The Bookstore
In early September of 2024, I visited a town nearby where I reside to pursue a lead on some vacant land. It's about an hour away so, typically I don't like to dally around, or otherwise, I will be late getting home. So, I planned to be expedient in the use of my time there. Get in and get out so to speak. In this town happens to be where my wife is employed. Now normally when I come that way I will either call or text her, but as happen stance would have it on that day, being it a Friday afternoon, I decided I would drop in unannounced. It’s not that I wanted to hide something from my wife, it was simply to avoid the possibility of loss to my wallet from my day turning into an evening of dining out and entertainment. I am not a selfish person, but put plainly, it’s expensive, especially when kids partake in the evening’s itinerary; And I am not suggesting my wife is one to spend without reservation or lavishly, because as a matter of fact, she is quite the opposite. She would rather attend garage sales, shop thrift stores, cook at home, and watch documentaries than spend money on selfish wants. I am truly a blessed man having her in my life but financially is only one of those areas. I’ll stop here with bragging on her, if I don’t, well, you will be reading a novel. Yes, she truly is that amazing to me.
Okay, so, now you know why I went there, on to what happened next. I’m in the courthouse discussing taxes with the tax assessor on house lots in that area (juicy stuff huh), and no one the wiser as to my location, or so I thought. I finish up with my query and make my way to the exit. When I open the courthouse doors, low and behold my wife and youngest son are parked dead ahead patiently waiting, and both grinning like they just found a piece of candy in their pocket. Now, me being the man, surprised at this, I laughingly asked, “How did you know I was here?”, whereas she replied while laughing, “uhh Life 360”. We use Life 360 as a family unit in case of emergency needs, but as a byproduct of the app there is full transparency, so lucky me that day. I thought to myself, “Why did I not think of that?”. I wasn't as surprised that she was able to locate me as I was that I didn't think to remember the app.
Well, I had failed in being undiscovered, and now I must forge ahead with plan B; And by plan B, I mean whatever they want to do of course ☹. Me being the Scrooge, I suggested fast food and go home. My wife, being the connoisseur of restaurants in that area, decides (by decides I’m telling you who won) that we will be dining out at a local venue. Hey, at least I didn’t have to try to pick the restaurant she is craving. So, we proceed forth to dine. The restaurant we ate at was smaller in size but that’s to be expected due to its location being on the square of the town. With that being said, the size limited the occupancy it could accommodate and also the staff, which translates to “packed so to say with slow service”. Great food, nonetheless, and no fault to the staff or owner for the service. We talk, eat, look at phones, the normal stuff; Including the people behind us venting to one another about the political opponents. We finish and my wife takes the bill to pay, which was against the direction of my youngest son. See, my dear sweet boy (age 10), sees it and verbalizes it saying, and I’m quoting here, “Mom works hard for her money, and Dad just has rivers of money so, Dad should pay for everything all the time”! I literally do not understand his methods leading him to conclude I have rivers and don't work hard too. I mean I've yet to bask or swim in the river he makes mention of. Mostly it’s a puddle that I try to keep the water from being splashed out of by necessities and wants.
The meal is over, and we have left the restaurant; And now we are on to deciding some fun filled entertainment. We all agree on good ol bowling to round out the evening, but before we make our way to the vehicles, my wife decides she wants to drop by the cookie shop a few doors down. Then August asked to check out the bookstore. I take him with me and my wife goes on to the cookie store. I didn't realize there were two bookstores, and I lead him into the wrong one. It didn’t have a kid’s section is all, so relax. In my defense it was a bookstore full of books, so I rest my case. As we look around, I go to the clerk and ask, “Where is the Christian section?”, whereas the clerk replied, “We don’t really do that here in this location, but if you go a few doors down to our sister store across the street they have a section related to that”. Out the door we go, my wife sees us, and we make our way to her. I tell her of our adventure and misfortune, and she says, “I know the store he is wanting to go to”, so, off we go. As we were walking, I had a phone call and stayed behind to take it.
