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    Tyler Perry's Emotional Goodbye To Whitney Houston: The 'Grace That Carried Her' Down From Heaven Also Carried Her Home

    Access Hollywood – Sat, Feb 18, 2012

    Tyler Perry took to the podium at Whitney Houston's funeral in New Jersey on Saturday, and the media mogul delivered an emotional - and encouraging - farewell to his friend, who he initially came to know over dinner in Atlanta.

    "We sat there talking for about an hour and a half, about four years ago. During this time [Whitney] was telling me about her life and I was very surprised at how candid and open and revealing she was as she was talking to me," Tyler shared, during Whitney's "home going" celebration/funeral in her hometown of Newark, NJ. "She would talk about some things that she had went through, some things that made her sad, some things that were tough, and as I would see her talk about this, I would see this heaviness come upon her.

    PLAY IT NOW: ‘Good Deeds’ Cast Reacts To Tyler Perry Donating His Plane To Fly Whitney Houston’s Body Home

    "I'm the type of person where when I see this with anyone, I would just want to say something encouraging," he continued. "But before I could get words out to encourage her, she would say, 'But the Lord...'

    "The conversation went on, we would talk a little more and she'd go back into the sadness and just when I'm about to step in, she would say, 'But my Lord and savior Jesus Christ and his amazing grace,'" Tyler added.

    VIEW THE PHOTOS: ‘Madea’ Kingpin Tyler Perry

    The movie mogul said Whitney's words inspired his devotion to her.

    "It was at that moment that I knew I would do all I can to stand with her. And from that moment to now I've been standing with the family and her and I'm just completely thankful to God for all that he has done in her life," he said.

    Tyler, who donated his private jet to the Houston family to fly Whitney's body home to New Jersey, said there are "two constants" he knows about the "I Will Always Love You" singer - one -- her grace carried her "from heaven down through Miss Cissy Houston" and second, it was always evident that Whitney "loved the Lord."

    VIEW THE PHOTOS: A Look Back: Whitney Houston — Her Life In Pictures

    "When I think about her, there's a scripture that keeps burning in my heart. I keep thinking about the Apostle Paul in Romans when he was talking about, 'I am persuaded that nothing shall separate me from the love of God,'" he told the crowd of nearly 1,500 mourners, becoming emotional. "So, what I know about her is nothing separated her from the love of God and if you look at what Paul is saying, he was describing her life so perfectly. He said, 'Neither height' - which meant no matter how far she went in the stratosphere -- nothing separated her from the - neither height, nor depth, no matter how much struggle, no matter what she had to go through, what she had to walk through, it still wasn't enough to separate her from the love of God! Nor principalities, nor power, nor things to come - nothing was able to separate her from the love of God."

    Tyler added that he believes the same "grace" that carried her throughout her life and through her struggles has now "carried her home."

    VIEW THE PHOTOS: That’s What Friends Are For: Whitney Houston & Her Famous Friends

    "I just want to close by saying this, because the apostle Paul said something else that just fascinates me as I read 'The Word' sometimes, he said, 'What then say you to these things? That if God be for you, who can be against you?'" Tyler concluded. "So say whatever you want. God was for her, and she is resting, singing with the angels. God bless you, family. God bless you. God bless you, Whitney. We love you so much."

    Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
    This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

     

