Sis. Mary Davis A Hero Of Faith

Hey Friends,

Thank you for taking a moment to visit with me! This is Odie reporting in for a Saturday post. I hope that you have had a fabulous week.

I have been thinking recently about a precious saint of God, Sis. Mary Davis. When I was a young girl, I heard about the Davis Family. I knew that their ministry had a great impact on many people. I admired them from a distance. I was able to hear the Davis Family sing on cassettes. They were excellent singers!

Later in life, I was able to meet many members of The Davis Family. They are amazing people! Not only can I say that I met them, but the Davis Family are now my friends. Now my life has been impacted by The Davis Family. It is a fabulous blessing to my family that God allowed our paths to connect with them!

Bro. George Davis went to Heaven over twenty years ago. I never had the privilege to meet him for myself. His legacy has lived on in his family. I feel as if I knew this great man of God.

We did get the honor of know Sis. Mary. She was the Matriarch of the Davis family. Sis. Davis was an incredible woman! She was so sweet and kind. It was a pleasure to have her as our friend. Sis. Mary loved all of her family! She was proud of all of them. She would glow when she spoke about her family.

Sis. Mary Davis was an amazing hero of our faith! She was the portrait of an overcomer and a lady who persevered. Sis. Davis worked in the ministry with her husband when things were tough.

They raised their children to love God and the ministry. The family is spread all over the country today. The majority of them are working for God. God's people are still reaping the benefits of the ministry of Bro. George and Sis. Mary Davis in 2020!

Sis. Davis was famous for her delicious pies and treats. She was a baker extraordinaire! Her pies were always beautifully presented and they tasted heavenly! 

When we were at the church that she attended, Sis. Davis would bring us a pie nearly every night of revival. Friends, that was a scrumptious offering! Can I get an amen, if you ever tasted her pies?☺ Pictured below is one of her masterpieces, this was a coconut cream pie.

Her chocolate chip cookies were divine! She found out that I loved them and she would bless me with several dozen during revival! That was a great blessing to me!

Sis. Mary Davis completed her earthly race on July third. She is now in Heaven, rejoicing in the presence of God! I can only imagine the joyous reunion that took place upon her arrival. She was reunited with Bro. George and her beloved daughter, Sis. Ruth Davis Stephens. 

The loss of Sis. Davis leaves a gaping hole in the hearts of the entire Davis family. She will be missed by many people! Please pray for her family and friends. Thankfully we can see her again in Heaven!

I was thinking the other day about my friend, Sis. Davis. I imagine God may have her preparing the pies for The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.☺ I am looking forward to eating her food again soon! The great thing about eating in Heaven, there will be no more adverse effects on our bodies. We can eat all that we desire there.

I am thankful that God has brought many heroes, of the faith, in our lives! We miss our Godly soldiers when they get promoted to Heaven! I plan to see them again when I finish my race down here. The list of promoted soldiers is always growing. Sis. Davis' name is now on that list. Heaven is getting sweeter every day!

Thanks for reading! I hope you have a terrific weekend. Did you know Sis. Davis? I would love to hear any of your memories of Sis Davis.

Odie

Our Fabulous Friend Farrell

Hey Friends,

Happy Saturday, I hope that your week has been good. Ours has been full of activity in Charlotte, North Carolina. We had revival at both Paw Creek Christian Academy and Paw Creek Ministries. I am so glad we were able to visit with our dear friend Pastor Joseph Chambers. He has been very kind to our family through the years and we love Bro. Chambers!

It is a travel day for the BoggsMobile. Each time that we are rolling, I thank God for keeping us running! We have always tried to have a thankful heart for traveling mercies, but our recent bus problems have made me even more grateful!

Today we are traveling from North Carolina to South Carolina. I anticipate meeting new friends in Easley this coming week. We will be at Open Praise Fellowship Holiness Church with Pastor Chad Payne for Sunday through Wednesday.

Our Fabulous Friend Farrell 

We love all of our extra special friends that we have met along the way. These friends cheer us up, encourage us and bring great big bright smiles to our faces. Farrell Stearns is right at the top of our special friend list. 

We first met Farrell in the spring of 2004 in Cantonment, Florida and we bonded quickly over our shared love for music. It thrills us to receive a letter from him or see his name on the phone screen. Every time that we hear from him it brightens our day!

Soon after we met Farrell we figured out that we had attended Crabb Fest in Owensboro, Kentucky on the same years, but sadly we did not know him yet. We had been to the same concerts, heard the same groups, cheered at the same time and had not formally met. 

Farrell always sits on the front row out on the front edge of his chair. His enthusiasm stands out in the crowd, yet we did not meet. Now years later we still have fun sharing our beloved Crabb Fest memories.

