A Hero is Gone – A Personal Tribute to Pastor Glen D. Cole

  

If death had granted him a moment to convey the sentiment, Pastor Cole would have declared his tragic and sudden passing on Valentine's Day a happy transit.  For this is how he viewed the world.  No matter how bad things appeared, how gloomy the clouds turned, he was extraordinary.  In the darkest moments of life, those times that derail and destroy most of us, he was always at his best.  He thought and lived beyond death, beyond the dark, beyond the grave.

Pastor Cole was my one and only pastor.  When God gave me a pastor, he smiled greatly and blessed my life enormously by giving me the best.  He was my mentor, my leader, my friend, and one of my life heroes.  There will never be another like him.  He had an aura about him.  He was a man who lifted everyone's spirits and lowered everyone's guard, one who accomplished so much in life.  Though it is Pastor Cole's body of achievements most will remember, it's his compassion, kindness, and giving heart I will miss.  He was the pastor, the friend, the colleague who was the first to pick up the phone and say, "I'm sorry for what happened" or "What can I do to help?"  He was the boss who was adored by his staff, so much so, they looked forward to coming to work each day and remained loyal at his side.  He was the man who sent handwritten birthday wishes, thank you cards, and encouraging notes - never losing sight of the power of personal touch.  He was the father who loved his sons, doing everything possible to bless their lives.  He was the grandfather who adored and doted on his grandchildren, making them feel special and treasured.  He was the husband who passionately loved his wife and showed us all what marriage means.

As the Pastor of my church, Glen Cole always believed in people and would see the best in them. He was a source of inspiration and hope, of courage and belief.  He gave us strength when tragedy struck, when we questioned God.  His sermons stirred the embers of our faith and reminded us of who we were, that nothing is impossible for God.  As a spiritual leader, he stood tall for us.  With God's help, he built our church, he built our school, he built our spiritual community. He built until we burst at the seams.  He was a pastor of the people, never above the people.  Every Sunday, people clamored to hear him speak, piling in for his messages as if to miss them would be to miss the rapture itself.  He always had something profound to say, something life-altering to convey, something inspiring to share, something fresh from God to transform our lives.

Pastor Cole was an amazing leader who took a personal interest in my life and the lives of his parishioners.  He truly loved people and cared for them deeply.  In my success, he was my biggest cheerleader and encourager. He is the person who paid me the highest compliment I ever received when he once introduced me at an event where I was speaking.  I will never forget the words he used and they often are a great source of hope in my immediate world and the darkness that sometimes envelops me.  In my wanderings and failures, he never focused on my personal issues.  He addressed them, then lovingly reminded me that God still had great plans for my life. "Steve, nothing can take away your calling and gifting," he would say. 

In the years I disappointed him and staggered around in a far away land, lost as a prodigal and forgotten by most, he never gave up on me nor did he forget about me.  He believed in me when I quit believing in myself.  From time to time, he sent me a note, a card, some reminder to show he cared.  Incredibly these gestures of kindness always arrived in my mailbox when they were needed most.  On one occasion I received an oversize manila envelope filled with my old writings he had saved for years.  Attached was a handwritten message that read, "I miss this great writer.  Please let him know his best days are in front of him.  God is not through with your life or wonderful gift."  I walked back inside my house with tears streaming down my face.

For me, Pastor Cole was Abraham without the doubts, Moses without the wanderings, David without the failings.  The planet has not only lost a great Christian man, it lost an honest pastor, a distinguished musician, a joyful encourager, a loving healer, a graceful reconciler, a courageous leader, a loyal friend, a devoted husband, a committed father, a dynamic preacher, a courageous leader, an inspiring visionary, and a dedicated and faithful Man of God.

Pastor, I will never forget you because I can't forget you.  To imagine a world without you is to imagine a world with a little less faith in it; a little less love in it; a little less hope in it; a little less God in it.  And this is not the kind of world where I want to live.  I will miss you more than you could ever know.  Thank you for inspiring my life, for believing in me, and for never giving up on me.  I love you with all my heart and look forward to the day when I sit with you somewhere beyond those pearly gates to tell you about the second half of my life.  Thank you for showing me the way and helping me find hope and healing again, life and love again.  Thank you for helping me find my Lord and Savior again.  Thank you for loving me in the good and the bad.

Pastor, you have gone home now, leaving us who grieve your passing with the wonderful memories you gave, the incredible good you did, the inspiring dreams you cast.  The passage of time will never completely heal the sadness of this moment.  But I will carry on as you would want me to.  I will do the best I can to emulate your amazing life, a life that demonstrated unconditional love, reflected genuine hope, and displayed astonishing faith.  Whenever I need to find you, I know where to look.  I look to where you tried to get me to look all along.  I look up.