Gil & Lynda Balkam
We joined Graham Memorial as members four and a half years ago, after a one-year visitation period around Coronado. We previously each attended Chula Vista Presbyterian Church for over 50 years. As a deacon here with Lynda for 3 years, I especially enjoyed coordinating meal deliveries to physically recovering fellow members. Lynda enjoyed corresponding with our flock, participating in Deacon/Church sponsored events and planning for Memorial receptions.
Our hobbies include, for Gil, following sports, walking and learning new things (often for the second or third time at my age), and for Lynda, planning/hosting family and friend get-togethers, baking, creating pastels, singing with the choir at special times, and volunteering for the Coronado Police Department.
Lynda and I, both having become single again, met at a church committee meeting about 38 years ago. After getting married a little over a year later, we led a weekly small group Bible study for 20 years. We learned a lot about the value of synergy in group learning, as well as the value of close relationships for spiritual development. We are strong advocates for the idea of growth through groups.
What attracted us to Graham Memorial was the emphasis on knowing Christ better through scripture and the availability of a weekly Men’s Bible Study group.
Knowing the Lord has been a process, starting at 6 years old for me (Gil) with continuous Sunday School and worship. At 30 years old, my faith was rebooted into a personal relationship with the Lord though a Faith at Work conference. Learning more about the Lord has been a primary focus for over 40 years -- through church leadership, small group study, and service.
(Lynda) I came to know the Lord when in high school as I attended different church denominations with my friends until I joined the Methodist church and sang in their choir. After high school, I attended churches and Military chapels wherever I lived. I feel I am learning and growing closer to God each day through two online Bible studies and a small group in our home. Currently, he is teaching me to be more humble, to focus on Him each day, and to love and serve my neighbors in ways He directs me.
We are blessed with a blended family including three daughters and a son (all enthusiastic Christians), their 4 wonderful spouses, seven grandchildren, two grandchildren spouses, and a great-grandson.
As a child, I, Gil, had no career thoughts until high school, when I developed an interest in human dynamics. This eventually led to a 40 year+ career in corporate Personnel Administration and Development. I retired 20 years ago.
I, Lynda, always wanted to be a teacher as a child and that spurred me on to various teaching experiences from elementary classroom, to reading specialist, Junior College, Adult School, and training Library Literacy tutors.
We have strong opinions about our favorite toothpastes. Gil’s toothpaste of choice is Crest, like Steve Loeffler, while Lynda’s is Colgate Optic White, like Kelli Boutros!
If given the chance, we would each choose to meet historically important people. Gil would have liked meeting Abraham Lincoln. His strong character, which was needed to lead the country through a heart-wrenching period, would have been awesome to behold.
Lynda would have liked meeting Corrie Ten Boom because of her amazing love for others suffering under oppression. I remember two of her many inspirational quotes:
“Never be afraid to trust the unknown future to a Known God.”
“You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have.”
