Jim and Char Sheldrew are no strangers to American Bible Society.
For more than a decade, Jim helped faithful donors like you prepare their legacy through our Gift Planning program, which ensures that you can keep providing the Bible even after your lifetime. Jim and Char remember driving thousands of miles through the Midwest, with Char navigating the winding roads and Jim reading the maps that led them to the homes of American Bible Society donors—a group the Sheldrews are proud to be part of!
“It’s the best organization,” Char says. “We love the mission!”
When Jim retired in 2013, the Sheldrews were in a unique position: after helping hundreds of donors create estate plans, it was their turn! Like many of our partners, the Sheldrews wanted a plan that would take care of their six children and nine grandchildren while also supporting the causes they believe in.
“Everyone thinks you have to choose one or the other, and that’s not true at all,” Jim says. “You can choose to do both. There are different vehicles for everybody to fit different people’s needs. But the end result is that you’re taking care of both your family and your favorite charitable goals at the same time.”
The Sheldrews found the perfect plan for their family in our Charitable Gift Annuity, which ensures an income stream for their loved ones while also continuing their support for the Bible cause.
“Just imagine: every month our children will get a check from the American Bible Society, and on the note section it will say, ‘from mom and dad,’” Jim says. “It’s a love letter from us to them.”
This is especially important to Jim and Char, who see this plan as part of the testimony they’ll leave for their family.
“Some of our children are not following the Lord,” Char says. “So we hope that our estate plan will be a good reminder for them to be the kinds of people that God wants them to be.”
While they’re deeply committed to praying for their children and grandchildren, Jim and Char understand that God’s timing is perfect—and that the way they prepare to leave this world could be the greatest witness to their family.
“We didn’t want to just leave a financial plan, but a last spiritual message—a testament of faith,” Jim says. “It’s written out in addition to our estate plan, and it explains, ‘This is how I lived, and this is how I died—following Christ.’ Our children might not find the right path until we’re gone, but when they read our testimony and get that love letter from us—that check from American Bible Society—they’re getting a reminder about what it means to follow Christ. We’re praying it will help our children decide who they will follow. It could be our greatest gift to them.”
A Faith-Focused Friendship
As passionate supporters of American Bible Society, Jim and Char have helped introduce many of their friends to our ministry—including Mark and Nancy Hanson, who have a special heart for our End-to-End ministry!
We had the great privilege to visit the Hansons with the Sheldrews this year and hear more about their inspiration for giving God’s Word.
You can watch the full interview here:
We thank God for your faithful partnership in ministry this year! If you’re ready to learn more about leaving your own testament of faith, we invite you to contact us for a free consultation about IRA gifts, estate planning, and other ways to share God’s Word. Call our Gift Planning team at 1-800-549-3328—we look forward to serving you!
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Email GiftPlanner@AmericanBible.org
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