Shady Springs Youth Camp 1997 Memory

 Hey Friends,

June 11th 1997, I was 11 years old. It was youth camp week at Shady Springs in Indiana. I was an exuberant camper! 

I loved youth camp. My friends and I started the countdown to youth camp months in advance. We would sit down with our calendars and physically count the days. We probably drove our youth leaders, counselors and parents crazy. 

My goal at youth camp for that year was to get the Holy Ghost. I had been seriously seeking the Holy Ghost for a while. I had been so close, but struggled to receive that special gift from God. 

I was determined to come home full of the Holy Ghost! 29 years ago tonight, the Lord rewarded my seeking and praise. He baptized me with the Holy Ghost. 

I am still so thankful for that life-changing experience at youth camp! I have never been the same since that night! 

That week at Shady, I made memories for a lifetime. I made friendships that are still real today. God was working in my life for the long haul. Praise the Lord for his blessings!

Thank you to my parents, my pastor, my church, my youth leaders, the camp workers and the speakers who sent me and worked with me during camp. Your sacrifices were worth it! My friend group was amazing! Their prayers and friendship helped me so much! I am so thankful for my camp memories. 

We do not have to discuss the bad memory of that year. Our heads will all be itching. The Holy Ghost helped me survive the bad memory! 

PSA

1 NEVER share a hairbrush at camp!!

2. NEVER pile 4 girls in two bottom bunks at camp!!

The Holy Ghost is still a precious gift that I will forever cherish!  The comforting power of the Holy Ghost is sweeter now than it was then!

Thank you for stopping by to chat. See you tomorrow. 

Odie

Henry and Penelope Welch Dedication

Hey Friends,

 

Earlier this year, DRPC was blessed with 2 new members. Phillip and Candace welcomed Henry and Penelope. The babies are miracles!

They made an extremely early arrival. We prayed long and hard for them. The Lord helped them defy the odds. Both babies have been fighters and won many battles. 

Their hospital stays were lengthy and a roller coaster ride of emotions. A while back, they came home, and we are so grateful.  Both of them are growing and adjusting to life. 

Candace is our cousin on the Boggs side. We watched Phillip grow up on our visits to California. Little did we know that they would meet and fall in love. It has been amazing to watch God bless them with these little miracles!

Sunday morning, Henry and Penelope were dedicated. Phillip’s family came from 3 different states. It was great to see our friends. Candace had several of her family members there, too. Those were also our family members, so it was good to be in service with them. 

Here are some pictures I have from the dedication. 

I can not wait to watch these little ones grow up. We are going to be buddies! They have no choice. 

Congratulations Candace and Phillip! We love your precious family!

Thank you for visiting with us. 

Odie

8 Years Of Thankfulness

 Hey Friends,

 I have been reflecting on a special memory. Today is a memorable date for me. 8 years ago today, my Beach Cottage home was deemed livable. 

That morning, the inspector came for a final inspection. I was immensely thrilled when Dad called me. I could move in. 

I did not yet own furniture, so we made a trip to Ikea. There, we picked up some furniture. My Aunt and Uncle loaned me some pieces. 

Once we returned home from Ikea, some of our family came to help me get situated. By bedtime, things were set up enough that I could stay in my house. 

I was thrilled to spend my first night in my home. I could hardly go to sleep. I was overcome with gratitude to be surrounded by my miracle of a home!

8 years later my gratitude has not waned! God saw the bigger picture when made my special a reality! I needed it more than I ever imagined!

Thank you dear God, for my blessing of a Beach Cottage!! 

See you later.

Odie

A Thursday Check In 5/7/26

 Hey Friends,

Thank you for stopping by to visit. We are going to be on the road traveling home today. We appreciate your prayers!

Weather

We had planned to head home yesterday after Sis. McDonald's funeral. Upon reviewing the forecasted weather along our route, we decided to stay an extra night in Mississippi. 

I am so glad we made that decision. The weather did get rocky for a while. I did not want to be on the road in bad storms. We were not scared but cautious. We had to take cover.

 Thankfully we were safe. Others not far from us got hit by a bad tornadoes. My heart hurts for those people. I know they could use extra prayers right now!

