Our father, Donald Wayne Henderson was a child of the one True King. He went to be with Jesus on Sunday, January 14th, 2024. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren and when he took his last breath, they witnessed him go into the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This was a day that Dad knew that all things would work together for our good. He knew that because he knew Roman’s 8:28. He knew on that day good works were being prepared for us and we would have abundant grace and strength to walk in them. Ephesians 2:10. Dad said Jesus knows the extent of our brokenness but God’s love for us would persists like an unquenchable fire.
The worst tragedy possible, eternal death, has in fact been reversed for believers. Dad was a believer in Jesus Christ and this is what he wanted his obituary to convey. He didn’t want anything written about him except to tell anyone that would be reading it where he now resides. He may have left this earthly world with his earthly body on January 14th, but he resides in the presence of the Lord.
He wanted anyone reading to know that If you are not rooted in the Gospel, all it takes is a well spoken inspirational leader or an inspirational quote or an amazing t shirt or song that can steer you off track. You have to see everything through the gospel. We don’t need influences, what we have in the Gospel of Jesus is enough. Don’t be deceived.
If you knew our father, you know that he was not one to get up and speak in front of people but he did know that he would die with a platform. He knew enough people in his community would read his obituary and because he loved so many in his community, this is all he wanted written. The community knew what he did and knew who he was married to and knew his children. Some of them may not have known Christ.
He wanted to leave you with this.
When Jesus hung on the cross, he knew dad’s mistakes and he knew his future flaws. He knew everything that dad would do wrong and would be disappointing to God. Jesus said I still chose you. There is not anything in his past, nothing that he did or nothing that he built that identified him. None of it mattered. The only thing that mattered was his identity in Christ. Dad’s identity in Christ supersedes any other identity.
Dad’s good friend, Mr. Alan Beard of Hughart, Beard, and Giles provided a beautiful, private service for our immediate family per dad’s wishes. The way Hughart, Beard, and Giles took care of our father will never be forgotten. His earthly body was buried at Riverside Cemetery but his eternal home is in Heaven with Jesus. Thank you Jesus, for everything.