Jim Milby - in memory of a dear friend

This GPS Life Journey story is written in memory of one of my dearest friends ever.  Dozens, if not hundreds, of times in GPS Life Journey Workshops I have verbally told the living-on-mission story of Jim Milby. His story is a vivid testimony of the value of participating in a GPS Life Journey Workshop.
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Jim Milby was promoted to heaven for his ultimate Kingdom service adventure on November 30, 2020 after a long battle with cancer. Jim and Linda Milby have not only been our dear friends for many years, but they are also family. Their youngest son, Todd, married our oldest daughter, April, in 1997. So, we have been doing family together for over 25 years and we share three tremendous grandchildren.
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Large Service, Small Fulfillment
Jim Milby was the ultimate churchman. He served in numerous leadership capacities over his decades of church service. He was a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ and said “yes” when asked to serve in his Church.

He gave leadership to the church’s capital stewardship campaign. He served as Chairman of the Deacons. He often found himself in positions of out-front, spokesperson leadership. Frequently, Jim contemplated why he was most often uncomfortable in these leadership roles and why he experienced more frustration than fulfillment.

After all, Jim was accustomed to holding extremely responsible positions and giving excellent leadership to teams over his illustrious career as launch director for the space program. He had overseen the launch for numerous communication satellites in his career. His retirement celebration gave evidence of his commitment
to service and excellence.

Then Came GPS Life Journey
After Jim’s retirement and consequent relocation to Southwest Florida he became a member of our church and served as an Elder. Shortly after joining our ranks, he and Linda, his wife, participated in a GPS Life Journey Workshop.

It was my privilege to facilitate that particular workshop. When I announced that the first section of the GPS Life Journey consisted of seven personal assessments to better understand how God had uniquely created and shaped each of us, I saw less than enthusiasm in Jim’s eyes.

I wasn’t sure what that meant but proceeded as if “all is well” because I had seen that gaze before in the eyes of other highly successful professionals. Later “why the look” became crystal clear through Jim’s testimony.

And the Light Came On
After we had spent the first three sessions of our workshop compiling these seven assessments on each participant, the light bulb lit up brightly in Jim’s mind and heart.

“When you indicated that we were going to do personal assessments, I thought, ‘been there, done that, so many times in my career that I not only have the T-shirt, I have worn it out.’ I was confident that I knew who I was and my giftedness.”

Then I witnessed the teary-eyed confession and conclusion that Jim had reached.  “I really did not know myself as I thought I did. When I took these kinds of human resource assessments in the work place, I had no thoughts of what this means and how does it apply to my service in the Kingdom of God.”

Jim continued, “Now, I understand why most of my service in the church and other organizations has not been fulfilling. These positions were not what God had created me for. Because of my position in the work place, church leaders asked me to serve in roles for which I was not suited. God did not design me to be an out-
front spokesperson and cheerleader. He designed me to quietly serve others behind the scenes.”

You see, Jim discovered through the GPS Life Journey assessments that he was a “steadiness” and “conscientious” personality type, possessed the spiritual gifts of “service” and “exhortation,” and scored the highest in the strengths assessment for “deliberative” and “analytical” strengths. He understood for the first time the kind of leadership and service roles in which he should be engaged.

The last years of Jim Milby’s service in the Kingdom of God brought fulfillment, significance, and success to him and his church. He severed in roles that let him function in his giftedness and he excelled in all he did.
One day not long before his death, Jim quietly shared, “These last years of ministry and serving with you have been among the most enjoyable experiences of my life. Thanks for helping me to be who God created me to be.”

Jim Milby was retired launch director for Lockheed-Martin and the NASA Space Program in Cape Canaveral, FL.
(Story written by Nolen Rollins)

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