Bert J. Docter had a great capacity for love – for his family, his friends, his community, this region and this country. More importantly, He loved being able to see his dreams, visions and ambitions, which included people he had never met, be accomplished through whatever leadership talents he could provide in many endeavors.
Over the 27 years that I spent by his side, he was much more to me than a business colleague. He was my mentor, my best friend and I loved him with all my heart. To be loved deeply by someone gives you strength – loving someone deeply gives you courage. It is in that spirit of strength and courage that we all need to move on to be the light that others can come to with their ideas, visions and dreams and continue in the work that is yet to be done.
The song and scripture that was Bert’s testimony that was also a part of his memorial service was “The Power of Your Love” and Isaiah 40:31.
Lord, I come to You, let my heart be changed, renewed, flowing from the grace that I’ve found in You.
And Lord, I’ve come to know the weaknesses I see in me, will be stripped away by the power of your love.
Lord, unveil my eyes, let me see You face to face, and the knowledge of Your love as You live in me.
Lord, renew my mind, as Your will unfolds in my life, in living every day in the power of Your love.
Hold me close, let Your love surround me, bring me near, draw me to Your side.
And as I wait, I’ll rise up like the eagle, and I will soar with You – Your Spirit leads me on in the power of Your love.
Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.”
Bert had his inner strength and tenacity from his deep and abiding faith in a loving God, who provided him with each and every talent that he shared and motivated so many others with. He adopted the eagle as a symbol of that strength and faith and I share that with you today as we remember the precious gift that we had by having him touch our lives.
“To reach our greatest potential, we must set our sights clearly and embrace the unknown confidently”
We need to remember, as Bert did, that in the embracing of the unknown, wait on the Lord – and as we wait, we’ll rise up like the eagle and we will soar with Him, His Spirit leads us on, by the Power of His Love.
Dare to soar, dream great dreams and love your accomplishments for the sake of a job well done. In moving forward, always in love, we don’t have to fear becoming weary, and we can always unconsciously honor Bert each day.