Taco Bell and Stumbling Into The Will of God

2016 was a wonderful year. I could not quite sum it up until we were right down to the end.

December 30th we were in Sullivan, Missouri with Pastor Ryan Martin and all the great folks in the church there. Every time I am there I can not help but think about our first visit to their church. It gave me some perspective to the things we witnessed in 2016.

In the fall of 2004 we took a few days off to rest and recharge. I think it was October. Odie stayed in Waynesville and Kelly Jo and I spent a few days in the mountains around Gatlinburg.

When it was time to get back to work, we drove 300 miles from Tennessee to Ohio, hooked up the truck and trailer, loaded Odie in the back seat and left for Missouri. It was Saturday afternoon when we left Ohio and we were on our way to preach for Pastor Kurt McCrorey near Reeds Spring, Missouri. He was Pastor of the Allen Pentecostal Church at the time and we were supposed to begin revival there on Tuesday.

We wanted to be in church on Sunday but I do not remember where. We were not scheduled any where and we wanted to take advantage of a free Sunday by dropping in some where new or a church we had not been in for a long time.

We had pulled the trailer nearly 450 miles when we came to a rest area a few miles east of Sullivan, Missouri on I-44. The exit is on a steep down hill section of the road and it is on the left side of the interstate. We had the hammer down in the left lane when a semi truck and trailer came over from the right lane at the very last moment before the exit and locked up his brakes trying to slow down enough to get in the rest area.

The only thing I could do was lock up my brakes, both the truck and the trailer, and pray. I did both, hard! I had over 15,000 pounds of trailer pushing me forward and I can not explain how I missed that truck. I also can not explain why our trailer did not come around and slap our truck into the next county.

All four wheels on the truck were smoking. All four wheels on the trailer were smoking and the whole rig stayed straight in the lane. Some how the semi truck and trailer behind me avoided hitting us too. In our minds then and in our minds now, it was an absolute miracle of God's divine help.

As we passed the rest area, I realized we were all still alive but I also realized my heart had not received the news yet. I was shook up. We were all three shook up. 

I exited at Sullivan, determined to spend the night at the Flying J because I was literally shaking too much to drive. All the spots at Flying J were full so I went across the interstate and parked at WalMart. I did not feel like I could drive another mile that night.

While the girls were getting settled, I walked to Taco Bell to fetch us something to eat. Inside Taco Bell I met Bro. Brian Graham and Bro. Steve Graham. They remembered us from a camp meeting in Weir, Kansas and told me their Dad would be there in a few minutes. They were having special services that weekend and had just finished their Saturday night service.

I met Pastor Dale Graham that night and we instantly hit it off. He invited us to stay over and sing during the Pastor Appreciation service the next morning and since I was in no shape mentally to travel, I agreed.

After the Sunday morning service, he asked me to sing and preach Sunday night. We did. That night we had a tremendous move of God with five or six lost people coming to the altar while we were singing.

Pastor Graham asked me to stay over for Monday night and that service was just as good. The meeting was so real and the power of God was so strong, I called Pastor McCrorey and asked him if we could reschedule revival and he graciously consented. That week we had one of the best revivals of our year.

Not only did we have a great revival but we made life long friends. The Graham family has been a huge encouragement to us for over 12 years. I believe that God brought us together. 

Now, did God nearly kill us on the interstate to get us to stop at Sullivan? I highly doubt it, but I believe He used for good in our lives what the enemy meant for evil. I needed stop in Sullivan that night. I needed to walk into Taco Bell. I needed to meet Bro. Graham and his wonderful family.

We have spent a lot of nights in the Flying J parking lot through the years. We have never stayed at that WalMart except for that one time. I needed to be there. We needed to be there. God put it all together.

Pastor Dale Graham is gone but the God given relationship with his church and family remains. Bro. Graham passed away while preaching in 2010 on a Sunday morning. He was preaching from Hebrews 11 about Abraham looking for that heavenly city. In mid sentence Bro. Graham stepped out of time and into eternity. While preaching about Heaven he left Missouri and went to Heaven! His son in law, Bro. Ryan Martin is now the Pastor.

