I grew up a church kid. God graciously blessed me with parents who love the Lord and who value the importance of being members of a local church. In our case, that local church is Cornerstone Baptist Church. I have attended Cornerstone since I was 6, and to say that the men and women of Cornerstone have been used by God to change my life is a gross understatement. There are so many precious servants of the Lord, from the Senior Pastor to my Sunday school teachers, to whom I am forever grateful to for showing me the love of Christ in their ministry and lives.
There is one person in particular, however, that God has used to indelibly change my spiritual walk. That person is my former Youth Pastor, Patrick McGoldrick.
I first met Patrick, Dena, Paige, and Parker when I was a sophomore in high school, and was instantly drawn to their family. Like many youth pastors, Patrick is gregarious and full of humor, but what really characterizes Patrick is his intense desire to see the name of God glorified through the Gospel of Christ. Sure, there were plenty of fun games and activities for us to participate in, but Patrick never failed to point us to Christ. He challenged us to share our faith, took us on mission trips where we could do so, identified our spiritual gifts and nurtured them, and taught faithfully from God’s Word. I could write pages upon pages of how my time in the youth group under Patrick and Dena’s ministry has forever changed my life and how I am incredibly blessed and honored to have been a part of their ministry.
What has impacted me the most, however, has been their response to a life-altering trial. In December of last year, Patrick was diagnosed with ALS. ALS is a degenerative disease with an average life expectancy of two years. Many would receive this devastating news and question the goodness and faithfulness of God. Instead, as Patrick and his family stood in front of our congregation to relay the news, he spoke of a loving and sovereign God who is still good and worthy of all glory.
Patrick, Dena, Paige, and Parker – it has been ten years since I graduated high school, and it has taken me too long to publicly express my thankfulness to you for your love and instruction in my life, but I want to honor you now.
Patrick, on Sunday you will preach from the pulpit for what may be the last time, but your ministry is far from finished. Even if the Lord chooses to take your speech, know that your entire life resounds with your love of Christ and His Gospel with a deafeningly loud steadfastness. You have never wavered from your call to serve the Lord and His people. You challenged me and countless others to follow hard after Christ and then led by example. I cannot express what a blessing it has been to have been a part of your ministry and to now be called your friend.
Dena, there is not a memory of Patrick serving in the church that does not involve you standing faithfully beside him, encouraging and serving as well. The door to your home was always open, your shoulder was always there to cry on, and you never missed an opportunity to share about the love of Christ. You are truly the embodiment of a godly woman and you have shown me such love, grace, and encouragement that I am a better wife and mother today because of your example.
Paige and Parker, as I look at you today, it is surreal to see how much you have grown – physically and spiritually. Your lives are living testimonies of God’s blessing upon your parents’ faithfulness to raise you in the fear of the Lord. Keep running hard after the Lord, follow Him with everything that is in you, and know that you are never alone. Our God is so good and gracious and He will not abandon his children.
Finally, know that there is not a single prayer uttered in the Dilley household that does not include one or more of you. And although we cannot comprehend the pain of facing death and of losing our spouse and father as you do, we weep with you over the pain you are enduring during this valley. But while we weep for a time, we rejoice in the knowledge that this earth is not our home and that Christ will return again to redeem His people.
We know that your service to the Lord was never done for recognition or accolades and that your aim in life is to bring glory to God and not to yourselves, but we are so thankful for what God has chosen to do through you. Chris and I truly find it hard to express the indelible mark you all have had, and continue to have, on our family’s life. We love you. May God continue to be lifted up as we await his glorious and triumphant return.
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To follow Patrick's story, visit https://patricksstory.wordpress.com/
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