Stand at the Cross Roads

Caught in a swirling vortex?

2011-11-22T08:50:00.000-08:00

The first chapter of Stand at the Cross Roads begins with this question, "In resolving our issues, are we doomed to repeat them over and over, to relive the same situation until we finally get it right?" What are your thoughts on this subject?

Available Now

2011-11-21T11:04:00.000-08:00

The book I wrote, Stand at the Cross Roads, came out a few weeks ago, but so many people are still asking me when it will be available that I guess I'm not doing this "social networking thing" right. Not a big surprise for anyone that know me very well!!!! Anyway you can order it from your preferred on-line retailer - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iUniverse.com, etc... in softcover, hardcover or as an ebook. It can also be ordered from your local bookseller using the ISBN# 978-1-4620-2426-1.

I have been humbled beyond belief by the wonderful reception that the book has received from so many of you. Thank you for your feedback, your warm affirmations and for sharing this testimony to God's goodness with your friends.

I pray that this open and honest look at my life and walk with Christ will be received in the spirit intended - a testament to what God can do through the most unlikely of people.

Wish me luck with getting the word out in spite of my technological limitations and cut me some slack when, not if, I get it wrong!!!!

Book Launch!

2011-10-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

It's been a long haul, my friends, but, praise God, the book Stand at the Cross Roads is finally available. Below is the Press Release that will be going out shortly. In the meantime, you can order it from your local bookseller, your preferred on-line retailer or iUniverse.com. It is also available as an ebook.

It is my ardent prayer that this testimony to God's grace and empowerment will encourage anyone standing at a crossroads in search of hope and a future.

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

EDITORS: For review copies or interview requests, contact:

Marketing Services

Tel: 800-288-4677

Fax: 812-961-3133

Email: promotions@iuniverse.com

(When requesting a review copy, please provide a street address.)

Autobiography Reveals Unlikely Woman’s Call to Action

Faith leads her to risk everything in pursuit of her vision

CALDWELL, Texas –Hilda Hellums Baker’s new autobiography, written with Chris Rogers, Stand at the Cross Roads: A True Story of an Imperfect Woman, an Uncertain Future, and a Mission That Would Change Lives Forever (published by iUniverse), is the story of a woman that you wouldn’t expect to have much to offer the world, much less the Christian community. Plagued by a series of painful divorces, financial setbacks and the struggles of single motherhood she had reached the end of her rope.

One sultry morning, at a retreat in south Texas, Hilda Baker sensed a voice whose message ignited a passion in her and catapulted her from cosmopolitan Houston to Chriesman, Texas – population seventy – and then into a remote, rugged wilderness. Arriving with little more than a U-Haul trailer crammed with her worldly belongings, and with her sixteen-year-old daughter in tow, she began the task God had entrusted her to complete.

This courageously honest, fast paced, hard-to-put down book takes you along on Baker’s gripping true-life adventure and shares the many insights she gained as she worked to carve a sanctuary out of a dense forest. Despite the hardships, or maybe because of them, she was transformed in the process.

Through her perseverance, strength of will and unwavering faith, the Cross Roads Retreat has become a place of transformation for countless others and a testament to what God can do through the most unlikely of people.

About the Author

In addition to being the founder, volunteer director and chairman of the board of Cross Roads Retreat, Hilda Hellums Baker also shares her passion for spiritual formation as a founding member of Area 3:16, a church started in her adopted hometown of Caldwell, Texas. Hilda is also active in the Brazos Valley Emmaus Community, a program for spiritual renewal and the development of Christian leaders.

PRINTING NOW!

2011-09-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

It's been 5 months since my last post, and I said on the Stand at the Cross Roads Facebook page, I have been stymied at every turn in getting this book published. My frustration with the "process" took a huge toll on my frame of mind. There were daily problems, errors, mis-communications, and corrections, ad nauseam and, quite frankly, I got just as tired of writing negative updates, as you must have gotten reading them.

On top of that, for the last few months, while battling with the publisher, I have also been writhing in self-doubt about what my friends and family might think about me, and the things about me, that I shared so openly in this story. Although the test readers, including several family members, overwhelming supported the book, I was still unsettled.

However, God has used this time to further assure me, through my Christian friends and family, that it truly is His will for me to share my story. My story? No, His story. This story is about God keeping the promise He made in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 where Christ says"... “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This story is about how God prefers to use weakness, weak and broken people, to accomplish His will and how He went about doing that through me.

Monday, I realized that I had to get out of God's way and quit stalling and fixing the Stand at the Cross Roads manuscript, so, I took a deep breath and sent it to the printer. In spite of me, it won't be long now before God will be able to use His story to reveal once again His faithfulness and continuing pursuit of real and personal relationships with His people. All glory to God!

Moving On

2011-04-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

The rejection from CrossBooks really knocked my knees out from under me, but, thanks to the encouragement and support many of you sent my way, I'm back on my feet and moving on!

I never heard back from CrossBooks or LifeWay - so, I finally contacted them. Apparently, Dr. Drake never received the manuscript from his own people and now doesn't have time to review it.

No worries, as my mom used to say. I am now lined up with another publisher, materials are all submitted and hopefully in eight to twelve weeks we should have a book and an e-book. Praise God!

Still waiting ... and researching other resources!

2011-04-04T06:40:00.000-07:00

No word yet from LifeWay's CrossBooks. If no positive response, or no response at all, by next Monday, I'm ready to move forward with another self-publisher. Please pray for me to recognize God's will for this book!

Reconsidering....

2011-03-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Dr. Stephen D. Drake, D. Min., Director, Corporate Relations, President of the LifeWay Bible Society has agreed to personally read the entire manuscript and offer his thoughts, and I have agreed to consider them.

In the meantime I will continue to research other Print On Demand providers. Please continue to pray that God opens the right door, to the right place, at the right time for this testimony to break free of the obstacles that have delayed it's publication.

Self-Publishing Rejection!?

2011-03-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I can't even pay to have the book published. I received an email from CrossBooks, a division of LifeWay, this morning informing me that my manuscript did not pass their "Theological Review". Apparently, my history of divorce is not acceptable.

My reply, "I will send my manuscript to a publisher who is more in touch with God's grace and redemptive power, which is what the book is about, and is a much more important and life changing message than submission in marriage."

Heck of a note, huh, can't even get a Christian self-publisher to take the book. The evil one is truly pulling out all the stops, but I will not give up.

I'm Ba-a-a-a-ack!

2011-02-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

I have been so-o out of touch for so-o long. As many of you know, George, Pat's dad, moved in with us last March. Having him with us was truly a blessing and he was the focus of our lives for the following eight months. He passed away the day before Thanksgiving. Travel to Missouri to take George home, catching up and the holidays consumed December and January. But, I'm ba-a-a-a-ack now and I have news!

I finally listened to what God has been trying to tell me through many of you for months on end. Last Monday I took action and signed with CrossBooks to self-publish Stand at the Cross Roads. CrossBooks is affiliated with LifeWay and B&H Publishing. The book will available for purchase online through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and LifeWay, plus their sales reps and I will promote it to other bookstores and venues. There will also be an eBook version that will be available for purchase and download through Kindle, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble Reader and every other source of that type. I am excited about the whole process.

Thank each of you for your support and encouragement, but it's not over yet! Please pray for the Holy Spirit to move mightily through the good folks at CrossBooks, LifeWay and B&H Publishing in their effort to take this story of God's glory public.

Watch for updates here as Stand at the Cross Roads moves through the self-publishing process!

Blessings and thanks!

Hand Delivered

2010-10-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

The mailman brought the mail to the door today, so I was spared the dreaded trip to the mailbox. Instead he hand delivered the dreaded letter. Moody Publishers said, "Thank you, but....this material does not fit in with our current publishing plans." I took it really well. Glad to finally have an answer, any answer.

I know what several of you are thinking. You would be right. You'd think that I'd have learned by now to listen when different people keep coming to me with the same "thought" or "vision", that God might be using them to try to get through to me. But, no! I'm as hard headed as ever.

Anyway, as of today I will begin researching the ins and outs of self-publishing the book. Thank all of you who have been so faithful in your support, prayers and GUIDANCE. Especially, those who have sent me links and suggestions. I will pursue every one of them. Don't give up on me just yet! Old dogs are slow learners.

The Morning After

2010-10-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

Ed and Thresa Hull are amazingly gifted artisans. Both hold down full time jobs, but their hobbies are where their hearts are. Ed spends most of his spare time in this woodworking shop patiently shaping exotic wood into incredible multi-hued, multi-textured bird "mansions" and other pieces of wood art. Thresa and Ed work together painstakingly piecing together brilliantly colored shards of stained glass on phenomenal projects that take up another entire workshop. It is hard to accept that their extraordinary talents are just a "hobby".

A little over a year ago Thresa Hull attended a retreat here at Cross Roads. At the end of the weekend, Thresa told me that the Holy Spirit had touched her deeply during her stay here and she wanted to give something back. I told her that wasn't necessary, but she asked if we had ever considered putting stained glass windows in the Chapel. "Of course!", I said, "It's on the list, but, not very high, 'cuz it's so expensive."

Ed and Thresa went to work applying their incredible talent to designing, making and then donating exquisite stained glass windows for the Cross Roads Chapel. It took them an entire year. Each window is half of a sunrise behind a cross. When you look at the front of the Chapel you see three crosses - the two stained glass windows on either side with a sun rising behind them and the cross on top of the Chapel. The windows are titled, "The Morning After". This photo doesn't do them justice. On your next visit to the Cross Roads you'll see what I mean!

"The Morning After"

Created and Donated by Ed and Thresa Hull

Thank you, Ed and Thresa, your gift will bless everyone who comes to Cross Roads!

The Dreaded Mailbox

2010-10-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

On September 13th I mailed the book proposal for Stand at the Cross Roads to Moody Publishers. The submission guidelines required a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope be included in the package. The guidelines further informed me that if they were interested in the book they would contact me by phone, if declining, I would receive notification by mail. Hence the requested SASE.

The last 29 days have been the longest days of my life! Every morning around 10AM I climb in our Kawasaki mule and slowly drive the 1/2 mile to the dreaded mailbox - praying, praying, praying along the way that the equally dreaded letter is not inside.

Everyday has been increasingly difficult. I drive slower, open the box slower, hold my breath a little longer as I sift through the contents, then WHOOSH! I exhale! So far, so good, no SASE addressed to me in my own handwriting has been lurking inside!

The instructions also stated that I should receive a response to the proposal within one month of their receiving it. Well, friends, tomorrow is 30 calendars days and I am conflicted beyond belief. Part of me just KNOWS that God is going to make this happen through Moody Publishers, because it would truly be the perfect ending to the story and I can't imagine them not recognizing this opportunity and being excited about the connection. The other part of me tells me not to get my hopes up, that we can't know what God's will is and if this doesn't work out He has something even better in mind for getting His story out. Then I feel guilty for doubting.

Anyway, please continue to pray for His will - and my strength to keep opening that dreaded mailbox!

Good news/Bad News....

2010-09-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I've got good news and not so good news. Tate Publishers did not work out. They offered me a contract, but, wanted $5,000...and when I had a question or two, they never called me back. OH WELL! The good news is that in the meantime, I discovered that Moody Bible Institute has a publishing division. The story virtually began with God leading me to a piece of obscure rural property owned by the Moody Bible Institute! Their website states that they do not accept unsolicited manuscripts from unpublished authors, but, after a few emails I received permission to send them Stand at the Cross Roads. I think it's intriguing to think that the story could come full circle if Moody chooses to publish the story that God used them to kick-start!!!!! SO KEEP PRAYING! I mailed it Saturday.

Last Weekend

2010-05-22T08:40:00.001-07:00

No one calls a year in advance to book a retreat, then follows through promptly with a meticulously completed contract and a check for the full amount of the estimated cost. It was unheard of, at least until I got a call from the American Taekwondo Association. They were looking for a place for prospective instructors to gather for certification training. Men, women, and youth were signed up from all over Texas, and even as far away as Arkansas. Centrally located, Cross Roads was the perfect spot. They quickly snapped up a weekend and wasted no time in nailing down the details.

I regretted it immediately. A Taekwondo retreat? They weren't coming to Cross Roads for a spiritual experience. They were coming to experience the rush of kung fu fighting and the thrill of combat. What was I thinking? This had nothing to do with our mission at Cross Roads and I'd given away a prime Spring weekend. A weekend that several of our regulars might want. But, there was nothing to be done about it at that point. The ATA would be coming to Cross Roads.

Fall began to fade into winter, and the inquires for spring dates started rolling in. I held my breath every time Jenny called to update me on what dates were being considered and by whom. Weekends were being picked like grapes off a vine, except for the ATA weekend. No one even asked about that particular weekend in May. Go figure!

A field of black suited Ninja's with red bandanas greeted me as I drove down the road to the camp. I nearly ran over a pod of them as they posed, stretched, lurched and chopped at imaginary adversaries. And this was before breakfast! I just shook my head again and smiled, wondering just what God was going to do with this "happening" at the Cross Roads.

We watched as they quietly lined up for breakfast without a prayer. It was a disconcerting first for us. It was also obvious that this was the first time these folks had ever met each other, but they were friendly and very appreciative of the good hot 'healthy' food we had prepared at their "masters" request. The line of fifty-five black clad figures snaked all the way around the room. As they passed the serving window we chatted amicably with them, asking them where they were from, what level they had achieved in Taekwondo and whatever else came to mind.

By the time they arrived back at the dining hall for lunch a sense of comaraderie had begun to take shape. The youth, still full of energy after a morning of intense physical activity, jostled each other as they stood in line. The adults turned blind eyes to their shennanigans and continued to talk with their new friends and to us as we served their plates. One woman asked what church or denomination the camp was affiliated with. She looked surprised when we said, "None, we're just a bunch of volunteers who do this because we think it's a good thing." About twenty more folks streamed by before someone else asked the same question and got the same reply.

The dinner bell rang at 6 o'clock and I would have sworn that a different group of people came through those doors. They were laughing and joking like they'd known each other forever and this time lots of them wanted to know who we were and what organization or church ran the camp. Each received the same answer as before. It's just us. We do it because we love it. After dinner we received a standing ovation for the great food, to which we replied, "All glory to God!"

The next morning I could not be there to serve them breakfast. It was Sunday, and one of my granddaughters was being baptized at her church in Austin. I wasn't going to miss that for anything. But, when I got home the phone rang almost immediately. Jenny must have seen me drive up the road. I could hear the emotion in her trembling voice. She said that one of the group was a youth director and was inquiring about bringing his youth to the camp. I said, "Well, great, now I know why they were supposed to come to the Cross Roads!" She said, "No, that was really good, but that's not the best part. When they came in for breakfast this morning they joined hands and prayed."

All glory to God!

Okay, then...

2010-04-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 32- Stand At The Cross Roads: Nine years earlier, when Buddy came out to doze our driveway, I'd asked him to also clear out a notch on the hilltop. That spot was designated as the site for the Cross Roads chapel, which at the time was to be the first building we constructed. As our plans continuously morphed, building the chapel became a dream for the future...

I knew that Pat had been thinking about building the chapel for quite a while. Every time we attended a worship service at a different church or chapel I could see him counting heads, measuring walls, and figuring costs in his mind. He is so quick with numbers that I frequently joke that he’s my personal calculator. But now he was treading on sacred ground, planning to design the chapel I had dreamed of for so many years. My defenses flew up.

"I’m not sure the chapel will fit on that spot without more dozer work," he said. "Not if we plan to fill it with a couple hundred people."

"Well, it should. We planned for it when we dozed the site."

"It’s better to plan big, scale down later, if necessary. I’ll look at it."

The size wasn’t our only point of contention. The beauty of cedar siding or the easy maintenance of HardyiPlank? A trendy tin roof or composition shingles that were guaranteed to keep the interior cooler and quieter? A tile floor, carpet, or stained concrete? Square windows? Rectangular? High or low? Agreement did not come easily between us, and after all, it was his money. But it was my vision. The ghost of that perverted adage about the Golden Rule kept poisoning my mind

The Labyrinth

2010-04-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 31 - Stand At The Cross Roads: As I approached the edge of the canvas mat, to step back into the real world, I was both excited and joyful. I knew now why God wanted us to build a Prayer Labyrinth at Cross Roads.

At home, I went straight to the Internet and studied every entry I could find on the subject of labyrinths, amazed at the number of different styles and types. They could be constructed of canvas or garden hedges, or simply outlined in rope or rock. Some were permanent, while others were drawn in sand or dirt and erased when no longer needed.

I ordered books on how to build one. Surely it couldn’t be that hard, and we could certainly afford rope, or maybe even rock. The day the books arrived, I opened the package and sat down to absorb whatever I needed to know.

Unfortunately, the secret of the labyrinth was math - not my strong suit, by far. This particular math was called "sacred geometry." Although I studied the books and the equations for several days, I knew it was hopeless.

The right space would have to be located, and an area large enough for a labyrinth would have to be hacked out of the heavy woods. Using rock would make it permanent, but a lot of man, or woman, power would be needed to haul the rocks and place them properly.

I talked to God that day in earnest confusion. I knew He wanted a Prayer Labyrinth built at Cross Roads, but once again, He had given me a job to do that seemed impossible. Getting no immediate answer, I despondently shoved the books onto the bookshelf, where they remained untouched until after I married Pat.

Pat's degree is in statistics and mathematics. Perfect. I gave him the books and asked him to help figure out the secret. He dutifully read the materials, but once again the books ended up back on the shelf.

Now, after all this time, the idea of building God’s Prayer Labyrinth might be possible after all. Not only was Melissa familiar with the subject, because her church possessed one, but the previous summer her pastor, Jo Hudson, had traveled the entire southeastern United States learning to build labyrinths. This was the very same Jo Hudson whose grandfather’s house I had bought from the Methodist church in Somerville.

A coincidence?

Reverend Jo Hudson

Sally Miller, Dr. Suzanne Black & Melissa Dunn in background

Great news! Today I received a letter from The Writer's Edge, a manuscript submission/screening service that is recommended on many publishers websites for first time/non-published authors. They have accepted the manuscript and it will be included in The Writer's Edge listing next month. This listing will be sent to 75 publishers, including most of the leaders in Christian publishing.

The reviewer wrote, "Readers will be interested in the sometimes dramatic ways that God has worked in your life, and your honesty serves you well as you write about your journey of faith. You have a compelling story to tell. ...I want to encourage you to continue sharing your story..."

This last month was anything but down time. Writing the daily excerpts has given me the opportunity to carefully re-read each chapter, expanding, revising, correcting or clarifying as I went. The result is an even better manuscript. The letter came the day before the last chapter posts. A coincidence?

Yes, But...

2010-04-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 30 – Stand At The Cross Roads: For the first time in my life I had close friendships with women I loved and depended upon, women who magically appeared at my side during any important occasion. They worked beside me at the camp. They sat by my bed at the hospital. They brought meals to my home when I was recovering from a broken back. They counseled me, cried with me, celebrated with me. I didn’t want that part of my life to change.

And this mission I’d undertaken, it was God’s work, yes, but it was also mine. I was the one He had called to steer this ship, and during these years of good times and bad, I was hardheaded enough to keep my hand always at the wheel. I couldn’t let that change.

Previously, in my childhood as well as my marriages, men took control of my life. That never worked for me. So being in control was a type of self-preservation.

Pat was stronger by far than any man I’d ever known. By marrying him, I would be agreeing to share my world, to share the camp and the vision God had given me for it. Could I do that?

Carol Moreland, Sally Miller, Mary Stevens

Jean Bailey, Jane Pulley, Ellen Knight

Me & Cindy VanDeventer (standing)

Restoration Accountability Group

                  Melissa Dunn

   GOOD NEWS!

   CHRIST OUR LORD IS RISEN TODAY!

No Expectations

2010-04-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 29- Stand At The Cross Roads: A moment later, Mary introduced us, and I learned that Pat was her boss. She was his assistant. His office was the first one on the right, which I passed every time I visited her after that.

He had an impressive roll-top desk, his walls were covered with geological and seismic data charts, and he was always wheeling and dealing on the phone. And when he was on the phone, he was usually pacing. He’d look up, say "Hi," and go back to work. The energy generating from that office was palpable.

Pat was married back then, so to me he was just Mary’s boss, but he seemed to be an interesting person, a smart businessman, and above all, highly competent. Friendly, easy going, he never minded that I’d come by to visit. And he occasionally popped over to Mary’s office to say hello.

That was in the early days of Cross Roads, late 1996. By the time Pat asked me out to lunch in September of 2001, he was in the process of divorce and I was recovering from a broken back. After the charity dance I invited him to in February, we started dating again and continued throughout that spring. One day, out of the blue, he said, "When are you going to ask me to go to church with you?"

