Earlier this week, I went to the funeral service of my cousin, Crystal Morrison. Even though she and I were from very different generations and not especially close, her passing hit me hard. Her father (Keith Doyle) and I were very close when we were young. During those early days, he and I were often thought of as the “black sheep of the family” …but that is a story for another day 🙂
Let’s go back a few days… I received a text from another cousin who informed a group of us about Crystal and the fact that she had a massive brain aneurism and was in the ER at Jackson Madison County General Hospital. The news was not good, and she was not expected to survive. God stirred my spirit to go and visit the family that morning. I found them all huddled up in a cubicle in the ER with Crystal. They were all obviously in shock. When I walked in, I was shocked too. As she lay there unconscious, it struck me that Crystal looked very much like my own daughter, Heather Nicholas. They are close to the same age and have similar “looks” about them. It was stunning and moved me deeply.
In my own feeble way, I offered to be a sounding board for any of them who needed to talk about spiritual things. Just as I was about to ask permission to pray with them, a hospital chaplain came in, greeted the family, and offered up a beautiful prayer of comfort for everyone. I was impressed by his stance andf demeanor. He got on the floor in front of Crystal’s husband, took his hand, and directed the attention to him specifically. I am sure that Parker appreciated the gesture and his words.
Shortly after this, the hospital staff moved her to the ICU area, and I followed the family to the waiting area. During that morning, i found out that Crystal and Parker were believers and became members of Soul Quest Church and that Pastor Ronnie Coleman would soon be there to minister to them. I have known Ronnie for a very long time and I am grateful to know that he would be taking care of the family… my family. Now, this next part is very impactful and should bring a different level of emotion to the story. Over the last couple of years, I also witnessed Pastor Ronnie officiate the funerals of Crystal’s dad and mom… and her grandmother also passed away during this timeframe. This family has endured a LOT of grief in a short period of time. So, please continue to pray for them. Pray especially for any of the extended family and friends to find Jesus as Savior if they have not already. I believe that Crystal would want this too.
I could speak to this whole event more. I could tell stories about Keith Doyle and me, I could reminisce about hearing Ronnie Coleman preach over many years as he has become an amazing pastor and soul winner. I could talk about how some of the funeral attendees seemed uncomfortable when Ronnie shared a clear Gospel message as part of Crystal’s home going service. We could glorify God together as I tell you that at least four people accepted Jesus as Savior at the funeral service! However, let me finish by stating that the shock we all feel when a young person (age 32) suddenly passes away can be turned into a faith moment. Crystal has moved on into Glory where she has been reunited with loved ones and friends who preceded her. Most of all, she is looking into the beautiful eyes of Jesus. Amen.
If you want to see the official obituary and tribute video, visit this link. I will also post a few pics below that I took at the funeral. I do NOT do that to be morbid or be disrespectful. I do it to give you a more real sense of what this was like for me… and for the family. God bless you.
