Throwback Thursday, 7/10/25

 Hey Friends,

I am so glad that you chose to spend a moment of your day with us! Thanks for making my day a little brighter!

I am missing my Daddy today. 8 months ago today, his home changed to Heaven. I have been in a reminiscing mood the last couple of days! 

One of our YouTube videos came up on my suggested videos a few days ago. I couldn't help but smile! This was a great day spent with my parents! We love St Anne’s Chapel in Maine! It was one of our favorite places to visit! I will forever cherish our time here. 

I thought this was a good video to share for Throwback Thursday! I am beyond grateful that my hope is built on Jesus Christ! The waves and storm of life have rocked us this year, but Jesus has been steadfast!

2025 should have been the summer that we made our bi-annual summer trip to the Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and New York. Next month we wiill visit Boston, Massachusetts area for a few days.  Sadly, we do not have time to make it to the other Northeast states this time around.

Thank you again for reading!

Odie

The Great Iowa Fall Of 2025

 Hey Friends,

Thank you for stopping by! Today, I am going to share a hilarious story with you. I hope you're ready for a good laugh!

As you may recall, Mom and I traveled to Iowa last month. We had a fabulous time with Pastor John Stringfellow and his family! We immensely enjoyed the revival in Keswick, Iowa. I am still rejoicing over the services we had that week.

Our very dear friends, Bro. Andy and Sis. Tina Stringfellow was the evangelist during the revival. It was so wonderful to be with the Stringfellow family! We all made so many great memories during that week!

Probably the greatest of them all happened unexpectedly! Let me give you a little backstory…

There is a wooden ramp attached to Pastor John Stringfellow’s home. That is the entrance that I used to enter the house. to get to the ramp, we had to do a little off-road driving in my wheelchair and cut through the yard.

On Wednesday, it rained, making the yard very soft. Bro. Andy offered to push me through the soft yard to help Mom. 

I trust Bro. Andy, therefore, I agreed to his help. We took this picture laughing at a memory made by our friend Mandi Morris many years ago. Bro. Andy was imitating Mandi’s version of leaning me back! 🤣 We had a good laugh!

Then Mom showed him how to properly lean me back on the back two wheels, to make getting across the soft yard easier.

We made it safely across the yard. Bro. Andy decided to keep me leaning back while walking on the ramp. Sis. Tina warned him that there was a slick spot on the ramp.

We found the said slick spot! When his feet hit that spot, they went toward the street and his face toward the ground. My chair proceeded to lay all the way down on the ground. It all happened in the blink of an eye!

Bro. Andy and I bumped heads on our way down. Thankfully, we were both were ok! It is a wonder that I did not come all the way out of my chair!

My dress had migrated up around my waist. Mom said I was laying on my back with my feet pointed toward the sky. All she could see was me lifting my dress up in the air, trying to cover my legs. I was worried about being decent! Bro. Andy assured me that he did not see anything, because his face was toward the ground.

Once we were assured that we both were alright. All we could do was laugh! The Great Fall Of Iowa 2025 happened insanely fast! The memory will last a lifetime! I have not quit laughing about it since that day!

Bro. Andy and I said we needed T-shirts saying that we survived The Great Fall of Iowa 2025. The picture above was taken moments before the fall! My mom still had my phone in her hand.Everyone around us was laughing too hard to get any pictures or video of the actual fall. We were asked for a recreation, but we declined! 

Let me just state, I still trust, Bro. Andy! He pushed my wheelchair again the next day. He did not keep me leaned back while going up the wood ramp. We learned our lesson! We also avoided slick spot!

There you have the story of The Great Iowa Fall Of 2025!  Bro. Andy felt horrible! There is no reason to feel horrible! I think it is hilarious! Accidents happened to all of us!

He offered to push my chair at church that night, but I turned him down. The spirit of my dad came over me, “I told him you know after our fall today I can't walk!” 🤣

See y'all tomorrow!

Odie

Dorcas and Dad In A Dream

Hey Friends,

Thank you for stopping by on this beautiful Tuesday. Did you catch yesterday's post? I shared an update on the latest GoodNews Christian School building project. You can see that post by clicking here.

Recently, I was compiling the photos for yesterday's post when I came across a picture of my dad and our precious friend Dorcas from Nigeria. 

Many of you all remember Sis. Dorcas. She was saved during one of the outdoor crusades my dad preached in Nigeria. He told her testimony for years. Dorcas drug herself through the dirt and grass to the altar, because she knew she needed Jesus! Actually, she did it two nights in a row until she felt like she got what she needed.

It greatly moved our family! When Dad realized her condition and that she was dragging herself to the altar, he got down and crawled to meet her!

I was on that trip, and I was able to meet Dorcas. We gained a friend for life! 

She actually became an honorary member of our family. She called my parents, mom and dad, me her sister and even wrote letters to my grandparents calling them grandma and grandpa. It really was special! Each trip that my parents made back to Nigeria She would have gifts waiting on them. Also sending some home for me. We would exchange video greetings through my parents during their trips.

Dorcas became my hero! She had to overcome tremendous obstacles to live with her disabilities in Nigeria. No other country makes life easy on someone with a disability like America does. We tried to help her with wheelchairs and other things. 

Every single day was more of a struggle for her than I could ever imagine. She lived life with a smile on her face and was thrilled to be a Christian. I know her life was never easy!

My parents were with her during their 2023 trip in Nigeria. She sent handwritten letters home with them. 

Shortly after their trip, Dad had a stroke. Later, we found out Dorcas had her own sickness, around the same time. God chose to call her home. Dad wrote a post about it here.