Panicked by the thought of what people would think if I showed up in church with a man and remembering our former conversation on this subject, when he’d asked me about the importance of faith in my life - I froze. Once again, I had been challenged to put my money where my mouth was.

Change Is In the Wind

2010-04-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 28 - Stand At The Cross Roads: "The camp is bringing in enough revenue now to pay me a modest salary," I explained. "A far cry from the multiple salaries we envisioned four years ago, but enough for food and essentials. With that support, I can spend time marketing Cross Roads and still have time to take care of the day-to-day chores."

"If that’s what you think you need to do, go ahead," Scott said.

"We haven’t put out newsletters consistently in a while," I added. "We haven’t nearly explored all the churches within driving distance. With this extra time, I can do both."

"If it’s what you want to do," Jennifer said ambiguously, "then you’ll make it work. If anybody can do it, Mom, you can."

They didn’t actually encourage me, but they didn’t try to talk me out of it. I knew they felt as strongly as I did that we were spinning in circles going the way were now.

Before May was over, I had turned in my resignation at Insite Printing. I was ready and eager to devote the summer promoting Cross Roads.

Shortly thereafter, Jennifer and Scott came to me with the saddest faces I’d ever seen. Scott nervously hung back while Jennifer stepped forward.

"This isn’t easy for us to tell you," she said. "We believe in what we ’ve tried to accomplish here, and we want Cross Roads to succeed, but…”

Diehards

2010-04-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 27- Stand At The Cross Roads: As the weekend approached, we kept a wary eye on the weather. It occurred to me at one point that the success of this event would guarantee we'd never suffer the whim of Texas weather in the future. Thus far, we seemed fated to have every big event rained out. Unfortunately, the forecast for the weekend was grim. Heavy weather off to the west was moving in our direction.

Saturday dawned bright and sunny, so our spirits were high that morning. Melissa came to help Scott, Jennifer, and me mow, clean, and set up the tables and chairs.

Dan Dickson and his fellow band members from “Godsong” arrived, pulling a trailer full of musical instruments and equipment. When I showed them where they’d be playing their eyebrows shot up. Exchanging furtive looks, the band set up at the edge of the open-air pavilion, while Dan pulled me quietly aside.

"You think the weather will hold?" he asked apprehensively, as flurries of white Dogwood petals skittered across the grounds.

Dan Dickson and wife Sara (my sister)

Let Me Do It Myself

2010-03-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 26 - Stand At The Cross Roads: Intense pain prevented me from rolling over to get up, so I tried to just sit up, but froze in agony, with my head and legs off the ground and my knees flexed. I could neither sit up, nor lie back down.

Scott ran over to me, and upon realizing how bad it was, held my head on his knees. Yessica supported my legs while someone called Jennifer at the house.

She sped down the drive, threw on the brakes, and jumped out.

"Are you okay?"

"No. Call an ambulance."

The color drained from her face. She knew that if I said I needed help, it must be bad. She ran to the phone in the shed knowing full well that it rarely worked. The line was dead.

Later, she told me, "I slammed that phone down and prayed, ‘God, I need this phone to work and I know you can do it.’" Absolutely confident it would work now… she picked it up and without listening for a dial tone, dialed 911...

My father-in-law is settling in and the beginning of a routine is developing. There are still quite a few bugs to work out, but things are looking up! Thank you all for your continuing prayers.

One Foot in Front of the Other

2010-03-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

I HOPE you noticed that there was no post yesterday. LOL! Last Wednesday morning my 91 year old father-in-law was transported from Missouri to our house via Medical RV. For the last few days Pat, his son Kevin and I have been consumed with obtaining all of the medical equipment, health care, etc... necessary to get him settled. Pat and I are blessed to be able to share our home with him. My postings may be a bit shorter than usual for a few days and I would greatly appreciate your prayers for an easy transition for all of us. Blessings and THANK YOU!

ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER

Excerpt from Chapter 25 - Stand At The Cross Roads: In the movie What About Bob? Bill Murray as Bob Wiley has been told by his therapist that he can do anything he wants if he takes it in baby steps. That is absolutely my favorite movie.

Throughout the film, Bob is murmuring, "…baby steps… baby steps… baby step to the elevator... baby step into the elevator..."

At Cross Roads, we found ourselves so many days just putting one foot in front of the other, moving resolutely toward whichever current goal we’d set for ourselves. Occasionally, I found myself muttering, just like Bob. "Baby steps, baby steps. Baby-steps to improve our houses… baby-step to enclose the pavilion…."

As I looked back at the previous year, I couldn’t help wondering if God was using the perpetual setbacks that kept shutting me down to teach me not to move so fast. Maybe He was saying to me, "Slow down, pay attention, what about Me?"

The Millenium Year

2010-03-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 24 - Stand At The Cross Roads: Scott, with the help of Jim Smith, one of our biggest champions, organized a work detail to take apart the nursing home. For three weekends in a row during that hot summer, we salvaged lighting fixtures, wall switches, towel dispensers, tables, chairs, a stove and stainless steel table from the kitchen, wall hangings, and shelves. Nailed down or not, if it was salvageable, we grabbed it.

If I learned anything that summer, it was that Melissa Dunn is a bull dog. When she gets hold of something, she won’t let it go. God knew that Melissa was exactly the person we needed to kick us back into action and make us change gears.

Work detail at the nursing home

The Company of Others

2010-03-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 23 - Stand At The Cross Roads: ...when the leader arrived, who had not been among the scouts, she was appalled.

"Where are the Masters going to sleep? Where will they eat?"

Apparently, it wouldn’t do to have these holy men mixing so intimately with their local Buddhist community. In the end, they were given a separate cabin for sleeping, and small tables were placed out in the woods so they could eat privately. Women wearing white pajama-like tops and pants bowed and scraped as they carried food to them.

Anyone who knows me knows that I found these practices difficult to watch. Concealing my discomfort and showering them with Christ’s love was a challenge. I failed. It was the only time Carol suggested that I just go home and let her handle things. I think perhaps God was opening my eyes once more to the fact that Cross Roads was His camp, not mine and He’d bring whoever He wanted out here. Our job was simply to love them on His behalf. Yes, He dropped lots of surprises on us.

Nope, no photo for this one... Unfortunately, I wasn't there long enough! LOL ;)

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but I'm living proof that you can - if the tricks aren't to hard! However, this BLOG "thing" IS hard. Fans on the Fan Page dropped back to 199 this morning. Any thoughts on why? I'd appreciate any input you might have to help me improve this site.

If you are enjoying these excerpts from Stand At The Cross Roads, maybe some of your friends would, too. If so, go to the Fan Page and under the photo is a link titled - Suggest To Friends - click on it - Your friends will pop up - you can invite them by clicking on their photos. It is my prayer that Christ will work through this book to touch and change many lives. Thank you for your continued prayers.

The Perfect Porch

2010-03-21T10:21:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 22 - Stand At The Cross Road: While all of us were dancing and celebrating the bride and groom, my brother, John, a structural engineer, took me aside and mentioned that he’d noticed my house still needed finishing.

