Point of View

In 1995, I received a call from a pastor in the Panhandle informing me that a lady in his church had given an undesignated check to the Florida Baptist Convention. This is always good news!

I immediately called her to give thanks and express appreciation from Florida Baptists. She invited me to visit her the next time I was in the area. My schedule called for me to be in that area to preach within the next few weeks. We worked out a date and I met with her and her pastor in his office. She was so gracious and kind as we reviewed various potential uses of her donated funds.

After filtering through many options, she decided to take my suggestion and begin the Cooperative Program Endowment. We drew up the papers and put the project in motion. Through the years we visited many times by phone and a few times in her home. She was simply a delight to be around.

Alma Butler died just before Christmas in 2006. Two weeks ago, the Florida Baptist Convention received from her estate a generous check for Cooperative Program Endowment.

I am so grateful for the gift, but without sounding pious, I am even more grateful for Miss Butler's friendship and affirmation of our ministry. She was a very special lady who loved missions and wanted her witness to continue beyond the grave. What a great concept of stewardship! Souls will come to Jesus and future missionaries will be trained through this generous gift. Only eternity will record all the good that will come. Praise the Lord!