Words That Take You Back in Time

Last updated on: December 23, 2021 at 8:30 am by Randy Alcorn

Words That Take You Back in Time 2021-12-05T20:54:41-08:00 Randy Alcorn

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Have you ever come across something, or been given something, whether a photo or recording or something written, that has taken you back in time, and stirred up something in you that was either forgotten or dormant, just waiting to be remembered? That happened to me recently when my long-time friend Alan Hlavka, who was one of my fellow pastors in the early years of Good Shepherd Community Church in Boring (yes, that’s the real name of the town), Oregon, came across this while rereading a journal entry he’d written nearly 34 years ago:

Wednesday, January 13, 1988 Journal Entry

This last Monday night, Randy, [my wife] Theda, and I visited Garland Gabbert [one of the original elders of our church] at Kaiser Sunnyside Hospital. For several days Garland had been having a rough time, and he was scheduled to begin kidney dialysis the next morning. As it turned out, Garland began feeling better the next day, so they felt he didn’t need to begin dialysis yet.

It was obvious when we were there that Garland had weakened a great deal. Some thinning had taken place, a cough that seemed to sap his strength, and a general weakness with periodic disorientation.

However, the visit was a clear and obvious encouragement to Garland and a deep and powerful time for us. His view of life is so different from ours. He seems to have a different “set of lenses” than the rest of us. He’s looking at the same things we are, but he’s seeing it in a completely different way than I am.

He commented, “I can’t get out of my mind the morning the children stood on the platform during the Christmas season. Hundreds of kids, and each one has a soul, and Jesus Christ died for each of them. They are our responsibility, and we can’t let any of them slip away. In years past we’ve let some of them slip through our fingers, but we can’t let them slip away.”

As we left, I commented to Randy and Theda, “So much for ‘maintenance ministries.’” I.e. properly viewed, there is no such thing as a “maintenance ministry” if souls are considered, valued, nurtured.

Garland also said, “Randy, I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. I’ve been praying about your upcoming trip. The trip is going to be so valuable for your children.”

Garland has a silent moment of eye contact with Theda. There was a twinkle in both their eyes, and a strong smile of “I love you” sent both ways.

Randy read Psalm 139, and Psalm 34. We prayed and sang “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”

What memories Alan’s words bring back! That visit was just two months before our family missionary trip, hence Garland’s reference to our children. His words were prophetic, I have always believed that those two months visiting our missionaries in five countries were life-changing for our girls and us. Garland’s heart for children was so strong. May we as Christ followers have that heart here and now.

I searched for what I’d written about Garland in my books. In one of them I said this:

The light of Christ, shining through others, can bring us great joy and gladness.

Jesus said that John the Baptist was “a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light” (John 5:35). The New Century Version says, “You were happy to enjoy his light for a while.”

My high school friend Greg Coffey, who came to Christ at seventeen, shone with a great light and then died two years later. The five young missionary martyrs who were murdered in Ecuador in 1956 were bright lights for Christ, along with their wives, who survived them. God used these Christ-followers to draw thousands of young people into missions.

I also think of Garland Gabbert, Cal Hess, Jim Spinks, and Tom Lyman—older men in our church who drew me and many others closer to Christ through their light. Rather than having hearts that shriveled as they grew older, they became more loving and ministry minded. May we all draw our light and joy from Jesus so that it’s never extinguished, any more than he can be.

And then, dear Leona Bryant, another shining light in our church. I will never forget my final time with her before speaking at her memorial service. Her joy in anticipating being with Christ was so palpable and so real. It wasn’t because she thought that was what she should believe. It was a supernatural certainty about the blood-bought promises of Jesus. She knew where she was going, and despite having to leave her family, including her young son Joe, she couldn’t wait to get there.

Here’s what I wrote that same year, 1988, in my book Money, Possessions and Eternity:

When my friend Leona Bryant discovered she had only a short time to live, she told me of radical changes in her perspective. “The most striking thing that’s happened,” she said, “is that I find myself totally uninterested in all the conversations about material things. Things used to matter to me, but now I find my thoughts are never on possessions, but always on Christ and people. I consider it a privilege that I can live each day, knowing I will die soon. What a difference it makes!”

Recently another dying friend told me with a smile, “I don’t buy jumbo shampoo like I used to. I don’t even buy green bananas.” She knew where she was going. And she knew she wouldn’t be here much longer. Neither will we.

David prayed, “Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” (Psalm 39:4-7)

Photo by Eugene Chystiakov on Unsplash

Christians Past and Present

Previous Post

December 20, 2021

Does It Matter Whether We Serve God with Joyfulness and Gladness of Heart?

Next Post

December 25, 2021 Jesus, the God Who Comes Near

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category About Me Animals Books Books and Resources Christ Christian Life Christians Past and Present Church Creation Culture and Worldview Doctrine and Theology Eternal Perspective Ministries Fun Grace and Truth Grief Happiness Heaven Marriage and Family Missions Money and Giving Persecuted Church Politics Prayer Prolife Salvation Sexual Purity Sovereignty and Free Will Suffering and Evil Uncategorized Writing

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz