They are very engaged until therace is done, actively cheering
us on, waiting to receive theirprize as we finish and finish.
Well, yeah, so let's take this.
(42:18):
Jesus took the bread that night.
This was a common practice mealthat they do every year
Passover.
It meant something to themevery time and he just fulfills
(42:39):
it.
He says that which you've beendoing all this time always
pointed to me this is my bodythat is going to be broken for
you.
And so we remember all thathe's done, that this represents
(43:02):
healing, this representssacrifice, brokenness, and that
we get to be broken vessels aswell.
So let's take that and remember.
And then he took the cup again,which was a representation of
(43:38):
the lamb that was being spreadover the doorposts.
Every time they had this supper, they remembered salvation, we
were saved, and he says thisactually is my blood for you.
If you can enter into it, it'sall there for you, not just on
(44:03):
the other side, but now, righthere.
But now, right here.
The kingdom of heaven was forhere and now, and it permeates
everywhere it goes.
It's permeating into our heartsright now.
Speaker 6 (44:40):
So we take this cup and we remember this is Jesus'
blood for us.
Another name for Jesus Princeof Peace.
I just sense him saying mypeace I give you in the midst of
this.
So, father, I just declare yourpeace over each and every
(45:04):
person here, god, a peace thatpasses all understanding.
So, father, pour out, lord.
Pour out Jesus.
Pour out your peace, lord, god.
Every anxiety, every fear,every pain, god, we just declare
(45:27):
peace to those places.
We thank you, jesus.
You said you'd never leave us,you'd never forsake us.
You're with us always, god,whether we see it or not, you're
always with us.
So I just pray that you'd openthe eyes of our heart to see you
(45:47):
right here with us as we gointo the week and as we go into
the rest of the day and as we gointo the years.
We thank you, god, for the giftof each day full of you, full
of peace.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
Would you stand together?
We're going to sing one moresong, worship.
Would you stand together?
We're going to sing one moresong worship and just allow the
Holy Spirit to continue to godeep.
(46:32):
Father, we keep our eyes on you.
Thank you that you say younever leave us or forsake us.
We just love you.
We open our hearts and we justwant more of you.
(46:56):
Just thank you that you'repouring in.
It's that deep well that neverruns dry, where you said if you
knew who I was to the woman atthe well and I thank you for the
(47:17):
springs of life that justcontinue to flow.
It's not by works or effort.
We rest.
We rest in you.
Our soul chooses to rest and beanchored in hope.
So thank you for what you'redoing here.
Yeah, it's good you may beseated.
(47:43):
We uh, we're so blessed thatthe family's here and we said no
pressure.
But I'm glad, Brent, you cameup and you just really wanted to
address us and say somethingand I would invite you to come
(48:07):
now and we would love to hear.
Speaker 3 (48:18):
Careful careful.
This is going to be a short word.
How many believe that?
Hey, cloud of witnesses, I knowyou're there.
I get the last word today.
For those of us who havegathered here over these last.
(48:43):
You know it's so funny.
All day this week I got the textthat the council was going to
put something together and youdon't have to come, come
whatever.
And I had.
Well, I don't even know, Idon't even think I made my mind
up until yesterday and I'm soglad I did, because I heard of
(49:04):
some people that were coming anddriving distances.
And for those who asked me onthe way in, you know, is this
the celebration of life?
No, that's friday the 28th andcity pastors have wanted to know
about it, and people fromoverseas and different things
like that, and so I can't eventell you how many texts and
(49:30):
well-being things that have comein and it's just impossible to
respond to them all and Ihaven't been on Facebook for so
long and all of a sudden that'sblowing up for people who don't
know my text number or anything.
But first I want to say I'm soglad I'm here and we're glad
we're here, even though we'refeeling the pain, as you know
(49:52):
it's.
It was a shock.
I I do know.
I just got a three short thingsone.
A few weeks back or a while ago,we hosted a conference in near
Vancouver, near Langley, andthere was I don't know what 250,
60 people from around the worldthat came, and one one of the
speakers was, you know, goingthrough palliative chemo and
(50:17):
they were talking about howprecious the Lord had become to
them in that moment, knowing ina sense that his days are
numbered.
But it doesn't bother himbecause he knows he has hope.
It's that first.
Thessalonians, four verse,where, you know, encourage them
to grieve with hope, not likehow the world grieves.
(50:40):
And the hope isn't just somefake thing.