2016

The whole year of 2016 was a lot like that first visit to Sullivan, Missouri. God brought Bro. Jimmie Radcliffe into our lives. God took us to the right places and hooked us up with the right people. 

God spoke to individuals and churches that sustained us all the way through City Reach. He opened up doors all over America in the right cities, at the right time. He gave us the right words, the right Spirit, for the right people, on the right nights.

God closed doors that I was sure should be open. I questioned what He was doing and wondered what was going on several times. He used those closed doors to put me in the places He wanted me. We ended up in cities and parks and churches and meetings that I had no clue we belonged in last year. There are people saved and on their way to Heaven today because God orchestrated it all. God put it all together.

Yes, it was an amazing year! It was not amazing because of my plan or because I did this or I did that or I preached this or I sang that. It was amazing because God did what He intended to do when I did not have a clue!

In other words, we stumbled smack dab into the will of God and we loved every minute of it. I stumbled into God's perfect will in 2016 just as sure I stumbled into His will that night in Taco Bell in 2004. There is no way I have witnessed all the results of that yet, but I sure am looking forward to seeing some of it.

If we end up doing God's will in 2017, I imagine it will happen pretty much the same way. The places will be different. The churches will be different. The scenery will be different. But it will be God doing all the planning, God doing all the work and us standing back in awe that He allows us to go along for the ride!

Thank you for joining us in 2016 and you are welcome to ride read along in 2017. Thank you for praying for us too. May God bless you every one.

Davy

Stop, Wash and Roll!

I had two main goals on Monday. The first was to get warm and the second was to wash the nasty grime off of the BoggsMobile. By the help and grace of God, both goals were met. 

The sun took care of driving the cold away but the bus did not clean itself. The crud from the snow, slush, salt and sand had to come off. I waited until after lunch and decided if it was going to be done, I would have to do it.

As I was preparing everything, we paused for a great lunch with Pastor Dennis King, Sis. Judy, Sis. Logan and Bro. Roger from the church. They are always so king to us at House of Prayer and we appreciate it so very much!

When we returned from lunch, this was still staring me in the face. It is time to get to work, big boy.

The picture below is during the wash process. It was like mowing the grass when it has been way too long between mowing. You might have to go over it a few times but at least you can easily tell which part has not been mowed/washed!

Much, much better!

It was so dirty that I had to wash the crud off the concrete when I was finished with the BoggsMobile. Now that is bad!

Here is the warmth I told you about!

It was windy, coming out of the south at 22 MPH but that is a heap better that minus 3 and 20 MPH wind coming out of the north like it was Saturday morning in Amber.

Monday evening we had tacos from the Tacqueria in Gainesville. So very good!

Tuesday morning it was time to leave our friends in Gainesville and visit more friends and make new ones. We cranked the BoggsMobile and prepared to leave the House of Prayer.

Doing the work of an evangelist.

Here is the BoggsMobile with the Green Machine ready to push!

We left the church, hopped on I-35 and drove south through the heart of Dallas. Normally we take the bypass around Dallas but we hit the traffic at the perfect time and zoomed right through town with no problem at all. 290 miles after we left, we were pulling into Livingston, Texas.

Pastor Scott Morris is preaching revival at Beech Creek Assembly for Pastor Don Goodwin and we wanted to surprise Bro. Scott by dropping in for the Tuesday night service.

I believe we pulled off the surprise and we received a great blessing from the service too! That is a pretty good deal, right? Here we are trying to be a blessing to our friends and God turns it around on us and blesses us. It was a great night!

We dearly love Bro. and Sis. Goodwin and their family. It was very good to get to visit with them and to be in service with them too. Praise God that He has surrounded us with such great people. Every where we go, every where we look, we are blessed with the wonderful family of God.

I do think we are going the right direction too. It was over 70 degrees Tuesday afternoon. I will take that any January day! Hallelujah!

Thanks for reading, friends.

Davy

A Guest Writer - Pastor Scott Morris

My name is Pastor Scott Morris and I have ask Bro. Davy to give me some time on his blog today. I have something to pass along to you that I feel is very important and I think that all of his readers will want to know.