One More Thing

Before I close I want to say Happy Birthday to Kylee Boggs! We love you, Kylee! Hope you have a fabulous birthday. 

See you all tomorrow. 

Odie

A Praise Report For Sis. Ann Gabbard

Hey Friends,

Yesterday was a beautifully smooth travel day for us. We thank God for protecting us. 

We are excited to see several friends this week! I will share pics from our weekend later. 

Last week,

Sunday Sanity 4/12/26

 Hey Friends,

Everyday is made for the worship of our Almighty God! Sundays are extra special, because we get to gather with fellow Christians for our times of public worship. 

God is with us at all times. We have the privilege to be able to worship Him any time anywhere. It is an honor to worship God. 

I just want to publicly thank Him for His grace, goodness and mercy in my life. My life would be miserable without Him by my side. I am thankful today for the privilege of worship!

Today's sanity is a statement my pastor said.

“Worship is not a drudgery.

It’s a refreshment.” 

Pastor Bennie D. Sutherland 

DRPC Moraine, Ohio

So let's go to church today with our soul ready to be refreshed in worship. 

Odie

Thankful For Gods Traveling Mercy

 Hey Friends,

Thank you for visiting. We appreciate your prayers yesterday. Our travel day went smoothly.

There were a few hiccups, but overall, the traffic was good. Thankfully, we had sunshine and warm weather for most of the day.

I am very grateful to God. He protects us and helps us so much! Mom and I talked yesterday about all the miles we have traveled through the years. The Lord has been with us the whole way.

We have had breakdowns, minor accidents, and problems, but God always helped us get through them. We have also experienced many miles of uneventful travel. I will forever be grateful. 

We pray for God’s guidance and protection. He is so good to answer those request for us. I want to pause and thank God with a full heart.

See you tomorrow!

Odie 

Pause And Praise 2/18/26

 Hey Friends,

I have to share something that recently caused me to rejoice. The other day, our Boggs family group text started going off with cute pics. 

Mamaw and Papaw met several family members for dinner. I loved getting all the cute pics!

Here are the two that cause me to Pause And Praise today. 

Mamaw and Papaw were thrilled to get to spend some time with our sweet baby Beckham. The Lord has brought him so far. It was not long ago that we were begging God to help him breathe!

That time was so scary for our whole family. I know it was especially hard for Becham’s parents and grandparents! Thank you so much for helping us pray!

The Lord helped the doctors find the solution to the problem. Beckham was in the hospital for weeks. We all felt helpless. 

Beckham is a fighter. His health battles are not over. Doctors say he needs a bone marrow transplant to cure a rare genetic issue. They are trying to find him a match. While we are praying concerning this matter, I am praising God for answered prayers. He gave us victory and I believe He will again!

Thank you again for praying for Beckham! Please Pause and Praise with me! God is good in the good and bad times. 

Odie

DRPC Kids Choir Sing Famous For

 Hey Friends,

I hope you enjoy this video of the DRPS Kids Choir. I captured this from my front row seat. 

Sis. Emily Roberts does a fantastic job leading the kids. They love to sing, and do so with all their hearts! 

It is precious to see them learning to worship! God rewards their worship with a special visitation of His Holy Spirit during the choir’s singing. 

I love this song! I just had to share the video with my friends.  I hope you have a great day. 

See you tomorrow. 

Odie

Pause and Praise 1/28/26

 Hey Friends,

Thanks for stopping by to visit. I saw a sign the other day that made me pause and praise. 

Dad always said, “A worshipper is a thinker!” This sign caused me to think and worship. I am beyond grateful! Thank you, God, for answered prayers!

Yes, I remember the days, weeks, months and years that I prayed for what I have today! God answered those prayers in the manner they needed to be answered. 

He has not changed in 2026! I am going to keep praying for the things that I am praying for now. I believe they will one day be answered prayers!

When I think about what I have been through. I have overcome by the grace of our Almighty God. I have been blessed abundantly! 

I know you could say the same in your life as well. Friend, let me encourage you today: keep praying! God is not a respector of persons. He will answer your prayers too!

Thank you for reading!

Odie

Odie’s Six Week Surgery Update

 Hey Friends,

Earlier this week, we were still recovering from colds, but I had a post-op appointment. I called the office the day before to let them know I was sick. 