Our hearts were broken to lose one of our Nigerian family members! Yet we also rejoiced, knowing that she no longer had the struggles that life had given her. In Heaven, she would be completely healed! She would never suffer again.

Less than a year later, Dad joined her in Heaven. I knew that is one of the many people he would be reunited with! I rejoice knowing that they are worshiping our Lord together.

I hope you are ready for the story of a dream. A few weeks ago, I had a fleeting dream of Dad. I have had a handful of those through the months. Most of the time, I do not remember all the details. They are usually over before I realize what's going on.

On this one occasion, I had a quick dream in which I knew Dad and Dorcas were both in the location. I do not remember details of the location. It was shocking really, because I did not remember thinking of Dorcas before my dream. I did not get to speak to her. 

In the dream, I talked to my dad. He said your sister is healed. She  does not need her wheelchair anymore! I knew that he was meaning my Nigerian sister, Dorcas!

In an instant, the dream was over. I woke up rejoicing, knowing that they both were healed! No more wheelchairs, or any of the aids to help them live life. I was happy for the reminder that there struggles were over. 

The ache of missing them was there strongly! I am so grateful for the blessed hope and the promise that we will see them again! I look forward to the day that we can all be together in Heaven.

Thank you for reading, as I share what is on my mind today.

Odie

GoodNews Christian School July 2025 Update

Hey Friend,

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to visit us! We are always thrilled when someone checks in.

Our faithful readers will recall that our ministry has been supporting Pastor Shobanke and his family's work in Nigeria for years. Our families have shared a close bond for many, many years! 

Dad sure loved his people in Nigeria! Some of his happiest times in his life were spent there, and he was always looking for another chance to visit!  

One project was his passion from the first time we heard about it: Goodnews Christian School! The photos above were from a previous visit

Because of the Lord's provision and the giving of many saints of God, BFM has been involved in many projects at the school! Many of you have played a significant part in those projects!

Before his passing, Dad was excited to help them pay for the construction of a new school building. We have carried on his vision, and you all have helped us.

Construction on the new school building has continued. With the Lord's help, they are moving right along! I know my dad would be thrilled! Hopefully, it will be ready for dedication late this year.

A few days ago, Mom received an email from Pastor Shobanke. She sent it to me so I could share the pictures with you all. It is wonderful to see the progress!

 May God continue to bless and help our precious Brothers and Sisters in Abeakuta, Nigeria! They are wonderful people! Mom and I are thrilled to be a tiny part in this project.

Once again, thank you to each and everyone of you who have donated to BFM, and helped us with this project! Countless lives will be touched because of your generosity!

Sincerely,

Odie

Happy Birthday America

 Hey Friends,

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today! Have you read the two special posts that we have shared this week? 

Sunday was a very special post commemorating my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. Yesterday, Thursday, was my mom's birthday.

Thank you to everyone who sent her birthday text, emails, phone calls and videos. Mom really appreciated all of them! She had a great birthday!

The birthdays continue! Today is America's birthday! Happy birthday America! Happy Fourth of July to the rest of you!

Our country was founded 249 years ago today. Our independence from Great Britain was declared on July 4th 1776!

Thank God for our  forefathers who had a vision to create a country. Thank you to each and everyone of them who fought and or died so that we could enjoy the freedoms that we know is the norm today. We are blessed abundantly as Americans!

I am so thankful to be an American. I pray that God continues to bless our great nation, and have mercy upon us! We are in need of God more now than! God, please give our nation revival!

It has been a while since I shared this! Let's listen to the Isaacs sing Star-Spangled Banner. 

I will never forget the first time we heard him do it live. It was in a small theater in Louisiana! We were blown away then by their incredible rendition of our national anthem. their version never gets old! This particular video is a trip down memory lane. 

Thanks for reading! I will be back tomorrow.

Odie

Happy 57th Birthday Mama

Hey Friends,

Yes, it is a holiday weekend! We will celebrate America's birthday tomorrow, but we must celebrate today!

Happy 57th birthday to the beautiful Kelly Jo Boggs! My prayer for you today, is that you feel blessed, loved, appreciated and special! Mom, I hope you have an incredible birthday!

57 years ago, a firecracker of a little girl was born. When she arrived, she brought so much joy to the world! Kelly Jo Morgan, as she was then known, is the oldest child of Danny and Betty Morgan. July 3, 1968 their life changed forever!

They raised her to be a lovely lady. Shortly after Mom turned 4 her parents were saved. Then, they instilled in her a love of God!

All these years later, we know her by many titles mom, sister and friend. I have personally witnessed her being a devoted wife, caregiver, and mother. 

Kelly Jo Boggs is my hero! She has walked through life with grace. Her favorite position is to be supporting someone else. Anyone that truly knows my mom knows that she is absolutely amazing!

She has dedicated her adult life to her family, ministry, and music! As someone who has had of front row seat, for most of it, I am in awe of her. I wanna be like my mommy when I grow up! 😀

I had a really hard time narrowing down the photos to use of Mom in this post. So I am going to share some more from my camera roll

Once again, I love you, Mama happy birthday! I hope you can feel my hug in this post! Sorry, not sorry for embarrassing you! You deserve all the extra shout, outs!

I will wrap up this post with re-posting a video Dad shared on our YouTube channel 2 years ago. 

Daddy, love, my mama, like no other! I could get by with a lot of things, but if he felt that I was disrespecting my mother that was another thing. He wanted her to be held in the highest regard! This is just one of the small proofs that we have of his love for her!

Odie