Tonight We celebrate our Very Good Friend, Jerry Slagle; Who was Promoted To Heaven…

Psalm 112

Hallelujah! Blessed man, blessed woman, who fear God,
Who cherish and relish his commandments,
Their children robust on the earth,
And the homes of the upright—how blessed!
Their houses brim with wealth
And a generosity that never runs dry.
Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people—
God’s grace and mercy and justice!
The good person is generous and lends lavishly;
No shuffling or stumbling around for this one,
But a sterling and solid and lasting reputation.
Unfazed by rumor and gossip,
Heart ready, trusting in God,
Spirit firm, unperturbed,
Ever blessed, relaxed among enemies,
They lavish gifts on the poor—
A generosity that goes on, and on, and on.
An honored life! A beautiful life!

Tonight I was sitting among many many people who can stand and testify how Jerry Slagle changed or impacted their lives. I am sure many would say their life was impacted the most. But I would disagree. I believe my life was most impacted by his Passionate Faith in Jesus Christ!

I began working for Jerry Slagle’s Hair Fashion Forum in 1992..little did I know how my life would change over the next 11 years. I was a Christian when I went to work for jerry but did not really understand what it meant to have a relationship with Jesus. I thought I had that since I was saved.

Jerry explained to me that I could only be fired for one reason–if I had a client in my chair who needed prayer or had physical needs and I didn’t pray for them or get him to come pray for them and bring help to them. That was so wild to me being a very shy person!

Over the first 6 months, I came to work and as a team we all held hands each morning and prayed for Jesus to use us that day in the lives of the people who would come in there. Jerry and Jeannie began to teach me how to be a better hair designer. But he also taught me thru a “hands on” training how to minister to people. He and I prayed for countless people together, along with Jeannie his wife. We saw miracles and lives changed, marriages restored, people healed of diseases..he even kept a prayer box for those who didn’t want to draw attention to theirselves but desired true prayer. We prayed over every single request. he also worked with the youth and college age at our church, Cornerstone Church of Johnson City, Tennessee… Some of them came into the salon in the evenings with their guitars and would play and worship Jesus. It was then I learned how to truely worship Jesus, and that is so valuable to me..

Then there are the countless gifts, money, cars, jeeps, clothes, food, etc… mission trips, ministers and missionaries that this salon funded… It is an underestimate to say that Jerry & Jeannie’s salon gave away thousands of dollars.. I even saw a single check for several thousand once written out as a gift! And the first ever Christian movie in this town I ever knew of was Left Behind. Which Jerry Slagle’s Hair Fashion Forum fully funded because the theatre thought it was ‘too controversial”… That was Jerry, willing to do ANYTHING he believed Jesus was leading him to do & HE DID IT!!! Selfless and Generous , that describes Jerry.

So tonight, in a packed out house; because of jerry’s life…. I watched Jesus working in the lives of many who were there!! How beautiful to see such a thing!!! Our God is An Awesome God, as Jerry always said!!!!! Even in his promotion to Heaven Jerry is still shifting the focus to Jesus and His Great Love for People!!!

So here, we Celebrated Jerry’s life. In Heaven, with those saints who went before him, all the angels, and Jesus Christ: Jerry’s Lord and Savior, They were Celebrating Jerry’s Promotion!!!

I pray that my life would impact people for the sake of The Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ in a very real way, as did Jerry’s life for myself. I Love You Big Daddy, Jerry my sweet friend….I will see you very soon!!!!!

——— audra