Celebration of a Life -- Tribute to Jim Billings

Written by Gayle Grisbee as a tribute to Jim Billings January 24, 2017

James Richard Billings, known to those who knew him as Jim, was born June 10, 1946 in Clayton, Oklahoma.   He left his earthly home to be with the Lord on January 16, 2017.

Jim Billings June 10, 1949 - January 16, 2017

Jim was born to James and Viola Billings in Clayton, Oklahoma.   The family soon moved to Oregon in Jim's youth.   Jim loved growing up in Oregon and often spoke of its beauty.   As a young adult, Jim attended Bethany Bible College in Scotts Valley, California where he met the love of his life, Thelma Franklin.   The two were married on August 5th, 1967.

They soon added three children to their family, Pam, Jim Jr. and Philip.   Early in their marriage, Jim and Thelma felt the call of the Lord to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of South America.

In 1974, they moved their family to Bolivia where they served as missionaries with the Assemblies of God for 25 years.   Jim loved the people of Bolivia and throughout his life he counted it as a tremendous honor that God had called him to served the people of that country.   He touched countless lives in the years he and Thelma spent there.   The impact they made for the Lord will be seen for generations.

Jim and Thelma were reassigned to headquarters in the United States in 2000 when they joined the International team of the Christian Training Network (ISUM).   In 2003 they were named International Directors of the ministry that today encompasses 18 countries with 23 one month long Intensive Advanced Ministry Enrichment Seminars each year, involving 125 traveling professors and directors.   We have estimated that the reach of ISUM professors and pastoral leaders touches over one million believers every week.

Jim loved to hunt and fish with his dad, his brother, his son and his grandsons.   He loved to laugh and tell jokes.  He enjoyed sports and had endless patience for his many grandchildren.   He loved Thelma, loved being a dad and loved being a grandpa.  He loved others and loved Jesus most of all.

Jim and Thelma Billinga

He is survived by his wife Thelma Billings of Roseville, CA; his daughter Pam Hamburg and her husband Glenn of Roseville, CA; his son Jim Billings Jr. and his wife Genelle of Fort Mill, SC; his father James Billings of Sisters, Oregon; his siblings, Ruth Shukle, Dan Billings and his wife, Jackie; and Linda Blackwell and her husband, Sam.

He is also survived by 8 grandchildren, 7 grandsons and one granddaughter.   He was loved and will be missed by many.  He is preceded in death by his son Philip, his mother Viola and his sister Naomi.

Dale's comments: Jim, your colleagues honor you and give thanks to God for a life well lived.

Jars of clay: His Glory displayed in our vulnerabilities

Jars of clay: written by Dale Coad

Although we are not comfortable with our human fragility, God's Glory often radiates the brightest against the very backdrop of our vulnerabilities.   In January 2017 God's Majestic Splendor shown brightly through some very perplexing and painful situations.  

Two of our colleagues died.   Three more experienced critical hospitalizations.   Through it all God radiated His sustaining Peace and Glory.   Our hearts were moved as our colleagues fixed their eyes on Jesus in their own pain and declared, "Our God is Good!"   As the scripture says:

2 Corinthians 4:7, 16-18 NIV (portions):    "....we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that  this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us...though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.   

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.   So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Floyd Woodworth Missionary Educator

Missionary Floyd Woodworth is a living example of this counter-play between the transitory and the eternal.   He is a personal hero of mine.    His daughter Sandy Kazim posted this on Facebook:

• He was imprisoned in Cuba as a young man.
• His mind is now imprisoned as an old man.
• He does not know who we are or our names.

...But he has not forgotten to ask God that His Kingdom come, His Will be done

www.facebook.com/sandy.kazim.1/videos/684027965110775

Floyd built his life on the Word of God.   The ravishes of time threaten the very memories of the ones he loves and his own identity.   His jar of clay is showing its vulnerability but the eternal Word of God lives on forever in and through Floyd.

In our vulnerabilities, let's let God's Glory shine through our earthen vessels, our jars of clay!  His Kingdom is forever and nothing can shake that Kingdom.

"This can be your best year ever!"

by David Speer

"This can be your best year ever.   Really.   It can be,"  the email teaser read.   Because it was from a pastor friend that I respect and trust, I clicked on the link in the email to open his blog and began to read.   It was focused around a verse that I grew up singing about (over and over and over again) but rarely focused on like I do now.

Psalms 118:24 NLT This is the day the Lord made made.   We will rejoice and be glad in it.

I find that when I personalize verses like this, it really drives home the depth of wisdom they contain. The idea that God made this day for me isn't that far fetched.    Think about it.   If He saw me before I was born and every moment was laid out before a single day had passed (Ps. 139:16) and if He had planned good things for me to do long ago (Eph. 2:10), then surely today is a day for rejoicing and resting in His Sovereign plan for my life, no matter what situation I find myself in.

Rejoicing and being glad in the day that the Lord has created for us in one of those small things that we can do every day that will fuel the hope we hold in our heart for the best year we've ever had.   It doesn't cost much to do; it's really more of a decision to have an outlook of confident expectation of seeing the goodness of the Lord in day-to-day life.   So how do you have the best year ever?   By having 365 great days in a row!

David and Kristen Speer

Kristen and I hope this is your best year ever!