Tip of My Iceberg

We came together to honor a man who lived fully and well. His capacity to connect heart to heart with others, helping them better understand themselves and their dreams, was a gift he shared with many.

He was the kind of man who, when he entered a room, looked for the opportunity to care for others. His self-deprecating manner, combined with an always-present grin, allowed him to offer genuine praise that was authentic and heartfelt.

Wendell made people feel valued and known.

Wendell Lillestrand was a man who said yes to life. His love for God and for people defined his life and how he engaged with everyone he encountered. All who showed up for his memorial service had been impacted by his gift of helping others understand their innate talent set and begin learning how to capitalize on those skills.

Many have mourned his passing. His family shared how his love for people drove him to commit energy, time, and talent to building others up and helping them succeed. Words used to describe him were selfless, gracious, compassionate, kind, and gentle. Words describing the character of someone worth knowing.

Wendell helped me better understand myself by taking me through an assessment called the Motivated Abilities Pattern. This assessment gave me insight into what influences me to act and choose as I do. But more than that, he was my friend, a man who helped me see that I had value even though there were times when I questioned what I was good at. He knew how to treat people with consideration and compassion. One leader in our organization shared, “He was a master at helping people grow and find the points where their very best self could be unleashed to flourish.”

He and his wife, Coryne, were married for sixty-six years, a commitment that defies the understanding of many who find disagreements as reasons for moving on. Their marriage was a partnership of love, faithfulness, forgiveness, and fun. In a characteristically devoted attitude, Coryne said at Wendell’s passing, “I would live this life all over again with him.”

They experienced their share of tragedies. Days after moving to California years ago, the home they had stored all their belongings in burned to the ground in a huge fire in San Bernardino. When others said this might be an indication that staying was a bad idea, he determinedly stated that God had called them there; he didn’t believe leaving was an option.

What impressed me about Wendell was his inner strength combined with his tender heart. He knew how to finish well; quitting wasn’t in his vocabulary. That’s the kind of character that I can respect.

What motivated him to live with such hope and heart? He loved Jesus. He saw Jesus as his strength and provision for life itself. His commitment gave him a strong foundation. He didn’t waver in his faith or faithfulness.

I will miss my friend. But even if given the chance to come back to earth, Wendell wouldn’t want to. He’s with Jesus now, in a place filled with light and hope. C. S. Lewis put it this way in “The Last Battle”:

“The light ahead was growing stronger, the colors deeper and more glowing than you can imagine. It was as if everything that had happened since the beginning of the world had been but a shadow cast by that strong light in our faces.” Heaven is the hope for those who know Jesus.

Wendell is experiencing that hope now.