I am posting a letter below that I sent out to churches recently in hopes of helping to raise funds to build a handicap accessible house for Odie to live in. She is not going off the road, but I felt impressed to help prepare for Odie's future needs.

I believe we can do this and I would like for you to prayerfully consider the letter below.

Thank you,

Pastor Scott Morris

Greetings,  

You are receiving this letter because of a common bond we have, The Boggs Family Ministry.  We are all familiar with their dedication and work that they are doing for God on the evangelistic field.  They have truly given their lives for the sake of the Gospel.  Many souls have been touched and blessed by their ministry.  Whether by song or sermon, they have a special anointing to reach the lost, the hurting, and the sick. 

Many of you are aware of the fact that God has blessed them to be able to purchase some property near their home town of Waynesville, Ohio.  This property is located adjacent to the Dodds church in which they have ministered in and many of their family members attend.  Bro. Davy had prayed and sought God’s will concerning the purchase of some property and God opened the door.  Not only is it an ideal location, but it also has a barn that they are able to use to park their bus when they are in their home area. The barn is on the backside of the property with a large open lot on the front. 

Through prayer and the sharing of a vision it has become our desire to provide Odie with a completely handicap accessible home to live in on the front portion of their lot.  We shared this burden with Bro. Davy and Sis. Kelly to make sure that this would be beneficial to their family and not a strain.  They were both overwhelmed and thankful for the vision that we have.  We also set a date to share this with Odie and I wish you could have been there to see her face.  We truly believe that this is God’s will and plan to bless Odie.  Odie has spent her life ministering with her parents and we know it would be a great blessing for her to have a place of her own in their hometown.  This area is ideal because of the many family members that live within just minutes of the property.

We know that many might question how this could become a reality but we feel that it is very doable through the help of God’s people. Matthew 19:26 “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Many have already said that they would be on board whether through giving of money to cover the expenses or those that work and specialize in a particular field, being ready and willing to donate their time and labor.

My intention with this letter is to lay this burden of mine before you and to ask if you and your church would like to help. I am not asking for a certain amount. I am not asking for one church to carry the whole load. No amount is too small, but if only one third of the churches the Boggs family have ministered in the last few years would send $1000, we would have the $70-100,000 this will require. Some churches can and probably will do more than that and others less. That is fine. I am only asking for your consideration for the blessing Odie has been to your church and for her future.

Recently Bro. Shobanke’s church in Abeokuta, Nigeria gave $220 toward Odie’s house. They are the first church to contribute. When you consider their incomes in Nigeria, $220 is a similar commitment and sacrifice of a church in the USA giving $8-10,000. Bro. Davy was moved, touched and encouraged by their sacrificial offering.

We would like to begin the dirt work by mid-April so we have about three months to determine how to proceed. If you are planning to receive a special offering we ask that you do so by March 5^th.  You are, of course, free to handle it however you desire, but if we could know the level of response shortly after March 5^th, that would be a huge help.

Bro. Davy has set up a special Boggs Family Ministries account solely for this building project. Checks should be made out to Boggs Family Ministries and marked for house. Boggs Family Ministries is a 501c3 and you will receive a donation receipt.  Donations should be sent to Boggs Family Ministries, P.O. Box 28, Waynesville, OH 45068.

I know that many of you do not know me personally. That is why I am happy to inform you that there are several very good men that are joining with me in this request. These brothers represent a cross section of the broad fellowship that the Boggs family ministers in every year. These are good men that you know. These are good men that love Odie. They happily join with me in wanting to see this thing accomplished for Odie. I appreciate them standing with Odie, with the Boggs family and with me.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will be more than glad to try to answer any questions you have.

Thank you and God bless you for your consideration.

Sincerely, 
Pastor Scott Morris

ksm71@bellsouth.net

Bro. Larry Landress

Pastor Donnie Williamson

Pastor Shad McDonald

Pastor Jared Burris

Pastor Darrell Meadow

Pastor Darrell Toliver

Pastor Barry Gautreaux

Pastor Kenneth Morris