In Celebration of 100 Subscribers; And, a Reintroduction to All of You.
I am grateful for it all.
Hello everyone! Today, September 25, 2024,
surpassed 100 subscribers. Truly, I never thought this would happen—not that I don’t think Tolkien-focused Substacks aren’t important, but that the field is a bit saturated. After all—how do I compete (I don’t use “compete” in a nefarious sense, just objectively knowing Tolkien elites are out there) with of and the likes. After all, was started in June of this year—it’s still a very new community. I remember telling my wife that I didn’t have a subscriber goal; I just wanted to reach people who shared an affinity for Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Middle-earth, and aimed to view such things through a Christian lens. In my mind, 10 subscribers would be enough affirmation to keep going. And here we are, at 104 at the time of this writing—one of which is paid (I am eternally grateful for you) and I’m elated. Truly, this means so much.There are a few people/accounts I want to give major gratitude. Without their constant support and engagement, this Substack may very well have fizzled out. I love writing, particularly in the scope of
and I didn’t need a large following. But life has its ebbs and flows, and there have been moments, admittedly, where external factors of discouragement could have led to stepping back from the Substack. It is still going (and will only get bigger and better moving forward) because of you all, the subscribers. I personally and sincerely want to thank:- (the first EVER subscriber to Ringfolk)
There are too many to list, so if I neglected to list you, trust me—I am sincerely grateful for your efforts, kind words of praise, engagement, and support so far.
Reintroducing myself, Patrick Lawrence
It’s been a while since I mentioned anything about myself, but in the name of transparency and gratitude, I’ll let you into my life.
I am a pastor who resides in Roanoke, Virginia. I was born here and spent almost my entire life in the valley, except for the five years I attended Virginia Tech for my undergraduate studies. I graduated with two degrees (Business Marketing and Public Relations) with a minor in Leadership and Social Change. I was called to vocational ministry nearly a year after graduation, and took an admin job at the church at which I now minister full-time. Doors opened, I gained experience, and now lead a young adult ministry, the largest in this area of the state. I am beyond humbled to do so. My Christian worldview shapes the lens in which I do everything, or at least try to the best of my ability.
I have two younger brothers who both share the same city I’m in (for now) as well as a mother (recently retired) and a father (who we’re trying to get to retire in the next year or so. I’m extremely blessed.
December 2, 2023, I married my beautiful wife, Brady. We’re (finally) taking our honeymoon later this month to Italy and are both so incredibly excited, and ready, to take a little breather away from everything that’s demanded our attention for far too long. As we approach our first anniversary, I’m blown away at how quickly the time has passed. I suppose they were right when they talked about “time flying when you’re having fun”.
I created
back in June of this year. After a few years of reading other Substacks, and a growing love for Tolkien (and writing about Tolkien and Tolkienien themes) I figured it was time to give this a shot. What a journey it’s been.My hobbies include reading, listening to music, playing guitar, watching movies and shows, and eating—I’m a big foodie. My first love is Tolkien, as you’re well-aware. Whether it’s watching Peter Jacksons adaptations, listening to Howard Shore’s score, or reading Tolkien’s legendarium, my life wouldn’t be the same without Middle-earth—that’s not an exaggeration. It’s a labor of love and an honor to able to share with you all a bit of my affinity for such things.
Consider Supporting Through a Paid Subscription!
I hate asking for anything requiring monetary partnership, so let me just share my heart in this: I believe it benefits you, the reader, more than the $8 monthly subscription benefits me. Here’s what you’ll get through a paid subscription:
Access to ALL publications. Every piece I publish is free for two weeks, after which they will be pay-walled. You’ll get access to all of them, of course with the ability to comment and engage.
Quarterly Zoom/FaceTime meetups. The first
video fellowship will be once we hit TEN PAID SUBSCRIBERS. If you want to support yearly, that would be incredible, but if you just want to go month-to-month, you’ll still be invite to participate in the video fellowship where we will share stories on our Tolkien journeys!Quarterly book giveaways. Similar to the video fellowship, this will only happen once we hit TEN PAID SUBSCRIBERS. At this point, anyone who is a paid subscriber will be entered in a drawing for a book giveaway. Likely, this will be one of: Bilbo’s Last Song, Tales from the Perilous Realm, or The Children of Hurin. There may be a few more I add to the rotation, but I am happy to give away a copy of these to a random paid subscriber, of course with a personal letter of thanks.
Promotion of your pages and personal shoutouts from my personal account and the
Substack. If you’re looking to grow your own Substack through reaching other Substack’s followers, this would be a good option for you.And last but not least, peace of mind that you’re helping me make this the best Substack I possibly can. For relatively the same price as a Starbucks coffee, you can support this Substack (and also help finance my honeymoon!)
I am grateful for all of you. Cheers.
Congratulations!
I wasn't expecting to be mentioned in something like this. Congratulations on the 100, Patrick. You deserve it.