They had no other appointment openings for several weeks. I was starting to be on the mend. So the secretary advised me to wear a mask and come on in. 

Tuesday was cold but sunny. We bundled up and left the house. The beautiful sunshine was a great addition to my day. It felt good to be out and about for a little while. 

My actual doctor's appointment did not take long at all! Tuesday, I saw the other doctor who worked on my surgery. I had heard nothing but great reports about this doctor, but I had never met her. 

Dr Sharma was very kind and attentive. I was pleased, and I am glad she will be my doctor now. 

She checked my Incision, and it is healed nicely. I am not having any complications. All reports from the surgery came back great. I only have to be on one medication post-surgery.

Dr. Sharma released me from any restrictions. I am so thankful to have the surgery and problems behind me!! 

We prayed for a smooth surgery and a speedy recovery! The Lord heard our prayers and answered them! Thank you for your prayers!

Last summer, it was evident to me that I would probably be facing his surgery in the fall. I prayed, asking God to heal me, as I had been praying for a while. I also told him that if it was the right thing for me to have surgery, I would do it. If he did not want me to have the surgery to block it. If surgery was the path that I needed to pursue, I prayed that it would go well. I also prayed a lot about the recovery. I am thrilled to have it all behind me!

I am excited to enjoy 2026 to the fullest! Thank you once again for your prayers and your friendship! You all helped me through a hard time in my life!

I want to say a huge thank you to my Mom. She was my nurse support team through the whole ordeal!

See you next time. 

Odie

2 Years Ago But Thanking God Again

 Hey Friends,

Welcome to the final days of 2025. December 29th is a date that will always ring a bell in our minds

It was on this date in 2023 that Dad was suddenly stricken with a brain stem stroke. We were preparing to hit the road and be gone for most of 2024. 

Wow, our plans changed in an instant. Suddenly, Dad was feeling very sick, and it was then that he realized he could not swallow. Within moments, our travel plans were on hold. Soon, we were all headed to the hospital.

Reliving those moments can be painful, but I am also left with thankfulness in my heart. 

God allowed us to be surrounded by the right people at the right time to help us. I am still so thankful that we were home when it happened, and not on the road. We were less than two hours from hitting the road.

I was in the house getting ready to leave when Dad got sick. Mom called me from the barn to alert me. From my very first prayer for Dad, when I knew he was ill. I prayed for God to heal and help him. I also asked God for grace and strength to navigate what was ahead. I really did feel peace in the midst of my panic, and I know that only comes from God. 

My prayers were answered! No, he was not instantaneously healed of everything that ailed him. God did give us many, many miracles during the time of his stroke recovery. Friends, I'm talking about things that only God could do.

Those miracles made life much more bearable for Dad for the 10 months he had left with us! I do not want to think about what those 10 months would have looked like without the miracles God did for us! I still remember the very moment I watched the video of Dad taking his first swallow of water after 16 days. I cried and shouted all at the same time!

As for the rest of my prayer, God answered it, too. He daily gave us grace and strength to make it. During the long weeks of Dad's hospital stay, we survived. His grueling therapy sessions, Dad and Mom survived. I genuinely do not know where our family would be without the strength that comes from God and His grace! 

Dad did not recover as much as he had hoped that he would recover post-stroke. I can tell you this much: he worked hard on his occupational speech and physical therapy! Mom and I are still extremely proud of him!

The memories from two years ago today may not be happy, but the goodness of God was there! I wanted to pause for a moment and thank God for being so wonderful to our family in our time of need and beyond!

Yes, we only got 10 more months with Dad, but I am so grateful that we did get those very special months! I am incredibly thankful that the grace and strength of God did not end when Dad took his final breath. 

God's grace and strength continues to carry us through each day. We still trust and rely on God to be our support. He will never fail us. Thank you, God, from the bottom of my heart!

Also, God has granted us a fantastic family, friends, a church family, and a road. family that are always there to help us! Y'all are amazing, and I cannot name all of you. We would be here forever if I tried! May God bless you for your love and friendship to us! 

Thanks for reading! I will see you all tomorrow!

Odie

Good News From Baby Beckham

 Hey Friends, 

Are you ready for some fantastic news? Look at this Christmas gift!