One thing that made us fast friends is that he is a diehard Isaacs fan! It is a blast to talk to him about many of the southern gospel groups that we both enjoy, but we especially love talking about “our Isaacs”! Farrell’s collection of Isaacs memorabilia is definitely bigger than mine. He pulls out shirts that I completely forgot existed.  Twice a couple of years ago we were able to attend the same Isaacs concerts. It was a pleasure to share those awesome services with him! I  certainly hope to do it again in the future.

Farrell is extremely kind and always has a sincere compliment and word of encouragement. He is so good to come to see us whenever we get close enough for him to visit. Recently Farrell came to both Foley and Wilmer, Alabama. We always look forward to seeing him! I appreciate the miles that he travels and the time he sacrifices to be in with us! It is a treat for our family to see his smiling face on the front row soaking up the service. 

Farrell has a large shirt collection of many different music groups. He likes to represent his special groups, especially when he attends one of their concerts. A few years ago his green and blue plaid shirt became his “Boggs Family Shirt” because it matches the bus. Now that shirt resides folded in his group shirt drawer! He wears it when he comes to see us and we feel so honored. 

I wanted everyone to meet and know “Our Fabulous Friend Farrell”! It is a privilege to have him cheering us on. It is a comfort knowing that Farrell is in our corner. We love you, Farrell Stearns, so much and thank God for allowing us to meet you!

Farrell possesses a joyful and positive personality that is contagious. I want to purpose to uplift those around me daily. Do you have a special friend that uplifts you? Encouragers are a priceless gift from Heaven. I am inspired to be that kind of friend to others.

Thank you for stopping by and reading today. I pray that you have a terrific weekend. 

Odie

Pastor Jimmy Millikin

We have certainly been blessed to meet some great people in all of our years on the road. Do you know, Bro. Jimmy Millikin? He and his family are some of the very best people we have ever met.

I can not even recall when we actually met the Millikin family. Bro. James, Sis. Wilma, Bro. Jimmy and Bro. Marty have been mainstay evangelists among the conservative Pentecostal people for many decades. They are incredible people and it seems we have known them all of our lives.

I do not remember exactly the first time we met them personally. Perhaps it was Allentown Camp Meeting in the late 80s. I do know this for sure. We were blessed by their sincerity, talent and heart to minister to others.

In 1993 we were in Florida and drove over to Lake Placid to be with them in revival. That was probably the first time we heard them in a revival setting over several nights and we immediately loved them very deeply.

In the years that followed, we were able to hear them minister from time to time and we were always blessed by their music, singing and Bro. Jimmy's preaching. We came to appreciate them as dear friends.

About eleven years ago when we begin to plan on doing more tent revivals, I approached Bro. Jimmy about him and Sis. Shauna helping us on some of them. Two years later, we had one of the most blessed summers we had ever had with the Millikin family joining us in four tent revivals. They were part of two in Oklahoma, one in Kansas and one in our hometown.

We have been blessed many times since then to minister together with our dear friends. Bro. Jimmy has become one of my best friends and also one of my biggest advocates. He is always in my corner and has been a tremendous encouragement to me and my family.

I have tried to do the same for Bro. Jimmy, Sis. Shauna and their two beautiful children. I have told people far and wide that Bro. Jimmy is my favorite evangelist and I have meant every word of it. They are worthy of applause, appreciation and support.

Bro. Jimmy has traveled in evangelism with his parents most of his life and last fall he passed the 30 year mark of preaching revivals himself. That is a long time to spend on the road, but Bro. Jimmy has a great heart for people and has loved visiting and ministering all over the USA.

Recently Bro. Jimmy and Sis. Shauna experienced a huge change in their life, family and ministry. In the last few weeks Bro. Jimmy excepted the pastorate of Westside Holiness Church in Claremore, Oklahoma. Sis. Shauna was raised in this church under her parents' ministry and it has been the Millikins home church for many years.

After several months without a Pastor, the church has now called Bro. Jimmy in that role and the Millikins are settling into their new direction and position at Westside. I imagine it will be a tremendous change for them, but I am confident that God will prosper their ministry and bless them with many souls in Claremore, Oklahoma.

Please pray for my favorite evangelist, Bro. Jimmy Millikin as he navigates this new course in life and applies himself with diligence and determination in the direction that God has called him to go. May God bless them and Westside Holiness Church.

Thank you for reading today.

Davy

A Visit With Javonia Searcy

Hey Friends,

This is Odie reporting in from Ohio. It is great to be home for a few days and enjoy my little home. I am trying to get settled in some more. The majority of that will take place in a couple weeks when we have a longer stay in Ohio. 