    14 comments

    • Anita
      Anita  •  3 mths ago
      Yes Mr Tyler Perry is a very annointed man By God and so was Whitney Houston she loved the lord with all her soul and Iam so proud that she became close friends with Mr Tyler Perry. Great message today Mr Tyler Perry !
    • Biggirl20083655@yahoo.com
      Biggirl20083655@yahoo.com  •  Des Moines, Iowa  •  3 mths ago
      What Tyle did for the Houston family and said shows how much of a Godly man that he is. That show's that eveyone in hollywood is's for self. you be bless M. Perry and I can't wait to see what you have for us next.....be bless.biggirl
    • donna
      donna  •  Bridgeport, Connecticut  •  3 mths ago
      It was a very lovely rendition of her. I give my props to him. I am sure he is truly a friend of hers and her family. May god bless him for being there for them.
    • Olga65
      Olga65  •  Norfolk, Virginia  •  3 mths ago
      Whitney was beautiful and talented, there's no doubt about that, and I am sorry that she is gone. But I am more sorry for the people that stood there at her funeral talking about this woman and her relationship with God as if anything she did spoke to that or brought Him glory?? Yes she was raised in church, and yes she knew the Lord and it is obvious that is the way her parents raised her. But them teaching her one thing and her doing it are two completely different things. Please dont call yourself a believer and a Christian if you are going to be partying with your husband, getting high and drunk and dragging your teenage daughter to clubs to teach her the same behavior. A person who is actively walking with the Lord AND fearing AND trusting Him would not be going around acting in such disheveled ways, doubting if she is good enough or pretty enough, hanging out with the wrong crowd and hurting her body and her mind in worldly and ungodly ways. Yes is true as Tyler Perry said, that the Word of God tells us that Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, not height nor depth, and that it didnt matter how successful she was or how deep in trouble she found herself, but Tyler failed to say that 'All things are lawful unto me but all things are not expedient, all this are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the power of any' 1 Corinthians 6:12. Whitney obviously lacked the strength to simply say No to the things she obviously knew better she shouldnt be doing, things she apparently had already been doing long before she met her husband, who many blame for her demise, things that obviously had power over her, rather than her allowing the power of God to control her life. And though as Christians we are not perfect we are indeed called to live by a certain set of rules and guidelines, clearly expressed in the Word of God. The Bible talks about drunkenness and keeping bad company and using foul language and many many other things that, if a person is indeed born again, a believer, then they should know better than to do them. True faith helps us to know, to remember and believe with unquenchable trust that Greater is He who is in us than He that is in the world (1John4:4), God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2Timothy 1:7) and We can do all things through Christ who strenghten us (Phillipians 4:13). There was plenty in the Bible for Whitney to draw from to help her with her daily living. There was no need for her to depend on pills and alcohol.Nobody knew Whitney better than God, not even her family and close friends that stood for her at her funeral, so only God knows where she is right now and her judgment does indeed rest in His hands and mercy. Still I wish the people that spoke can be more real about the truth of the word of God & His commandments &guidelines for living&stop making it look like it is ok to be a Christian and still go out and live this worldly life, without so much as a visible effort that one is indeed trying not to fall into that again, thinking in the end we are going to end up in heaven. It sends the wrong message for people who knew Whitney but dont know the Lord, & talking about her as a Christian but seeing everything she did contrary to that sends this twisted message to unbelievers for people who dont know any better for we cannot serve two masters .Remember that not everyone that say Lord Lord will enter the kingdom. Hopefully her daughter wont follow on those footsteps and can look to God for her guidance, her strength and her true purpose for living, and if she is as blessed with voice as her mother, may she sing to the One who gave her the gift and may she stay unspotted from the world (James 1:27) that the cycle can be broken.
    • Nono
      Nono  •  3 mths ago
      I am sure that what Tyler said was both a blessing and a comfort to her family and friends. Whitney may have drink and may have used drugs but her judgement is in God's hands, not ours.
    • luvch
      luvch  •  Houston, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      Tyler Perry said something so powerful that it had to be from a man of God about a woman of God!! Very moving!!
    • lee-lee
      lee-lee  •  Newark, New Jersey  •  3 mths ago
      Tyler, I am just godly proud of you. I pray that you will continue to let Him use you for His glory. Yea & Amen!!
    • Heather
      Heather  •  3 mths ago
      I loved Tyler Perry's words to the family. He should become a preacher! The speaker who made me sob was BeBe Winans. His words, his emotion, and his song got to me. Kevin Costner had a good speech, but for a while it sounded like he was talking too much about himself, but I 'got it' in the end. And whoever invited that pedophile R. Kelly should be shot! lol I can't stand him or his voice.
    • Caro
      Caro  •  3 mths ago
      To me, what Mr. Perry said is the heart of the gospel. It was a great comfort to me, personally to hear it..NOTHING, nothing can separate us from the love of God. He is faithful even when we can't be. That's why it is called Grace. God's unmerited favor.
    • Maryanne
      Maryanne  •  Toronto, Canada  •  3 mths ago
      I hope Tyler is right. There is only 1 unforgivable sin and unfortunately most people in her world commit that 1 sin. Drugs and alcohol is nothing...if you are remorseful and confess, you are forgiven. R.I.P Whitney. I hope you made it because from all account, you seemed to have been a most generous spirit.
      • catlady
        catlady 3 mths ago
        I wondered, too, until I learned more about her life while watching the funeral service. I am not wondering anymore. I believe she is with the Lord....she had so many people who loved Him in her life...her roots in Him went deep. I don't believe she left Him...she just could not find enough of His strength to overcome the awful demon in her life.
      • Olga65
        Olga65 3 mths ago
        Catlady, the Bible tells us that 'the weakness of God is stronger than men's' 1 Corinthians 1:25 and Jesus said Seek and ye shall find, ask and it shall be given to you. Matthew 7.7 If Whitney couldnt find enough or any strength from God, who gives generously to all and upbraideth not, is because she wasnt seeking nor asking.
      • Olga65
        Olga65 3 mths ago
        Not to mention that in His name we have power to cast out demons! Luke 10:19
    • Robert
      Robert  •  3 mths ago
      We can only hope that Tyler Perry (the black William Shakespeare) follows Whitney and Michael Jackson into a self-inflicted early grave.
    • Hexx
      Hexx  •  3 mths ago
      Tyler Perry stars as Tyler Perry in Tyler Perry's "Tyler Perry's goodbye to Whitney."
    • Hexx
      Hexx  •  3 mths ago
      He should have given the speech dressed as Madea.
    • U Know U Like It
      U Know U Like It  •  3 mths ago
      Really it was God? I thought it was the crack, prescription drugs, and booze that made her get high?
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