"You need a porch," he said, as we attacked the dessert tray together.

Concern shown in his eyes, as he reflected on the state of my house. No landing, no railing, just a shaky three-step ladder up to the front door.

"I have a brand new chimney," I pointed out. After barely scraping together the resources for the fireplace, buying the materials to replace the porch was not in the budget.

"We need to build you a porch," John said.

Was he serious about taking on such a huge project? God had shown me, time and time again, that His way of taking care of me was through the people He sent my way. Was He sending my brother, now?

My house didn't look quite this bad when John saw it. The movers had put the two halves back together, the roof had been patched with left over shingles, non of which were the same color, and the fireplace had been rebuilt.

We reached the goal of 200 FANS today,

Praise God!

Thank each of you for your help. I hope you are enjoying the excerpts and will continue to follow the the story and recommend it to friends.

Soaring On Eagle's Wings

2010-03-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 21 – Stand At The Cross Road: Another high point of that year came by way of my best friend, Mary. I was in the habit of dropping by the office where she worked and having lunch with her in their coffee bar several times a week. Those were bright spots in my day and special, I think, for both of us. We solved all the problems of the world over countless burgers, or salads, depending on whether one of us was dieting. One April morning Mary called me.
            "Hey girl, you coming by for lunch today?"
            "Maybe. I have an appointment that could take a while."
            "Take your time, I’ll wait. I have an idea I want to discuss with you."
            No sooner had I sat down than Mary said, "You all need more help with Cross Roads."
            "No, you really think so?" My sarcasm only made her smile.
Her blue eyes glowed with excitement...

Mary Stevens (singing)

ONE Fan Short of 200! HELP!!!!

Pat clued me in last night that some of you may not know HOW to ask your friends to become Fans. Just go to the Stand At The Cross Roads Fan Page. Under the photo is a link titled - Suggest To Friends - click on it - Your friends will pop up - you invite them by clicking on their photos. If all 199 of you will just do that IT WOULD BE PHENOMENAL! Thank each of you for your tremendous support. Please don't stop now! It is my prayer that Christ will work through this book to touch and change many lives. Please continue praying as this book blossoms into the full potential that God has in store for it!

The Year of Grace

2010-03-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

Excerpt Chapter 19 – Stand At The Cross Road: March, April, and May are crucial months for a retreat camp. They promise the best weather for outdoor activities, and the natural surroundings abound with the wonderment of new life.

Our spring at Cross Roads was packed with so much commotion that it passed in a hectic blur. No kitchen at the camp, meant that every weekend both our homes were invaded by three or four people busily cooking three meals a day plus snacks, which we would then load into my suburban and haul down to hungry campers.

And it was fun. When I was younger, I didn’t want people dropping in on me because my house might not be perfect. I was too insecure to be a particularly social person, so I didn’t have much company. Cross Roads changed all that. Cooking meals together was a joyfully communal endeavor, with Carol in charge bossing us around. I loved it.

Carol Moreland Melissa Dunn Debbie Batts

ALL GLORY TO GOD! This is His story, please help me get it published We are SO close just 3 Fans away...Re-posting this on your Facebook page AND asking your friends to become fans will help reach the goal of 200 Fans. Remember, publishers look for a minimum of 200 fans to indicate a potential market for a book. ... This is a story of how He still works today in and through individual lives. It is ultimately a story of the healing, hope and purpose available to everyone.

The Cross Walk

2010-03-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 18 – Stand At The Cross Roads: Unknown to the campers, people had been gathering at my house all morning, getting into costume and practicing their lines. Scott was nervous and uncomfortable about the enormous responsibility of portraying Jesus. He was determined not to put any words in Jesus’ mouth, to stick strictly with scripture whenever he spoke.

Appearing at the top of the hill in costume, Scott started the Living History "Walk with Jesus" by beckoning to the campers.

"Come, follow me," he called, and they ran to join him.

197 Fans

Three more to go for the minimum needed to show publishers the book has a following!

I KNOW you've got three more friends that would LOVE to become FANS!!!!

Winter Rains

2010-03-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patick's Day!

We're up to 191 Fans!!!

THANK YOU!

Excerpt from Chapter 17 – Stand At The Cross Roads: Meanwhile, our little family continued suffering from too much togetherness. Four people in a space the size of a small apartment were often three too many. When we moved there from the rental house in Chriesman, I'd put all my furniture in storage, except for my bed. Scott and Jennifer’s furniture was wall-to-wall in our tiny living area. Even our clothes were crowded, because houses built back then had no closets.

So we were popping out at the seams. As we continued with the mountainous repair work our pet goats, Dave and Judy, poked their heads up through the floorboards to watch. The tensions grew as the house seemed to get smaller by the day.

Busy Hands, Busy Minds

2010-03-16T10:57:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 16 – Stand At The Cross Roads: For two months I was a basket case, anxiously waiting for the church to notify the winning bidder. Fortunately, with our frenetic schedule, I actually had little time to fret. We were determined to finish the cabins for overnight campers by spring.

My friend, Mary, hosted a jumbo garage sale in the Baker Exploration parking lot in College Station, where she worked. She collected items from all over the Brazos Valley. Her garage sale raised $1,200, and after other folks chipped in with monetary donations, we finally had enough money to finish out the cabins and ready the camp for overnight retreats.

Over the next two months we scheduled several volunteer workdays. Scott’s grand father, Jerell Fromme, helped with wiring. Vickie Novosad, her daughter Jennifer, and Brady Rockett from my church, Carol and her boys, friends Mike and Debbie Batts, my cousin, Mark Hellums, drove out from Austin to help, Jim and Kay Smith from Bryan and many others came to pitch in. Together, we stapled rolls of insulation between the two-by-fours in the walls and ceiling, cut and nailed sheet rock over it, then taped, floated, textured and painted.

At long last the cabins were done!

Brady Rockett Jennifer Novosad

14 more FANS and we reach 200!

Catacombs

2010-03-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 15 – Stand At The Cross Roads: After a short break, Jennifer called the group back together. She explained how the early Christians had been persecuted and had to worship in secret. She demonstrated the signs and symbols Christians had used to identify each other, such as a fish (the Icarus) or a dove. She showed pictures of the real Catacombs in Jerusalem and talked about the painted symbols that still remain on the sides of the caves to this day, symbols that let others know where the fugitive Christians met to worship. Soon she had the kids brainstorming scriptures and Bible stories, explaining that the early Christians had no Bibles and had to rely on their memories.

Then each camper painted a flat rock with a Christian symbol of his or her choice. Leaving the pavilion single file, we tramped silently down the narrow wooded trail to our newly erected Catacombs. Sitting solemnly inside the dark "cave," lit only by the flames of small candles gripped tightly in their hands, they shared all of the scriptures and Bible stories they could recall. Only the flickering light reflected in their eyes betrayed the excitement they felt by experiencing the dangerous reality faced by the early Christians. Finally, they left their rocks embedded in the cave wall to show others they had been there before them.