Beckham is home with his Mommy and Daddy! Hallelujah, I feel like shouting!  God is so awesome! Thank you, dear Lord, for answering this prayer for us!

If you are a new reader, Beckham is my Dad’s great-nephew. He was born the end of August. All but a few weeks of his life he has been in the hospital with breathing issues. His case has been a roller coaster, and left doctors scratching their head. They were searching for weeks on end for the problem and solutions. 

He had surgery this week to correct the airway issue. Last report I heard, Beckham was doing well with his breathing! He sounds much better and was weaned off the oxygen.

We are praising God for helping Jonas, Kylee and Beckham through this major hurdle!  As a family, we will take all the victories we can get and rejoice with them!

Thank you so much for praying for our sweet baby boy. Please do NOT stop praying. Last week, they receive another diagnosis for a completely different problem. It will require further treatment. I am praying for a complete miracle in his little body. 

Here is a short explanation in my understanding. I borrowed Kylee’s wording for some of this explanation. He has been diagnosed with Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD). 

“This is a genetic autoimmune disease. It is a rare condition in which affects only 1 in 200,000 people in the United States. This disease causes infection-fighting white blood cells to not work properly or are not there at all. In Beckham’s case they are almost non existent.”

CGD affects his ability to fight different bacteria and fungi. There are certain things, and places they will have to avoid. This will NOT cause Beckham to be more susceptible to colds, flu, viruses or covid.

It seem like a Bone Marrow Transplant will be the method of treatment to hopefully, cure the CGD. They are hoping, praying and trying to find a match for the BMT. If he has to go thru it, hopefully it is sooner rather later.

Jonas and Kylee are hopeful and trusting in God. They have asked us to stay positive about the situation and help them pray. 

We are praying hard for a miracle. I ask that you join us in praying for Beckham Boggs, his parents and grandparents. 

Thanks for reading.

Odie

Odie’s 4 Week Post Surgery Update 2025

 Hey Friends,

Tuesday was the 4 weeks since I had surgery. It was 4 weeks ago yesterday since I came home from the hospital. It is hard to believe that 4 weeks have already passed.

First, I would like to say thank you so very much for all of the prayers, calls, messages, food, flowers, cards, gifts and love. I am overwhelmed by the kindness of so many people. I still have people checking on my recovery, and I greatly appreciate it!

God has heard and answered the prayers. My recovery process has been smooth! I feel I am recovering quickly! My next doctors appointment is at the end of the month.

Mama has been my angel! She has been with me through it all! Thank you Mom for all of your help!

Thankfully my incision has healed nicely. My strength is coming back. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I still need some help from Mom. 

Pain-wise, I am still sore at times, but it is so much better. I manage it with Tylenol a couple of times a day. I am still trying to take it somewhat easy. I rest when I can! I cannot say thank you, Jesus, enough. He has helped me tremendously!

Did you happen to hear somebody shouting around 10:30 PM on Wednesday? If you did, that was me! I was ecstatic for the shots to be done. Below is the final devil. 

My least favorite part of the recovery process has been the blood thinner shots. I knew going in this was something I would have to do, and I dreaded it horribly! Due to my limited mobility, they wanted me to do a daily blood thinner shot for 4 weeks. I definitely want to avoid a blood clot!

I counted down the days. Mom was a great nurse. The shots hurt and I bruise so bad! I have heard of some people having to do these long-term. People who do that are heroes! I am a wimp!

That wraps up my 4 week postop report! Thank you, Lord that everything went so good! You deserve all the glory! Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for all your prayers! Without a doubt, they helped carry me through!

Thank you for reading. I will see you all tomorrow!

Odie

Odie Is One Week Post Surgery

 Hey Friends,

One week ago today,  I had surgery. It seems like it was only yesterday, yet it feels like a long time ago. 

As I lay here typing this post on Monday night, it is hard to believe that one week ago, I was prepping for surgery. Now, I am well on my way to recovery. Thank the Lord for standing by me! 

I had my one-week post-op visit at the doctor's office yesterday. We saw one of the Nurse Practitioners in the office. She removed the bandage that had been covering my incision. She told me everything is healing nicely. I have to continue taking it easy for a while. 

