A Life Well-Ordered
Remembering James Bolan "Bo" Glover

In the gentle rhythm of the seasons of this life, we gather today to remember and honor the life of James Bolan Glover IV - affectionately known to us all as Bo - whose earthly journey came to rest on December 23, 2024. In my life, Bo was a brother in the Lord, a friend in ministry, and a mentor in Christian living. As we reflect on Bo’s life, I am drawn to a scripture verse that describes well Bo’s earthly journey: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way." These words from Psalm 37:23 weren't just verses that Bo Glover often quoted—they were words he lived by. As we gather today to remember our beloved brother and friend, let us remember how God's faithful hand ordered every step of Bo's 94-year journey. As we reflect, we see that a life well-lived is a life well-ordered.

First, we see
A LIFE WELL-LIVED IN THE EARLY YEARS
Bo's steps were indeed ordered by the Lord from the very beginning. Born in 1930 in Marietta, he was rooted in this community his entire life. His path led him from Marietta High School, where he excelled both in academics and athletics, to Georgia Tech, where his leadership qualities began to shine.

The Lord then guided Bo's steps into the wild blue yonder as an Air Force fighter pilot. There, soaring through the heavens in his F-86 Sabre jet, Bo gained a perspective that would serve him well throughout his life – seeing both the grandeur of God's creation and the precious gift of each new day. This was especially true after a close call that saw him parachuting to safety over the Nevada desert.

Then, we see
A LIFE WELL-LIVED IN MARRIAGE
Of all the paths the Lord ordered for Bo, perhaps the most significant step the Lord ordered was Bo's marriage to Joan Wooten in 1950. In the grand tapestry of love stories, few threads were woven as tightly as Bo and Joan Glover's. Seventy-four years of marriage fused them together so completely that their names became inseparable in our conversations. Rarely would we refer to Bo without Joan, or Joan without Bo. In fact, their names became so woven together that their actual names occasionally would find a way to mysteriously merge together in my mind. I kid you not, on more than one occasion, I found myself referring to Bo and Joan as "Joe and Bone" – yes, I’m serious, and I didn’t even know why, but this slip of the tongue would always send ripples of laughter around the lunch table after church. Bo would just grin and say, "Well, after all these years, I reckon we've gotten our wires crossed a bit." And Joan with that twinkle in her eyes would say, "Don’t worry, Pastor, I suppose after all these years, we've become flesh of each other's flesh, and quite literally, Bone of each other's bone!" Of course, then Bo would add with a wink, "Just don't start calling me Joe, or I might forget to answer!"

Yes. Those were always good times. But perhaps my tongue wasn't really tied at all. Perhaps it was simply speaking a deeper truth: that throughout seventy-four years of marriage, Bo and Joan had achieved what the Scriptures have long proclaimed—they had truly become one. And in doing so, they left us with an extraordinary gift: a blueprint for how to build a love and marriage that transcends individual identity and transforms two separate lives into a single, beautiful story.

Their 74-year journey together stands as a testament to God's faithfulness and the beauty of Christian marriage. Together, they built not just a home on McDonald Street, but a legacy of faith that has influenced generations.

Next, we see
A LIFE WELL-LIVED AT WORK
As president of Glover Machine Works, Bo demonstrated that a man's steps can be ordered by the Lord even in the marketplace. Bo faced the challenges of changing times with grace and wisdom, preserving his family's industrial heritage while adapting to new realities. The museums that now house the Glover legacy speak to Bo's understanding that our work, when done for the Lord, has lasting significance beyond our years. Bo had many accomplishments in business and civic life. Yet for all the ways the Glover family has shaped this beloved town through Glover Park and beyond – Bo's deepest joy and impact was found in his daily walk with the Lord Jesus and his service to Grace Community Church over the past 40 years.

