A Tribute to my Pastor Stan...

I finally got my words together to honor my Pastor Stan... I wanted to write it in a way to personally express to him how much he means to me but also as a tribute for others to see how great a man he is... It is in his honor and the honor of the One for whom he has lived his life that I share this... Dear Pastor Stan… You cared for a little girl so many years ago… that little girl has watched you for almost 40 years now. You have never once let her down. You love like Jesus and because of that you have brought so many to Him… You were first my Pastor. Not just any pastor but the one who introduced me to my Savior. Words don’t even come close to share how thankful I am. This alone would make you one of the most special people in my life. But you didn’t stop there…. Then, you became our friend. I think back on some really happy times… at the ball field watching Earle & Seth and you teaching me all the baseball lingo like “ducks on the pond”, “straighten it out a little” and “turn two”! I’ve been thinking about other silly things you taught me… like what a hotdog is really made of, putting a little salt on my drink napkin so my glass wouldn’t stick to it and hitting the catsup on the “57” so it would come out faster (I really thought you were joking on that one but it works!). I’ve been thinking about the Haggard & Toler trips to Branson… boating, fishing and having fun... while the whole time, your hair never even moved! I was amazed by that! I’ll never forget the time you let me mess it up! A highlight of my life! I remember the babysitting adventures that Adam, Seth and I went on and how you so eloquently found a way of sharing those as illustrations in books and sermons. Those were some fun and happy times. Then there were those times that weren’t so happy… you were there then, too. I don’t like dwelling on those too much but probably the one for which I am most thankful was when my mom and dad divorced… you and Linda were there for Earle and me. You have always been there. You have been my steady no matter what else is going on… you and Linda have been there loving me through. You welcomed Tom in, too! He has always been amazed no matter where in the world (literally) you were you would always respond to me within half an hour or less. You and Linda have loved each other so well and have given us all an example to follow. You have no idea how much that has meant to me! I love you both so much for loving each other so much! You have been my Pastor, my example, my friend, my encourager, my strength, my steady, a lifter of my head and have put so much laughter in my heart. You have represented Jesus so very well and I am forever grateful. I love you and Linda with all my heart and am so thankful God put you in my life. Mine is a life that has been changed because of you! I know you have lived your life for the One you are getting ready to see. I know you’ve also given your life so that all of us would be able to be there with you with Him! Heaven is going to be even greater with you there. But goodness… this is sure hard letting you go. I love you and your family with all of my heart and I think I can speak for all of us that we just can’t wait to be there with you. Until then, I will be your legacy, with so many others that your life has touched, and follow your example. With so much love in my heart, Amy Lyn Hoover 

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Dr. Stan Toler, 67, passed away last night, Nov. 18, 2017, surrounded by his loving family. Celebration service details are forthcoming. Messages to the family can be sent to Margaret@TolerLeadership.com or mailed to Toler Leadership, P. O. Box 720230, Oklahoma City, OK 73172 https://t.co/F7xlKIjeVd 

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💔 The hardest thing about a broken heart.... is that it keeps beating. Most broken things quit working when they break but a broken heart keeps beating. Right now, my heart is broken but it will continue beating. For the reason of that which it is broken, I will live better and live bigger as a living legacy to the one we loved and lost. God is still good even in the midst of hard things we don’t understand. His heart breaks with ours and He is going to help us put ours back together. I love you Pastor Stan! I can’t imagine the reception you got and those words you got to hear from the One you’ve been living and longing to see... “Well done!” Until I see you again... I’ll be doing my best to follow the example I watched you live. ❤️ 

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“Thank You, Lord, for the hope we have in You. We can endure the trials of today because we know the truth of tomorrow. You are the Giver and Sustainer of life. All sorrow will one day be erased. All tears will one day be replaced. There will be joy and laughter and singing. And it's all because of You. Help me to remember this truth when the weight of today feels like too much. Help me to become a person of prayer and person of praise, because of everything You have already done. In Jesus' name, amen.” Denise J Hughes - James 5 #First5 

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"And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be CONFIDENT AND UNASHAMED before him at his coming." 1 John 2:28 I know He is going to meet Him... CONFIDENT AND UNASHAMED! This is who He lives for and for whom He gave His life telling us all about! So thankful for this man and his incredible family! Words just aren’t coming close to express what they mean to me! For now... let me just keep saying, I love you all with all my heart! 

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Stan’s last few tweets...

Retweeted Stan Toler (@StanToler): “The purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him.” #Oswald Chambers 

Retweeted Stan Toler (@StanToler): When we face tough times, God puts His toughest family members nearby to lend us a hand. #KingdomStrong 

Retweeted Stan Toler (@StanToler): What happens to us or around us is not greater than what is happening within us: God building fortresses for our faith. #FaithStrong 

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Earlier this week...

❤️ I love this family with all of my heart and would covet your prayers on their behalf. My Pastor Stan is one of the mightiest men of God I have ever known and I am so very thankful for his tremendous impact on my life that continues even in this! Thank you for lifting up the Toler family through this incredibly tough time. ❤️ 

Toler Health Update Since his initial diagnosis in August 2016, Stan and the Toler family are grateful for the outstanding care of so many doctors and nurses, as well as all of your cards, gifts, and words of encouragement. For the last ten months, while receiving the best standard of care, he has been blessed with remarkable stamina and has been able to travel, speak, teach, write and most importantly spend time with loved ones. The prayers of God’s people have touched heaven on Stan’s behalf. Stan and the family praise God for this season of blessings too numerous to mention. Now, having exhausted all possible medical treatment for pancreatic cancer, Stan has been released from the hospital and will be under hospice care at home. He is surrounded by his beloved family, and though weakened in body, remains strong in his faith--believing James 5:14-15. Linda and the rest of the Toler family continue to be strengthened by your love and your prayers. Expressions of concern and encouragement can be addressed to Stan’s assistant, Margaret: Margaret@TolerLeadership.com or mailed to Toler Leadership, P. O. Box 720230, Oklahoma City, OK 73172