The day is going to be bettertomorrow.
The hope is this bigger picture.
The joy set before christ heendured the cross.
What's the joy set beforeChrist endured the cross?
What's the joy and, as Carl wassharing, it's just the joy is
that cloud of witnesses ischeering us on because of their
lives we're living off for,shoulders after shoulders after
(51:02):
shoulders, and most people inthis room would know there are
just volumes of things.
So much has happened in thisweek that I look forward to
sharing part of that down theroad.
As to the assurances of what'sgoing on.
Most of you know I would standup and say almost half my life I
spent as agnostic and atheistand tried to disprove God.
(51:26):
And I was challenged by a verybright Cambridge professor who
had had the shift and hehappened to be in a little town
of Fox Creek and said you know,why don't you basically try and
disprove God?
And I thought that would beeasy.
Every university in the world Ididn't know it, had anything to
(51:46):
do with the heart.
I thought it was about headknowledge, I thought it was all
about science, I thought it was,and of course, it took three
and a half years because thisheart's a bit stiff and didn't
get nurtured the way Jennurtured her kids and nurtured
many of you and me.
I think I'm her first and mostimportant prayer topic.
(52:09):
I think I'm her first and mostimportant prayer topic and it's
working.
It's working and I can't beginto tell you, as this guest
speaker in Vancouver unpacked it, how much they began hearing
since that time.
And for me this week has been.
You know, I get to bed, go tobed quite late Well, try to fall
(52:31):
asleep and the presence isincredible.
I know why Jen asked me, askedto send out certain things that
you know, cara, you were quotingfor some sort of speak, for
some of it today, and it's notbecause she believes so much in
the presence.
He lives here for those whosaid I surrender, and it's the
(52:54):
last prayer of Jesus, and say inlove, you've loved me.
Now let it be in them, as Iwill continue to reveal myself
to them and I will be in them.
And I've realized in this timethere's just such a quietness
where he's coming and things arehappening.
I can't even explain it it, butit's in a way that's just
(53:15):
incredible.
The joy set before Jesus and usis this my little cup cracked.
I thought, well, that's howblood is spilled.
And I just first wanted to saythank you for your prayers, your
encouragements, everythingthat's going on.
(53:35):
It's going to take some time.
Some incredible people fromaround the world that have been
down this road a few years ago,whichever, have been sending me
specific insights and they'vebeen just so good.
But it's like don't rush it,don't put it in a box.
Know, everyone in this room,including our family members,
including our grandkids, aregoing to go through this
(53:56):
different.
I loved it when my son anddaughter, you know, dustin and
Katie and Andrea and Matt toldthe oldest grandkids and they I
think I'm going to quote realnow, where she, uh, you guys,
sat her down and she said, hey,mom, dad, what, what's wrong
with your face, like, look,you've been crying, what's wrong
(54:20):
?
What happened?
And you told her and she, shesaid she's with jesus, she's so
happy, she's with Jesus, she'sso happy.
And and I and Bella same way.
And they came over yesterdayand they came into the house,
bella and Jack, and I could tellthey were looking for Nana.
(54:41):
I was a bit hard and then Bellaand I went out and cut lilacs
that Jen's favorite.
If you've seen her backyard,it's been turned into a forest
and all her hand, all her doing.
And we started cutting theseand I said, oh, nana would love
to give these to people.
So she started running in andgiving it to everybody and she
goes.
But so, papa, well, how do youknow that Nana would love that?
(55:05):
Did she just talk to you?
And I said well, you know howyour brother, jack, how he loves
dinosaurs.
You know he loves dinosaurs,right?
So if you gave him a dinosaur,you just know he'd like another
one.
And I just know enough abouther and I know the legacy that
she's deposited is beyond me.
(55:26):
She was the best and is thebest thing that's ever happened
in my life, and so there's a lotof processing to go, but I feel
there's a lot that's going tocome out.
The joy set before us, that, thehope that it talks about in
thessalonians, all through faith, hope and love.
The hope is there's nothinghopeless.
(55:47):
The hope is why was Jesus forthe joy?
The joy is some people haveseen pictures of her chatting
with Jesus and they're havingthe greatest theological
conversations known to man.
It's he, because he is truetheology.
He is it.
And I just go tell me that 30years ago I would have, like 20
(56:11):
years ago, I'm getting there.
It's a journey.
