Happy Fifth Anniversary!
In the first issue of The Traveler in September 2009, we wrote: Each of us is a traveler through the eons of time and beyond—into our final, eternal state of being!
Our life is a journey, a sojourn. And for all of us, this mortal life comes with great heights and great depths . . . with periods of overwhelming joy and bleak sadness at times . . . with long straightaways and messy detours . . . with deep relationships full of love and with existential loneliness . . . with sunny days and with stormy days . . . but the journey goes on for each of us.
On this lifelong journey, we can never go pastward, only futureward. We cannot change our past, only use it as a stepping stone to propel us into our future. Our past does not necessarily equal our future. Our future is up to us, “co-creating” it with God. Our future can be despair-filled or hope-filled, based on our daily choices and decisions we make in response to God’s direction and guidance in our lives.
The Bible—the written Word of the one, true, living God—is our lodestone, our GPS, our compass, and our gyroscope to give direction, balance, and guidance to our lives as we travel unerringly toward our True Home at the end of our mortal journey. That is why we stress and emphasize the Bible in all our teachings and writings.
Little is Much When God is in It!
This issue of The Traveler marks the beginning of our sixth year of publication. In September 2009, we sent our first issue to approximately 65 family members and friends; it was merely an experiment. At the time, we didn’t have any concrete plans to continue writing and publishing it each month. From that humble beginning five years ago, The Traveler is now being read each month by thousands of people around the world on 6 of earth’s 7 continents. Monthly, we receive responses from as near and far away as Australia, Eurasia, Asia, Africa, South America, and throughout North America.
Most of the responses we receive are positive and encouraging. Some are quite negative and mean-spirited. Oh well, it takes all kinds . . . But overall, it looks like God uses the Traveler each month to meet and answer many human needs and questions.
Please think of each September’s issue as my “Annual Report” to all my readers . . . so you have a feel for what this ministry is all about, and so you get to know more about me personally.
If what we teach helps you, that’s great. If not, that’s okay, too. We never argue or try to force our views on others. We just share what we find in the Bible about our journey. Do we feel we have a “corner” on truth? No! Do we feel we’re better than others? Nope! Do we feel everything we write is totally and completely true and accurate? No. No. NO! We’re simply believers in Jesus who happen to believe the Bible is God’s sole written revelation of Himself to all humankind. We feel God wants us to share with others what we learn about Him and about what He’s doing these days among some of us living on planet Earth.
Quick Recap
In comparison with the state of being called Eternity, our mortal lives here are as brief as a morning fog that vanishes as soon as the rising sun hits it. Our short lives here are meant to be lived only in preparation for LIFE in Eternity. Long ago, God summoned me and equipped me to teach the Bible and related subjects to the worldwide Body of Jesus (the church) without any exclusiveness. I’ve tried my best to obey Him and to live a good and godly life while attempting to help other people prepare for LIFE in eternity!
Trapped In Time and Space
I’m “trapped” inside my own skin and can’t really do very much to influence other people except by my prayers for you and by my writings and teachings. But God is not trapped or limited in any manner, and He can range unlimited throughout the earth, meeting the overwhelming needs of many people, wherever they are located.
I pray daily: “God, from your unlimited, inexhaustible, abundant resources meet the overwhelming needs of people for whom I pray and for whom I write.” That’s the most and best I can do for my readers.
Orthodoxy? Heresy?
Some of the responses I receive are from a few readers questioning the “orthodoxy” of my teachings, whatever that means. Some have even labeled me a “heretic” (whatever that means, too), but I usually respond to them: “I’m a happy heretic.” Long ago, I chose not to blindly accept without question the teachings of others—even though their teachings might be widely accepted among many people in the Bible-believing world. And I choose not to unthinkingly and unhesitatingly accept the Christian “party line” without ample evidence from the Bible alone. I’m an orthodox nonconformist . . .
I try to teach and write what I honestly believe the Bible discloses about God’s character and nature, about his vast creation, and about his eternal love and grace He extends to all humanity. I first grasped his extended grace over 58 years ago and my life has been God-filled and grace-filled ever since! Marvelous grace of our loving God! Greater than all our sin!
As many of you know, my autobiography, titled Him ‘n me, was published a couple of years ago and seems to be a source of encouragement, enjoyment, enrichment, and inspiration to many people around the world. It has been selling well. It’s readily available on amazon.com
My newest book about Holy Spirit titled Friends Forever, was published in 2012. It can be ordered through any major bookstore and on amazon.com. It is also available for e-readers. I think you’ll find my new book to be a real “God thing” about Holy Spirit. Many people don’t know much about Holy Spirit, the “forgotten third person of the trinity,” or they have been misinformed about Him and what He does in our lives. I feel Friends Forever will help clear up many such matters. I encourage you to read it for personal enlightenment and encouragement, as well as for group Bible study. I don’t make any money from my book royalties; all proceeds are given to our ministry, Life Enrichment Services.
