Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Highway Won October 2010 Update

“I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation. The works of the LORD are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them” (Psalm 111:1-2, NKJV).

Hello and welcome to the Fall! Of course with the weather California has had this week it seems much more like the height of summer, nonetheless we have officially crossed the line into the autumn. With the new school year, at our church and at others people are getting back into the routine of renewed Bible studies and small groups that took a summer break. Yet God and His works never take a break, and we should be seeking always to learn more of Him and His ways, of how He works in and through His people, seeking to be one that can gain great pleasure by examining what He does and wants to do. Then we will be able to truly praise Him with a whole, undivided heart and impact the lives of others all the more effectively.

Because of this, we want to help equip you for this task of knowing Him more and getting back to the simple pleasures of good reading and study. We have many great books and Bibles here at Highway Won, many of which people look at and pass by as they enter and exit our doors, but others take a longer look, perhaps passing them up because of cost. This is sad, because we have so many great books and materials to offer, including new or recent releases by favorite authors such as Ted Dekker, Tracie Peterson, Francine Rivers, Greg Laurie, Max Lucado, Charles Swindoll, Joni Eareckson Tada, Francis Chan, Beth Moore, and others, as well as many other books ranging from classics to contemporary issues. We have done our best to maintain our books at as reasonable a cost as possible, even to the point of not raising the prices with the increases each year on many of them. Thus many of our books are still at the original price we obtained them at even if we’ve had them in stock for some time, while elsewhere the cost has gone up. To help you even further, here is what we will be offering over the next couple of months. October will bring with it a special book sale, with all books and study materials 10% off. Rose Publishers’ pamphlets continue on at special pricing already for the rest of 2010 (buy three or more and save), so they are excluded. November is National Bible Month, and we will be having a Bible sale that will most likely extend into December as well. The sale amount is yet to be determined, but it will be a great savings.

Speaking of December, of course that brings around Hospitality Night here in Cambria, this year December 2nd. That is something you don’t want to miss, as it is the official kickoff of the Christmas season here and is always a great night. But for you early birds, don’t worry, we already have boxed Christmas cards for sale here at Highway Won, as well as a few other Christmas items and books, just in case you want to get a head start. Our 2011 Calendars are going fast and we didn’t order as many this year as we did for 2010 since we had so many left over. So come by and pick one out! New this year we have 2011 Daymaker Desk Calendars that are really fun, so come by and see them as well as our Dayspring calendars. Of course we still have some items in the store suitable for the Fall season!

Well, that’s about all for this month. We continue to appreciate your prayers and support for us in these difficult days, and look forward to the next time we get to see you here at Highway Won Christian Store! God bless you!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Highway Won September 2010 Update

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven—Ecclesiastes 3:1


Hello and happy end of the summer season to one and all! As I write this we are in the midst of a beautiful afternoon here in Cambria, a great place to be this time of year. We are entering the season that seems like a new beginning in many ways with the return to or start of school, more structure in our schedules rather than the fancy free feeling summer brings, and all the other changes in our routine (or lack thereof). For some people this season brings a sense of pleasure, but to others a foreboding of fear. Yet in each season of life we face it is refreshing to know that God is still at work. He is moving to accomplish His sovereign plan in our lives even if we can’t see it or understand it. Like the author of Ecclesiastes reminds us, God “has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11-12, NKJV). No matter how difficult the times are that we face, as God’s child you have the assurance that He will make all things “beautiful” (fitting, appropriate) in the right and best timing. We have conflict in our lives because we have one foot stuck in this temporal, fallen world, the other aimed toward eternity without the long sight to be able to fully comprehend what’s going on. So my suggestion to you in the times when the seasons are changing and you are unsure and confused: Hang in there and remember that there is a perfect timing and plan being worked out even in this, and leave the part of your current situation you can’t understand up to the One who does. As someone once wisely said, we don’t have to fear tomorrow because God’s already been there!–TK

So What’s New?

Labor Day weekend will quickly be upon us, also known here in Cambria as Pinedorado! This is our annual celebration featuring food, fun, and other festivities, including the “fabulous” Pinedorado parade on Saturday, Sept. 4th, approximately 9:30 a.m. (Warning: Be there early!). There also is a car show on Sunday for those interested, over at 3:00 p.m. (last year the cars jetted out of there right away so again go early if you want to see them). It all is a lot of fun, and the local businesses all tend to have special deals and special hours over the weekend, including Highway Won. Here is our Pinedorado weekend schedule, at least as planned as of this typing:

Friday, Sept. 3: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 4: Before and after the parade until 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 5: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Approx.)
Monday, Sept. 6: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Our Summer Music Sale ends at the end of the business day Labor Day, but for the weekend of September 3-6 ONLY we will be offering 10% off all purchases of $10.00 or more. Come by and let’s celebrate all of our hard work over that long Labor Day weekend, save some of our hard earned money, enjoy the Pinedorado parade and activities with us here in Cambria. We look forward to seeing you!

