There has to be a reason …

Phil Cobb

I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason.

We never seem to realize it when we’re in the midst of a situation, but I’ve learned that we are constantly being prepared for something that will present itself in our future.

Since Chaundee and I purchased the Maryville Daily Forum in December of 2013, I’ve known this day would come.

I have admittedly avoided it.

I have sought out better options and really any option that would allow me to keep from it, but now I’ve found it planted squarely in front of me — unavoidable.

And I’m okay with it.

To be honest, I welcome it — hunger for it actually.

It’s something I really can’t explain, but I can say that when I worked for my parents at the Tri-County News in King City, I got a taste of something — something I think is special — something you can’t possibly know about if you’ve never experienced it.

And I have wanted to recreate that sensation since my family and I arrived in Maryville in 2000 — especially since we gained ownership of this newspaper nearly two years ago.

If you’ve lived any at all, you probably know that our plans are rarely in line with God’s plans.

We base our plans on selfish ambition and personal gain.

We want things to happen the way we want them to happen.

And we want them to happen right now.

God is more interested in putting us into position to glorify His name and further His kingdom.

In His way.

On His schedule.

I don’t pretend to know what His plans are, but I feel like I’ve been preparing for this time in my life for the past 20 years.

I experienced what my parents did with their weekly newspaper in the tiny towns of King City, Stanberry, Union Star, Conception, Conception Junction, and Clyde.

I saw what that newspaper meant to those communities.

And I saw how those communities fell in love with that newspaper.

I thought I could make that happen when I first came to work for the Maryville Daily Forum 15 years ago.

It was not to be.

And, honestly, I gave up on it more than once.

I just couldn’t see a scenario where corporate ownership would allow me to be in a position to make it happen.

Lesson learned.

He can do anything — even things we deem impossible.

We just need to learn to get out of His way.

Somehow I went — we went — from what felt like imprisonment to running the asylum.

That just doesn’t happen in this industry — not the way it happened to us.

There has to be a reason we have been placed in this position.

Now, I’m sure most people think that since I’m the owner, that I’m also the “editor.”

Well, kind of, in a big picture sort of way.

But on a day-to-day basis, I have not ever been the “managing editor.”

I’ve been the publisher, ultimately responsible for what goes in the newspaper, but more geared toward running the business and making sure there’s enough money to pay the bills.

Fortunately, I have a team around me I can rely upon and I feel like I can let go of some of those responsibilities.

Remember, we took over a business that was days away from closure.

It has taken time to reverse the course this operation had taken — more accurately, been taken on.

Back to His plan.

I’ve known since early May that Managing Editor Jason Lawrence was leaving to be closer to his wife’s job and to raise their unborn child closer to both of their families.

Jason did a great job and really made things run smoothly in the newsroom for the short stint he served at the helm.

As sports editor and then managing editor, he started something I believe has been absent at this newspaper.

He endeared us to the community.

Most people in this business don’t understand that concept. He did.

Jason has great things in his future, not the least of which is becoming a father.

I tried — really hard — to replace him in that position.

We even got really close to hiring a couple of different applicants.

But for whatever reason, it just didn’t work out.

So, here I am.

I’ve told myself and some of my closest friends that I don’t want the job.

Why? After all these years of chasing it?

I’ll be completely honest and let my guard down with you.

I’m afraid.

I’m afraid that it will take too much time away from my family.

And I’m afraid of failure.

I’ve done the job.

Yes, on a much smaller scale.

But also with a much smaller staff.

And I know how difficult it is to do the job right — to recreate what my parents had.

We now have three young Northwest graduates on staff in the newsroom, each with their own unique set of skills.

My plan is to set the example — create the environment — and then for one of them to take the job away from me.

This is really a job for someone much younger than I.

But there I go again, making plans.

How does my becoming the managing editor of the Maryville Daily Forum fit into God’s plan?

I have no idea.

But I can’t wait to find out.