I have another follow-up at the end of December with the other surgeon who was involved in my surgery. We did not discuss any of the details of my surgery with the NP yesterday. From what we have read in the MyChart app, everything seems OK.

Thank you again for all of your continued prayers and concern! It means more to me than I can even express! The Lord has helped me so much! I am so grateful! We still have several more weeks before I'm completely recovered, but I am Glad to be this far along in my recovery journey!

Mom has been a fantastic nurse! She is by my side anytime I call her! I am thankful for the other family and friends who have helped us.  The food, gifts, visits, and love are so appreciated!

My cousin Lisa came to sit with me for a little while on Sunday. My mom had to go to church for some Christmas practice. On Sunday afternoon, my cousins Courtney and Kayla surprised me by visiting. Apparently, they had planned with Mom to visit me! It was great to spend a couple of hours with them!

In closing, please continue praying for our baby, Beckham! He is still in Cincinnati Children's. They are doing more testing on him today, trying to figure out what triggers his issues!

We hate to see our precious baby suffer! He is still a cutie! My Uncle Tommy FaceTimed me the other day so I could see Beckham. He smiled at me a few times, and it made my heart melt.

See you tomorrow!

Odie

Surgery Prep For Odie

 Hey Friends,

A year ago tomorrow night, I ended up in the ER. I had emergency surgery in the middle of the night to remove an ugly, painful tumor and my last ovary. 

I am so thankful that everything turned out OK. We were definitely living in a fog and running on adrenaline. It was only by the strength of God and the help of our family that we survived. 

Dad passed on Sunday in Kansas. By Friday night, we were back in Ohio, facing another health crisis. I was released from the hospital on Monday. 

Dad's services were on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Thank God, I was able to attend both services. I was weak but felt OK.

A year later, it feels like déjà vu. I do not have the excruciating pain! Some of my health problems have persisted all year! It has been a tiring journey to get to where we are today. 

Tuesday afternoon, I am going back to the hospital. I will have an abdominal hysterectomy. This is supposed to fix the problem once and for all. Surgery is scheduled for 3 PM Eastern time on Tuesday afternoon. 

My doctor, who has seen me through the last year, is a jewel! My surgery will be one of the final ones she performs before she moves out of state. I am so thankful that she can help me feel better before she leaves!

This week has been full of surgery prep. I am trying to get things ready here on the home front for recovery after surgery. I had four different appointments to get ready for surgery. The final two were yesterday afternoon.

I have had two major surgeries in my lifetime. I did not get time to prepare for either of those. I went to the emergency room, not feeling well. Both times I found out quickly, that I was facing surgery. This time around, I do not know if the prep time is helping or hurting me.

I am not excited to have the pain of surgery, but I am excited to feel much better! I am hoping and praying for a smooth surgery and a speedy recovery. Please join me in praying for the doctors, nurses and everyone involved in the surgical process!

Thanks for reading!

Odie

Odie October Health Update

Hey Friends,

Thanks for stopping in for a Friday visit! I hope you are well. 

We have had several inquiries lately about how I am doing healthwise. I sincerely appreciate everyone's concern and prayers!

Last week, I passed the 11th month mark since I had surgery. Let me pause just a moment, to thank God again for seeing me through that very difficult situation! I know it was by His help and grace that I came through and recovered so well!  I will forever be thankful to the Lord!

The surgery last year was my second ovary removal. The first one was removed in 2005 when I was 19 years old. I have had persisting complications since last year's surgery. I should not be having these problems according to my doctor. We have tried different forms of medication and treatments over the last 11 months. Nothing has worked in the long run.

My last appointment with my doctor was on October 15th. She thinks it is best to pursue a hysterectomy. We are in total agreement!

I am ready to be rid  of these persisting problems! The problems have definitely hindered my quality of life! I have dealt with it for years, and it has progressively become worse especially since the last surgery! 

At this point, I am waiting for insurance approval and scheduling to determine when the surgery will take place. We are aiming to have it done sometime by mid-November. Hopefully, we will have more information in the coming days.

Please remember me in your prayers! I will keep you posted. See you tomorrow. 

Odie

Throwback Thursday 10/22/25

Hey Friends,

Thanks for stopping by today. I appreciate your prayers for baby Beckham. Please keep praying. He was a bit better at my last update. We are thanking God!

