My Paul / My Hero...

Today I want to highlight the love of my life, Paul Hoyt.  He is the best man I have ever known, and I am so very blessed to get to share this life with him. He is such a great man, and an example to many.  He's kind, loving, thoughtful, selfless, brave, tender, loyal, strong, talented, dependable, supportive, encouraging, and has an enormous servant heart...I could go on and on, and fill this page with all that he is ( I really could ), but I need to get to the point here, right?

Paul is also a fear conqueror.  Right now, he's in South America, on a very rugged, physical missions trip, building a church in the middle of the jungle with a group of great men.  He made the voyage once before a couple of years ago, so there wasn't a whole lot of fear about where he was going, or what he would be doing, but there were days that he needed to fight the temptation to fear the trip for other reasons...

First of all, with Paul's back injury, and the discovery of little to no disc left in 2 areas of his low back, we weren't sure the trip would be possible for him at all.  But, with lots of rest and icing, multiple visits to the chiropractor for several weeks, daily stretches and strengthening exercises, and prayer after prayer by us, and so many others...his back pain decreased.  It wasn't completely better, but he saw much improvement.  Enough to be able to finally stand upright, to return to work, and to feel confident that the trip was possible. He fought through the doubts and the fears that would creep in and believed that with God's help, he could do it.  After all, he knew it was God that tugged at his heart when the mission trip was mentioned...so he trusted that God would make it possible.  He returns in a few days, and I have a deep sense of peace that he was more than ok out there in the jungle...that he was blessed for his faith and fearlessness.  Can't wait to share with you on that later in the week.

Paul's back wasn't the only issue that could have stopped his return to the jungle.  Last time he went, it was nearing winter here, the slow season in our construction and remodeling business.  This trip was quite the opposite, during April...and spring is when business starts to pour in. A scary time to leave if we thought about it the way the world does...but Paul kept his focus on the pull he felt that day that he heard of the trip, and just knew he was to go.  Then the financial worry would try to squeeze it's way in ( when you're self employed, there are no paid time off days, no vacations days, etc. so time off = no income ), but again, Paul would adjust his thinking and refocus on who called him to go in the first place. God did.  And if God wanted him to go, God would protect him there, He would protect the business in Paul's absence, and would provide for us as He always has in the past, and as promised over and over in His word.  What an example of faith, and of fighting fear and doubt! His faith was so strong in this area, that it also strengthened my own.  I am trusting that all will be well.  And I can't wait to see how it all shakes out in the end...and I'll be sure to share it with all of you.

Another reason I call Paul a fear conqueror involves the scary journey of becoming his own boss almost 11 years ago.  He had a good career, made a good income, had job security, great health coverage, paid vacations...all of the desirable benefits.  He also had a family to support, 2 children to raise, and a mortgage to pay.  There were times when he would wake up in the middle of the night in a panic, thinking he was crazy to leave his job.  The first few weeks of running his own company included many, many days of having to pray himself through the day... to ask God to help him to remain steady, and to help him to believe in himself enough to take on the next project, next new customer, etc.  The time has flown by so fast. I can't believe Hoyt Construction and Home Improvement Inc. has been in business for over a decade!  I'm just so proud of Paul and his bravery.  I love that God answered his prayers, and helped him every step of the way, even through the scary downturn in the economy over the last few years. He trusted, he prayed and all has turned out just fine. His faith in this journey, once again inspired me in my faith. I got to be his biggest fan and cheerleader along the way, and I couldn't have done it without his example first.

Lastly, I am so very grateful for the fear that Paul tackled almost 27 years ago. Growing up, he always thought he would follow in the steps of some of his older brothers and work for the family's trucking equipment business.  He had worked at the shop over the years after school and during the summers, he enjoyed the crew there, knew the work, loved the the atmosphere and liked helping the older guys out.  It just seemed natural to stay in his hometown, to carry on the Hoyt boy's tradition, and to work in one of his Father's many businesses in town. But, when financial difficulties arose for his Dad during Paul's senior year of High School, his future became uncertain.  At about that same time, a good friend of Paul's was moving to Minnesota to help open a restaurant, and asked Paul if he would join him...and Paul agreed to go.  He moved over 500 miles away from home, with basically just what he could fit in the back of his little Honda wagon. It had to be scary for him.  None of the other 6 siblings before him had ever moved from their town...but he took the risk, he went for it.  And for that, I will always be grateful. You see, that town in another state, many hours from home happened to be my home town.  And that's where we met, and our journey together began.  Thank you honey for being so brave and fearless, even back then!!  If he hadn't been, I don't know that we ever would have met...don't know who my date for the senior prom would have been...and I am certain that my life could never have been as rich and full of love as it has been over the last 27 years.

Speaking of Paul and I, and my love for him... If you follow this blog, you know that I had  incredible amounts of fear abut him leaving for this long mission trip.  But, I also had some revelation about that fear, and discovered what it really was about...and that I could conquer it.  Just wanted you to know, so far, on the 8th day of his absence I haven't feared even once. I've missed him so much at times that I just ache.. because he is so wonderful, and because half of me isn't here when he's gone.  But I haven't cried even one tear, never had a single dark thought like those that used to plague me when he would be gone on a trip.  I am amazed.  It's soooo not my doing.  This blogging and looking at things / fears has helped me tremendously.  And as always, inviting God into the scary areas that I'm facing brings transformation, freedom, healing and hope.  So, so grateful for that!