Those who knew him all said the same thing, he lived his life determined to please God.
More than 400 people attended Pastor Jim Bond's funeral service on Saturday at Canaan Bible Chapel. A beloved teacher at Canaan Christian Academy and Assistant Pastor at Canaan Bible Chapel, Jim touched thousands of lives as he blogged his journey with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer.
"Jim was a shining example of what a life lived for Jesus Christ can really be. And I'll miss him dearly. He was a man of integrity, a loving family man — a loyal friend," said his Pastor, Matt Wolfe, following the service.
When asked what message Jim would have wanted all those in attendance to leave with, Pastor Matt never hesitated. "I know what he wants. He would want everyone to go from here with a clear understanding of the hope that he found in his relationship with Jesus Christ."
Pastor Matt's words echo those of Pastor Bond, shared in a guest editorial in October, in The Wayne Independent. Here's just part of what he wrote, "I think it was the summer of 2007 that my wife Merrily and I walked into one of the great shops in Honesdale and spotted this sign: Is the Hokey Pokey really what it's all about? I think that we each get around to asking that question, or at least a question very similar to it, at some point in our life. Is this all there is, or is there something more? If so, what is life all about? In a relativistic world where absolute truth is often portrayed as elusive, the answer to this question is not an easy one.
"But I have found that difficult life circumstances help us to cast off the distractions that prevent us from exploring the answers to this question and to see what is really important.
"In December 2007 I was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. At that time, I started a blog as an attempt to share what I'm learning about life as a 45-year old husband, father, pastor and teacher. My desire was and is to be an encouragement to others who are facing difficult circumstances in life and to remind them that there is hope! In every circumstance of life.
"We do not always get to choose what we do in life. It’s one of those important life lessons we try to teach our children but get hung up on ourselves: life is not always fair from our perspective. Unexpected things happen. And we have to make a choice. How are we going to respond to these so-called interruptions to normal life? Allister Begg once wrote that, all of our desires, aspirations and affections should be governed by a prior determination to please God.
"In the few days preceding my initial diagnosis, Merrily and I made a prior determination to please God in everything that comes our way– and that continues to be our daily prayer –that He will give us the wisdom, grace, and strength to do that very thing. As I said, we do have a choice in difficult circumstances: we can turn our backs on God and wallow in self-pity, or we can embrace God and allow Him to see us through. For us, that is the only choice. For one who desires to follow Jesus Christ and glorify God, that is the only real option ...
"Life is about relationships. It begins with a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. And it extends into relationships with family and friends. In the past year, my family and friends have become so much more precious to me. God has designed us to live together in community, to do life together. It is such a blessing to share life, love, laughs, and sorrows with others...
It is my prayer that those who have observed our lives through this past year are encouraged by what God is doing in our lives. I pray that those who have to endure difficult life circumstances – and that includes all of us at one point or another – will find that God is sufficient to meet every need of the human heart, mind and body.
"I encourage you to read more about our story at www.thehokeypokeyplace.blogspot.com."
Within his e-mail submission to this newspaper on October 6, Pastor Bond wrote, "I tried to share what I have been learning, without preaching. To share my heart while encouraging others- in an invitational way- to embrace the hope found in Jesus Christ."
Note: The James Bond Family Trust has been set up at the Honesdale National Bank to benefit Jim’s wife Merrily and their three children. Donations may be mailed or dropped off at the Honesdale National Bank, Main Street, Honesdale.
Pastor Bond touched countless lives:
• Sharon Davis of Clarks Summit said, “He and his wife together, we always felt that they had a great love for God, and it was communicated through their family life and their personal life.
• “I was basically a coach to Jim Bond when they launched this church (Cornerstone Baptist Church) in Forest City,” said Ken Davis, Sharon’s husband. “The thing that probably impressed me the most about him was his strong family life and his love for his wife and children, despite all the pressures of ministry in a brand new church.”
• Family friend Tim Madden, a prior Board member at Canaan Christian Academy said, “The students loved him ...The biggest impact on my life is the impact he left on my children ...They looked up to him, respected him and his teaching ...He was just a well-rounded individual, who touched just so many different people’s lives and will for years.”
• “His testimony to God has been so phenomenal,” said Pete Gregory of Honesdale. “He’s certainly been a blessing and encouragement to us,” said Pete’s wife, Cathy.
•Marilyn Wargo of Lake Ariel said, “He just loved people. He’d look you in the eye and you just felt comfortable around him. He, Merrily and his children, also ...He believed in the Lord. He trusted the Lord. He lived it (his faith).”
• Calling Jim “a wonderful guy,” Jane Hall of Honesdale spoke of Pastor Jim’s “unwavering faith and his concern for others, even as the cancer progressed. He was always trying to encourage and help others ...Through his blog, he personally helped me with some struggles, family issues,” she said.
• Eulogizing his best friend, Pastor Jamie Woodall talked of Pastor Bond’s advice this past June to graduating seniors at Canaan Christian Academy. “Jim shared six life lessons for his students. Students, I want to encourage you to remember this ...from ‘Mr. Bondo’: Learn to be content in what you have. Be prepared for the unexpected in life. Find joy in the journey. Character counts. Put God first in your life. Be who you were made to be.”
Pastor Woodall, Genesis Church, Petoskey, Michigan, spoke of the countless cards Pastor Bond received from his students. “One student wrote, ‘Thank you so much for the Christian character that you always display and for the way Christ’s love always shines through you. You have been a great influence on me, probably more than you will ever know.’”
