Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Paul's gone to be with Jesus!


Paul Townsend had his uprising at 7:45am this morning and is now with Jesus. Martha, Natalie and Bryan were at his side and his Men’s Small Group was able to pray with him first thing this morning. . Martha & Natalie arrived from NYC at midnight, so that was an answer to prayer (one of many answers!).
Martha wanted to let you know that she was able to finally rub her fingers through his hair (after months of pain) and she's very relieved that he has been released from his suffering.

There will be a Memorial Service on Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day) at 3:00pm at Cornerstone Church, 1190 S. Broadway in Boulder. At 2:00pm for those who wish to spend some quiet time with Paul, the closed casket will be available in the auditorium. A reception will follow at 5:00; Paul requested a BBQ, so please bring a side dish or dessert! The rest will be provided.

If you would like to provide a meal for the Townsends, call Liane Cutforth at 303-926-1126.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Martha, I'm sorry that Paul has left this earth but am glad his suffering is over. Our prayers are with you and your family. I only wish I could be there with you to celebrate Paul's wonderful life. What a marvelous human being he was. We will alway remember him and love him. He is with the Lord.

Greg White
Singapore

Jeff Hetschel said...

Martha, Deb just told me that Paul is with the Lord, I could hardly believe it! Our hearts are really heavy at your loss. I have so many great memories of Paul, I remember his love for Gods word and his smile the most.
Paul's lfe is a great example to me as a Believer and a man. This sometimes cold Earth was made so much better by your fine man!
We love you!

Ramona Davis said...

Dear Martha,
I sit in Connecticut at my son Clif's computer just doing a quick check of our emails.
When I saw the email from you I clicked on immediately and am sitting here with tears in my eyes as I try to take in your loss of Paul as companion and fellow servant for the Lord. No words seem adequate. Our comfort at such a time is the messge from the apostle Paul's pen to comfort one another. The words of the surity of our loved ones returning with Christ when He returns. Our faithful God has taken Paul to Himself and now Paul will have the joy of being one of those that returns with Christ.
I would that Ken and I could be there tomorrow. I will call Ken (back home in PA while I am in CT helping the the grandchildren) and let him know and we will both be praying for you.
Much love to you.

Anonymous said...

Paul was the Campus Crusade Director at the college I attended in Dallas, Tx. Paul invited me to the bible study where I received Christ as my savior. Paul was tenacious in his pursuit of my life and was always trying to get me before the Lord. It worked, and it will have eternal consequences for me and my family for which I am very grateful. You know, virtually everytime we got together as a group in college it was at a Bar B Q because Paul liked them so much; so I was not surprised when I read that Paul had requested a Bar B Q as the venue for a reception.
i met Paul 27 years ago when I was 18 years old, yet I still think of him continually. He will always be a part of my testimony to my wife, children, and to whomever else I share it. I will never be able to repay Paul and his wife Martha for all they have done for me. They loved me unconditionally and reached out to me at a time when I needed it the most. Since that time I have gone to seminary and then into ministry.
I hope Paul's children Bryan and Natalie will know of the incredible faithfulness of their father toward me and what he has meant to the life of this once lost soul. I hope Martha will tell them about who I once was and who I am today, so they can understand the faithful christian their father was to those who were suffering around him. I will always miss Paul as each year passes by...he did for me the best thing anyone ever has...he loved me, and it is for that...that I shall always be grateful.

Kevin Ingalls
SMU grad 1985

Jeanne said...

Martha,
I love you. I had no idea.
I ran across an old prayer letter of ya'lls recently
and prayed so for you both. Tim and I love you
fiercely. We are so appreciative of the ways the Lord
used you and Paul in our lives during college years and during our years on CCC staff... We love you.
Wish we could be there just to hug you, Nat and Bryan.
In Jesus,
Jeanne Trawick

Jeanne said...

Martha, Jeanne just informed me this morning of Paul's passing. Paul was a great positive influence an me after he took over at University of Central Arkansas Campus Crusade for Christ and had me to deal with! I remember a faith stretching experience for me where I knew he would be challenging me to take on responsibility for a big outreach we would have on our campus. I didn't know what he would challenge me to. I suspected he may direct me to lead a significant responsibility. He asked me what I thought was most important for the outreach. I went through the key leadership positions (like publicity, prayer, physical arrangements, ticket sales, follow up, etc.) I told him they were all important. He indicated that's what he thought I might think (or that that thinking confirmed what he was to challenge me to), then he challenged me to oversee the whole event! (I thought I'd be in charge of just one area and HE would oversee!) Wow, was I challenged! This turned out to be a great stretching experience for me. The confidence he placed in me and the encouraging support he gave was wonderful. This affected my life. Through the years I've observed Paul's ministry from a distance as he went into counseling, I've felt that he used his heartfelt convictions and God given love for others in a wonderful way. Paul was the kind of guy that others would be drawn to. His laughter and energy were contagious. He was a peaceful person, certainly one I can think who would be a kind, understanding counselor. Paul loved people, and this alone is awesome. I'm confident that he left in many people's hearts an example of Jesus gregarious love and compassion for others. I believe The LORD God has been praised through Paul's earthly life. Blessings to you, Martha, as you recooperate after the long medical battles you helped him endure. I'm sure you were a great source of joy and consolation in his life. May God bless you as you continue your ministry. Love, Tim Trawick, Conway, Arkansas

Unknown said...

I miss my spiritual mentor, life coach and brother dear friend. I wrote in my prayer journal the night before our Father called Paul home,

"I thank you Father for our brother Paul's life. I pray that you are holding his hand this morning, walking on his favorite beach while You assure him, You got his family covered, that is, covered with the Blood of Christ for safety and protection and so he is not worry. The guys are going over to Belfour tomorrow morning to anoint and pray over our brother and to say how much we love him. I know Paul prayed that this would not drag out. I guess that was one of his last prayers, You already know that."

That evening I had a dream that Paul appeared riding a white stallion. He came through a gate right up to where I was standing in a field of lavender, dreams can be so strange. I looked at Paul but did not recognize him right away. He looked so different, plump in the face rosy cheeks, full of life and energy. I said, “you look great.” He says, that’s all gone now. He resembles the warrior Maximums, Russell Crow in Gladiator. But it’s Paul. I never knew the healthy Paul. I only met him just over two years ago. I discovered latter while looking at the family pictures this face is the man most people knew and loved.

It was really no surprise that Paul was raised up the next morning. Nevertheless, that evening I struggled with God, Why did You take him from us?” You know there’s a battle going on and Paul is one of Your frontline warriors!!! We need him here now. Then I heard this still small voice, “I KNOW, THAT IS WHY I CALLED HIM HOME. HE IS A GENERAL WITH ME AND SERVING YOU IN THE SPIRITUAL.”

Then the enemy said, you just made that up. That’s what you want to believe. Filled with thought of self doubt, I asked God for confirmation. Then the spirit of truth filled me with Word, REV. 19:11-14 “I saw heaven open, and behold a white horse; …and the armies which were in heaven followed upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” Then I heard His voice again, here you go, John. Thank You Father for Paul’s life here on earth and in Heaven.