Press On! The Story of Bill Minor
December 25, 2006
Dear Friends,
Bill Minor died this past week at his home in Oklahoma City at the age of 68. This humorous, quirky, little “redneck†(as he liked to call himself) will be sorely missed. He went by many pseudonyms including Billy Bob, Jay Ray, Santa Claws and Cuzzin Bill to name a few.
Bill’s story had a profound impact on me. When someone would suggest to me that the differences in views on faith and works were just a matter of semantics, I was quick to tell Bill’s story.
Bill was depressed the day of his baptism some 40 plus years ago. The people around him were glad he was being baptized, but all that he could feel was the weight of a life of probation. It was now up to him to earn himself a place in God’s kingdom. He felt this malaise and spiritual lethargy for 38 years. During this time he maintained a nice white collar job and lived quite well. After 38 years in the Lord, however, Bill made a dramatic, life-changing discovery. He discovered that he wasn’t going to save himself. God and Christ had done that 38 years before. His name was already written in the Book of Life. The weight he had been carrying all this time wasn’t put there by God, but by himself.
About that same time, Bill was poisoned by mercury. Not only did he lose his health, he also lost his job and his wealth. Bill relayed to me how he would by the large, economy bags of rice just so he could afford to eat. The doctors couldn’t do anything to help. Despite these Job-like trials, Bill says that these have been the happiest times of his life. He was free. God loved him. God was for him. The Kingdom was his to lose. He would never be the same depressed, defeated person again for his Redeemer lived.
Bill wrote the following to me concerning his trials about a year ago.
God is a disciplining God, but NEVER a ‘harsh’ God, more especially with his adopted ‘children.’ In every case, if we look deeply enough, we SHALL find ‘the God of love’ at work, in ‘all things’ for ‘our good.’ When matters SEEM harsh, (and some biblical things do, then is time to look deeper and not just say ’that’s how it is,’ or ‘how God is.’ Faith is to fully TRUST God implicitly. We know or should, that HE above all beings will ALWAYS do that which is right! (And loving).
One other thing that bears mentioning about Bill was his e-mails. If you ever received a Bill Minor e-mail, you know what I am talking about. It was not unusual for these e-mails to be ten pages long. The thing that really struck me about his e-mails is just how much they were full of genuine praise for God. As in the above quote, Bill was head-over-heels in love with God and with Christ and truly thankful for what they had done for him. Bill was probably the most praiseful person of God that I have ever known. I can honestly and embarrassingly say that I found his e-mails in most instances painful to read because of their length. This was somehow justified in my mind because he didn’t net things out. In this world of time management and deadlines, there just wasn’t time to read a Bill Minor e-mail. He would pour out his heart about love, mercy, grace, forgiveness and so forth; things which apparently I didn’t have time for, to my loss.
In April of this year and sensing his demise due to his failing health, Bill wrote to me and said “It’s just too bad you have to cash in your chips about the time you finally develop a modicum of ‘wisdom!’ :) :) NO problem though, if eternal life lies ahead.â€
Let me close this thought as Bill did in his e-mail to me with his bold admonition.
“PRESS ON! By His Majestic GRACE, Love, Billâ€
Have a great week,