Yesterday was the 43rd wedding anniversary of our dear friends, Bruce and Priscilla Mayhan. They chose to spend the day with us, and we are incredibly honored!

I hope this was a great anniversary for them! Mom and I have loved having our dear friends with us this week. 

I will let Dad finish out this post. We were able to attend the Mayhan's 40th anniversary celebration in 2022. I hope you enjoy this Throwback Thursday. 

Odie

Special Day with Special Friends 

"We have written about our dear friends, Bro. Bruce and Sis. Priscilla Mayhan, many times on these Mile Markers. 

IF you have been paying attention, you have seen oodles of pictures of them on a pretty regular basis. The reason is, they have made a great effort to show themselves friendly and visit us through the years.

They have made trips to see us in Kentucky, North Carolina, Vermont, Arizona, Texas, Mississippi, Kansas, all over Oklahoma and several other places that are at the edge of my recollection at the moment. They have completely surprised us in some of those locations.

They have been with us in revivals and other services in all the locations I mentioned above and we have enjoyed their fellowship and their friendship more than we can describe. We have traveled together to Alaska and even to Australia and New Zealand.

We have enjoyed dozens and dozens of meals with them. From tacos and burritos to tremendous steak and buffets. We have laughed and talked and visited our way through restaurants and fellowship halls all over. AND enjoyed every moment and every bite.

They are witty and fun. They are loyal and Godly. Bro. Bruce has talked with me at length about the Bible and spiritual things and has given me the insight that I needed at critical junctures in my life. They are real friends that date back to the 1980s. Yep, into the last century!

We have known them since their boys were very small and now their boys have given them grandchildren that seem nearly grown. They have known us since Odie was a young girl.

Their sons were throwing a 40th Anniversary Celebration for them in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma last week. It just happened to be on the only night we had free in the area on a day when we were traveling right through Pauls Valley.

How easy was that? We try to tell people to schedule weddings, funerals and special get-togethers at least two years in advance so we can be there, but they are hardly ever are able to do that.😍

So, unfortunately, we miss occasions like this nearly 100% of the time. It seems we are always at least 500 miles away, but not this time. It was planned perfectly and we were super glad to be there and help celebrate our dear friends!

Tyler and Zach Mayhan

As a bonus, we were blessed to see some great friends that we had not seen in a long time, including Bro. Kenneth and Sis. Andra Rowe. Bro. Rowe was the first pastor in Texas to have us for revival and we enjoyed many, many nights of revival and fellowship with them in Keller, Texas spread over lots of years.

They retired a few years ago and moved to Oklahoma near Ft. Smith, Arkansas to be near their son and grandchildren. It was wonderful to see them and spend a few minutes with them. We have great memories of these special friends and hope to see them again soon!

Yes, it was a wonderful night. There was no way to visit with everyone there, but we enjoyed trying. May God bless the Mayhan's with another 40 years of happy marriage. I hope to be in Heaven by then, but I will be waiting for them to arrive.😍 We will celebrate then!

Thank you for joining us today. May God bless you too!

Davy"

Continue Praying For Pastor Doug Stevens

 Hey Friends,

I posted a prayer request for our friend Pastor Doug Stevens on Tuesday. He was scheduled for open heart surgery on Thursday. 

I was praying yesterday, waiting to see updates. My cousin sent me this update that Bro. Doug posted. It was not the update I was expecting!

“Thank you for your prayers. The kidney doctors have told me that my kidney number is not in compliant with the time for surgery. So, there is a great possibility they are going to let my kidneys rest for a couple of days maybe even a week because they have had so much contrast die becase of all the testing.

That puts the surgery off that is much needed. So, just wanted to let you know so that you would know how to pray.

Thank you!”

Please join me and my Mom in continuing to pray for Pastor Doug Stevens and his entire family! I know God is able to speak the word and heal everything! Then no surgery would be needed at all! God can do that miracle!

If He chooses not to heal my friend, I pray that Bro. Doug can have the surgery quickly that his body needs! I am praying also for wisdom and guidance of the doctors to make the right decisions!

I say thank you in advance for the prayers! I know the Stevens family appreciates them all! Thank you, Lord, for helping my friends!

Thanks for joining me today! See you tomorrow.

Odie