If you have ordered artwork from me over the years, you know me as the drafting side of this business. A good many of you also know me as a pastor. This post is about the place where those two things meet — and about a book I finally finished.
A word that changed in the middle of the night
It was December of 2013, just days before my birthday, when I suddenly woke up. Not from a noise, and not from a dream exactly — from something that felt like a message.
In my mind’s eye I saw the words Ship Wrecked. Then the h disappeared. A sharp slash cut through it, and in its place appeared a k. The words became Skip Wrecked.
I understood it right away. The ship might go down. The dreams might sink. The journey may not go the way you planned — but your life does not have to be wrecked because of it.
I held onto that phrase for years before I ever wrote a word of the book.
Drafting as tent-making
My father, Stuart Seymour, founded The Drafting Shoppe in 1976, and he trained me early — long before I had any formal ministry title. He gave me precision, craftsmanship, and a standard of excellence. In 1995 I moved our workflow into the digital age with CAD, which meant faster, cleaner output and a much wider reach.
Those of you here in Elberton know the rest of the picture. In the Granite Capital of the World, the monument industry was not just busy — it was competitive. Families, friendships, even school relationships got strained by company rivalries, and most local services were tied to one granite company or another.
We were not. The Drafting Shoppe stood independently, available to serve everyone. That made us a rare piece of neutral ground in a divided space.
It also did something I did not expect. Because the drafting table paid the bills, I was free to serve in churches without asking them for a paycheck. I could preach, teach, counsel, and volunteer without being a financial burden, because my hands were already working. Paul made tents. I carved names, designed memorials, and emailed artwork.
My business was never in competition with my ministry. It was the provision for it.
What the book actually is
Skip Wrecked is not a formula or a how-to guide, and it is not a book about having it all together. It is a testimony — 106 pages of the real story behind the faith. Childhood asthma and insecurity. A calling that terrified me. A grandfather whose quiet faithfulness taught me more than any sermon. Being born again at a funeral. Losses I did not see coming, and a God who did not let go.
If you have ever wondered where God was during your hardest season, or felt like your plans sank without warning, this one is for you.
Where to get it
- Instant PDF download — $9.99, right here on this site. Readable on any computer, tablet, or phone.
- Signed paperback — $25.00, signed and mailed by me within the United States. I only have a few on hand.
- Paperback, hardcover, and Kindle editions are on Amazon.
If the book helps you, the kindest thing you can do is leave an honest review. It is what helps a book like this find the next person who needs it.
Thank you for reading, and thank you for the years of work you have trusted us with.
— Brian