“Keeping The Home Fires Burning”
Meanwhile, I continue to write new teachings and update previous teachings posted to this ministry web site. I add one new teaching an average every few months or so and usually update two or three teachings every month. Right now, there are about 60 of my life’s teachings on our web site. I invite you to visit there any time and study my teachings. Of course, they can all be downloaded and printed. Use them any way you see fit.
Throughout the past year, we have continued to host and teach a weekly Bible study in our home as well as in other places in our community. We have witnessed the Holy Spirit genuinely change and transform people when they apply the liberating truths of the Bible to their lives. I cannot change lives. Only God the Holy Spirit can do that. That’s his job; that’s what He does best. It’s not my job to change anyone. I just teach the Bible as I understand it and let the Holy Spirit use it to liberate and transform people as only He can do.
My task is to plant seeds in the lives of others and cultivate and water the seeds with prayer. God’s tasks are to grow the seeds and harvest them when they are ripe! Each day I make it a point not to confuse whose tasks are whose!
In addition, we continue to be involved in various ways in our local church, Destiny Church. It’s a lively church with a husband and wife team of Pastors—with great teaching, music, and fellowship.
And, I continue to conduct part-time, private counseling using a unique, very effective method of biblically based counseling called theophostic counseling.
The Most Important Tasks You Should Be Doing!
I honestly feel the most important thing any Jesus believer must do is introduce other people to Jesus! After that, the second most important task for each of us is to disciple, mentor, teach, and train newer believers in Jesus constantly. At any given time, I’m usually discipling 4 to 6 other, younger Jesus believers on a weekly basis.
In my own view, if you claim to be a believer in Jesus and you are not continually discipling other, newer believers, something wonderful and fulfilling is missing in your life! I don’t care who you are or where you are or what you do or how busy you are, or how adverse your circumstances, The Bible mandates that it’s part of God’s plans and purposes for each of us always to be introducing others to Jesus and then discipling them!
No excuses! If you claim to be a believer in Jesus, you ought to be discipling at least one other believer all the time, and then—when finished discipling them—“releasing” them to—in turn—disciple a minimum of one other, newer believer. If you’re not discipling others regularly and consistently, something just ain’t right in your relationship with God!
Introducing other people to Jesus and then discipling them is a matter of priorities; you have to MAKE the time; you won’t find it. Remember, Jesus commands each of us to “go and make disciples” in every nation in which we live. It’s not a suggestion; it’s a command!
Other Service To God
In addition to writing The Traveler and teachings for our web site each month, I’m also a Field Instructor with Crossroad Bible Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan. By free correspondence courses, we teach and disciple many thousands of prisoners throughout the United States and in other nations of the world. I work with various prisoners on a weekly basis, reviewing their lessons, answering their questions, and writing them encouraging letters. God is saving, transforming, restoring, reclaiming, and rehabilitating thousands of prisoners around the world, since they’re somewhat of a “captive audience” and eager to learn about God and the Bible.
Recently, I became a volunteer, part-time Healing Technician in The Healing Rooms of the Black Hills here in Rapid City—part of a worldwide network of 2,500+ Healing Rooms in 75+ nations. We simply pray for God to heal others in their bodies, souls, and spirits, making them whole and complete by the power of God through Jesus.
China: The Sleeping Dragon
Our international focus remains primarily on China, that wonderful nation where Anne and I taught and ministered a number of years ago. We financially support some Jesus-believer workers there, and are excited about what God is doing in that great nation. I made these predictions about China in the early 1990’s, and you can hold me accountable for them: I predicted that by the year 2015 China would take over the world—not militarily, but economically. I also predicted that by 2025 China will be the most God-believing nation on this planet, perhaps the most godly nation the world has ever known! Impossible with humans; a small matter for God!
We also focus some of our giving and support to Jesus’ workers in the nations of Israel and Mozambique. God is also doing some wonder-full and amazing things in those two nations.
Travels
I don’t do as much traveling now as I did in years past: to teach, to minister, to present seminars, etc. However, last month (August) I spent most of the month ministering on a short-term missions trip in the eastern European nation of Belarus. I’ll be sending a report to all of you who helped financially support my time in Belarus.
Like many people, I have sort of a “bucket list.” One event that’s been on my bucket list for over 40 years is to attend the International Southern Gospel Convention, to be held later this month in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the home of famed Dollywood created by Dolly Parton. I’m really looking forward to the convention and also visiting Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where I lived as a child during World War II. I also plan to see some dear friends in North Carolina.
Books Given
About 10 years ago, 2 very important books were published here in USAmerica; only time—and eternity—will tell the worldwide effects these books have had in the lives of hundreds of thousands—perhaps millions!—of people around the world. The 2 books to which I’m referring are The Prayer of Jabez and The Purpose Driven Life. If you haven’t heard of them or read them, you must have been away on some other planet for the past decade or so. I scour thrift shops and garage sales to find used copies of each of those books . . . and then give them away to as many people as I’m able to. I’ve never kept count, but I suppose I’ve given away hundreds of them. And I’ve seen God use them to transform many lives! I re-read and re-study each of those books every year, along with a dozen or so other books I re-read each year or so.
