After reading the article in the Sunday, August 2 edition of the GR Press, I spent some time reflecting on my relationship with Baker Book House over the years. I can’t remember a time before Baker, and I have to say that my life would not be the same without it. God has used this company, these people, to mold me into who I am today. Let me explain…
The bookstore on East Paris Ave. opened when I was just 6 years old. My family attended East Paris CRC, less than a mile south of the bookstore. When I turned 10 in June 1984, a pastor friend gave me a crisp ten-dollar bill as a gift. “One dollar for every year,” he said. I couldn’t wait to spend that money, so Mom took me to Baker. I bought an NIV award Bible for $5 and had my name engraved on it. I also bought a book by Patricia St. John titled The Tanglewoods Secret. I devoured the book, and the Lord used the story to convict me of my own sinfulness and need of a Savior. I began reading my Bible for myself, and on August 16, 1984, I asked Christ into my heart.
One of my best childhood memories is going to shop at Baker with my mom. She always thought it would be fun to work there, although she said she’d probably spend her entire paycheck on cards and books and music. Well, she was right on both accounts. I began working as a sales clerk at the store in May 1995, and it was a lot of fun. And I did spend a good portion of my weekly paycheck on books and music!
On my first day at the store, the manager took me around to meet my coworkers. She introduced me to a nice guy named Sean Nemecek. I remember thinking, “He’s kinda cute,” but one of the other clerks made sure I knew he was taken. So much for that. Still, Sean and I became good friends. We had many good conversations over theology while on break together. And we always had a lot of fun joking around with Lanny, Arlene, Jean, Karen, Pat, Greg, Bob, Nadine, Nancy, and Donna. Even after Sean became “available,” we continued to be “just friends.” That is, until I returned from a trip overseas in summer of 1996. We began dating that fall became engaged on February 14, 1997. Our first stop after he asked me to marry him? Baker, of course. We shared that special day with our friends, and we picked out our wedding invitations. We were married on July 25, 1997, with most of the bookstore staff in attendance.
Sean continued to work at the bookstore, but I began working in the editorial department at the publishing house in Ada. I was hired in as an assistant to then editorial directors Paul Engle (trade books) and Jim Weaver (academic books). Within just a few weeks I knew that I wanted to work in Christian publishing for the rest of my life. Within a year I became an assistant editor in the academic division. After the birth of our son in Benjamin on July 10, 2001 (yep, he shares a birthday with president Dwight Baker and theological great John Calvin), I became a stay-at-home mom. But I have continued to do freelance proofreading and editing almost exclusively for Baker.
One of our first trips “out” after Ben was born was to meet our friends at the bookstore. This photo shows Sean proudly posing with Ben in the theology section, right next to a copy of Calvin's Institutes.
So my life has been strangely, providentially entwined with this one company. I’m so thankful for Baker Book House and how God has used them to shape who I am as His child. Happy Anniversary, Baker Book House! May He bless you richly in years to come so that many more lives will be impacted for His kingdom.
