GOD'S COUNTRY

EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AROUND TEN, I FIND MYSELF RACING SOUTH, DOWN OUR COUNTY ROAD TO A TWO LANE HIGHWAY TOWARD TOWN, CATCHING THE INTERSTATE FOR A SHORT JOG WEST AND THEN ONTO ANOTHER TWO LANE ROAD- HIGHWAY 70. I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO GET THERE. I'M NOT RACING BECAUSE I WOKE UP TOO LATE, EVEN THOUGH I RISE WITH THE SUN, IT SEEMS THAT THOSE QUIESCENT SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE RESPITES GET THE BEST OF MY TIME!

PAST VERNON, THROUGH LOCKETT - JUST A WIDE SPOT IN THE ROAD - AND WESTWARD TO THE OUTSKIRTS OF THIS SMALL FARMING COMMUNITY IS ONE OF MY MOST FAVORITE PLACES IN THIS COUNTY...THE WESTERN TRAIL COWBOY CHURCH.

BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD ARE EXPANSES OF FARM LAND OWNED BY MULTIPLE GENERATIONS OF MOSTLY OLD GERMAN FAMILIES.

AS I PASS THE ROW OF DRIED CATFISH HEADS, THAT HAVE BEEN HANGING FROM THE TOP WIRE OF A 5-STRAND "BOBWIRE" FENCE, FOR PROBABLY 10 YEARS BY THE LOOKS OF 'UM, I KNOW I'M ALMOST THERE. I CAN FAINTLY HEAR THE TWANG OF THE STEEL GUITAR, THE WALTZING BEAT OF THE DRUMS, AND THE MOAN OF THE HARMONICA...

TURNING RIGHT ONTO THE LONG DIRT DRIVE THAT LEADS ME "HOME", MY HEART IS AT PEACE AND I AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT GOD HAS IN STORE FOR ME TODAY.

I'VE ONLY BEEN GOING HERE FOR A HANDFUL OF MONTHS AND SOMETIMES WONDER WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO GET HERE. THE CHURCH IS AMAZING IN CONSTRUCTION...WESTERN ALL THE WAY!FRONT PORCH-STAINED CONCRETE, CEDAR POSTS, TIN CEILING

THE FOYER

THE WALLS ARE SPRINKLED WITH BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS OF LOCAL COWBOYS WORKING CATTLE AND LIVING THE LIFE OF TRUE TEXAS COWBOYS.

GLEN WILL GREET YOU AT THE DOOR WITH A SMILE AND A BIG HUG!

THE LADIES ROOM

THE MEN'S ROOM

THE KITCHEN-COMPLETE WITH ANTLER CABINET KNOBS!

ALMOST READY FOR SERVICE TO START...

THE WESTERN TRAIL BAND

THE BACK WALL

OUR BELOVED PASTOR!


OUR BELOVED PASTOR'S WIFE AND DAUGHTER-THESE GIRLS SHINE WITH THE LIGHT AND LOVE OF CHRIST AND I AM SO BLESSED TO HAVE CROSSED PATHS WITH THEM.

THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WRANGLERS, BOOTS AND HATS ARE NUMEROUS...

A PLACE WHERE YOU COME AS YOU ARE.

A PLACE WHERE THERE ARE NO PADDED PEWS OR STRICT REGIMENTED SCHEDULES...

RUGGED, OLD-FASHIONED, NATURAL AND ORGANIC...

WHERE GALVANIZED HORSE TROUGHS BECOME BAPTISMALS...

WHERE SIMPLICITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN LITURGY...

WHERE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO WORSHIP JESUS CHRIST...

WHERE PEOPLE KNOW IN THEIR HEARTS THAT JESUS IS LORD. PERIOD.

THE WORSHIP TIME WITH THE BAND IS DEEPLY MOVING, POWERFUL AND SPEAKS TO YOUR SPIRIT AS YOU TAP YOUR BOOTS, AND SLAP YOUR LEG TO THE BEAT...SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I'M AT A COUNTRY & WESTERN MUSIC CONCERT! I'VE EVEN HEARD THAT AFTER SOME EVENING SERVICES, THEY PUSH BACK THE CHAIRS AND TWO-STEP INTO THE NIGHT.

THIS IS A PLACE WHERE YOU BECOME FAMILY THE FIRST TIME YOU PASS OVER THE THRESHOLD.

PASTOR FOX HAS AN AMAZING WAY OF PREACHING GOD'S WORD WITH POWER, CONVICTION, INSPIRATION, HUMOR AND A "REALNESS" THAT LEAVES YOUR SPIRIT QUENCHING FOR MORE, ALONG WITH THE DESIRE TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE AND WITNESS TO OTHERS.

HE PREACHES FROM A GORGEOUS WOODEN ROCKER ADORNED WITH HAND-CARVED HORSEHEADS.

EACH SUNDAY, THE PASTOR'S WIFE, CATHY, BRINGS THOUGHT-PROVOKING CHILDREN'S CHURCH MESSAGES TO THE ENTIRE CONGREGATION. EACH TIME I SIT AND WITNESS GOD WORKING THROUGH HER, TOUCHING THE YOUNG HEARTS THAT ARE GATHERED AT THE FOOT OF HER ROCKER, GOD'S WARMTH, PEACE AND DEEP TRUTH WASHES OVER ME.

THE GALVANIZED HORSE TROUGH BAPTISMAL!

THE VIEW FROM BEHIND THE CHURCH! THE PAINTS PULL THE CHURCH WAGON!

MAYBE A COWBOY CHURCH IS FOR YOU...IT'S THE ONLY WAY FOR ME!