Page 78 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2024 - Online Magazine
P. 78
TRA VEL
Shining
The Light
by Vickie Walters
n 1997, King’s Highway Charters one Sunday morning. The minister astronomically. Even though we
and Tours was born after God read a scripture about Moses thrived again after the pandemic,
Itransformed our lives from one requesting permission to travel the thought of investing several
stage to another. It seemed like “the the King’s highway to lead the million dollars into a business that
end of the world” for Tom when his Israelites out of Egypt. Tom wanted came close to folding was scary. We
employer (Nabisco) implemented a name that would glorify God in turned to God to continue King’s
a corporate downsizing and his travels, and King’s Highway Highway’s light and serve the
terminated the jobs of all employees was perfect! By 2022 (25 years later), community (I Corinthians 10:31),
of over 15 years. But a window Tom’s small dream flourished to even if it meant a new path. We felt
opened, illuminating a new 14 buses, traveling all over North our mission was not over.
opportunity. America.
God places people in our lives who
Tom had had a small dream of Flash back to 2018, a company help make dreams come true. In
someday purchasing a bus to drive approached us about selling our 2022, during the NCAA’s “March
senior citizen tours and church business. It was the first time we had Madness” tournament, CBS Sports
youth groups. He already drove thought about selling or retiring. approached Tom to interview him
buses periodically for Lubbock Tom and I prayed about it and about driving sports teams, and
Christian University ski trips and decided it was not meant to be. Since more specifically at the time, the
found it fun. God made that dream that time, several other companies Texas Tech men’s basketball team.
happen just days after Tom’s layoff, have approached us, but they The interview aired during halftime
much sooner than he planned. He were not interested in keeping our of a men’s Elite Eight game; a large
loved his job and had not planned employees, which was important to audience across the United States
to retire for another 15-20 years. us. viewed it. Fast forward to the end
But God knew his heart and his of 2023, when owners of a bus
determination. The pandemic of 2020 wreaked company, who had seen Tom’s
havoc on the whole transportation interview back in March of 2022,
The idea for the name of his motor industry. Afterwards, the cost for approached him about purchasing
coach business occurred in church new buses and insurance increased
78 Lubbock Senior Link
