To be completely honest, I'm mostly writing this because I am having serious Mr. Bill withdrawals...I haven't seen him in like 3 weeks! You can't do that to someone who usually spends everyday with him...But I'm also writing this because I want everyone to be able to appreciate how incredible Mr. Bill is.

Let me back up in case you don't know who Mr. Bill is, which is super rare. He is pretty well known in the Ministry world, but it seems like no matter where you are, people are yelling out "HEY MR. BILL!!!" I feel so cool walking around with him, even though people are shouting hello to him and not me. But even being associated with Mr. Bill grabs people's attentions. This summer I've been introducing myself as "Mr. Bills intern, Makayla." You see how I said my name second instead of first? Yeah that's how popular Mr. Bill is.

To give some background, Mr. Bill came to Castle Rock, Colo., from Katy, Texas, my junior year of high school. These past four years, he has become a huge influence in my life. Right next to my mom, he is typically the person I go to. Aside from the awesome name Mr. Bill (yes he adds the Mr. in everything), let me tell you why people remember him so well.

First off, he is a 55 year old youth pastor (sorry for ratting your age out...) and these days, if you go to church your first reaction is, FIFTY FIVE?! Quick side story: I'll never forget the time my mom called informing me that the church hired a new youth pastor and he wanted to met me. I immediately asked if he's cool and her response was "um...yeah? He's kinda...old? But he's spunky and has a lot of energy!" I didn't really know what to take from that. At the time, I was the yearbook photographer and the big DC vs CV football was coming up. Bill texted me saying he would be at the game and wanted to meet up if I was there. I remember at half time waiting anxiously for him at the top of the stadium as I looked at every old man I saw praying to myself "please don't be him." After a few minutes, this super excited guy comes up and introduces himself as Mr. Bill. In that moment I never would have imagined how much of an impact this crazy man would have on my life. But now back to what I was saying, typically youth pastors are in their 20-30s before they either become a head pastor or retire. But not Mr.Bill. His love for students is beyond any other youth pastor I have met. Besides, most people would never guess he was so old because he only wears shorts and t-shirts and runs a hundred 5k races a year (totally exaggerating...mostly).

Although most people remember him as a loving youth pastor, I would argue that he is also known for being a great husband and dad. It has been so encouraging to watch how he interacts with his wife and two kiddos. I remember when he introduced his wife to the student ministry, he said "this is my girlfriend Jean." I just looked at him like he was insane. All I could think was "this is odd...an old youth pastor with a girlfriend?!" The joke became very popular for the students to laugh at because Jean was his wife but he still treated her like a "girlfriend" going out on dates and spoiling her. I also appreciate seeing how much love and support his family has with each other. They make every holiday, birthday, anniversary, etc. a big celebration. It's always a joy to see their celebrations and support of one another.

Mr. Bill is determined. Let me tell you, I have never watched a man push his way to the front of a concert so fast in my entire life. But everywhere we go, you will see Mr. Bill at the front! Apart from Bill being the perfect concert buddy, he is determined to share the Gospel with every student he interacts with. He never withholds the good news of Jesus from anyone and shows everyone compassion.

Mr. Bill is dedicated. Dedicated to his wife. Dedicated to his kids. Dedicated to his students. Dedicated to his job. Dedicated to his church. And most importantly, dedicated to his savior, Jesus.

Mr. Bill is a disciple maker. He is always down to have a good time but when it comes down to business, he is very serious about advancing the Kingdom of God. Even beyond students, Mr. Bill invests into the families and friends within the community. Students are naturally drawn to his wisdom and have a desire to learn more about Jesus after hanging out with him.

Mr. Bill is a great friend. He can be loving and considerate while talking, and he can be funny and sarcastic while playing disc golf. Whether you want to go to lunch and talk about life or hangout in the sun all day, he is always there to show you God's love. Not to mention his crazy personality is just a blast to be with. There is never a dull moment with Mr. Bill.

I will end this long article bragging about Mr. Bill by saying he is passionate. I have never met someone so in love with Jesus and willing to serve him with their whole life. Everything Bill does, Jesus shines right through him. He is passionate about lovin' life.

Thank you Mr. Bill for all that you do for your students. We love and appreciate you more than you will ever be able to understand. I am fully confident that God is looking at you saying "Well done my good and faithful servant."