Everyone walked back to the camp humbled and inspired by the experience. Days like these kept us going.

Today we are at the halfway point in the book and we have 181 fans! WOW!!!!! Join with me in praying that by the end of the thirty days we double that number! Nothing is impossible with God – Right? So, if you haven't already please go to the Stand at the Cross Roads Fan Page and click the “Become a Fan” button and then re-post this to YOUR Facebook page to encourage your friends to become Fans, too! Let’s show those publishersthat contrary to what they think - people ARE interested in hearing about how God is still working in the lives of ordinary individuals today! Please pass it on!

Dumb 'n' Dumber

2010-03-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from Chapter 14 – Stand At The Cross Roads: We hired the only house movers we could find who were available on such short notice. Available - that should have been a red flag...

We stared in disbelief at the shattered remnants of our house.

"Okay, that’s it for today," Dumber said, loading up to leave. "We’re out of here."

"See you on Saturday," Dumb added.

That was two days away. Never mind that rain was on the horizon, with the two shattered halves of our house open to the elements. Never mind that we expected our first group of campers on Saturday and had no time to deal with protecting our investment from further ruin. Dumb 'n' Dumber were taking the weekend off.

Too numb to cry, we erupted in righteous indignation and outright anger. What were we supposed to do now? Holding hands in front of our expensive piles of rubble, we prayed asking God just what He was thinking, and for guidance.

Before the move

After the move

I can't thank each of you enough. Your support has completely overwhelmed me. This morning we reached 179 fans! If you haven't already please go to the Stand at the Cross Roads Fan Page and click the “Become a Fan” button and then re-post this to YOUR Facebook page to encourage your friends to become Fans, too! 200 is the magic number publishers look for to see if a book might have an audience. I know in my heart that God wants this story told. It is a true story about how His faithfulness, grace and providence is as relevant today as it was in ancient times. Please pass it on!

The Barn Raising

2010-03-13T06:49:00.000-08:00

The Barn Raising

Excerpt from Chapter 13 – Stand At The Cross Roads: Mid morning we sighted a truck at the bottom of the hill slipping and sliding, wheels spinning, as it attempted to pull a heavy trailer loaded with picnic tables up the drive. Half way to the top, it surrendered to the intractable mud. Within minutes, a swarm of volunteers encircled the truck and bravely mud-wrestled the tables the rest of the way up.

Work details formed and dispersed to begin construction. Amazingly, women out numbered the men, and dripping wet, they wielded hammers, nail guns, saws, and all manner of tools as if they'd worked construction all their lives.

WHOO! HOO! 175 Fans as of this morning! Keep spreading the word about joining the Fan Page and we'll get this book published before you know it!!!!!

Sand And Water

2010-03-12T08:40:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Chapter 11 – Stand At The Cross Roads: It was one of the hottest Septembers on record. Scott rented a trenching machine and dug a trough alongside our driveway to lay a quarter mile of water line. Jennifer and I followed behind, trying to lay down the twenty-foot lengths of PVC pipe before the baked sugar sand spilled over and refilled the trench. Hurriedly we glued and fitted each piece to the next, wiping gritty sweat from our eyes as we went.

Needless to say, none of us had ever done this before. When we finally attached the up-line, waited for everything to dry, and turned on the spigot, the puny trickle of sandy water that emerged was like manna from heaven.

Unfortunately, a puny trickle was the most we could get. Scott went up to Woodson’s and asked a couple of his good ol’ contacts what we’d done wrong. Not a thing, they assured him. We just used the wrong size pipe.

Heavy sighs and blank stares passed between us as the realization hit, but the second time is the charm - right?

Sorry, couldn't get the photo to load from my laptop!

I am SO excited - we are up to 147 FANS - closing in on the magic # of 200+! Please suggest to your friends that they go to the FAN PAGE and Become A Fan. I am so incredibly blessed by each and every one of you that I am speechless!

A Diamond In The Rough

2010-03-11T04:45:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Chapter 10 – Stand At The Cross Roads: We watched three of them go, then our tractor was up. When I started bidding, heads turned again. I know the men were wondering, What’s up with her? Nina and I were just about the only women there, and I was definitely the only woman bidding.

The exciting thing about an auction is not only the expectation of getting a bargain but that quiver in your stomach when you think, What if it’s a piece of junk? What if I’m throwing the hard-won cash from selling my diamond wedding rings into a red-and-gray money pit? Then you think, But what if it’s a steal, what if we drive home today with a real gem? Then again, you think, Am I being foolish, like Jack trading his cow for a handful of beans?

If you haven't already please go to the Stand at the Cross Roads Fan Page and click the “Become a Fan” button. 200 is the magic number that publishers look for to see if a book might have an audience. It would also be extremely helpful if you would re-post this to YOUR Facebook page to encourage your friends to become Fans, too!

Out of Options

2010-03-10T09:05:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Chapter 9 - Stand At The Cross Roads: Looking back, I wonder where we found the nerve to keep hammering on doors. Can you imagine banks refusing to loan a quarter of a million dollars to a divorcee with no collateral, no job, and no prospects, just 160 acres to her name, and with a loan against that? I laugh about it now, but I must have been crazy to think they'd even consider it.

Once again, we weren't really in a picture taking mood at this point!

It was so exciting to open Facebook and find 6 more Fans this morning! It’s like Christmas every morning now! We are up to 135 fans on the Stand At The Cross Roads Fan Page! If you haven't already please go to the Stand at the Cross Roads Fan Page and click the “Become a Fan” button. 200 is the magic number that publishers look for to see if a book might have an audience. It would also be extremely helpful if you would re-post this to YOUR Facebook page to encourage your friends to become Fans, too!

A Stinging Revelation

2010-03-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

"Ow!" I tripped and rolled.

Scott halted to avoid stumbling over me. I got up, lurched a few steps and fell again.

"Hilda, come on," he yelled, trying to help me back up while waving the bees away.

"No, Scott, go on!" With my heart racing, my lungs constricted, I gasped, "If they get me they get me."

Scott grabbed the back of my belt and hoisted me like a satchel. With my rear in the air, my head bobbing dangerously close to the ground, and my feet flopping, he ran for the cab of the trusty white farm truck we’d bought. Jennifer held the door while he tossed me inside and jumped in behind me.

It’s funny now. but.....

Thankfully, there is no photo of this episode! LOL!

We are up to 129 Fans!!! If you would like to help get the word out about God's work through Cross Roads please click the “Become a Fan” button on the Stand at the Cross Roads Fan Page. 200 is the magic number that publishers and agents look for to see if a book might have an audience. It would also be extremely helpful if you would re-post this to your Facebook page and encourage your friends and family to become a Fan, too!

The Walk To Emmaus

2010-03-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Chapter 7 – Stand At The Cross Roads: And so I did. And he was right, there’s no way to explain the enormous impact Emmaus had on my life. Yes, it’s a retreat for spiritual renewal, but it’s so much more than that. Before you renew you have to get rid of your baggage, through meditation, prayer, fellowship and sharing. For the first time in my life, and I was forty-six years old, I realized that I wasn’t alone anymore. I wasn’t the only woman who felt certain she’d messed her life up beyond repair. I wasn’t the only woman struggling to overcome the effects of a difficult childhood and my own bad choices. I wasn’t the only woman who felt that, in a world of normal people, she was the odd duck, the problem child, the one who didn’t belong. I realized that it was okay, God still wanted to use me.