I concluded the conversation and ended the phone call, then proceeded to the “sister bookstore”. As I approached, my wife and son were exiting the store. I informed her I wanted to go in to check out the Christian books (I was concluding two that week so I was in the market, not bragging or anything). She, like always, not complaining, patiently waited while I went in to peruse. When I entered the store, on my left is the counter where the clerk was standing. The clerk was a young lady about my daughters age (19 ish) and she had a bright sweet smile with a welcoming essence about her. As I approached the counter, I posed the same question to her, “Where is the Christian section?”, and she politely pointed upward and replied, “It’s up there, second floor, left corner”. Excited and anxious, I race up the stairs. Now this store was in an older building with narrow stairways, narrow steps, and they were wood, so, imagine the sound as I hurriedly treaded up them. I make it to the “Christian section” which consists of two tall bookcases approximately three feet wide with four or five shelves each bookcase. Both are positioned behind a large desk which left little room for comfort while viewing the books. As I paint this picture for you to envision, I want you to know that on one case was shelves full of many books with titles referencing religion and even faith, topically of course. On the other were Bibles in different translations and sizes. I’m enamored with joy to see the Bibles are present but dismayed in my heart as I thought of the direction the other books could lead an uninformed seeker. I am going to diverge here for a paragraph and then come back so bear with me, it’s important, at least to me.
I reflected back on all that God brought me through, even when I didn’t recognize Him as my Lord and Savior, remembering what it was like to walk alone relying on my own strength and understanding. I was so lost and did not even know it. I was uninformed, full of myself and all my accomplishments. I had all the answers so I didn’t need to learn of Him, no one could fill me because I was full of myself. My life was fine and I was good. That all changed for me in the spring of 2019, my heart was softened and regenerated. I came to know Christ and gave my life to Him, forever sealing me as a child of God. I did not know it then but there was a terrible storm brewing that lie ahead of me in a short time. I would not have been able to weather it over the next couple of years had He not been with me. I will stop there with my testimony because that’s for another time. Just know that my testimony is, at its heart, a story of God’s Grace and Mercy glorifying Him and only Him, bestowed on a unworthy recipient, just like you, admittedly or not the fact remains non-contestable as to our unworthiness. It’s God and all God, every good thing in our life is from Him, we can do nothing in our own fallen state apart from Him.
I turned to leave and walked down those steps I so hurriedly treaded up moments before, only this time, slowly, with a head hung low and a contrite heart. I don’t believe the book selector understood the contrast in his choices as he filled those shelves. But nevertheless, Satan can accomplish much within the lost, the misled, and the uninformed. As I got to the last step, I see two young men walking in ahead of me to my right, and the young lady who was the clerk was this time to my left looking up at bookcases with her back toward me. As I make my way to the door my eyes dance all around the store that is heavily stocked with books full of information, and then they rest on the two young men and the young lady. At that very moment my heart wrenched with agony. I felt the hurt a parent feels when their child is in harm’s way. It was so strong. You know, it's that feeling of despair you feel when you are trying to get to your kids in time knowing tragedy is reaching out for them. You think if you can just get there you can prevent the fall.
With hurt in my heart, I left that store without saying a word to anyone. I chose not to interrupt their evening. I felt I would make it awkward or creep them out if I forced it on them with conversation while they were about their business. Maybe that was wrong, maybe I should have spoken, maybe not, I will never know. I do know that that moment ignited a fire in me to create a way “in” in all moments to someone else’s path where I can love them by pointing them to Jesus Christ and God's Holy Word.
So, I did.
A strong thought came in my mind to approach meekly, but effectively planting seeds or watering. Something I could use in a hello, a goodbye, in passing, or left behind to find. A way that I could help present a message about Christ and the importance of The Holy Bible regardless of the place or situation I would find myself in. A way that is not forceful but subtle. I set my mind to it. I started with prayer asking God to guide and lead me each step, because the last thing I want to do is cause someone to stumble, and in all ways, I recognize this ministry effort, or idea of it, is His and not mine. It all belongs to God, and I am truly grateful He gave me work so I could serve in His fields.
After a few months the card and website were completed.
Dearest friend,
I pray for you in hopes you will stay the course that leads to Christ.