The Journey Continues: Phil Walker
My journey this week led me by the Holy Spirit to the Book of Exodus in the Old Testament, especially the journey of Moses and how he led his people out of captivity in Egypt to the promise land. There were numerous examples of his use of a staff throughout the Exodus writing – i.e. the changing the staff to a snake and back again, using it to strike water from a rock, holding the staff up over his head during a battle and commanding the Red Sea to divide.
The Lord brought to my mind the handcrafted staffs made by Phil Walker, a member of Redwood Baptist Church. Walker has the gift and talent of creativity and generosity. He visualizes and produces from a rough, course piece of wood a work of art. Beginning in 2004, he has made hundreds of individually-unique staffs from crape myrtle or cedar wood. He finds the wood locally and cleans, carves, paints and often finishes them with an inscribed scripture verse.
These staffs are greatly appreciated by the people he gifts. When you love someone, you want to give to them.
Walker is filled with the Holy Spirit who guides and controls his life, resulting in the traits we call “the fruit of the spirit,” in Ephesians 5:22.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Additionally, at Redwood Baptist Church he serves as usher, volunteers for the 10-week Good Neighbor summer program and Joy Reading program, assists with the food bank and delivers food, provides transportation, serves with the Soup Kitchen in Austin and cooks the monthly Redwood meal provided at Southside Community Center.
He gives book marks with handwritten Bible verses to the church each Sunday and is the caretaker of the landscape around the church.
Walker has completed the Walk to Emmaus and numerous trips to Mexico. For years, his siblings have looked to him to be a shoulder to lean on in times of need. He is well known for his barbeque chicken.
Walker was born in Marble Falls, Texas to Henry Lee and Virginia Walker and came to San Marcos with them in the mid-70s. Both he and his father were employed by the city of San Marcos’ Parks and Recreation Department. Coincidentally, he met his future wife, Niatran, at the Rio Vista swimming pool. Her journey took her from Vietnam to Gary Job Corps.
His life verse is John 3:16.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