When I walked in here I thoughtwould I be allowed to stand up
at the first second and just dowhat I always did for those
years was because I didn't growup in the church and and I
remember as people startedcoming and that science theater
started getting filled withpeople and I'd say you didn't
come to church.
(56:31):
You know, you are it.
It's just a word that describesfamily, it describes Ecclesia,
and so if you're here and youdon't know what he's really like
and you've only heard the talesthat one song is about and what
he's really like and you know,oh, it's so different.
This is actually a familyreunion really like and you know
(56:53):
, oh, it's so different.
This is actually a familyreunion.
Glenda duboninski, when theystarted coming, she asked me a
question and she said somethingabout it and I said, uh, and
braden is not here today, but hereminded me of a couple years
ago.
He said you remember what youtold me when you met me in 2016.
I said what he said um, take alook around.
I'm not sure how many peopleare going to be able to make the
turn, and we've talked aboutthat a lot.
(57:16):
The turn is basically goingfurther and further into him and
what he has for us, and I justGlenda reminds me all the time.
One day she says I just Glendareminds me all the time.
One day she says you rememberwhen you told me you'll know
when this community, when wehave actually completed, if you
will, the Great Commission, noone will show up Because they're
(57:45):
going to be doing exactly whatthey're supposed to be doing as
a son or daughter.
It doesn't say that familydoesn't gather how many of you
have left your homes and you'renot with your parents all the
time, but you still celebrate,and so it's always been my
premise and so many city pastorsare calling because John
(58:07):
Hutchinson and Aunt Olive andall the history has always been
about unity.
I could never figure out my 13years in the corporate world why
it seemed like the corporateworld had more unity than the
church did, and it's because itwas a lack of love.
We had theology, we hadknowledge, but it's here and all
(58:27):
the things that have been saidtoday, this pain, this hurt.
I know there's people in thisroom that have gone through more
than I have, or us your ownversions, and you know, in there
you can take a dark turn, itcan take a while to come through
, but count it all joy when youexperience these trials and
tribulations.
Why?
Well, it produces endurance.
(58:48):
Well, why do you need endurance?
Because you have purpose.
There is a reason for us hereon this planet.
Our hope lies out in the future.
Is that true?
If we're not sure, we'll befearful and controlled, but if
our hearts get to see what thisis all about, we'll live without
(59:10):
restraint.
And Jen was breaking out andhas broken out and has always.
Our hearts get to see what thisis all about.
We'll live without restraint,and Jen was breaking out and has
broken out and has always beenahead of me in this.
And there's so many neat thingsI'd love to share with you, but
that's for another time, maybein two weeks, maybe whenever.
But I just wanted to encourageyou and thank you.
We feel it.
I know this is not something togo through alone.
(59:32):
I could pick names out of thisroom and all these memories are
flashing by and I'm going.
I think Peter Bubik, who's overin Czechoslovakia now.
He'd come down to my officedowntown at 6 am.
We'd meet every Friday one ofthese engineers and I was over
all these engineers and theysaid how did you come to faith?
(59:52):
Because it doesn't make logicalsense.
And we had these longconversations and I remember the
.
I remember his shift and hewent all in and he come over and
he said I'm going to help planttrees for Jen and she would say
put it over there there and youdig a hole for an hour.
No, over there.
(01:00:14):
And I'm like, no, he's just astudent, he's got work to do,
he's got exams to and he'd godig another hole.
I think that tree moved threetimes and that tree now is about
50 feet high and and I just go,how many people I knew in this
room have been.
I said, can we get a really bigkitchen, because I never had
family growing up?
Can we just have the open doorpolicy?
(01:00:36):
She goes well, no, there'sgoing to be some guidelines here
and there's only so many chairsaround the table.
And one of the things for methis week has been the
invitations to go walking ortalking or to connect are beyond
all.
This wonderful family Jen'ssister, jane and John and
(01:00:59):
brother just flew out last nightTim was here, laura.
I have found myself in themiddle of a family now, with
kids, siblings and a bunch ofgrandchildren six of them and I
love the screaming because Igrew up with me and that was it
(01:01:20):
and I'm going, oh my gosh.
And then, for most of you whoknow me know that this is not a
career for me, this is not ago-to-church thing, this is not
ahope-you-believe-the-right-thing
, it's family and we're all indifferent phases of it, of our
understanding and growth.
(01:01:41):
And it's funny for me, who grewup without anybody in my life,
I didn't think I needed anybody.
