Redeemer's pastor is Carlos Rodriguez. Carlos has a wide and varied brackground in the worlds of ministry and business. He was the founding Area Director of Young Life in the Shenandoah Valley and also served as the Area Director of Williamsburg Young Life. Carlos has also been active in the business world, functioning as the Director of Business Development for several technology companies. He is also the former CEO of Freedom Wash, a local car wash chain. Before coming to Redeemer, Carlos was the co-founding teaching pastor of Trinity Church in Virginia Beach. Carlos is a graduate of the University of Virginia and received his Master of Divinity degree from Reformed Theological Seminary. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Leigh Ellen, for 25 years. They have 4 children.
Mark A Rodriguez Remembered
Mark's Story
On May 30, 2014, Pastor Carlos and wife Leigh Ellen's son Mark was killed. His life was captured by God when he was shot coming home from Norfolk Christian's graduation. Mark was a beloved son and brother, grandson, loyal friend, and all around good guy. But Mark was more than "good." What made him special was he was very aware he was imperfect, and fully surrendered his life to the God who loved him anyway. Less than 2 months before Mark was killed, he wrote the piece below. To learn more about Mark's story and to follow a blog with his journal entries: click God is Super Good. To purchase Mark's book: The Extrordinary Ordinary Life of Mark Rodriguez
HEAVEN
4.5.14
I’ve been meditating on heaven a lot lately, and I must say, it wells my eyes with tears of joy every now and then. What a beautiful thought that one day, I will be completely in the presence of God and will actually be able to feel the magnitude of all his love and peace with no earthly fears or worries to distract me. The joy that I feel now, the serenity I feel now, will finally be made perfect.
The presence of God here on earth is enough to make me shudder in wonder. I’ve had some incredible moments in life that can only be explained as miracles where I see my Abba, my Father move in love for me so powerfully; it brings me to my knees in amazement. To think that one day I will be perfectly and totally in his presence….I’m definitely going to need a heavenly body because the joy he fills me with now sometimes makes me feel like I’m about to explode!
I love the image of Heaven because it is perfect, perfect peace. Every quarrel, every hurt, it’s all gonna be resolved. All of God’s children will be together and we won’t hurt each other anymore; we’ll finally understand how to love perfectly. And the fact that we’ll all be worshiping the Lord together in one place, forever….that amazes me.
It makes me so excited to think of the wedding feast awaiting us when we go to be with the Lord. I imagine streets filled with rejoicing, loud trumpets, wedding bells….I’m sure it’ll be far more incredible than I can comprehend now, and I love that.
God is super good. I can’t wait to be with him forever:)