We have a big adventure that we are about to embark upon tomorrow. I can not wait to share it with you later. I will just say my bags are packed, I am excited and the fun is about to start.

Last month during two revivals in Oklahoma we were able to see Bro. Rickey, Sis. Sharon and Javonia Searcy. It was so great to see our dear friends again!

Our crazy schedule prevents us from seeing them often. Our families have been connected for years and they have been a huge blessing to us. I love them so much and I am so thankful for their friendship!

The star of their family is Javonia. She brightens the room with her presence. I wrote about Javonia several years ago. You can see that post by clicking here. 

Javonia is a friend I received because our families were friends. It is difficult to remember my life without our Javonia. She has been a blessing to me so many times. 

Javonia has been my encourager many times. She will tell me when she thinks I am doing good. Also Javonia is not afraid to tell me when she thinks I might be doing something wrong! I cherish our moments we get to be together. 

Life has given Javonia a different set of challenges than mine, but that has not stopped her from living life to the fullest. Javonia is a dreamer and always planning her future. She is always wanting to reach a life milestone before I reach them. 😀

Javonia will always get older before me. She can pave the way for me. I am 8 years behind her. This year she hit the big 40 mark and she is proud of her age! Javonia has taught me to take life as it comes. Her example reminds me to embrace life,  enjoy the ride and smile.

Javonia Christine Searcy, thank you for being my friend! I love you more than I can put into words. God definitely put you in my path to encourage me. Girl, keep on smiling and encouraging others. You are awesome and I am blessed to call you my friend!

I hope reading about my precious friend brought you a smile. Do you have a friend that encourages without knowing they are doing it? Thank you for visiting with me today. I hope you have a great weekend!

Odie

Bro. Jack Eubanks - Changed By The Gospel

The Heart of The Gospel Is Change!

Before we went to Nigeria in November I reread most of David Wilkerson's book, The Cross and the Switchblade. When I was a very young man that book put in me a hunger to win souls and that hunger is stoked every time I read it.

The book was still laying on my chair when we returned to the bus in December so I picked it up and read some chapters again. On December 26th I read a passage that has been burning in my heart every day since then.

David Wilkerson's grandfather taught him an important fact about the Gospel. Jay Wilkerson said, "The heart of the Gospel is change, it is transformation. Christ's message is extremely simple: an encounter with God, a real one, means change, every time."

Oh my! What amazing power is available in the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Today I am writing of a great example of that very power of transformation. His name is Bro. Jack (O.W.) Eubanks from Ellisville, Mississippi.

I do not think I have introduced the majority of you to Bro. Eubanks. I know that many of our Mississippi friends and Alabama friends know him, but the rest of you should too. He attends First Assembly in Ellisville where Bro. Kenny Morris is the Pastor and has been our dear friend for many years. 

Davy and Bro. Jack Eubanks (Picture added 2/26/2017)



His conversion story and subsequent change embodies the very truth that Jay Wilkerson taught his grandson so many years ago. When Bro. Eubanks encountered Christ he was a man that was filled with hate and violence along with physical and emotional pain.

The Gospel brought radical change. He was suddenly saturated with overwhelming love for the very people he hated. The change was so complete that he spent a big part of his life ministering to the people he had hated and now loved.

I had heard the amazing story of his conversion for years and it was a thrill to hear it from his own mouth several years ago when we met him. Imagine my surprise when I was reading on the PE News site and came across the personal story of our very own Bro. Eubanks.

I know you will enjoy reading the story below and you will probably be interested in reading the original article from the Pentecostal Evangel in 1976. It is on pages 8 and 9.

Thanks for reading.

Davy


PE News

O. W. Eubanks joined the Mississippi Highway Patrol during the race riots of 1964. A large, broad-shouldered white man, he relished the opportunity to strike fear in the hearts of African-Americans who were in trouble with the law. By his own admission, he was a foul-mouthed sinner who liked “rough stuff.”

A radical conversion to Christ in the early 1970s altered the course of Eubanks’ life, and his hardened heart became tender toward African-Americans in his rural community. He and his wife, Thelma, ultimately pioneered an Assemblies of God congregation consisting mostly of African-Americans, which they pastored for 21 years. He shared his story in the Feb. 8, 1976, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Eubanks’ conversion occurred in the midst of deep personal suffering. His 20-year-old daughter had recently been killed in an automobile accident, and he had been experiencing excruciating back pain. He realized that he was far from God, and his father-in-law, a Pentecostal preacher, encouraged him to seek the Lord and repent of his sins.