A Very, Very Ordinary Man
For those readers who don’t know me and have asked who I am, please understand very clearly that I’m just an ordinary man, a very nondescript, normal believer in Jesus. My name is Bill Boylan. I’m married to a lovely wife named Anne, have 3 biological children and one step-daughter; 3 grand-children, and two great-grandchildren. There is nothing special or outstanding about me. There’s no way I stand out in a crowd. I live in a modest home on a quiet residential street in the relatively small community of Rapid City, South Dakota, in the northern Great Plains region of USAmerica near the beautiful Black Hills. The world-famous Mount Rushmore is only about 25 miles from our home.
I pay my household expenses every month, help clean our house, wash most of our dishes, assist with our laundry, make our bed most mornings, drive a 15-year old pickup, and wear jeans and a sweatshirt or T-shirt most of the time. I get sick and grouchy from time to time. I love to watch silly sitcoms on TV. And I confess that I love science fiction books, TV programs, and movies.
Speaking of “getting sick,” last May I was excited to have a heart attack one Saturday afternoon while I was pulling weeds in our backyard flower garden; that same week, I was diagnosed with cancer of the prostate; I call it my “two-for-one special” that week. There was no permanent damage from the heart attack and I now have two stents. Of course, only time—and God!—will tell the progress of the cancer. I’ve received much prayer that God will completely heal me.
My hobbies are occasionally hiking in the nearby Black Hills, mall-walking, reading, and writing. My roots go down deep in this locale. My brother and his wife live nearby on the cattle ranch originally homesteaded by my great-grandparents in the 1870’s. But my roots are not too deep; I’m ready to be “uprooted” either when I die or when Jesus returns to planet Earth to awaken me from the sleep of death and inaugurate his eternal Kingdom on Earth.
76 – 18 = 58
So far, I’ve lived here on planet earth as a mortal for 76+ years. In the 18th year of my mortal journey, I invited Jesus into my life and since then I’ve been immortal for the past 58 years. After Jesus returns to Earth, I plan on continuing to live here on Earth in his Kingdom as an immortal being for many thousands more years and then—later—in Eternity, beyond all limitations of time and space—permanently headquartered here on planet Earth in the city of New Jerusalem.
Most of my employment years were spent as a public school teacher, a medical administrator, and as a mean, tough old sergeant in the U.S. Air Force and fulltime Army and Air National Guard. I’ve always been bi-vocational as a so-called “lay person.” I retired from full-time secular employment a few years ago.
I simply try to let Jesus live his own life in and through me each day. I want others to see Jesus wrapped in his “Bill Boylan skin” and be drawn to Him through me. We are all Jesus’ hands, feet, and mouth in our day-to-day world.
Please don’t tell anyone I’m addicted to McDonalds’ sweet tea; you’ll often find me at a nearby McDonalds sipping sweet tea and visiting with friends, reading my Bible, or reviewing my Bible memory references.
I’m very “generic,” a mixture of Irish, Scottish, and German. I’m not tall and handsome, I’m not very smart, and I’m not very wise at times. I’m so very ordinary, you wouldn’t believe it. I’m human; I sin and make many mistakes. Just ask my wife and children and friends who know me well—and love me in spite of myself, in spite of my faults, failures, and shortcomings.
Our Extraordinary God
Yes, I’m very ordinary. But . . . I do love and serve the EXTRAORDINARY God Who lives inside me in his “unbodied form” of the Holy Spirit! That’s the key. That makes all the difference in this world and the next. That same awesome, holy God lives permanently within you in his Spirit form, too, and wants to take your “ordinariness,” change you and transform you, and do EXTRAORDINARY things WITH you, IN you, THROUGH you, and AS you!
There you have it. That’s a recap of our first five years of publishing this e-zine, The Traveler . . . and related events. The name of our ministry is Life Enrichment Services; with God’s inner empowerment, we want to enrich your life in any way we are able to. In its most basic definition, “enrich” means to fill your life with good things from our good God. We pray for you to experience marvelous miracles in your life and in the lives of others whom God brings across your path each day as you continue on your journey through time and space with God, enroute to your final Home in Eternity!
Please feel free to contact us by e-mail or through this website. We are always here to help you and encourage you in any way we are able to.
Let’s journey on together…!
“And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, for the present time, to the consummation of all time, and in eternity!” –Jude 24 & 2 5
To Think About This Month
“God, help me travel my journey in such a way that when it comes time to die, the only thing I will have left to do is die.” –anonymous
Bill Boylan
Life Enrichment Services, Inc.
E-Mail: leservices38@yahoo.com
Revised and Updated December 2020
LEServices 