This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

All About Love Christian Book Store Is Business and Ministry

The Wentzville store is a means to reach out to others and help those in need.

When David and Amy Tucker decided to open the All About Love Christian book store in Wentzville, they knew they were starting a ministry as much as a business.

"Obviously this is more of a mission for us," David Tucker said, standing in the store recently. "If we reach some people through Christ, that’s what it’s all about for us."

The Tuckers, members of in Wentzville, both work full-time jobs. So starting a business wasn’t really on their front burner, especially after a couple of produce markets they owned failed and left them with some debt. But the genesis of this book store, David Tucker said, came from a higher calling.

Find out what's happening in Wentzvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"This whole thing was God from the get-go," he said. "A year ago last February, God appeared to me in a dream. This dream was so real, I actually thought I had died, and I was standing right there with God."

Tucker didn’t know what it meant at the time, but River Oaks pastor Mark Ford told him, "Sometimes, God just wants to get your attention, to see if you’re listening. Just get ready – pray, pray, pray."

Find out what's happening in Wentzvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Six months later, Tucker had another dream. The message this time was "We’re not doing enough to show love in the world," David Tucker said. "If you want to change the world, you need to start right at home."

The idea Tucker took from that dream was opening a Christian book store – not as a full-time occupation, but as a means to reach out to others and help those in need.

"God gave me his marching orders," Tucker said.

Over the next couple of months, "obstacles would come up in this plan, and they would just fall," he said.

Tucker, consulting with a nephew who is an insurance agent, compiled a business plan. He still hadn’t told his wife, but believed this dream had to be acted on.

"I just really felt like God was leading me to do this to show more love," he said. "That’s pretty much the bottom line. We as a church – and I’m not talking about River Oaks Church, I’m talking about the body of Christ – we’re not doing enough to show love to a hurting world. That’s where the name came from also – All About Love. Because it is. I mean, when it comes down to it, the Bible says – you can see it right there on my wall – ‘Faith, hope and love, and the greatest is love.’"

A prayer request box sits just inside the door, just below the wall inscription Tucker mentioned. People who feel the need for prayer to get through some problem in their lives can make the request, which is passed on to the Rivers Oaks church family.

"When people come in here, we want to change their life," David Tucker said.

Opening the store was a big change for the Tuckers, and David knew he had to be prepared before suggesting it to Amy.

"He had to really have it together before he spoke to me about it," she said.

It was an emotional time when he did discuss it with her.

"I couldn’t get through telling her about my dreams without crying," he said.

They both took comfort from Jeremiah 29:11, which says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

With that reassurance, All About Love opened in early March, and had a packed grand opening March 26.

"All the (area) churches are finding out about it," Ford said.

Opening the bookstore was a leap of faith.

"If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat," Ford said. "They believe God led them to do this."

"Starting any new business, it’s kind of tough in the beginning," David Tucker said. "But I’ve always said, and this is my prayer, ‘God, let this business be a beacon to shine your light, and let it make enough to take care of itself.’ If it makes enough to pay the payroll, order new products, pay the rent, the electric and phone, I’m fine."

The store’s mission statement sums up the Tuckers’ approach. It says, "1. God’s will and word will never be compromised. 2. People will always be more important than money. 3. We will keep away from pride, and do what’s right – no matter what the cost."

David Tucker recalled the first person he prayed with in the store. A woman had left the highway looking to get a cold drink, and found her way into the store instead. He told the woman there was free coffee available, and she briefly said she was having a bad day.

"She was over looking at the Bibles, and God said, ‘This is it. You say this is what you’re here for. OK, here’s your chance.’"

Tucker walked over and said, "How’s your day?"

Her reply was, "Well, it’s not really good. I just got laid off from my job today. I’m a single mom, my mother had a stroke last week, she’s not doing good. There’s just a lot of things going on."

Tucker told her about the prayer request box, and prayed with her.

"I put my hand on her and said, ‘God, I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t need to know what’s going on. I know that you’re bigger than it, and that you love her, and that the Bible says that when we’re truly down and out, we’re blessed – you’re holding us tight. And let her feel your love, and let her find a job.’ I just handed it all over to God."

In tears, the woman told Tucker that while driving on Wentzville Parkway, she had sent a text message to a friend.

"I texted ‘I need God,’" she told Tucker, "and when I hit the send button I looked over and I saw your sign."

Tucker said, ‘That’s God. God sent you here."

The woman said, "You just changed my whole life," Tucker said. "Since then, we’ve prayed for probably four or five people in here."

The mission statement, prominently displayed in the store and on the store’s Web site, serves as a tangible reminder.

"God put us on the earth to show his love, and to lead more people to him, and by God we’re gonna do it," David Tucker said. "That is what He told me to do, and we are going to do it, one way or another. This store is just a small outlet for that."

To further encourage sharing God’s love, the store keeps Act of Random Kindness (A.R.K.) cards near the cash register. The idea is to do something nice for someone – buy them a cold drink on a hot day, pay for their lunch, make a difference in some way – and then give them an A.R.K. card. The hope, similar to pay it forward, is that the acts of random kindness will spread.

"God’s ideas are no good if you don’t act on them," David Tucker said.

All About Love doesn’t rival the size of the chain stores, but they have done a good job covering their niche of Christian books and gifts. Close to the register are books and CDs recommended by the pastor and youth pastor of River Oaks. The "Pastor’s Picks" and "Youth Pastor’s Picks" change monthly.

Books are divided into sections, including a whole bookcase of Bibles and Bible covers, plus everything from family concerns, health and diet, pastors and leaders and Christian living to books for small group study and even a humor section that includes the title "The World’s Greatest Collection of Church Jokes."

There are T-shirts and sweatshirts, drumsticks imprinted with the words "Stick with Jesus" and guitar picks that say "Pick Jesus." The store has jewelry for all budgets, including necklaces with crosses, earrings, even rings engraved with "True Love Waits." There are greeting cards for all occasions, with a portion of the proceeds going to Compassion International. The store also has picture frames, artfully crafted crosses that can hang on the wall and a tall tower of colorful coffee mugs with various religious-themed messages.

"They really go over well," David Tucker said of the mugs. "A lot of people give those as gifts."

People in the community are noticing. Joy-FM, a Christian radio station, broadcast live from the store during the grand opening. Nan Sansoucie of was there for the opening and returned recently because her daughter Megan was looking for a book. Sansoucie is thrilled to have a Christian book store in town.

"I’m super excited because it’s so hard to find anything (like this) out here," she said. "It’s really convenient."

That tells the Tuckers they made the right decision. The main thing they hear from customers, David Tucker said, is "It’s about time. We’re so happy you’re here."

The Tuckers are happy to have this opportunity to spread the word.

"God has allowed us to do this," David Tucker said. "It’s part of a bigger picture – it really is."

All About Love is located at 1155 Wentzville Parkway, Suite 115. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Sundays. For more information, call 636-332-2881.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Wentzville