Last Tuesday I (well, Jill and I) had a phone call from a friend from Southwest Arkansas. I had the privilege of being her Pastor for 6 ½ years and continued on and off in that role for the next 4 years. Her husband, Jim, was on the search committee that brought Jill and I to Arkansas in 2005. We have continued to keep in touch over the years.
Jim was quite a character. He was the man’s man. He loved to hunt… deer, duck, squirrel and even bear (had a bear skin rug in his den from one of his successful hunts)! He loved to fish (pond, lake and deep sea) and catch anything in the water including alligator. He liked to water ski, snow ski and probably ice skate (not much opportunity to do that in SW Arkansas though). Jim was a great dresser. He would often look like he just came from a photo shoot for GQ. His jeans were always pressed and creased as well as his shirt. His joke with me was he wanted to be better dressed than the Preacher. (I told him if he did, he could preach.) Even after tearing a roof off a house and putting back on the new one…in August… he still looked good (smelled horrible, but looked good).
Work was not something unfamiliar to Jim. He was a hard worker. He finished college, went to work in accounting with a business degree and ended up owning his own steel company. He sold it, retired to Colorado and ended up starting a shuttle company. He sold it, moved to Hope Arkansas and bought real estate and became a landlord of numerous rental properties. He then began buying houses and he and Terry (his wife and side-kick) flipped them. Jim had a knack to succeed in whatever he tackled.
Most of all, Jim was a friend. I worked with Jim on some of his rental projects as well as many church committees, functions and projects. Even after I moved from the church in Ashdown to Texarkana and he went to a church in Mineral Springs, we still stayed in contact. We were friends, best friends, even.
If Jim were going through a rough time in business, family, marriage or church I was there as a friend. And, if I was going through a rough spot in church, family, marriage or whatever…Jim was there. It was always good to know He had my back and I had his.
Sometimes this was hard. Sometimes we had to be honest with each other, brutally honest and tell each other when we thought that one of us were going in a wrong direction and the results could be disastrous. See, that is what a friend does for a friend!
That is probably why it was so hard, but also so awesome, to be able to be a part of his funeral. Jim died with cancer in 2019. One of the hardest funerals I ever had to do. We both played a big part in each other’s life for almost 15 years.
Deuteronomy 1:38 says, “Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.” Moses’ time has come to an end. He will not take the Hebrews into the Promised Land. Joshua is to do that. Joshua cannot do this on his own. He needs strength and encouragement. Moses will not be there to do this. Joshua’s training is now over and his leadership coming to fulfillment. Joshua needs not only Moses’ blessing, but his determination.
Moses had Aaron to strengthen him (along with Joshua). The Disciples had Jesus. Paul had Barnabas, Silas, Timothy and the Holy Spirit. Elijah had Elisha and Elisha had Gehazi. King David had Nathan, the prophet. All of these had someone to strengthen their determination. And me, I had Jim and Jim had me.
Who does this for you? Do your parents? Maybe it is your siblings? Or possibly this could be a best friend. Your strengthener may be your Pastor, Sunday School teacher, a school teacher, coach or spouse. See, we all need a strengthener and to be a strengthener.
I have had other ones who have been a strengthener over the years and one now, but there will never be another Jim. I am reminded, though, Christ is our supreme strengthener.
It was good to talk to my friend, Terry, from southwest Arkansas. It was good to catch up on present life and relive some of the past. It was good to be reminded of a past strengthener that meant so much and had such an impact. I hope I can be the same to someone else someday.
Let me leave you with this verse of scripture that speaks to the strengthening one’s determination: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1John 3:16, ESV) Strengthening Determination, Bro. Tim
