T. J. Hux
Born in California, I had the privilege of being raised in a great family. I grew up in San Bernardino, spent a couple years living in South Korea where my parents served in the Peace Corps, and eventually moved to Santa Rosa where I finished High School and started college. Convinced that my ultimate career would be either in Law Enforcement or in the commercial diving industry, I planned to enlist in the Navy and pursue the Navy Diver program. But God had other plans.
Though I got into a fair amount of trouble as a teenager, the Christian faith was always a part of my life. If not enough to keep me out of trouble, it was at least enough to call me back before things got out of hand. The night before I was supposed to sign papers with the Navy, God threw me a curve-ball and convinced me to step out in faith and attend Bible college at the Lutheran Bible Institute in Seattle, Washington. Swearing I would never be a pastor, I graduated two years later with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical Studies, then got directed to seminary at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. (It’s a long story. I'd be happy to share it with you over coffee or a beer.)
Along the way, I met my amazing wife, Brenda, and was blessed with three wonderful sons. For someone who was never going to be a pastor, I have now served in four congregations in Montana and Oregon for over twenty-five years, and absolutely feel privileged to do so. I am currently serving as one of the pastors at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Salem, Oregon.
After writing several short story adventures for my nephews and nieces, I decided to attempt my first book, In Such a World. Over the years, I have had the privilege of being befriended by men and women who have served our nation and communities in the military and local and federal law enforcement. Having once aspired to these vocations myself, I have learned from them the toll of stress and what it costs them and their families. What they see and sometimes do can weigh heavily on their consciences. The project has now evolved to a three-volume series that blends action and spirituality in a way that I hope entertains as well as provokes reflection.