Don’t forget to follow our adventures on Facebook (look under “Thomas Klock”). We truly appreciate your prayers and ongoing support and encouragement of Highway Won Christian Store, especially in troubled times. May God richly bless you, and happy September!!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

August 2010 Highway Won Update

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV)

Hello and happy almost August from your friends here at Highway Won Christian Store in beautiful Cambria, CA! We’ve had a cooler summer this year here although elsewhere in California and the USA many are experiencing high heat and humidity. We’ve had a lot of folks coming over here to the coast to cool off, and I hope that you’ll be one of them before the summer is out. Just be prepared that we aren’t getting as much sunshine yet this summer here, but 65-70 degrees beats out 105-110 degrees any day to me! The last couple of days have been sunnier though. We also continue to have visitors in the store from all over the world. So far in 2010 we’ve had people visiting the store from at least 14 different countries and 20 different states, which bring us up to at least 35 different countries and 42 states! It is such a blessing to have an impact in so many lives from all over. God has literally brought a mission field to this area and we seek to share His love and light with those who come in. We aren’t able to go out of the country as missionaries, but are blessed to have even this small part in fulfilling the great commission and assisting others to do so as they return to their homeland. Perhaps you can make a similar impact in even small ways where you are as you remember Jesus’ words to His followers. –TK

So What Else is New?

We have two current specials here at Highway Won that we are excited to share with you. The first is that our July music CD sale is going to be extended until Labor Day! All of our CDs are on sale for 10% off. This includes any that may not be in stock that you order through us. This is a great opportunity to get the latest in great Christian music or some of the older ones from your favorite artists. The second special is being run in conjunction with our friends at Rose Publishing, makers of bestselling and helpful Bible reference pamphlets and materials. Their pamphlets are normally $3.99 each but if you buy three (3) or more we’ll lower the price to approximately $3.33 each (a rate of 3 for $10.00). The authors of these pamphlets try to present unbiased information for comparison sake over important issues, and they are very well done. I’ve heard them compared to a “book in miniature” and they are a real savings over a much larger reference book on the same topic.

We look forward to serving you the rest of the summer here. If you are on Facebook, remember to follow our adventures under “Thomas Klock.” We update our customers frequently their so we don’t overload your email. May God bless you, and come see us soon here in beautiful Cambria!

Also just a note for those of you reading this blog-wise, if there is such a word. I apologize that this has been mostly limited to posting these news updates. Most of my posts appear on facebook, but I plan on changing that soon with more regular encouragement on here. Stay tuned!

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Highway Won July 2010 Update

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:32)

Happy summer from Highway Won Christian Store in beautiful Cambria CA! In July we celebrate our nation’s freedom, and it seems that when Independence Day hits we have truly reached the heart of summer. In remembering our country’s freedom, we as Christians are reminded of that there is a greater freedom in Jesus that He alone can bring. In a sense we made with Him a declaration of independence from self and this world, but dependence on Him and all that He did for us to bring us into a living relationship with God. Whatever you do this summer, especially this Independence Day, from the mountains, to the prairies, or as in our case, to the oceans white with foam, remember all that God did to bless you and our nation, and make a renewed declaration of dependence on Him! Enjoy!

So What’s New?

June was a busy month for our family with our daughter Adrianna graduating from high school, having family here, our Highway Won Third Anniversary Celebration, our church’s Vacation Bible School, Kary undergoing training for her part time job, etc. Business has been picking up now that everyone is out of school, beginning their summer routines, and people are vacationing here in Cambria once again. We had an especially great time celebrating our Third Anniversary. We had a lot of people come into the store, taking advantage of our big sale and give away of books, Bibles, and Christian products of various types. We also are getting a lot of visitors in the store from all over the United States and other countries, which is a blessing, plus we are getting a lot of repeat customers that visit the Cambria area from time to time. It is such a blessing to hear their thanks for still being here in an era in which many Christian stores are going out of business. We are especially thankful for all of our local customers who faithfully support and pray for our store and ministry to those who come into Highway Won! It is great to be able to be a witness to and impact the lives of people from all over the place, or to encourage believers who are here and find a spiritual refuge in the storm of the mish-mash of mindsets that this little town tries to offer.

