Remembering Bill Henry
This is one of the last photos I have of my father with his dear friend Bill Henry. It was taken three months before my dad passed away. The other photo is Bill speaking at my father’s service.
Bill showed up for my father in every way imaginable. They met at church decades ago and became golfing buddies, but their friendship went far beyond golf. When my father got sick, Bill started taking my dad out for breakfast every Friday — even when my father could barely get in and out of the car. Bill would often say, “I love Paul,” and my father could feel that love. I could feel it too.
Two nights before my father died, Bill and his wife Jen brought dinner to the house. The last words my father spoke came as he accepted their offer of dessert. Bill was still showing up, still loving my father, right to the very end.
Bill was highly successful in business, but what stood out most was his character, his faith, and the way he cared for people.
Despite Bill’s own health beginning to fade in recent years, he was a tremendous support to me as well. While my dad was sick, Bill gave me a list of movie suggestions, and we ended up watching every single one of them. Later on, he often wanted to take me to the same breakfast spot where he used to take my dad. He also frequently told me he wanted to play tennis together once he was feeling better. Whenever I saw Bill, he would ask me how things were going at work. When I opened up about ongoing challenges, his response was always, “Can I pray with you?” And he did. He prayed with me and for me. He prayed for my co-workers too.
Bill was always seeing needs and looking for ways to meet them. Even when he was clearly having more trouble getting around, I would still see him get out of his seat at church and gingerly walk over to someone in need of prayer.
I heard Bill’s testimony, and it was clear that Bill knew he was deeply in need of a Savior. Bill also knew he was deeply forgiven. As Jesus said, “He who has been forgiven much loves much.” Bill lived that out. When you experience something that changes your life, you can’t help but tell others. Bill couldn’t help but declare what God had done for him. He was always looking for opportunities to share the love of God and was famously known for telling everyone he encountered, “Jesus loves you.”
Even as he was dying, stories came out about Bill sharing Christ with members of the medical staff. Of anyone I’ve ever known, Bill lived out Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.”
I am, in many ways, very different from Bill. I can be shy about my faith — or just plain shy in general. I’ve seen plenty of painfully awkward moments where telling someone Jesus loves them wasn’t exactly well received. I know many people have complicated feelings about Christians and Christianity. But Bill was not especially concerned about that. He believed it was his job to tell people that Jesus loves them, and how they responded was up to them.
Bill passed away on May 16. I feel like the best way I can honor him is by telling whoever reads this what Bill would want you to know:
Jesus loves you.
How deep the Father’s love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
No, but I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Category: Musings
