Wayne Boyer
Cancer stinks.
I've smelled the stench in a more up-close-and-personal way than I ever wanted to.
Since her diagnosis, Evelyn has had the joy of walking the cancer road with three people she regarded as friends before cancer came into their lives. It's a road you don't want to walk on without human companionship. On Tuesday, Wayne became the last of those three 'cancer buddies' to come to the end of the journey.
The cancer road is such a strange one. Though he'd been on it long before Evelyn, she endured a particularly harsh chemo drug before Wayne was put on it. So, she was able to describe for Wayne its horrid effects before he experienced them. And, we were able to understand what he went through during those treatments and to appreciate the faith, the grace and the courage with which he embraced that incredible suffering.
Not long ago, I could not get Wayne out of my mind and so, as I was driving, I phoned him. From the instant he answered, I could hear the smile in his voice. I actually heard his laughter as he told me that he knew that the cutting-edge drug he was on was not working and that he knew that it would not extend his life and that that was okay. He talked about the joy he still felt in the Lord's salvation. He expressed his only real regret that Kay would be left alone. When we hung up, it was with laughter and a naive, "Talk to you later."
Two days after that, the final onslaught overwhelmed him and he was rushed to the hospital.
Cancer killed Wayne. It did not beat him.
Wayne followed Jesus. He set his heart on living out obedience to the greatest of all the commands in the Law: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."
Thanks, Wayne, for letting me see that.
Talk to you later.
posted by bill Sloat at 10:31 AM
6 Comments:
Thanks Bill. I felt like something should be said about Wayne since I always thought this blog was sort of his idea. I know Brian came up with the idea of the blog in particular, but it seems Wayne was the one behind some means of opening up the conversation. Perhaps Brian can give us a refresher (or set me straight - I could be mistaken).
At any rate, I will miss him. He was a great encourager to me, both personally and through the weekly emails he sent out. He could pack a lot in a little bit of space.
Wayne was a wonderful Christian GENTLEMAN, a man of grace and encouragement. I still remember when I spoke to him of "retiring" to Living Faith Church at a time when they needed a faithful, sensitive and visionary shepherd. He embraced it with enthusiasm and helped complete the healing of the congregation. I also remember seeing him just a few days before being hospitalized for the final time functioning as our pastoral care worker taking one of our brothers to breakfast. Heaven's gain is earth's loss. - Steve Dunn
By the way, Bill - a masterful tribute to our brother. Thank you. -Steve
Wayne had just become the Executive Director of the CGGC as I was finishing up Seminary. I had been doing a project for Harvey Gossard on the history of our black churches in Arkansas/Oklahoma.
As God would open a moment for us, Wayne was heading out to Oklahoma/Arkansas annual conference and invited my wife and I to join him and Kay.
We spent 15 hours riding with them out and 15 hours riding with them back. Whoa! It was a treat. We stopped at every Brahm's ice cream, and I do mean every one. He stopped their for breakfast one morning. The man liked ice cream!
I won't tell the whole story, but I remember at the conference, the President of the conference gave a very strong, screaming message very out of the character of what Wayne would preach and then suddenly turned it over to Wayne for the altar call.
Wayne didn't miss a beat and began to preach their spiritual songs back to them. It was one of the most amazing things I ever saw. He could fellowship with anybody instantly and intimately.
See you soon Wayne.
And yes, Wayne was a strong proponent of the existence of this blog. I'm trying to remember, but I'm thinking he mentioned the idea in one of weekly newsletters, and then it wasn't happening. I think then I created this, and then asked for permission. Wayne was in total support.
Brian,
I hope that, from our perspective, you won't see him too soon.
Wayne's legacy may be all the many things he empowered--this blog being but one of them.
I'm sorry that I didn't really have the opportunity to get to know Wayne. Still I'm thankful for his life.
Thanks for posting this bill.
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