Harriman, Tennessee to Independence, Iowa

This is our route for today. It is around 825 miles and we plan to start revival Sunday night. Yep, it looked good on paper! lol

Davy



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Odie Boggs - October 14, 1985

Today is Odie's 26th Birthday!

Oops wrong picture..

Although you have to admit, Hank the Church Dog is pretty awesome looking...

But this is the picture of the Birthday girl... Our little Odie!

October 14, 1985 was one of the most exciting and scary days in our life. Odie decided to come two months early and nobody could guarantee anything. Kelly Jo's life was in danger, our baby's life was in danger and we were two scared kids! It might be easy to look back now and say it wasn't all that bad because it tuned out OK but THAT day I was scared out of my mind! 

I saw first hand the look on the faces of the medical professionals as the unborn baby's heart rate dipped dangerously low. I ran down the hall with them as they pushed my teenage bride from the Labor and Delivery room to surgery. I stood right there as they performed emergency surgery and they lifted our little baby up about seven minutes after the decision to do the surgery. They rushed our baby to intensive care and moved Kelly Jo to recovery and told me it would be a few minutes before I could see either one.

I turned and walked out into the hallway and there stood my Dad. His eyes were blood red from the stress. His blood pressure was probably through the roof. When I saw his eyes it reinforced for me even more that this was serious. After telling my family what had happened I asked for a room to be by myself and a nurse took me to an empty ward of some kind with several beds in it.

I walked into that room a terrified 18 year old boy. I felt no special grace. I felt like my world had turned upside down. I was not equipped for any of this. But I poured my frightened heart out to God. I cried more than I talked but I knew He heard me. Nothing physical had changed that I could see. All the externals were still the same as far as I knew. But in a few minutes I walked out of there with the assurance of God that whatever happened we would make it some how.

God was teaching me when I didn't even know the lesson was going on. I was too young and dumb to know it even though I see it clearly from this vantage point...

We had some scary times. Those next few days, weeks and months were not without difficultly. It was 27 days before Odie would leave the ICU and we would take her home. She had to fight every step of the way but she has proven to be an overcomer! We have watched the hand of God as He has performed miracle after miracle in her life.

We watch now as nearly every week God uses Odie's struggles to inspire some one else to keep struggling on. I have watched her testimony or song minister to people that were out of my reach. I have watched them melt to tears as she is used of God. I have watched her faith in God motivate others to have faith and have seen God give them their miracles a result. I have watched her life touch thousands of people in Mexico, Nigeria and all across America.

We believe Odie's miracle of complete healing is coming! We trust God to do His perfect will in her life. Until that day it is a pleasure to observe God working in her life. He is working on her and through her and I could not be more proud!

What a joy it is to be Odie's Dad! I love you Odie! I love you more than words can say! I love you more than a Hog loves Slop! Happy 26th Birthday, Sweetheart! Your Mother and I are so proud of the woman you have become!

Davy

Odie reads all the comments. Please leave her a Happy Birthday comment below..

It Looked Good On Paper...

"It Looked Good On Paper..." That's one of the sayings I am known for in the BoggsMobile. It has to do with scheduling and it is usually uttered while we are crazy busy driving, singing and preaching all at approximately the same time. Scheduling is a necessary but troubling part of life for an evangelist. At least for this evangelist. 

I am very thankful when churches invite our family for revival. I praise God for every opportunity to sing and especially to preach the gospel. It is a privilege that I do not take lightly. We enjoy every revival and love being with folks all over. I am not very good at juggling though... Lol

I have found that Pastors all over the country that invite us for revivals are very patient and understanding. They realize that we could not operate as good stewards of the resources that God provides and constantly zig-zag across the nation. That often enables me to schedule several weeks at a time within a 300-500 mile circle saving on fuel, maintenance, wear and tear on the BoggsMobile and on our bodies.

However, long trips are inevitable and this is where I usually get into trouble. I end up scheduling way too much stuff way too close together on the calendar and way too far a part on the map. Thus the saying, "It Looked Good on Paper..." (GRIN) It has happened so many times that now Kelly Jo and Odie usually say it for me. (GROAN)

Which brings me to the next few weeks. We plan to leave Tennessee Friday night after church and drive 821 miles (According to Google Maps) and begin revival on Sunday in Independence, Iowa. That Friday we plan to drive 571 miles (According to Google Maps) to Waynesville, Ohio. We plan to leave the BoggsMobile there and fly out to Missoula, Montana and start revival in Florence on Sunday night. We have revival there, a wedding to preach and then on Saturday we fly to California for three revivals. Then......

Well, you get the picture, right? It REALLY looked good on paper....

At least I'm not pastoring a church! In fact we are having a blast!

Davy