"I Trust His Will Completely" - My Brother, Bill (2/2)

After Bill made his way back to California, my contact with him diminished greatly over the next five years or so.

I do remember a trip I made to California in 1971, when I was 12. A memorable event from that visit was an impromptu driving lesson with Bill as my instructor. There were two elements that made this a really bad idea... 1) I was 12, 2) We were in Cali-freaking-fornia!

Bill pulled into an abandoned gas station and we switched positions in his car. Following his instructions, I pressed on the brake and gently pulled the shifter on the steering wheel to the drive position. I eased forward toward the highway, put on the brakes and took a deep breath.

The highway had a center divider with grass and some small trees. I couldn't cross over the divider and that left me with only one option and that was to turn right out of the gas station. The only problem is that I really wasn't aware of which side of the street we were supposed to drive on. I thought it varied state by state. Instead of asking Bill which way to turn, I rolled the dice and turned left... into oncoming traffic!

Almost immediately, I was startled into reality by the car that was about to hit us head on and Bill screaming, "NOT THAT WAY!!"

By instinct, I popped the shifter into reverse and gunned the accelerator. The car followed the same path back into the gas station and I stomped the brake right before slamming into a gas pump. We both sat there for a few seconds, trying to regain our composure before busting out into laughter. The lesson was over and I had failed miserably! But we gained a memory that we would laugh about for years.

Some major and memorable events took place for Bill over the first half of the 1970's. He graduated from Artesia High School in 1970 and headed off to Bob Jones University in South Carolina to train for the ministry. The expense and the distance from his girlfriend, Janet, compelled him to come back home after only one semester.

He then enrolled at the Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College, a small Bible college in Southern California where he sang in the PCBBC Chorale and received a degree in theology in 1975. During his time in college, Bill also married Janet, the love of his life and was put on staff at the Baptist Community Bible Church of Norwalk, CA, where his father-in-law was the pastor. His life was following the script that he had always prayed for.

The summer of 1975 would mark a time where Bill and my lives would intersect in a very crucial, meaningful way.

It was the summer after my sophomore year of high school in Madrid, Iowa. I was a mess. I was smoking weed, drinking as often as I could, running afoul with the law, existing in a horrible home life with alcoholic parents and contemplating self harm.

On a whim, I asked my parents if I could fly out to California for the summer to spend time with my three brothers. Surprisingly they agreed and I flew out to the West coast.

I detail the events of that summer in another blog post but the key point to that trip, as it relates to Bill, is that I only spent two days with him out of the approximately 60 days that I was in California. I loved my brother, Bill, but I was at a place in my life where I didn't want to be preached at by him... I just wanted to escape reality using the vices that would provide that service and state of mind for me. That summer is still somewhat of a blur in my mind as I spent most days stoned or drunk. I pushed my consumption to the limits.

Shortly after my arrival back to Iowa and the realities that I had tried to escape a couple months earlier... I found myself at my breaking point. I had to escape... one way or another. I thought California might be that avenue but I also knew that my journey could not mirror the destructive lifestyle and habits of the past 60 days. I needed to contact one of my brothers as a resource to aid in my escape.

So I called Bill.

Rather than telling me to kick rocks for having the audacity to ask this favor after snubbing him for most of my recent visit, he went to work. Not only did he convince my mom to allow me to move out but he also offered me the opportunity to live with he and is wife, in their tiny, 2-bedroom apartment. 

Within a week, I was in my new home with a fresh haircut, a set of strict rules to follow and frankly, a new lease on life. This series of events turned my life around. It put me on a new path and gave me a future worth living for. All because Bill loved me, fought for me and sacrificed greatly for me.

As I climbed out the funk that had dominated my life for several years, Bill became my counselor and mentor. He guided me to become a disciple of Christ. I was thirsty for knowledge and he happily served as my teacher. Bill helped me to unlock the vault of freedom and purpose. My life suddenly had meaning and I looked toward my future with renewed optimism. This is why Bill meant so much to me.

In Bill's early years of ministry at the Baptist Community Bible Church, he served as a "bus captain." This is a ministry in which one would knock on doors in a particular section of town or a neighborhood and invite children to ride the bus to church.

One such child who accepted the offer to ride the bus was a spunky, long haired blonde named Jeana Gordineer. Over the next few years, she became very faithful and involved in the church's youth group and she always had a special place in Bill's heart. 

Years later, Bill would play an integral part in matching that spunky blonde up with his baby brother and I am forever grateful for his match making!

After spending several years as an assistant pastor, Bill was called to his first pastorate in Downey, California. He was later called to lead a church in North Long Beach. In both instances, he brought me with him to minister to the teens of those churches. 

Through the years, God blessed Bill and Janet with four children. Jeremy was the oldest, followed by Jared, Sarah and Bethany. 

Bill's life was always involved in ministry of some sort. In addition to pastoral work, he served as an evangelist, a Christian school teacher, administrator  and a coach. Besides pastoring the two churches in California, he also led congregations in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana and Kansas.

Bill's life would not be absent of tragedy and turmoil. 

I will never forget April 22nd, 2016. I was driving home from work on a beautiful, spring afternoon when I received a text message from Bill. It was three words, "Janet passed away."

My initial thought was, "Janet who?" I knew it couldn't be my wonderful sister-in-law. She was only 62 and was always the picture of health. And so I texted back my initial question, "Janet who?"

"My Janet," was his blunt reply. 

My sweet, innocent sister-in-law died of a cardiac embolism. 

Tragedy came calling again on Christmas day in 2018 as Bill's eldest daughter, Sarah, went to be with the Lord at age 35. She had suffered seizures for many years and it seems one had taken her life way too soon.

On June 14th, 2023, Bill's firstborn, Jeremy, breathed his last breath just a few weeks shy of his 47th birthday. It seems the same condition that took his mama seven years earlier had selected him as its next victim.

Through it all, Bill's outward demeanor was stoic and firm in his faith. Bill had always been a very private person... never wanting to show emotions or vulnerability but I have to imagine that he broke down in his moments of privacy and seclusion.

Bill spent his final years as a school teacher in East Moline, Illinois where he seemed rejuvenated and inspired. His students loved him and Bill loved them back.

In the fall of 2023, after experiencing some chest pain, it was discovered that Bill had some blockages that would require bypass surgery. He came through the surgery but his recovery period turned out to be a long and arduous one. 

Bill returned to teaching before the school year ended in 2024 but his strength and stamina was very slow to return. He told me that he could only teach half days and he could no longer stand and lecture for any length of time. 

After a trip to the ER in July of 2024, Bill was admitted to the hospital where they discovered more blockages that would require more surgery. We texted back and forth as the time of his procedure approached. Bill was calm and unworried. 

In his final communication to me, his text read, "I trust His will completely."

Bill went into cardiac arrest twice during the medical procedure requiring his heart to be shocked back to life and forcing the surgical team to abandoned the procedure. He was put into an induced coma.

Jeana and I traveled to Illinois, hoping to be there when Bill would regain consciousness but he would never awake this side of heaven. On July 19th, 2024... my brother, my mentor... awoke in the arms of Jesus.

Bill's final lesson to me is one that I will hopefully carry with me for the rest of my earthly days and is contained in his final words to me... to "trust His will completely."

Rest in peace, my beloved brother. I will see you soon.