1993 Bill Hancock

Big, warm, burly, steady, humble, giant, meek, strong, steady, working, thoughtful, intelligent, huge, friend - Christian.  That is Bill to me and to almost everyone he has ever known - ever.  Bill made his mistakes in life but they were truly mistakes.  Bill was a giant guy - even to someone who is not small like me.   He had huge hands and a huge heart but I get ahead of myself.

I met Bill at Church - at Northwest.  He and his wonderful wife Nikki became part of the Youth Team when Karin and I were in Youth Ministry.  Bill would load the buses, unload the buses, play hard at everything even the games he was not good at, he never had to be asked to get involved, and he loved those kids.   Bill is a genius.  He passed up some opportunities that capitalized on his supreme intelligence and chose to use his brains and work with his hands.  Sometimes I thought that he might have had some regrets but he never waivered.  He has always provided for his family.  He has always loved his children.  He has a great work ethic and every employer he has ever had has been more than blessed.  

He really only had one weakness and that was his big, young heart would sometimes get wounded too quickly and he would withdraw.  There were a few times that I had to hunt him down and help him get his eyes off perception - but then, many of those times it was my insensitive teasing that got him down in the first place.  Our team was close and we were younger.  I had not yet learned how and when to stop or how to see the differences in people.  Bill just did not like being picked on all the time.  Sure, he could have gotten over it but as well, his teammates could have lightened up and fired fun at another target.

Bill never ceased being my friend.  The only reason that we are apart today is because it was prudent and best for his family to move to another church.  I have no doubt that God led them away and I have no doubt that it was best for their family.  I also have no doubt that Bill misses me when he thinks about me - but probably not as much as I miss his big, burly friendship.

From Bill, I learned that people can make choices that result in the necessity to "change the plan".  I saw the hurt and difficulty of Bill and Nikki changing church homes but I as well as they knew that the change was most important to take their family to the next place with the Father.  Much more than that, I learned what a real servant's heart is like and what a real friend is like - steady, sensitive, strong and sincere.  I learned that such a friend is worth millions of people who come to church but are not fellows.  I learned that I sometimes understimated the value of such a friend. 

Big, warm, burly, steady, humble, giant, meek, strong, steady, working, thoughtful, intelligent, huge, friend - Christian.   Wherever Bill is today - people should be finding a blessing! 

Perhaps God will let me work alongside Bill another day in the Kingdom.