I don’t know how many years ago it was … Had to be 2002 or 2003. My friend Olin Bullock had this friend from Wellman. A leadership guru. Olin wanted so badly for his friend to spend time with me and our church staff and he (Olin) funded it and made it happen.
And, into our lives walked a ball of fire, a box of dynamite, and a hurricane all rolled up into a man named Tommy Dowling.
You didn’t have to spend much time around Tommy to realize that he LOVED God with all of his heart. And he loved The Church! (The Big C church … the Body of Christ)
Tommy spent a great deal of time with me, a young pastor. With our staff. He got to know us. He gave us the Myers-Briggs. He broke it down and taught us so much about how we related to each other and how we could identify and relate to others. And, 99,999 out of 100,000 times, he was DEAD-ON!!! He had a gift, a knack for reading people and helping to bring the best out in them.
He pushed me to READ. Gave me books, made me read them, and came back to drink coffee and make ME talk about them. I will never forget him for this, because he re-ignited my passion for learning and knowing more about leadership. He reminded me that I will NEVER have it all licked, and I can always continue to learn. When I stop learning, I start dying. He was so right!!
One of those times he came to meet with me, he came early and walked through the Ebenezer cemetery. He was shocked and a little “caught off guard” (WHICH WAS A RARE THING) when he came across a headstone of a man named Thomas Dowling who had died around 140 years ago. He told me that drained the blood out of his face for just a moment. But, I will never forget what he said next:
(It was something like this:)
“When the day comes for y’all to lay me in a grave, DO NOT CRY FOR ME. I KNOW where I am going, and I will be most glad to be there!!!!
He told me that probably 100 times over the years.
Tomorrow, as his family gathers to honor his life, that is EXACTLY what I will be hearing. I will never forget it. And I will never forget him.
THANK YOU TOMMY, for all that you did for a young-un like me, and a TON of other pastors across this nation!!!! You are a TRUE GIANT in the Kingdom of God!!!
The Random Thinker 