S Is For Skylor

S IS FOR SKYLOR

SHE IS A SMILE WE REMEMBER---AT BETHEL WE TAKE PICTURES OF EVERY EVENT. OVER THE YEARS SKYLOR HAS BEEN SO INVOLVED IN CHILDREN’S AND YOUTH MINISTRY. AS YOU LOOK AT PICTURES IT IS AMAZING, IN EVERY PICTURE SKYLOR HAS THAT GIANT SMILE. THE SMILE THAT STANDS OUT IN A CROWD. THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT SKYLOR’S SMILE, SO MANY HAVE AN OUTWARD BEAUTY, BUT SHE POSSESSES AN INWARD BEAUTY. I AM SURE IN THE FIRST PICTURE IN HEAVEN SHE WILL HAVE THE BIGGEST SMILE.

SHE IS A SONG WE ALL SANG—SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT SHE KNEW RODNEY WAS ONE OF THE MOST WELL KNOWN PEOPLE IN THIS AREA. SHE SAID, SHE WANTED ONE DAY TO BE LIKE HER DAD WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE KNEW HER. WELL LAST NIGHT WE SAW HER WISH COME TRUE, FOR HOURS WE HEARD HER SONG. PEOPLE SANG HER LIFE, HER IMPACT, HER WONDERFUL CONNECTION TO THEIR LIVES. SHE IS JOY, HER SONG IS HAPPINESS, AND EVERY VERSE OF HER LIFE TOUCHED EVERYONE WHO KNEW HER.

SHE IS A STAR ALWAYS SHINING—I HEARD SO MANY STORIES ABOUT SKYLOR IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, BUT ONE THAT IS VERY SPECIAL IS FROM A TEACHER AT SCHOOL INVOLVED IN THE DANCE TEAM. SHE SAID, “SKYLOR WAS A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS.” EVERYWHERE SHE WENT SHE WAS SHARING THE DIFFERENCE JESUS HAD MADE IN HER LIFE. SHE SAID, THE LIGHT HAD TOUCHED SO MANY AROUND HER FOR THE GOOD.

SHE IS A SEED THAT WAS PLANTED IN HEARTS AND SOULS OF OTHERS FOR ETERNITY. WE DIDN’T WANT TO LOSE SKYLOR, SHE MEANT SO MUCH TO ALL OF US. BUT HER DEATH IS PRODUCING SEEDS THAT WILL IMPACT THE WORLD FOR JESUS CHRIST. LAST NIGHT THERE WERE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ACCEPTED CHRIST. SKYLOR LOVED MISSIONS AND DID EVERYTHING SHE COULD TO HELP SPEED THE LIGHT AROUND THE WORLD. IN AFRICA LAND CAN BE BOUGHT, A CHURCH BUILT AND A PASTOR PUT THROUGH BIBLE COLLEGE FOR 5500 DOLLARS. RODNEY AND DEBBIE HAVE COMMITTED TO BUILD ONE CHURCH IN AFRICA, WHICH WILL BE KNOWN AS THE SKYLOR CHURCH. AFTER IT IS BUILT, VIDEO’S WILL BE SENT TO THE BARRETT FAMILY OF SERVICES THERE. WE KNOW THAT THROUGH SKYLOR’S DEATH, SHE WILL BECOME A SEED INTO TOUCHING HER WORLD FOR JESUS CHRIST.

AT THE YOUTH CONVENTION, THE THEME IS ONE LIFE, ONE CHANCE—THEY RELATED SKYLOR AND ASHTON’S ACCIDENT, AND THE IMPACT WAS 150 YOUNG PEOPLE CAME TO THE ALTARS TO RECEIVE CHRIST. SKYLOR IS A SEED THAT WAS PLANTED FOR GOD’S GLORY TO SHINE.

SHE IS A SAINT WHO’S BEEN CROWNED—2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8 I AM NOW READY TO BE OFFERED AND THE TIME OF MY DEPARTURE IS AT HAND. I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH. HENCEFORTH, THERE IS LAID UP FOR ME A CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH THE LORD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE SHALL GIVE ME ON THAT DAY AND NOT TO ME ONLY, BUT UNTO ALL THEM THAT ALSO LOVE HIS APPEARING.

SKYLOR HAS HER CROWN---IN HER LIFE SKYLOR WON A LOT OF AWARDS, AND SHE WAS GOOD AT EVERYTHING SHE WAS INVOLVED IN. BUT TODAY, ALL HER TROPHIES, ALL HER RIBBONS, ALL HER AWARDS, HAVE BEEN LAID DOWN AT HIS FEET, AND A GOLDEN CROWN OF LIFE IS HER REWARD FOR A LIFE LIVED FOR JESUS CHRIST.

CLOSE: I HAVEN’T TOLD ANYONE THIS UNTIL RIGHT NOW. I GUESS LAURI AND KIM MIGHT BE THE ONLY TWO THAT KNEW ABOUT THIS. ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS SENT ME A POEM THIS PAST WEEK, HE SAID IT WAS A POEM TO BE READ AT A FUNERAL. IT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFL FUNERAL POEM I HAVE EVER READ, AND I DEDICATE THIS POEM TO THE BARRETT FAMILY AS A CONSTANT ENCOURAGEMENT TO ALL OF THEM.

TOGETHER AGAIN

THIS WAS A FUNERAL SERMON FOR SKYLOR BARRET, A YOUNG 15 YEAR OLD GIRL IN OUR CHURCH, KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT MARCH 24, 2006