Eubanks began attending an Assemblies of God church, where he accepted Christ, was healed of his back pain, and was baptized in the Holy Spirit. He was a new man, and everyone could see the difference.

After being filled the Holy Spirit, he started witnessing to people. His Bible became his constant companion in his patrol car, and he never grew tired of sharing how the Lord changed his heart and life.

One night, at a roadblock on Interstate 59, he stopped two African-American men who had beer in their car. He had to charge them with illegal possession of liquor, as it was a dry county. He also witnessed to them about the Lord, telling them that “liquor was a tool of the devil.”

One of the men, Joe Pickens, came to see Eubanks several days later. He tearfully confessed that his life was messed up and accepted Christ. Before long, Pickens and his four daughters all had made definite decisions to follow the Lord and had experienced Spirit baptism.

News of the conversions spread through the largely African-American rural community of Bay Springs, Mississippi, where racial segregation still held sway. Patrolman Eubanks had been known for his tough ways, and people took note when he began ministering Christ’s love to African-Americans as brothers in Christ.

In 1974, Eubanks started holding a Bible study, which developed into a thriving congregation. In the first two years, about 45 people accepted Christ under Eubanks’ ministry. The congregation, Bay Springs Assembly of God, was organized in 1975. The Sunday School superintendent was a redeemed bootlegger.

At the time, it was unheard of in that community for a white man to pioneer or pastor a church of African-Americans. Eubanks realized that he was breaking cultural mores. However, he insisted that God’s values must trump cultural values: “If a man is a child of God, then he’s your brother. I don’t care what color he is, you have a duty to witness to him.” Eubanks recounted “grumbling and opposition to the church,” but noted that it was “nothing that God couldn’t handle.”

Bay Springs Assembly 1976

Bro. Eubanks served as pastor of Bay Springs Assembly of God until 1996. Sammy Amos, an African-American, followed Eubanks and is now in his 20th year as pastor. Amos, in a recent conversation, echoed Eubanks’ vision for the church: “We only care about souls, we don’t judge people according to their color.”

Amos noted that Bay Springs Assembly of God continues to be an interracial lighthouse in the rural community, where most churches are still segregated. The congregation has about 115 adherents, including blacks and whites, and is known for its outreach and deliverance ministries. The largely African American church started by a white highway patrolman continues to demonstrate to the world that God can indeed change hardened hearts.

Read the entire article by O. W. Eubanks, “Highway Patrolman Pastors New Black Church in Mississippi,” on pages 8-9 of the Feb. 8, 1976, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Do You Know Pastor Jon Isaacs and Family

Do you know Bro. Jon Isaacs and his beautiful family?

We first met Bro. Jon when he was a young man and relatively new Christian. He was raised in Connersville, Indiana and would visit our home church, Dryden Rd. Pentecostal Church in Dayton, Ohio. He was a fine young man then and God has touched him and used him greatly through the years.

Bro. Jon is married to Sis Heidi and they have three beautiful daughters, Alayna, Alivya and Anna Kate. They were effective evangelists for several years and have been Pastoring near Elba, Alabama for nearly 12 years. When they went to Zoar Holiness church I really wondered why they would leave the road.

After 12 years, a new location, a name change and many lives transformed by the power of God, I now understand why they went to Zoar. It is evident that God sent them.

Grace Fellowship Holiness Church (The church is no longer at Zoar, hence the name change) is better because God sent them this special anointed family. God is using them to reach folks and to bless.

They all sing, play music, preach, teach and obviously have a heart for people and a heart for God. The girls are precious and have taken up the work of the ministry with dedication and delight. It is a joy to watch this family work for the Lord and minister to His people.

Bro. Jon invited us to Zoar in the early years of their Pastorate and we have enjoyed great fellowship with his family and with the family of God that attend the church. Our lives have been made better by knowing them and we look forward to many more years of friendship by God's grace.

Some of our most precious memories of evangelism were made with these folks and we will treasure them for a long time. The Watch Night service on January 31, 2010 was especially memorable and will stand as a great memorial to God's amazing power and blessing, at least to our family.

That night was also special because we were honored to dedicate Anna Kate Isaacs to the Lord.





Here is Anna Kate now with me and one of the little boys from the church.



Praise God for His wonderful people that we are blessed to know and love. These are a few more of them that are near and dear to our hearts!

Do you know Bro. Jon Isaacs and his beautiful family? They are definitely worth getting to know.

Davy

Meet Bro. Larry Smith - Hero!

Most of the posts have been about City Reach lately because that is what our life has consisted of the last few months AND will consist of for the next few months. That is what this blog is about. 

