My Good Friend, Jim Britton

This morning, I attended the celebration of my good friend, Jim Britton. On March 31, Jim entered into the presence of the Lord, joining his son, Shane. From the first time I met Jim, I knew I had encountered a unique and decent person, a man that now defines for me the ideal of missionary and the concept of servant. Over the years, Jim shared the right words of encouragement when I needed them and had a knack for listening when I needed to talk. He "had my back" when the storm clouds of doubt arose and never resisted an invitation for coffee and rolls, even if he had just had coffee and rolls with someone else. For 25 years (half of my life), I had the honor to serve with, pray with, cry with, laugh with, and celebrate with Jim, as we experienced the joy of our marriages and the beauty of our maturing children. In Jim, I witnessed God's grace and power during his most difficult time, the death of his son, Shane. When I tried to minister to Jim, it was Jim who ministered to me. After saying goodbye to my friend, I have one more reason to proclaim: Come Lord Jesus.