And what does God do?
He says we're going to draw youout of the corporate world and
put you in front of are youkidding, I don't know how to do
this John Hutch crying, we'reall crying.
One day and he said God's toldus to come here and you're to be
(01:02:03):
our pastor.
I said, john, that makes nosense.
You read Rabbi Zacharist toChrist, mother Teresa, blah,
blah, blah.
It goes on and I was thinkingit was about knowledge and
capacity and competency.
And through their tears theyjust said, smiling, brad, he
doesn't want someone who knowswhat they're doing, he doesn't
(01:02:26):
want someone who knows whatthey're doing.
That's taken me 25 years tofully start to see.
As much as knowledge is great,it's about the heart it really
is, and the only way that worksis in connection with people and
all that stuff.
I'll leave with this.
(01:02:46):
Everybody's here exceptyou-know-who Amy Jen's last
picture and she loved pictures,a lot of selfies on my phone
that she made me take.
And if you come to theCelebration of Life, you're
going to see not so muchpictures but hopefully the video
(01:03:07):
clips of her vibrance and allthese things going down the
rivers and stuff.
But the last picture that Iknow that was taken was a week
ago, wednesday, and Amy wasreceiving her blood transfusion
with new stem cells from ananonymous donor A 10 out of 10
match that would allow her to beborn again, basically.
And Jen and others said it's amiracle, it's what we've been
(01:03:34):
waiting for for a few years now.
And I remember I asked himyou're gonna, what do you want
to say about this?
And he's I've got this.
I said okay.
When it came back, I said okay.
You said you got this.
I don't push for anything more.
But he said I do, but I haven'ttold you how okay.
The next time it was like thisone's how do we get through this
(01:03:56):
?
I had to get my car and driveended up on the top of Mount
Norquay crying out to God thisis your precious baby girl that
you can't fix, you can't do ityourself.
And he says he whispers at thistime he says we've got this and
it's taken me since that timeprocess of understanding.
(01:04:19):
The we is this.
The we is outside this room.
The we is the cloud ofwitnesses, the we is the trinity
, if you will, plus.
They don't exist without us.
They love one another.
We're in.
And so we all got kind ofinteresting news that she was
going to be released early, andso she was released after three
(01:04:41):
and a half weeks, instead offour or five weeks that it takes
, and so she's at home restingright now.
She's pretty having to recover.
It's going to take a long timefor her to get all her strength
back and things like that, and Ijust would ask you to pray for
her in this.
She doesn't get to do thisright now and she was right
there at the hospital when itall went down and I just feel
(01:05:05):
for my kids.
It's a shock.
It's a shock, but all thesesongs are true.
I give my soul, I let it out, Igo for it.
So I know there's a lot toprocess and I invite you to join
in to the journey and I knowI'm going to have this
(01:05:29):
interesting time.
As everybody heads back to theirhomes, john and Jane have
cleaned my clothes, by the wayJen would have.
She made me wear these.
She bought these for me becauseshe said you've lost weight and
the other ones are too baggy,and I said, yeah, but they're
tight.
You know I'm used to baggy nowand she goes yeah, but you have
(01:05:51):
to wear that belt all cinched up.
And so I told Jane today.
I said I've got to wear themand I know her favorite color
was kind of purplish.
Our front door in our housewould be that color if I had let
her.
Everything else is her.
But no, no, the door.
We're not going to do that oneyet.
The door.
(01:06:13):
We're not going to do that withyou.
But I thank you and um, I'vehad phone calls from so many
leaders around the worldshenonke in africa, jim lefoon,
for know him, live and praying,and rice brooks, and others, um,
james and east jordan, etc.
Etc.
And they all have this similartheme the older they are and the
more they're close tounderstanding what we're talking
about, this hope, the more theyencourage us as a community and
(01:06:35):
myself, that in the same wayyou're being comforted, you will
comfort others.
We all will have things to gothrough and this morning I'm
just going to read one verseJohn 16, 33,.
Jesus is speaking and we allknow Jesus actually did the
(01:06:58):
verbal.
But what he said, I only saywhat I hear the Father say.
Everything I've taught you hasJesus taught you anything?
Everything I've taught you Isso that the peace which is in me
Will be in you and will giveyou a great confidence as you
(01:07:24):
rest in me.