Yeah! Yesterday 12 new people joined the Stand At the Cross Roads Facebook Fan Page! We are up to 126 Fans!!! If you would like to help get the word out about God's work through Cross Roads please click the “Become a Fan” button on the Fan Page. 200 is the magic number that publishers and agents look for to see if a book might have an audience. It would also be extremely helpful if you would forward this to your friends and family and encourage to become Fans, too!

Hunkered Down

2010-03-07T11:36:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Chapter 6 - Stand At The Cross Roads: About that time one of my next-door neighbors, Brenda Gaskins, began hounding me about meeting a Christian friend of hers. Brenda was a cheerful, friendly young mother of three with blonde shoulder length hair. Her friend lived "just on the other side of Chriesman," where Brenda pastured her horse.

Ironically, once again I was too busy trying to figure out things on my own to get involved with people in the community, I kept putting Brenda off, and putting her off, and putting her off. She was relentless. One day she dropped by and found me, as usual, sitting in the dark, my face lit by the computer screen, books and papers scattered on every surface.

"I’m going to check on my horse. Come get in the truck and go with me. You need to meet my friend."

Not today. Wearing my usual cutoffs and t-shirt, my hair air-dried and unruly, I just didn’t need this right now. "Brenda - "

"No excuses. You need to do this. Come on."

If you would like to help me get the word out about God's work through Cross Roads please click on the "Follow" button in the top left corner of this page. Also, if you are on Facebook please join my fan page. I have 17 "Followers" on this Blog and another 114 "Fans" on my Facebaok FAN page for a total of 130. 200 is the number that publishers and agents look for to see if a book has an audience. It would also be extremely helpful if you would forward this to your friends and family and encourage to become Followers and Fans, too!

Roughing It

2010-03-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Chapter 5 - Stand At The Cross Road: The barely accessible, deeply rutted clay road ran along the west side of the acreage, and a small clearing sat at the top end of that road. To say it was hot understates the weather by about twenty degrees. Texas summers are always hot. But in a Texas thicket, surrounded on all sides by vegetation, by shrubs and vines that grab at your clothing and scratch at your face, the heat comes at you like a steamroller, sucking the breath right out of your lungs.

There are also the no-see-ums, those tiny bugs that fly up your nose and into your ears and eyes. Scott and Dale faced quite a challenge setting up the tents. Tent stakes simply won’t hold in sand. Jeremy, with far less hassle, helped me hang my hammock between two oak trees, but Jennifer and Nina had to search forever to find rocks for the campfire ring. My nephew, Jay, watched from his perch in a tall oak as he insanely swayed the entire top of the tree a hundred feet off the ground.

A Time To Fish Or Cut Bait!

2010-03-05T05:22:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Chapter 4 - Stand At The Cross Roads: Cross Roads wasn't going to save my marriage. With the nauseating realization that I was starting over again, I began the legal process of disentangling our two lives. I had no idea how I could carry on with what I knew God had called me to do. I'd been out of the work force for quite some time, was at an age where few prospects for meaningful employment were available, and was facing the reality of leaving the marriage with minimal resources.

For my entire life, I'd heard calls to faith, countless calls to rely on God. Where God guides He provides. Was it true or not? If not, then I'd wasted a lot of time in church. It was time to decide what I really believed. It was time to fish or cut bait.

The Eyes Of My Heart Opened

2010-03-04T10:04:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Chapter 3 – Stand At The Cross Roads: Sitting there beneath the oak trees, the thought occurred to me that if I could do anything in the world for the rest of my life, this would be it: Provide a place where God can break through the chaos of everyday life to touch, change, and empower young people. Watching the kids this weekend experiencing their spirituality at a deeper level than most adults experience in a lifetime, a striking revelation had hit me. Most youth camps I’d ever heard of were missing the point, with their swimming pools, basketball courts, and all the latest jazziest equipment for entertaining kids. Those same distractions existed in kids’ everyday lives. Here in this minimal, unsophisticated camp, they had embraced the simplicity of faith.

What might have changed in my life had I experienced God in this way at an early age? I realized then that I would give anything to help save one child, one person, from the pain of making some of the mistakes I’d made.

God's Guide Posts: Learn as You Go

2010-03-03T11:40:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Chapter 2: Stand at the Cross Roads
I knew nothing about using a chainsaw, but God placed one in my hands anyway. I knew nothing about moving a house, but God gave me one anyway - and boy, did I fail that test, at least the first time around. Before doing that, however, he gave me 160 acres, thick with yaupon scrub and thorny greenbrier vines. He expected me to clear the land and build a retreat.

In preparation, many, many years before that, He gave me three beautiful children....

Daughters Jennifer on my right and Nina on my left. (Son - Jeremy not pictured)

In pursuing the goal of publication, I need at LEAST 200 Fans, as recommended by several Literary Agents! If you enjoy following the story, please recommend this Fan Page to your friends and family!

Discovering Community

2010-03-02T08:42:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Chapter 1: Stand at the Cross Roads - The youth program's mission at my Houston church was to provide fellowship, build faith-forming relationships, learn to live life abundantly, and to worship passionately. Although I'd always known intellectually that Jesus is there for us, I'd never realized that one way He accomplishes this feat is by working through His people. In guiding me to volunteer with the youth program, He gave me the opportunity to learn. I was learning what I taught as I taught it. Yet as I coached these kids to be open, trusting, accepting, and to seek support and guidance from their Christian friends, I felt like a complete fraud.

Markers In Our Faith

2010-03-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

I have heard from several publishers and agents with input on the "process" of getting a manuscript published. The advice ranged from "re-evaluate your commitment" to "embrace the challenge". Rest assured I am continuing to work toward the goal of publication!

Several agencies recommended building a following for the proposed book by blogging, so, I'm gonna get better at blogging. Stand at the Cross Roads consists of an introduction and thirty-three chapters. Starting now I will publish a short except from each of the thirty-three chapters, one every day for the next thirty-four days. Today's excerpt will be from the Introduction which was written by someone near and dear to many of you.

My goal is to attract between 200 to 500 "followers", as recommended by several agents. If you like what you read - please officially join this blog by becoming a Follower and share this link with your friends. Blessings to each and every one of you and thank you so much for your prayerful support of Stand at the Cross Roads as God guides it through "the process"!

INTRODUCTION

Markers In Our Faith

"I feel the spirit of God when I go through the gate at Cross Roads, and I like to think it is also the spirit of all the people whose lives have been changed and are being changed as you read the story of faith in the pages that follow. If we were to place a plaque to mark the spots where the lives of men, women and youth were transformed at Cross Roads, we would be surrounded by names - in the conference room, the dining hall, the chapel, the outdoor tabernacle, the prayer trail, the ropes course and everywhere in between."

