 Bill is 83 years old but you’d never know it by looking at him. He is strong and healthy and very active in his ministry work. He is currently involved in ministry at a home for the elderly (not as a resident but as a visiting minister). He also does ministry at a convalescent center, a local multi-ethnic outreach, as well as his weekly choir activities. He was nearly killed in a car accident earlier this year, but he has recovered and is right back in the full swing of things.
Bill grew up as a kid in the Great Depression. In those days times were very tough and people had to do whatever they could do for work. The kids were expected to pull their own weight and help out with chores around the house. As a kid Bill worked in New York as a farmhand, a telegram messenger, and magazine salesman.
The family didn’t have money for ‘luxuries’ like new shoes. They had to make do with what they had. Bill remembers as a kid going to a Catholic Parochial school when a nun noticed his worn out shoes and personally took him shopping to get a new pair. He also came to experience the most painful experience of all, the death of his beloved mother. She died at their home after a long illness and Bill still had to go to school the same day.
Later on Bill joined the merchant Marines and served in WWII. On December 3, 1944, his ship, The Francis Asbury was hit by a floating mine and sank in the North Sea. Bill was one of the survivors but many of his shipmates were not as fortunate, including his best friend. He saw a lot of action in WWII and was actually was on a ship dodging bombs and bullets AT the Normandy invasion bringing in troops and supplies.
Bill has had an amazing life and so far has lived through 14 US presidencies going all the way back to Calvin Coolidge. He had a 30-year career with the FAA. He also had work experience in home building and even tour guiding. He had exotic adventures traveling the world in military service. He went through the great quake in 1964. He has seen friends and family die. He has seen hardships and tragedy as well as triumphs and great joys.
Through everything, Bill has learned to trust the Lord and let God guide and direct his steps. He has learned to accept the Lord’s forgiveness when he has failed and to give the Lord thanks when he finds success. Bill’s joy and faith are evidence to all of his real relationship with Jesus. He laments that kids today give up so easily and turn to self-destructive things without thinking about the long term consequences of their choices.
Bill has lived long enough to say with authority that life should be prepared for as a long journey with many peaks and many valleys. The Word of God and a close walk with God will help us to keep a ‘Steady as she goes’ course through life and come through safely into harbor with a lot more joy than regrets if we do it His way.
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