One Year Ago Today!!
It is hard to believe that one year ago today that the Lord had me launch Hill Country Thoughts!
It was one of the best things that ever happen to me. For it was out of the furnace of affliction, out of what appeared to be utter defeat, an end to things as I knew them, that Hill Country Thoughts was birthed.
I remember the day, a year ago when I shared with my pastor, Scott Bradford, of Junction United Methodist Church, that the Lord gave me the name “Hill Country Thoughts” and it bore witness to him and the rest of it is history.
I’m thankful to the Lord for His faithfulness to fulfill that which He had spoken some thirty years ago about writing. His timing is not ours, His timing is perfect.
Had I not gone through what I have over the last two years I don’t think I would have been able to write from a place of reality. It would have been mere theory.
Through the things that I have gone through He has given me a new understanding of who He is and what it means to walk with Him. To be brought to a place of utter dependance on Him.
He has brought me to a place of dependence upon my children and that is a hard place to be at 57 years of age. Believe me, it is a humbling experience to be brought to such a place. But even in this I know that the Lord has a purpose.
I know that I am where I am suppose to be at this time and I also know that I am in a place of seeing that the Lord is getting ready to open doors of ministry, of opportunity, of provision, of writing and of being all that He has called me to be.
He has given me such wonderful friends!!
You all have blessed me in so many ways. In the comments, the e-mails and even in letters. Many of you without knowing it have confirmed many things to my heart that the Lord had been speaking to me. To my blogging friends, and there are many, I want to say thank you very much for being such a source of encouragement.
For my Starbucks friends, Thank you! Being part of the men’s prayer group at Starbucks on Saturday morning, is something that I look forward to each week because I know that I will come away encouraged, lifted up and exhorted in my faith.
The Starbucks crew, all shifts, are awesome. They have gone out of their way to make me feel at home when I am there reading, studying and writing. It indeed is a home away from home. I know through the week that I will run into various friends while there. Starbucks is an oasis for me through the week.
For my new writing friends and fellow scribes, thank you. I appreciate your encouragement and making me feel part of the writing community. To be part of what is going on here in Georgia is indeed a blessing.
I want to give a special thanks to my Pastor, Scott Bradford, of Junction First United Methodist Church for all of his encouragement and for being there for me so many times.
For my special friend Lewis and His family, for also being there for me, to encourage me as I pursued the vision of Hill Country Thoughts, as will as the many other friends in Junction, from the various churches, the Emmaus Community who have also encouraged me.
Also a special thanks to all my friends of the Christian Writers Group, the Fellowship of Christian Writers and Writers Helpers Online, thank you all for your encouragement also.
To my children, especially my son Joshua, for His faithfulness, when ever we talked, encourage me to write, giving me that swift kick of encouragement and the fact that he believed in me, went a long way in encouraging me. For all my family, my daughters and Mom and Dad Shelley and Jodie, who prayed that the Lord would open the doors also. Thank you all for your encouragement.
For my friends Roy Li and Jessica of Crossmap. Thank you for your encouragement, for finding me and opening new doors as a columnist. For there are many who may never come to Hill Country Thoughts but they will come to Crossmap. Thank you Crossmap team for all of your hard work.
I want to thank my Heavenly Father for believing in me and for pursing me and doing what was needed to bring me to the place that I am at so I could be a pen in His hand. That is my desire.
To be a pen in His hand to encourage others in their walk and relationship with the Lord. That I would be able to share a word, a thought in due season that would meet the needs of others.
May each and everyone of you be blessed as Hill Country Thoughts begins its second season. I ask that you would keep me in your prayers as I pursue writing a book. Pray that He would open the doors of of opportunity to share, doors of provisions.
I pray that the Lord will open doors for you my friends, my family as you pursue the Lord. That He will bring you fully into His purpose and calling on your lives!
Till later,
Paul
September 29th, 2007 at 19:29
Yeah, old Scott Bradford, he is one of the greatest. I have worked on several Emmaus walks with him. Has he ever told you the one about the little bird named Chirpy? I understand he is now pastoring at the Methodist Church in the town I was raised, Uvalde. I now live in Kerrville and I will always consider it my hometown. I have the opportunity to be buried in a family plot at Waresville Cemetery south of Utopia, my mother’s hometown, where I actually spent a lot of my youth, but now I wish to be buried here in Kerrville. Kerrville to me is somewhat magical, it is one of those towns that grows on you. And it isn’t all that far from Junction should someone from that town wish to visit. I go to First Christian Church here in Kerrville, the denomination that I grew up in. We have a fantastic minister. And speaking of Emmaus, my pastor and I will both be working on the Hill Country Emmaus Walk to be held here at Mt. Wesley October 4-7. Come on over on Saturday night and watch us go through the line at Candlelight. I have enjoyed your website immensely.