Thank You for Giving to the Lord

There are many people who touch us throughout our lives but a select few will be remembered for a lifetime. My former youth pastors, Bob and Sue Kring, are two of those people in my life.

Recently I received The Olivetian from Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) and saw that Bob had passed away. I felt like I brick had been dropped on my chest. But in the very next thought I knew he had completed God’s work here on Earth and he went home to live with our Lord. Bob was an amazing man who cared so much for the kids in the youth groups he led over the years and it showed in his actions.

I really never felt like I fit into the youth group at our church whether it was just me being an insecure teenager or the fact that I didn’t come from a Christian home I’m not really sure. But Bob and Sue always made me feel welcome, a part of the group and made me want to come back every week.

I have many great memories and photos of youth group from going out west for 2 weeks to a dude ranch in Wyoming to pool parties to Celebrate Life meeting. There is also one memory that caused me to leave the youth group. We were in Howell, Michigan for an event (not sure what for) and one of my friends was next door at the high school for a football game so I left our event to go visit without letting anyone know. My thought was that I had plenty of time and I would be back about an hour before the event was over. Well I didn’t think about things wrapping up early. When Bob found me I could see that he was upset with me; actually it looked more like disappointment than anything else. I can’t remember if I apologized (I hope I did) or what was said but I was so embarrassed I didn’t want to show my face again and I didn’t…that was the last time I remember seeing Bob.

Because of the influence that Bob and Sue had on my life in the formative years I always maintained a relationship with God and would not be the strong Christian I am today without them. God has an ultimate plan for each of our lives and the role we will play in everyone else’s life. For me, I would not be who I am without God leading Mr. McMullen to invite me to church when I was in kindergarten, my parents letting me go, the friends I made at church and ultimately the Kring’s love and guidance.

There is a song by Ray Boltz called “Thank You for Giving to the Lord” that has touched me whenever I heard it but I was unsure why. Today as I’m writing the words came to me and I truly believe this song was written for Bob.

To everyone from the Plymouth Church of the Nazarene thank you for playing a part in my life and helping me become a better Christian. And to Bob and Sue, words can’t describe how grateful I am to you for touching my life and showing me what it truly means to give selflessly. To you I say, “thank you for giving to the Lord, I am a life that was changed. Thank you for giving to the Lord, I am so glad you gave.”