Finally, we see
A LIFE WELL-LIVED IN HIS CHURCH
In his role as a founding elder is where many of us came to know Bo's heart most deeply. I first met Bo in 1998, my life almost 30, his approaching 70, and over these past 25 years, I've witnessed firsthand the gentle strength he brought to every situation. From standing before our church family and leading us in prayer to offering personal words of encouragement, the sound of Bo’s voice of wisdom and comfort will continue as a sweet memory. Bo understood that the church was more than a building or an institution – it was and is, in his own words, "a family bound together by the blood of Christ." As an elder of the church, Bo didn't just oversee church business – he shepherded hearts. He prayed with those in pain, rejoiced with those celebrating, and always pointed us back to the sovereign goodness of God. His unwavering trust in divine providence brought comfort to countless troubled hearts over the years. His prayers, offered in that distinctive gentle voice, carried the weight of deep conviction and the warmth of genuine care. He was a man who understood that true leadership begins with servanthood. When church members faced hardships, Bo was there—not just with words of comfort and fervent prayers, but with practical help and assistance. He provided a place for my family to live the first six months of our life here in Marietta. He lived out the truth that when God orders our steps, He often leads us to walk alongside others in their times of need.

Bo was a gentleman in the truest sense—a gentle man who understood his strength came from the Lord. Bo's life exemplified the qualities we find in Scripture: gentleness paired with strong conviction, care for others matched with unwavering commitment to the Word of God, a deep devotion to his bride and a deep loyalty to Christ’s bride, the church, a sacrificial love that expands beyond biological bonds when he chooses to pour out his love, time, and resources to give his children a place to belong, grow, and flourish. When challenges came to our church family, Bo would remind us, "God makes no mistakes." and we can trust in His sovereign plan. This wasn't just a platitude for him—it was a deep conviction born from decades of watching God work. He understood that even when our path leads through valleys, the Lord who orders our steps never abandons us.

I know that I will miss Bo Glover. His gentle spirit, his unwavering faith in the Lord Jesus, his love for his family and his church, his dedication to this community – these are the things I will remember. He has left an enduring legacy, and his life testimony of walking with Jesus will continue to inspire me to press on.

Today, as we stand in the shadow of his passing, we can trace those divinely ordered steps - each one a testament to a life well-lived, a race well-run, echoing the apostle Paul's words in 2 Timothy: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day." Like Paul, Bo ran his race with unwavering dedication, keeping his eyes fixed on Christ until his final breath a few weeks ago. The pilot who once flew F86 Sabre jets has taken his final flight, soaring into the presence of his Savior to receive the crown of righteousness, which the Lord has prepared for those who love His appearing.

To Jim and Ann and all the family, your father's legacy is not only the Glover name that graces our city's landmarks, but even greater the faith he instilled in you and the love he shared so freely. As he often demonstrated, true greatness lies not in being served, but in serving others with humility and grace.

As we bid farewell to our brother Bo, we take comfort in knowing that his final steps have led him home, and that Bo has completed his earthly journey just as he lived it – with quiet dignity, unwavering faith, and complete trust in his Lord. The steps of a good man are indeed ordered by the Lord, and Bo Glover walked them well. The race he ran with such faithfulness is now complete. The fight he fought with such courage is won. The faith he kept with such conviction has now been made sight. And while our hearts ache with missing him, we rejoice that Bo is now experiencing the truth of another scripture he held dear – that in God's presence there is fullness of joy.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord”. This verse that Bo loved so dearly reminds us that God not only orders our steps but delights in our way when we walk in faith and trust in Him. Bo would encourage all of us to put our hope and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, we can imagine our Lord saying to Bo, "Well done, good and faithful servant." As we remember James Bolan Glover IV—pilot, businessman, elder, husband, father, grandfather and friend—we thank God for ordering the steps that brought him into our lives and showed us what it means to walk humbly and faithfully with the Lord Jesus.

Until we meet again in that place where faith becomes sight, may Bo’s memory be a blessing and an inspiration to us all. May his legacy live on not just in museums displaying locomotives, but in the countless lives he touched with Christ's love. May we all, like Bo, live lives that demonstrate this profound truth: when we submit our steps to the Lord's ordering, He directs our paths in ways that bring glory to His name and blessing to those around us. Bo would want us to remember not his life, but the God who ordered every step of it. And he would encourage us, as he so often did, to trust that same God with our own paths ahead.