But then again, he was such a
great influence in our lives, there’s always been much to remind me of His life
and legacy. Even small things like a box of Whitman’s chocolates brings him to
mind, because every Christmas, he’d show up at our back door with a box for us. Jerry often quotes these
words from him, “If you want to get anything done, you’d better do it before
you retire, because after that, you won’t have time.” So true.
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| You can see Dr. Boleyn's sweet demeanor in this photo taken at a church event in the early days of Jerry's ministry. |
I came to know Dr. Boleyn when he "retired" from full time ministry as a pastor and moved back to our town to start his own ministry, “Power for Living Today.” He wrote a weekly column in the newspaper, preached revivals, and filled in for other pastors. Reference the "too busy" quote above. He was a humble, gentle man who was much loved and much sought after. In his quiet way of mentoring, he was responsible for so many coming to know the Lord in a deeper way including several who went on to have global ministries and one who became the president of two large Christian universities. The value of his legacy is inestimable.
These days, I’m thinking of one
of his favorite songs. If he preached and I was at the piano, I would
almost always know the closing song was “God is so good,” even if something
else was planned. And of course, we’d sing the other verses like, “He cares for
me,” “I’ll do His will,” and “I love Him so.” Improvisations on the song could
just keep going, but we’d always get back to “God is so good.”
These days as flickers of normal
seem to be returning, bluebirds are nesting, and the azaleas are blooming, “God
is so good” might be easier for some to say. But God is so good even when we
are still struggling, grieving, and agonizing over seemingly unsolvable personal and sometimes private
problems—when things don’t appear to be turning
out the way we want.
God’s goodness isn’t dependent on
circumstances or outcomes. Dr. Boleyn knew that no matter what is happening to
us, God is good, and we can choose to focus on our blessings instead of our problems
and disappointments. In a collection of his articles, he wrote. “There are
bruises and there are blessings, and there is the attitude within us that
chooses to make one of them uppermost in our lives. If bruises come first, if
we are always preoccupied with them, probably our lives will be one continued
complaint . . . On the other hand, if blessings are uppermost in our minds, we
have a different kind of attitude toward life. We have a continuing sense of
indebtedness to others and to God. Our lives are not self-centered; they are
others-centered. Our spirits are lifted by the magnitude of goodness which has
come our way.”
Our dear Dr. Boleyn is an example
of the “magnitude of goodness” that has come our way and though he has been
gone now for over twenty years, he lived a life of such profound influence, Jerry
and I often share how we miss him and discuss something he taught us. He proved
those four words, “God is so good” in every encounter I ever had with him and
God is using his legacy to remind me today to continually focus on God’s
goodness.
No matter what is happening.
No matter what might be lurking.
God is so good.
“Oh, give thanks to the lord, for He is good! His mercy endures forever” I Chronicles 16:34
