It’s Just A Call Away

One phone call can change a lot of things. Most recently we received a phone call from our son-in-law and he simply said, “He’s on the way. Gotta go” and with that life did change as we welcomed into the world our seventh grandchild. Or there was the one from Jenna years ago that announced that she had a ring on her finger and a wedding proposal! Life changed wonderfully with that call, too. Throughout life it is not difficult to remember the changes that came with a simple call. Sometimes those calls being about drastic changes and some times bring just small ones. None the less, one call can make all the difference in the world.

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Mid October, 2003 I got a call from a Mr. Dan Rich. He was not at all familiar to me but he introduced himself as one of the publishers at Navpress, a publishing company that was well known to us. He went on to say he had heard about The Amazing Collection and would love to meet with me and find out more about it. I was absolutely shocked. To this day I have no idea how he found out about us and how he found my name and number. That will remain with one of God’s mysteries.

Two weeks later, on Wednesday morning, October 22, 2003, Robin Rosebrough and I met Dan at one of the local restaurants. He had flown into Atlanta to meet with us because he heard that “God was up to something” and he wanted to hear all about it.

There is nothing we enjoy talking about more than all God has done for us as we have pressed on to produce the Amazing Collection: The Bible Book By Book. We had more stories than most people want to listen to when it came to all God was doing for us as we pressed on to produce the Amazing Collection. I feel certain we talked his ear off but he was most gracious and listened carefully and asked wonderful questions and all in all sealed a friendship that continues to this day.

The meeting lasted three and a half hours and when we parted we had no idea what those three and a half hours would bring but we felt God had something in mind and indeed He did.

Later I not only heard from Dan but we were offered a short term contract with Navpress. In it they committed $180,000 to the continued development of the product including packaging and marketing. It was beyond anything we could have ever imagined.

During the next few months, they would change the design of the covers, hire a professional developmental editor and a proof editor, design a continuity program and market it through their catalogues. This was the professional help we so desperately needed but had no idea how to go about getting it. But God did and He provided abundantly more than we could have ever thought to ask. He provided excellence!

But the best part was the friendships that developed through this brief partnership. Dan, Kathy Mosier, Leigh McLeroy, Pat Reinstein and Terry Beheimer all proved to be not only greatly talented but people who gave so generously of their talents and their hearts! Though seven years have passed, they are still friends of the ministry and continue to help us out on every new project.

And it all began with one simple call.

Psalm 17:6

I have called upon Thee,

For Thou wilt answer me O God.

Incline Thine ear to me

And hear my speech.