Rev. John Warren

St. John's United Methodist Church

Rockdale, Texas

ROT

2010-02-04T11:45:00.000-08:00

Today's excerpt from Stand at the Cross Roads:

"The state of decay was irreversible. Not only were the buildings unusable, they were also unmovable. A pine tree had fallen through the roof of one. Others were rotten from the ground up or had gaping holes in their roofs.

Our hopes, which had been so high, nosedived at the dizzying speed of light.

"Oh, sure, they need a little fixing up," Mr Strube said. "Y’all can do that, strong young man, three strong young women."

"I’m not sure," I stammered. Concealing the depth of our disappointment from the gracious gentlemen and his wife was impossible.

"It'd be a help to us both," he persisted. "Y’all need the buildings to get started, I need the land cleared and a tax receipt. A wonderful opportunity all around."

Scott and Jennifer were dumbstruck. Mr. Strube’s precious camp buildings were not an option.

"We haven’t actually secured our tax exempt status," I reminded him.

He chuckled and said four precious words I’ll never forget, "Just send it in."

"But I’ve heard it’s not that easy to - "

"Naw, don’t be afraid. Just do it. The IRS will mark it up in red ink and tell you what you need to fix. No one gets approved the first time. Y’all make the corrections, send it back in. May take two or three times. Let the IRS be your lawyer, and just don’t be afraid."

The very next day I took our application out of the drawer and mailed it in. We’d done our part, now all we could do was wait. The wheels of the Internal Revenue Service turn extremely slow. Once again, however, God had sent an angel to open a door for us, and once again it wasn’t the door I expected to open."

As you know, The Upper Room passed on publishing Stand at the Cross Roads. My husband, Pat, thinks that was a good thing. He believes they were to small of an outfit to do it justice. He's not prejudiced at all, ya' think?!

Well, I've done my part. The book is written and I've sent it to several Agents and posted it online with christianmanuscriptsubmissions.com! It will be exciting to see what door God is going to open!

PLEASE JOIN THIS BLOG BY CLICKING THE "BECOME A FOLLOWER" BUTTON ON THIS PAGE..... AND PASS IT ON TO A FRIEND, TOO!

One Foot in Front of the Other

2010-01-26T06:58:00.000-08:00

This excerpt from " Stand at the Cross Roads" seems particularly relevant today....

"In the movie What About Bob? Bill Murray as Bob Wiley has been told by his therapist that he can do anything he wants if he takes it in baby steps. That is absolutely my favorite movie.

Throughout the film, Bob is murmuring "…baby steps… baby steps… baby step to the elevator... baby step into the elevator..."

At Cross Roads, we found ourselves so many days just putting one foot in front of the other, moving determinedly toward whichever current goal we’d set for ourselves. Occasionally, I found myself murmuring, just like Bob. "Baby steps, baby steps. Baby-steps to improve our houses… baby-step to enclose the pavilion…."

As I looked back at the previous year, I couldn’t help wondering if God was using the massive boulders that kept bowling me over to teach me not to move so fast. Maybe He was saying to me, "Slow down, pay attention."

Why is this particular excerpt relevant? Because yesterday I FINALLY received a letter from the Editorial Assistant at Upper Room Publishing informing me that while my "writing has merit" the proposal doesn't fit with their publishing goals. She encouraged me to send it other publishers and wished me well. Bummer.

However, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God wants this story of hope and His faithfulness published. So, it's back to baby stepping!

PLEASE SHARE THIS BLOG WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

Baby steppng.... my specialty!

2009-12-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

It was about 11:15 this morning when I finally plopped down in my chair, rolled up to my computer, slid out the keypad and clicked on the postage stamp icon. New messages began popping up... one, two, three. Suddenly, I realized I was holding my breath, nervously anticipating the promised decision from the editorial director at Upper Room Books. Four, five, six...and then I saw it and I froze afraid to read it. So, I bowed my head, took a deep breath, and said a prayer before clicking it open. It read....

"Hi Hilda,

I have reviewed your proposal and find it to be an interesting story. What I would like to do next is to allow the Emmaus director to review it and let me know if he thinks that this project would be of strong interest to Emmaus communities.

I think he may have left for the Christmas holidays, so I’m sure he will respond to me in early January.

In the meantime, have a Merry Christmas!"

Stunned, I didn't quite know how to reply. Thrilled that the book had made it past another step and awestruck by how God seems to be working to accomplish His purposes. You see I had met Victor, the Emmaus director, when he was in Houston in 2006 for a regional Emmaus Celebration. We even talked briefly about my project. Way back then he expressed real interest in what God was up to at the Cross Roads. Praise God!

I can't wait to see what January brings!!!!

Please share this link with a friend and encourage them to follow my blog by clicking the BECOME A FOLLOWER button on this page! THE MORE INTEREST A POTENTIAL PUBLISHER SEES THE BETTER!!!!

...and the next step!

2009-12-14T12:51:00.000-08:00

I had not heard back from the Upper Room today, so I called the editor. I was disappointed, though not surprised, to get her voice mail. I had to settle for leaving a message. To my chagrin, after I hung up I realized that I hadn't mentioned the name of the book!

Not wanting to leave a string of irritating voice mails, I decided to follow up with a short e-mail just enlightening her to the name of the book referred to in my voice mail. I hit send and within thirty minutes I received a response from the editor at Upper Room Publishing.

Stand at the Cross Roads is finally out of committee and is one of a few books that she intends to take a closer look at this week. She said she would let me know whether they are interested in going forward or not by next week.

Chris, my co-writer, cautioned me not to get my hopes up to high, but it's hard. I know God is at work and that even if the Upper Room passes - HE does have a plan for getting this story published. Keep those prayers flowing ~ and watch here to see where God is going!

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The next step

2009-12-06T14:26:00.000-08:00

God kept bugging me through friends, family and even campers who came to Cross Roads that I need to write down all the things He was doing through me to get the camp built. I started a thousand times, kicking myself that I hadn't kept a journal, like so many had suggested I do. Then one day my husband came home with several copies of a book that a friend of his had written. Through that friend, God introduced me to Chris Rogers, a gifted and published author, who patiently led me step by step through the writing process. And believe me it IS a process!

The next step was publication. But few publishers accept manuscripts from unpublished authors. Go figure. On top of that I was writing in an unusual genre.... true life Christian testimonials. I was stymied again, like so many times before. Then I received a mass e-mail from Emmaus International, an Upper Room Ministry of the United Methodist Church General Board Of Discipleship. It seems the focus for Emmaus in 2010 is going to be Fourth Day experiences and they were soliciting Fourth Day stories and boy do I have one!!!!

I called immediately and told them I have a story, but it's to big for their newsletter, it's a book. They gave me the name of the Editor at Upper Room Publishing and told me to submit my book proposal to her. That she would be looking for it. Praise God!

It has been in their review committee for 126 days now. I am told this is a good sign. I am asking for your prayers that God's will be accomplished and this story, the story of what God can do even through the most unlikely and unworthy of people, will get out to a world needing to hear that hope.