For in this unbelieving worldyou will experience trouble and
sorrows, but you must becourageous, for I have conquered
the world and in that hope thejoy is flowing and it's just so
(01:07:45):
hard to explain it all.
But it's incredible Heart,heart.
But it's amazing what I've beenreading from people and these
people are encouraging us and Iknow there's many people in this
room have been there.
I think I don't know if vernahas where you are, she's gone
but in the icu, when we had our,when we had our last minutes
(01:08:12):
with mom, it was the same roomthat I went in and we prayed for
Verna, and the same one in ICUand I was like all these little
things happening.
These are sound, really, butthis butterfly flew past the
window two days ago and I'venever seen a butterfly in our
backyard like this and it wentby.
(01:08:32):
It was one of those things andthen was it a bunch of others.
The next morning you guys sawanother one or the same one and
I thought these things are notour senses.
Pick up on it, as was saidtoday, and so be very tender.
Let him show you things and Iwill be available in the weeks
(01:08:58):
to come to answer the hardest ofthe questions, as from what I
know.
But don't get caught up in whyand how comes.
God is not at liberty to haveto tell you.
Don't make it up, don't letyour theology come down to your
experience.
Let him draw you into who he is.
(01:09:19):
His ways and his thoughts arebeyond us.
And in that that's where Jen hadgone to and I can remember when
I didn't know she'd said this,but every minute she was in
perfect health, except for herfoot had it fused, and so that's
been her biggest can't ski,can't skate that well can't.
Can't.
(01:09:39):
Run, can't.
Oh.
And as she grew in these last,since that time she's met people
who've had metal leave theirbody and all that kind of stuff.
And and I'm like a bit cynicalabout it, like until I meet them
, you know, and she goes, but Iknow he can heal, I know, and I
know, when she told Amy, thatthe first thing I'm going to do
(01:10:04):
when I'm healed, when my foot'shealed, is run.
And if you read the email thatyou guys passed on, you have to
realize the person who wrote ithad no idea that Jen liked
running and swimming and no idea.
And so there's this comfortthat's coming, and I'd love to
(01:10:24):
share it with any of you to know, regardless of what your face
like, it could be like mine 30years ago well, 40 years now, 42
years ago that I didn't believe.
And uh, so with Amy her lastpicture that I know of was her
in the hospital room with AmySunny.
(01:10:46):
Her husband is sitting there.
She'd been going in every dayfor all that time and now it's
time for the blood transfusion.
It's now time for the spillingof someone else's blood.
Who sacrificed their blood?
It had the right match thatwill go into her and restart a
(01:11:06):
new immune system.
And we're like, wow, this istoo close to the truth.
And she's so.
She said I don't know who shegot to take the picture, but she
got behind Amy.
Amy's in the bed in thehospital and Sonny's there and
here she's beaming over the top.
And I thought I know right nowthat I currently have and our
(01:11:30):
family has.
I know right now that Icurrently have and our family
has.
You know, we know that we'regoing to nurture her.
Her getting out early wouldhave been a dream to Jen and she
would have been there dailydoing her thing, and so I just
thank you for your prayers and Ithank you for being here.
This is how you process, this ishow I process, and the thing I
(01:11:50):
avoid the most was people,typically until I'm with them
and then I'll talk you off Untilyou tell me to stop.
I tell all my friends you canstop, you just go.
Like this, rice Brooks andothers say, okay, brent, I need
to process.
Okay, keep going.
And there's people in this roomwho told me oh, there's a name
for what you have, brian, it'scalled expanded memory.
(01:12:11):
I just did it a number of times.
I tell you to a certain point,go there.
And then I go, oh, yeah, overthere, and then I go there.
So if any stories are notcompleted for you, come and tell
me and I will complete them.
So thank you so much.
I know our family and hopefullywe'll see you in a few weeks
and hear some of the story ofher whole life.
So, bless you.
Speaker 5 (01:12:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:12:40):
We love you.
February 28th, I think it's.
I was just testing you to seeif you were listening From one
till three.
Right, which church is that?
(01:13:02):
Okay, bow Valley, awesome,we'll send it out.
But awesome, I don't know aboutyou, but I heard he likes to
have children around, so parentsjust go ahead and drop your
kids off, and he loved that.
So, um, can we do one morething?
One last thing.
This is kind of the thepinnacle.
(01:13:25):
We want to.
We want to stand up and singthe blessing over this precious
family.
So would you stand with me aswe do that together?
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