We post about the grace of God, great churches, Pastors, people, revivals, music, family, food, fellowship, fun, our travels and who knows what else.

Most of that "what else" has been City Reach recently. We did have a great experience last Thursday evening and I want to tell you about it today.

Meet Bro. Larry Smith a door gunner in a Rattler for 27 months in Vietnam.

We arrived in Ft. Worth on Thursday morning after a long, long drive from Atwater, California. After a busy day preparing and planning for the tent set up, we had very special plans for Thursday evening. Our dear friend from Ellisville, Mississippi was at a reunion near DFW airport and we were anxious to see him.

Bro. Larry Smith goes to First Assembly in Ellisville. We have been preaching there for Pastor Kenny Morris and his great folks for many years. We always look forward to being with our dear friends in Ellisville and it seems that God always blesses the revivals there. It is one of our favorite stops of the year.

We love Bro. Kenny and Sis. Joan. We love Bro. Andy and Sis. Tina. We love the great place to park. We love the food. We love the special revival services. AND we love all the tremendous people that go to church there.

One of those tremendous people is Bro. Larry Smith! When we were there in January I told about our City Reach campaigns and mentioned City Reach Ft. Worth would be in May. Bro. Larry told me after service that the reunion of his 71st Assault Helicopter unit was scheduled for Ft. Worth in May. 

Bro. Larry not only attends these reunions held every two years but he was instrumental in getting them started over 25 years ago. I copied this excerpt from their website.

Origins of the Rattler/Firebird Association

In the fall of 1990, Larry Smith, an old gunner of mine from '66-'67, called me and asked if I was aware that the 145th Aviation Battalion had an association. I told him "No". He then told me they were having a reunion at Ft. Rucker in June of '91. Larry and I agreed to meet there.

We talked Dennis Hand and Donnie Profitt into attending also. At this reunion, we rediscovered feelings long suppressed from Vietnam. We had no interest in battalion level people, because we did not know them. The four of us stayed in one hotel room and let the memories fly. From that four person meeting, the spark was lit to get the guys back together as best we could....Ron Seabolt National Director Rattler/Firebird Association

Bro. Larry and I both were excited to learn the dates of this year's reunion would coincide with the week we were arriving in Ft. Worth for City Reach and it was being held at a DFW hotel. We made plans right then to try our best to visit him and see some of the displays.

Bro. Larry spent 27 months as a door gunner in a combat helicopter. 27 months in Vietnam without ever going home! Bro. Larry is a hero is the first order and I was proud to stand next to him in front of an actual "Rattler" like the ones he flew on.

I copied this description from their website.

The radio call signs “Rattler” and “Firebird” were used by our aircraft during our service in Vietnam. “Rattler” was used by our UH-1D & H helicopters (known as "slicks") that carried troops, supplies, ammunition, performed command and control, combat assault, medical evacuation and insertion/extraction missions, as well as many others.

This is where the door gunner sat and stood barely strapped in, keeping both hands free to operate the gun that protected the helicopter and troops being dropped or those being picked up.

Bro. Larry earned over 50 air medals, a purple heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross. That is the Distinguished Flying Cross on his hat below.

The pilot and copilot were surrounded by thin metal and glass making them very vulnerable to enemy fire. Bro. Larry said that one time the instrument panel between them was completely blown away but the pilot managed to land safely and the men were kept alive!

Can you read the tag below by Ron Seabolt's belt?

It says, "Belt Used In 'Nam By Ron Seabolt - Size 32. Now Fits His thigh."

I resemble that remark!

I was blessed to meet Ron Seabolt and his wife and honored to pray with them. She is battling cancer and really needs God's help.

The display area inside was huge. This is just one small section. Reading some of the information was almost overwhelming emotionally. I am so prone to feel fearful, wronged, vulnerable and impatient or perceive unfairness in life, but these young men faced more in a year or two than I ever will. May God bless and help every one of them!

Kelly Jo wearing a vest that is supposed to help protect from bullets and shrapnel. It is so heavy she is about to fall down. Bro. Larry said it was so cumbersome and the door gunner had to move back and forth in the helicopter a lot. He said that he seldom wore it. It is a miracle that He is still alive!

I have liked Bro. Larry from our first visit to Ellisville, Mississippi years ago. I always knew there was something special about him. Now I know a small part of what makes him special. He will be the very first to tell you that the very best thing that ever happened to him was the day he was saved. I know that is true.

But there is something special about a young man that will give 27 months of his life to keep others free. Bro. Larry Smith is a true hero. 

I will stand a little straighter, tip my hat a little lower, set my gaze a little higher and hug his neck a little tighter when I see him next time.

Thanks for reading.

Davy