From the Archives: 2010

Written by Rick Woodie

My brother, Terry, and I had worked at Parker Tie for about 13 years before buying the business from Bill Brown and Earl Hardin. We prayed about it, and I felt in my heart the whole time it was what we were supposed to do.

God’s Business Plan

God has helped us with this business, and we are learning every day. God has amazed me. After trying for some time to run the business myself, I finally realized that I had to have God’s help. When I got to that point, it was amazing how much easier the business became.

I ask for God’s guidance every morning. For any major decisions, I talk to Him first. I have learned that this is how God works with me: He puts something in my mind, and it won’t leave until I act on it.

When we bought the business, the plumbing and electrical sections were in the main store, but we moved them to what was the warehouse at the time. I was worried that it wouldn’t support one full-time person, but now we have three full-time employees in that area.

It’s been the same thing with the kitchen and design center. We had the warehouse across the street full of bathtubs and windows. I just knew that it was made for a kitchen showroom, and it has done great. Now we are expanding again.

God put it in my mind to buy 30,000 square feet of the Thomasville building. It’s full of bathtubs now, but it will be new showrooms for hardwood floors, bathrooms, and a full array of ceramic tiles. All of this came from God’s guidance.

I don’t know of other building supply stores that haven’t had to lay off folks, but our people are working overtime. It’s the LORD’s blessing. He’s surrounded us with great people that He chooses to work here.

God’s Blessings Over Time

Since we bought the business in 1995, we’ve had some wonderful things happen. We’ve seen seven people saved and join the church. We have two preachers, several deacons, and some Sunday school teachers working here. My wife and my pastor work here as well, so I have to “walk straight”. It never ceases to amaze me what God has done over the years.

Power of Prayer

We have a unique situation at Parker Tie; when we have sick employees or people come into the store with prayer requests, we can stop and pray. I’m thankful for praying employees. When my wife, Barbara, had brain surgery in 2003 and was in Charlotte Memorial Hospital for 18 days, we had employees who went to our prayer room upstairs, the “upper room”, every day at the same time to pray for her.

The doctor told my wife and me that it was a malignant brain tumor, but it turned out to be a pocket of infection from a tooth that had been abscessed. The doctor didn’t know that at the time, but the Big Doctor did. When we returned to the doctor in Charlotte for a checkup after the surgery, he told my wife that he hoped she knew she was a miracle. She’s back working and doing well. We praise God for it.

We trust God daily to “provide and guide”. I keep telling myself, “Those who are for us are more than those against us.” This is His business. We’re unsure where the bathtubs are going next, but it will be good because the LORD is in it. All the glory goes to Him.