Crossing the finish line

About 5 years ago I wrote an annotated list of the dozen most influential men in my life. Among their number was Jim Russell. Jim crossed the finish line earlier today and was welcomed in the embrace of his master Jesus. For him I rejoice; but for all of us who knew him well, he will leave a large whole in our lives and hearts.

Jim had been a Marine in his younger years and later settled in Lansing, MI where he worked in sales for years before establishing RBF Inc. nearly 40 years ago. RBF was and is an extraordinarily strong Business Forms company and formed the foundation for remarkable success and financial rewards for Jim. But his greatest influence (other than his 57 year marriage to Phyllis and their five children) was the way his faith in Christ found expression through the AMY Foundation. Named for their youngest daughter, a beautiful young woman with Downs Syndrome, the AMY Foundation became first a vehicle to support missions work and Bible Education, then to become the sponsor of the AMY Foundation Writing Awards program, which rapidly became the largest and most popular writing awards program in American journalism - and also the largest cash award in journalism prizes. First place winners take home the top $10,000 of a pool of $34,000 in awards given to writers who present the biblical perspective in issues facing the world today. Writers like Cal Thomas and Richard John Neuhaus are counted among the top prize winners.

After the AMY Writing Awards, Jim went on to establish the Church Writing Group Movement and the Pen and Sword Newsletter for writers, the book "Awakening the Giant" (Zondervan, 1996) and the AMY Pastor Awards. I was blessed to be counted among the 15 recipients of the AMY Pastor Award.

Jim was the first person I met from Bretton Woods Covenant Church in Lansing. A member of the search committee, he was going to be out of town in Dallas the weekend I visited to candidate at BWCC, and since I lived in Dallas at the time, we arranged to meet for dinner.

The man I met that evening was gentle and soft-spoken, but filled with the Holy Spirit and passionate about impacting the nation and world for Christ. How often he and I shared breakfasts at Pat's Pantry, where I would be the recipient of his love and wisdom for a solid hour. How generously he shared his wisdom and insight with me. How affirming he was of my ministry.

In the 12 years since I left Lansing, Jim and I stayed in touch several times a year - but now I wish we'd spoken more. Whenever I communicated with Jim, be it by phone or e-mail, I walked away feeling loved, valued, and significant - and a little bit stronger in my faith.

Heaven is the wealthier today and earth the poorer. But we will meet again.