Patrick’s Book Released!

(Guest post by Tim Stevens)

Last fall when I started talking to Patrick about my desire to put his sermons in a book, he was quick to agree. I found out later that several people had been trying to talk him into writing a book for many years. He loved the idea, but was always so busy investing himself in his family and youth group.

It took about a month, but he sent me an email with the 11 sermons he had selected…along with links on where to find the audio files. When I saw him in Pennsylvania in October, we talked about the project (well, I talked and he smiled and grunted). I promised him I would see the book through to its completion. I asked him to do his part and live long enough so we could have the book at his funeral. He laughed.

We didn’t make the funeral, but we did get it done. And the book is fantastic.

I know readers of this blog comprise the people who love Patrick the most. Here is what I’m asking:

1. Buy the book. Buy as many copies as you can. Not only will every penny help the McGoldrick Family Fund–but the distribution of this book will serve to extend Patrick’s legacy for generations to come.
2. Write a customer review on Amazon. Those reviews really matter. Note: Don’t mention that you and Patrick are buddies, since the review will appear to not be objective. Rather, write a review about the content of the sermons and/or the strength of his life.
3. Tell anyone you can about Patrick’s life and death, and ask them to buy the book. We didn’t hire a fancy marketing company and don’t have a big publishing company. All we have is word-of-mouth. So spread the word far and wide. Put it on your blog, Facebook pages, Twitter feed, or go old-school and print this page out and hand it to your friends.

The book can be purchased on Amazon, and is also available in the bookstores at Cornerstone Baptist Church (Roseville, MI), Calvary Baptist Church (Covington, KY) and Granger Community Church (Granger, IN).

Let’s get the word out!

Memorial Service Video

Words are inadequate to express how grateful we are for the outpouring of love that we have received since Patrick’s passing from earth to Heaven.  Your kindness has shown through and we are deeply touched.  The “Celebration of Life” service was one day that we will never forget.  God’s grace was given so that we could focus on greeting each person who was able to come through the line and the afternoon flew by.  We are thankful for the hundreds who came to the service;  God was honored and we were able to truly celebrate Christ, Who is the one Who saved Patrick and for Whom Patrick gave his life of ministry.  Thank you for traveling from near or far to be with us;  And thank you to those who prayed for us through that day and night from all over the world.

We continue to covet your prayers as grief is a new road for the three of us.  A road that was not asked for nor never even imagined, yet the one God has us on nonetheless.  Each day is a battle to think biblically, yet God’s mercies are new every morning.

Enjoy the video of the service:

“Celebration of Life” Service

Patrick’s final selfless act was to donate his body for ALS research; so there will be no funeral or viewing.

However, we will be celebrating Patrick’s life and legacy:

Cornerstone Baptist Church
17017 Twelve Mile Road
Roseville, MI 48066

Visitation: Saturday, January 5th, 1:00-5:00pm

Service: Saturday, January 5th, 6:00pm

UPDATE: Childcare Available during service through age 5. Also, dessert reception following service.

Donations

So many people are wanting to help celebrate Patrick’s life and honor his family. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that you consider donations to one of these funds:

Cornerstone Baptist Church — Fellowship Fund

The people of Cornerstone have been so helpful to the McGoldrick’s over the past year. This fund helps others, like Patrick, who have fallen on difficult times.

Mark your gift Fellowship Fund and send it to: Cornerstone Baptist Church, 17017 Twelve Mile Road, Roseville, MI 48066

The ALS Association: Fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease

Use this link to donate to the ALS national association.

McGoldrick Family Fund

Donations will be invested 100% for the benefit of the McGoldrick’s–most of it to be used to help Paige and Parker with their college education.

By Credit or Debit Card, go to the McGoldrick Family Fund on WePay.com.

By Check…write your check to “Friends of Patrick & Dena McGoldrick” and mail it to:

Fifth Third Bank
40980 Hayes Road
Clinton Township, MI 48038

This post by Tim Stevens. Leave questions in comments, or send confidential questions to tstevens(at)gccwired.com. 

He’s Home

Patrick passed from his earthly life to his heavenly home at 10:05 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012.

The past week was a whirlwind of significant declines that culminated in a restful coma that he was in for the past two days.  His favorite music was played and loved ones remained by his side the entire time.

We spent Christmas day telling him that he was getting the best gift of all:  face to face with Jesus!  While we are happy for him, we just wish we could have gone with him.

