A 50th Birthday to Remember Forever

Yesterday, as I was walking into church with my family, something UNEXPECTED happened, I was asked to announce the big news about the Treasure Box approving us for our community.  I did not expect Martha, Michelle, Amy, Joe, and Pat to be manning the booth on a Holiday weekend, especially because the approval did not come until the day before (thanks, Kristy, for sacrificing your time on a Holiday weekend to push the paperwork through).  There they were, all joyful and ready to take orders for food at a discounted price.  My family went in to church ahead of me while I hugged the volunteers.  Martha asked me to please announce the good news about our approval and I was moved to tears knowing how this program was going to have a very deep and profound affect on our town.  I took a seat in the first row in front of the choir (Joe and Amy are also part of the choir and they were smiling at me as I took my place...they both knew that they were part of something incredibly special).

My two nieces from Florida were in the row behind me with more extended family and my mother was next to Lucy (yes, Lucy, we were all home, in God's house).  When it was time to make the announcement, I almost had trouble getting the words out.  "Praise God, all the hurdles have been removed, stop by and order your boxes today, and spread the word", I proclaimed.  "Soon we will be networking with all the other churches and organizations to bring restaurant quality food to Ramona at discount prices."

When I walked outside to check on our group of volunteers, the crowd sang Happy Birthday to me.  My heart rejoiced as I saw the line of people gathered at the booth to place their orders.

Once I returned home, I opened my birthday present from my oldest son, Ryan.  It was the perfect gift at the perfect time...God's time.  My jaw dropped as I read my friend's name on the cover of Self-Publishing & Marketing From The Trenches, by his high school wrestling coach, Peter H. Zindler.

If you have been reading my recent posts, you are aware of the epic spiritual battle I have found myself in the center of.  I cried out for help...for prayer warriors to send up their smoke signals to the Heavens.  An entire battalion of writers are right here in my home town...they are being led by Peter, an associate pastor at a church I was preparing to call on to join with us to feed the hungry.

I spent the entire day reading this book, ignoring birthday calls in order to finish it before heading to a 4th of July BBQ.  The book reached it's target audience, a servant of God who was called to write but not qualified to write (at least...not yet, not until the final pieces of God's puzzle are linked together).  Peter has been doing this for thirty years.  He knows publishing and he knows marketing.  He has helped others in his group to self-publish and he gives his Creator all the credit.  Yes, he is the right one to help me get qualified in time to release God's Black Sheep Squadron by St. Patrick's Day.

I sent out smoke signals and the calls for help were answered by Peter, a modern-day fisher of men.  Now he will teach me to be a fisher of men.  Help was found in the back yard of my own neighborhood, the smoke signals only needed to travel a few miles.  Praise God!  If you would like to read any of Peter's books, click this link.  Thank you, Peter, for autographing the book and for helping me on my journey.  The video below is one more piece of God's puzzle, a necessary solution to counterattack the Enemy.  If you know of anyone who wants to become a writer, please share the following video with them.