A Note From Rose Marie

October 25, 2000

It has been almost 2 months since Pat passed on to Glory. We miss him. I, Rose Marie, miss his zest for life, the energy he seemed to always have; he ran on Jesus power. He could physically be exhausted and if someone called for assistance or to be prayed for, he gathered up his Jesus to minister to whoever needed it. I don’t ever recall him saying No to anyone. This was a gift from God that few people have – it was extraordinary. This is one of the reasons I knew that I could not continue a ministry that was given to Pat by God. Pat had mentioned to me that he had noticed that when a man or woman was given a vision of ministry by God that this person would minister unto the Lord. This person was given the exact measurements of ministry that they were to do just as Noah had been given the exact measurements for the ark. Once Pat knew what God wanted him to do, he poured his whole self into becoming less Pat and more Jesus to each and every person. Pat did this with fervor and dedication, looked neither to the left nor to the right but into the mission God had given him. I supported my Pat with his vision to the fullest --- but I didn’t have the vision. I supported the man I loved so dearly but my ministry was to him and to my precious children and today to my grandchildren.

Pat once told me a story about these dogs that were chasing a rabbit. The first dog actually saw the rabbit and he was not going to stop chasing that rabbit until he caught it. The other dogs followed the first dog who was chasing the rabbit because of the excitement that the first dog had generated. But none of the other dogs had ever actually seen the rabbit. As the chase continued, the dogs further back got tired and started to slow down and eventually stopped the chase. At the end – only the dog that had actually seen the rabbit was still after the rabbit and eventually caught it.

Pat knew what God had told him to do, he was like the dog that saw the rabbit, I on the other hand knew the excitement in Pat and I ran right beside him. But when Pat won the race and got to the other side with Jesus, I knew that his mission was over, that I had been given the privilege of chasing and seeing a person so devoted to his mission that it was a blessing to behold and support. But, I also knew in my heart that I could not run that race any longer. With my Pat gone his ministry was gone. As much as I love each and every one of you I could not uphold another persons’ vision and do it justice. With a sad heart I knew I had to bring the Eph 1:4 Prayer Group to an end which I did on Tuesday, September 26, 2000.

My heart knows that a lot of people would be saddened by the loss, but I also know that when God closes a door, he will open up another one. I had to do this, knowing all will be well. Each and every person will be guided by the Holy Spirit as to where God wants them to be. I pray each of you will be blessed. We – my family and I – thank you for the love that has been shown to us, it has been awesome. I will always remember you and I’m sure we will see each other again if not here, certainly in heaven. I pray that each of you will run the race as God has intended you to do. Learn by what we have been honored to see, I’m not lifting Pat higher, I’m lifting the Jesus whom Pat lifted up – as I feel God gave us a real privilege of seeing how a saint is made. Each one of us are saints and to the limit we can let go our self centeredness, hear and ask the Lord what is His will, in order that Jesus grows greater in us. That is where Jesus is glorified. Choose to let Jesus live through you; that is what Pat taught us.