Right now we are trying to get restocked and rolling for the full summer season. We are unable to attend the Christian Booksellers Association big convention again this year, but we continue to meet with and talk to vendors and distributors, many of whom will still offer us the same deals that they offer there. We are on the lookout for the best quality Christian books, music, materials and products to help you as our customers to benefit and get the biggest “bang for your buck” so to speak. We are excited as we enter our fourth year of service here in the area. Please come by and see us this summer if at all possible! We also will begin our summer music sale as of July 5th in which you can save 10% off of your favorite Christian CDs. This also would apply to any that you order that are not in stock in our store at the moment.

May God richly bless your summer, and let His name be praised from sea to shining sea! Don’t forget to follow our adventures on Face book (look under “Thomas Klock”). See you soon.

“May he also rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”
Psalm 72:8, NASB

Monday, May 31, 2010

Highway Won Third Anniversary Update

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness” (Psalm 115:1, NLT).

Hello and happy almost June from beautiful Cambria, CA! As unbelievable as it is to us, we have almost reached the third anniversary of Highway Won Christian Store. The time has flown so quickly. Much of what has happened since we opened seems like a blur. As Charles Dickens once well penned, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” and that truly sums up our experiences since we moved here and began this ministry/store. Through it all God continues to show Himself faithful. He indeed deserves all the glory and praise due His name for it! In this update I wanted to share with you some of the things that have happened over this time about the impact that this store has had in its community and far beyond. I’ll also share what we will be doing to celebrate our entry into our fourth year here.

Since Highway Won opened officially June 14, 2007, we have had customers from at least 30 different countries and 42 states, including many from all over California. We have had many returning customers from various areas as well. We have had almost 13,000 sales and many people who were impacted simply by coming into Highway Won. We have had two official book signings, several special events and sales, giveaways of items, and other fun activities. We have also participated in many community events that drew people into the store or at least made its name known to them. I know of at least one person who was saved as a result of materials purchased in the store, and others who have expressed their own personal growth and strengthening in Christ through them. We have provided study materials, curriculum, communion supplies, and other things to several of the churches in Cambria. We frequently, if not daily, get great compliments from people coming into Highway Won that it is a breath of fresh air, a light in the darkness, a place they can come and find spiritual renewal and strength. We also frequently get some odd reactions from those coming in ranging from scowls to literally running out of the store (and I am not exaggerating on that point), some mockery perhaps, but we rejoice that for at least a brief moment they were exposed to the gospel in the store’s music and materials, and had a reminder of their need of a Savior. We are so thankful for how God has used this little store to His glory!

Anniversary Celebration

We will be officially celebrating our third anniversary Friday and Saturday, June 11-12, as well as Monday June 14, with the following specials:

• Free drawing to win a book or other prize—everyone wins something!
• Take 10% off your total purchase (excluding clearance, greeting cards, postcards, and similar novelty items), or 20% off total purchases of $45.00 or more!

Also, just a reminder: Don’t forget about Father’s Day coming up on Sunday June 20. We have several cards, books, and gift items for dear old dad! We hope we see you here for our anniversary celebration. You can also follow our adventures on Facebook (look under “Thomas Klock”). God bless you and thanks so much for your support and prayers for Highway Won Christian Store over these first of what we pray will be many more years to come!

P.S. We will be closed on Friday June 4th in celebration of our daughter’s graduation from Coast Union High School with family and friends.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

May 2010 Highway Won Update

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.

It was a warm May morning when I first understood what it meant to become a Christian, but it has taken a lifetime since that 1973 morning to more fully understand the depth of all that Christ had done for me. In fact He continues to do great and wonderful things in my life despite the wretch that I am, and He shows me amazing grace time after time. A lot has transpired since that initial conversion, much of which I would have never thought, dreamed, or imagined, including the opening of Highway Won Christian Store almost three years ago now. God has done much through this simple life, but the further I grow in Him, the further away the goal seems to be of truly knowing, serving, and living for Him as much as I would like. The more I study, the more time I spend with Him in prayer, the more I do all the basic things of the Christian life, the more I see how dependent on Him I am and the simplicity yet extreme depth of what this life entails. Like John Newton’s song relates, all else pales in comparison with His amazing grace toward me. As I reflect back on all that God has done for me over this past 37 years of truly being alive, “thankful” seems too shallow a word, but I am. The song summed it up well: His grace is simply amazing! The trials I have faced and still face even now, even though they are difficult from a human point of view, are worth it all in view of all Jesus has done for me. As the apostle Paul well said, writing from a dark, dank prison cell:

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ…Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:7-8, 12-14, NKJV).

