The Mission Statement for FishBowl Ministries states: Offering Hope, Encouragement, and Friendship to all those in Ministry SO THAT THEY MAY FINISH WELL!
Linda and I met at a very small College in Marion, Indiana in 1966.The school was then called Marion College. It struggled for many years to see enrollment reach 1,000 students. Some years later the school changed its name to Indiana Wesleyan University and this past school year they had 4,000 students that graduated. WOW!
In a few months I hope to be at IWU to celebrate the 50th year of my college graduation. (It was really last year but Covid 19 took center stage) I hope we all wear name tags because some of us may have changed in 50 years! I want to tell you about two people that finished well in what God had asked of them. Their names were Dr. Wilbur Williams and Dr. Ardelia Williams. (No relation)
Dr Wilbur Williams served Marion College/IWU for 50 years as Associate Professor of Biblical Literature. 8 times he was awarded the Professor of the Year award by the students. During his 50 years as a professor, he made156 trips to the Holy Land, taught 17,250 students and volunteered 40 years participating in archaeological excavations in Israel and North Africa.
Dr Ardelia Williams was also busy. She spent 35 years as Associate Professor of Art and Coordinator of the Arts Department. She designed and crafted 6 stained glass windows for one of the major buildings on campus. She also spent 40 years leading students on trips to Italy and England. On the IWU campus there is a small, but beautiful prayer chapel that was built a few years ago in their honor. The best part of this story is that this couple deferred their salaries for 22 years to fund the building along with five sculptures of this prayer chapel.
As I read this story a few weeks ago I thought, “this is what it means to finish well”. You and I will not do what Wilbur and Ardelia Williams did but we can follow God and do what He wants us to. We can finish well and hear Him say: Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your reward.
Thanks to all of you for your financial gifts and your faithful prayers. You are an integral part in helping all of our FBM pastors to finish well!
Blessings and peace,
Lyle
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