Tyler Perry: Whitney Houston Had Grace That 'Carried Her Home'

NEWARK, N.J. — Filmmaker Tyler Perry has spoken at Whitney Houston's funeral about her grace, and complimented her openness and candid talk.

Perry says the two met a few years ago and that during their first talk, Houston credited God for helping her meet challenges.

Perry spoke Saturday of "a grace that kept on carrying her all the way through" her life. He says "it was the same grace that carried her home."

As Perry was speaking, Houston's mother stood up, clapping and raising her hands. Many churchgoers were also standing.

Houston died Feb. 11 in California the day before the Grammy awards. She was 48. A cause of death hasn't been determined.

Here are some of Whitney Houston's beautiful renditions of Gospel classics including the video of "Yes, Jesus Loves Me."

RATE IT!   |  

VOTE

CURRENT TOP 5 PICK YOUR OWN TOP 5

USERS WHO VOTED

NEW! CREATE YOUR OWN SLIDESHOW

Comments

[lobstur]

04:06 AM on 02/23/2012

Stop idolizing her, stop sanctifying her. She was a woman with a beautiful voice, and a spiritual soul, but by NO means an example to follow.

She was sinners like us all. And, to be honest(God/Whitney forgive me), there are far better humans, dead and alive, to learn from.

[bakdoc1980]

03:43 PM on 02/22/2012

Whitney, proof of the fruitlessness of prayer and belief in the Invisible Man in the Sky, she said to Oprah that she "prayed her urges away" , a technique which lacks efficacy . Religion is myth and no match for addictive behavior . Or anything else for that matter.

[Cranmer1549]

03:38 PM on 02/22/2012

Where were these hypocrites for all of the years that she was in trouble? Was anyone supporting her, except for Clive Davis?

[TYRANNASAURUS]

06:39 PM on 02/22/2012

Well Cranmer1549 have you ever tried to reason with a drunk/drug addict.....I think not.

[Uncle Willie]

04:36 PM on 02/21/2012

Was "Grace" the name of Whitney's dealer?

[Todd G Chavey]

09:39 AM on 02/21/2012

Wasn't grace that carried her home, it was drugs and alcohol that carried her home.

[iLdoRight]

05:32 AM on 02/21/2012

Will she be waiting for her resurrection or is she one who merited the "first resurrection" spoken of at Revelation 20:5,6?

[mother10]

08:40 PM on 02/20/2012

I feel so SAD for her mom and daughter !

[wakeup804]

01:48 PM on 02/20/2012

"Bridge Over Troubled Water" is my favorite song in the world, I don't care who sings it.

[wakeup804]

01:43 PM on 02/20/2012

So sad...one of the purest voices in music. And I don't care what the cause of her death, it is sad.

[pleasantlyny]

01:24 PM on 02/20/2012

I am assuming that most people comenting here have never been to a funeral. I have yet to attend a funeral and they focus on the NEGATIVE of a person.

Whitney like MILLIONS of other americans had a battle with substance abuse. In the end it looks like it contributed to her death if not the major cause.

What does any one gain by havign a funeral with her peers and family and discussing how she let them down by being addicted?

I know most of you have more sense than this. This is what makes me think its racial. People actually expected them to scold whitney for having a weakness shared by MILLIONS?

How many entertainers have died from drug/alcohol abuse? This is a problem in america. Whitney was a mother, a friend, a sister, and cousin, a daughter and a icon to millions. Whta is it in your hearts that make you wish that somebody stood up and berated her for using or abusing drugs as she laid in her casket?

If this one aint racial what is? We can have Elvis impersonators but i dont see people upset about that? Marilyn monroe was a HOE and a drug user but we can celebrate her? the list goees on and on.

[ejais]

11:53 PM on 02/20/2012

Actually I have been to a few and let me tell you to this day I still can not believe that just because they were family when it came time to step up and say something about the deceased they brought up everything that person had done wrong to them. It does happen.

[Joy4u]

10:29 AM on 02/21/2012

Well, I think your situation is unique. I've been to lots of funerals and the service normally focus on the positive, not the negative, of the decedent's life. What is the point of kicking someone that is dead? At that point, its all over and done with. Nothing that is said or done can change anyone's life after they are gone. So compassion and sympathy is in order.

[pleasantlyny]

12:53 PM on 02/20/2012

Made a goddess?

How do you feel about Elivs? marilyn Monroe?

I could go on and on. Drugs have runined and cut short many a entertainers life.

[MightyYowp]

12:32 AM on 02/20/2012

So when can we stop pretending she just happened to die just before the Grammys?

[KurtKoiner]

11:44 PM on 02/19/2012

Beauriful sermon speech........

[johnnybic]

12:40 PM on 02/20/2012

I am not a Tyler Perry fan but I must say his talk was truly beautiful and inspiring.

[wutrup]

09:40 PM on 02/19/2012

Whitney, is in the process of doing a life review. She will judge her life personality and decide if she contributed to the welfare of mankind and to what degree, as a singer there is no doubt. She will also examine: if she evolved herself or fell far short of what she could have accomplished, or if she did the best she could have under the circumstances, just like the rest of us will be doing when we pass.

[bdl0715]

05:13 PM on 02/20/2012

Whitney is not doing a life review. The only review was from God and he made it the second she died.

[wutrup]

08:51 PM on 02/21/2012

Contrary to popular belief, if there was judgement, God would have to be in a form that could render it... God is not anthropomorphic, but rather an all pervasive consciousness.
Without form, there is no way to render judgement. After death, our consciousness moves on, judges itself and desires to remanifest itself again.

[Paris55]

08:33 PM on 02/19/2012

RIP Whitney. Your voice and songs bring back various periods in my life. Most of them pretty good. As for Tyler Perry - No Comment.