Paul wasn’t done in by his circumstances but realized his life still had much to contribute, yet also much “rubbish” had to be added to the garbage can so he could press on out of God’s grace, and that too is my goal in this new spiritual year of life. It is His amazing grace and faithfulness that helps me press on and look ahead to those things He has for me yet. I pray that you will join me, a wretch saved by His amazing grace alone, in pressing on and gaining new ground for Him anew! –TK

So What’s New at Highway Won?

It’s hard to believe that it was three years ago that we were setting up Highway Won Christian Store, and we are looking forward to our official third anniversary in June 2010. Look forward to June to be a special month here at Highway Won. Currently we continue to have a clearance sale on some out-of-print t-shirts at great prices. We have our patriotic shirts available now as well for just $5.99 (2X and 3X are a bit more)! Mothers Day and Graduation cards and items are currently available; don’t forget mom and those grads in your life! We continue to get in some new release books and music as well little by little. Please also be aware that construction is set to begin on Main Street in front of the store starting May 3, but you should still be able to get into and through town, so please don’t be discouraged by the equipment shredding up and replacing the street. On a personal note, our happiest news since our last newsletter was the birth of our first granddaughter, Melissa! We rejoice in her little life and ask for your prayers for her continued healthy growth and development. God bless you and thanks for your prayers and support of our store and effort to reach the people and tourists here in beautiful Cambria, CA!

Remember, you can follow our adventures on the internet on Facebook (look under “Thomas Klock”) and my blog as well (thomasklock.blogspot.com). We hope to see you at Highway Won sometime soon!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

April 2010 Highway Won Update

“Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'" (Luke 24:5-7, NKJV)


That awesome truth is as powerful today as it was that first Easter morning: He is risen! Jesus Christ not only died for our sin, but He rose from the dead to prove to all people of all times that He is indeed the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. He had to be delivered into the hands of sinful men because we are all sinful people. Romans 6:23 reminds us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Our “wages,” that which we deserve, is eternal separation from God because of our sin, but the gift of God, something we could never earn no matter how we tried, is eternal life in Him! The resurrection of Christ means that He has paid total price and won the victory over death once and for all.

Jesus bore the penalty of our sin—what a thought! It was nailed to the cross with Him and it was buried with Him in the grave, and now Jesus has risen again to life to bring us true eternal life and freedom and left our sin where it deserved. Why then do we so often dig up our buried sin and try to put those grave clothes back on in our guilt and condemnation? We fail to understand that godly sorrow produces repentance and pressing on toward victory, while worldly sorrow keeps us in condemnation, slipping back into the grave so to speak! Embrace the victory Christ that has won for you and press on! Our prayer for you this Easter season is that you will discover the freedom that Christ has won for you and that you will experience renewed resurrection power in your life!—TK


So What’s New?

We are in the middle of the spring break season and thankfully several people have come into the store this week and, Lord willing, next week will too. This brings us to the culmination of our Lent-to-Easter sale. However, I discovered with the help of my daughter that the settings on my Facebook page (look under “Thomas Klock” to find it, not “Highway Won”) were somehow set to block everyone from seeing what I have posted on it, possibly since they changed their format, so we have decided to extend the sale an extra week in case this is the first time you’ve even heard of it and want to take advantage of it! These are our current specials:


All books and music CDs are 10% off; Bibles 10-20% off (ending April 11)


Recently several t-shirts we were carrying went “out of print,” so we are selling these in a special section of the store at a major discount (while supplies last). We also now have the 2010 patriotic t-shirts great for Memorial Day, 4th of July, etc. or just proclaiming the message that God is the One you trust in, only $5.99 (a bit more for 2x-3x sizes)


We received several Monarch replacement products, so come see our special display of the discontinued ones at a great price (magnets, bookmarks, pens, gift bags, etc.)

Believe it or not, Mother’s Day and even some graduations are just around the corner! Look soon for greeting cards and other related items for these soon.


Well, that’s about it for now. Please come by and see us, and we look forward to serving you. Happy Easter and a late happy Passover!