My Tribute To Bob Hawkins, Sr.

Three weeks ago I received the news that RH “Bob” Hawkins Sr. had graduated from this life on February 9, 2010, and was now at home with his Lord and Savior. Bob Hawkins Sr. was the visionary founder of Harvest House Publishers and launched the writing careers of many bestselling authors including Emilie Barnes and Jim Smoke. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and the Life Impact Award from the Christian Booksellers Association in honor of his leadership in the Christian publishing industry. Kay Arthur said of Bob Hawkins Sr.: “How I loved this man…What a visionary, entrepreneur, and pioneer. I loved his spirit, his heart, his determination.”

I was deeply moved to receive the news of Bob Sr.’s homegoing. Why? Because meeting Bob Hawkins Sr. was a defining moment in my life – you know – one of those moments etched in time that count in a big way for eternity. I had just finished typesetting my book on how to have a quiet time and had uploaded it to the printer.

I was driving home. My cellphone rang. It was Jim Smoke, author of Growing Through Divorce.

“Catherine where are you?”, he asked.

“I’m driving home.”

“Well, it just so happens that I have Bob Hawkins Sr. here – he’s seen your books and he would like to meet you. How fast can you get back here?”

I quickly turned my car around and drove back to the church. I ran upstairs, grabbed some typeset pages from my book on quiet time, and then ran through the sanctuary to the foyer. I will just never forget walking into that little church bookstore and shaking Bob Sr.’s hands and looking into those confident passionate eyes filled with excitement. My heart was immediately won for this new direction and calling in my life, because I saw in him a passion for the Lord, for books, for publishing, and for reaching the world for Christ.

He would often call me after that in those first few weeks and months following our meeting. I’ll just never forget answering the phone and hearing him say, “Catherine, it’s Bob Hawkins!” And then he would talk with me about books and publishing.

Hebrews 13:7 says “remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.”

I have a lot of names written next to that verse in my Bible. Ney Bailey, Bill & Vonette Bright, Josh McDowell, Kay Aruthur, and Jim Smoke. And I have written Bob Hawkins Sr.’s name there, too.

He had a faith to be imitated – he was not afraid to step out beyond human limits and frailties, and believe God for something big, something impossible – even in his fifties, sixties, seventies, and eighties.

God used him, Bob Hawkins, Jr. and all the team of Harvest House to help get my books to people I will never meet who are hungry for God and long to know Him.

Like the girl in Dubai who attended a study of Six Secrets To A Powerful Quiet Time and was so blown away that she said if God had brought her there just to learn how to have a quiet time like that IT WAS WORTH IT.

Or the man in Alabama struggling with drugs and suicide, who received Set My Heart On Fire and gave his life to Christ.

Or the man in prison who found a copy of Walking With The God Who Cares and found hope to continue on with the Lord and share Him with others.

It’s what I call THE RIPPLE EFFECT.

My brother and I used to stand on the side of a lagoon and throw rocks in the water for hours. Why? We always wanted to see who could create the most ripples.

I’m thankful for Bob Sr for he was such a faithful disciple of Christ that his life came upon us with a huge force, and created thousands of ripples that continue on into eternity. And I am just one of those small ripples. There are so many, many more that will continue on until we are all face to face with our Lord. Heaven will tell the story of all that the Lord did in and through one of the great heroes of the faith, Bob Hawkins Sr.

And I am convinced that heaven is brighter today because he has stepped from time into eternity and is now in the embrace of Jesus Himself.

And I am sure he has heard those words that we are all longing to hear: Well done good and faithful servant.

And he now knows – it was worth it all.