Thank you for your prayers and support during this difficult time.  Details about his “Celebration of Life” service can be found here.

Love, Dena, Paige & Parker

Merry Christmas

Praying you all know the true meaning of the season:  Jesus Christ was born into this sin-cursed world.   The birth was amazing, yes, but the rest of it was even more amazing.  He chose to do so in order to live a perfect life that I couldn’t live.  He resisted temptation and obeyed his Heavenly Father in thought, word and deed.  He committed no sins, either of commission or omission.

Since the age of 17, I have chosen to serve this same Jesus Christ, as Savior of my life and as Lord of my life.  He is my King and I look forward to worshipping Him forever, face to face, in the very near future.

Last Sunday, since I was unable to attend our church, I listened with Dena and my sister, Carla, to the live webcast of Granger Community Church, where my brother-in-law, Tim attends.  We were greatly blessed by the entire service.  I want to share the link to the last song they sang, and send a shout-out to my nephew, Hunter, who plays the quad-drums at the end of the song.

Isaiah 9:6  “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,  and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

A year ago….

It was a year ago today that I had what I thought was the worst day of my life.  Up to that point, it was the worst.  December 5, 2011 was the day the neurologist confirmed our fears… that I indeed had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

One week prior, the doctor told us she suspected ALS, but I needed an MRI to rule out a brain or spinal tumor.  That entire week I prayed that I had a tumor.  In my mind, at least then there would be a battle plan – surgery, chemo, radiation – something to try to fight.

With ALS, there is no battle plan…Instead you read the info on the web and the booklets the clinic hands you and you wait to lose every muscle and every freedom you’ve had.  Eventually you stop reading about it, because you are living it.

I clearly remember walking out of the doctor’s office that day in a fog.  I could already feel the stares of the nurses and staff as they all knew that I had been given a death sentence.  People try to hide their looks of pity, but I can feel them.  It couldn’t be real.  It wasn’t happening, was it?  It was a dream and surely I would wake up from it.

I wish that I could truthfully say that I wouldn’t trade this year for anything;  that I have learned to embrace and enjoy this suffering….but I can’t.  I wouldn’t wish this disease on anyone.  I have had many “worst days of my life” since last December, because each week is more awful than the last.  It’s supposed to be a good thing that the mind doesn’t deteriorate with the rest of the body, but I have to admit that lately I wish I was confused and didn’t know what was going on.

Basically, I am a prisoner in my own body.  Except for Thanksgiving, for the past three weeks, I have not left my bedroom.  I can no longer use my ipad because my fingers are so tightly curled, a crowbar couldn’t open them.  Outside of my peg feeding tube, I swallow only a few bites of pudding or broth each evening.  I am down to 160 pounds.  I can’t stand without help and there is absolutely nothing I can do.  I sleep more than half the day and when I am awake, the only things I can do are listen and watch.

So I listen to my family tell me about their day.  Dena reads to me the mail, other messages and scripture; Parker is reading the Hobbit aloud and also tells me stupid jokes along the way; Paige calls and I listen to her bubbly voice on speaker phone.  We watch something together on tv.  (Besides ND football, I love Duck Dynasty).  Visitors are limited because it just takes too much out of me.

So a year later, I am ready. I know my time is down to weeks, not months.  I have accepted that this is the path God placed me on.  I would not have chosen it.  I don’t like it.  However, I am submitted that God in his Sovereignty, decided before all of time to give me a shorter life on earth.  And if it keeps His name going forward and promotes His Kingdom, then who am I to question it?  Who am I but God’s servant placed here to bring him glory?  It’s not supposed to be about me…it’s about Him.  If this promotes his Kingdom and Christ’s name, then so be it.  Just like Joseph, Job, Daniel, Esther and many others throughout Scripture who ended up in circumstances that they did not ask for and they surely did not like, I daily must choose to focus on submitting to God’s will, crying out for his grace and pointing to my Savior.  After all, my sins are still my worst problem and Christ took care of that.

My prayer is that I can stand before God and say what Jesus said in John 17:4  “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.”

Grateful for My Training

As you may have read, last month I received the Outstanding Service Award at Baptist Bible College. As a part of the weekend celebration, they asked me to record a video and answer some questions about my time at BBC. I wrote out the answers, and my long-time friend Matt Frey helped me out in communicating on the video that they played at the chapel service on October 12, 2012.

I share this here so you can also know how much my time at Baptist Bible College formed my life:

II Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

I Timothy 4:8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.