A Story of A True Friend

During Dryden Rd. Camp meeting in August of 1993 I saw an old friend from Keller, Texas the first night. He had not been to camp meeting before so I made a point to speak to him and make him feel welcome at my home church. I was so thrilled to see him. His first words to me were these, "Davy boy, I drove a thousand miles to hug your neck and tell you that I love you." Then he did it. He hugged my neck and told me he loved me. 

I was just about speechless because I could tell that he meant every word he said. Add to that the fact that I did not feel like I had very many friends at that moment. (Of course I had more friends than I knew about.) We visited a few minutes until my responsibilities and his desire to leave and get some rest pulled us apart.

I looked for him the next day but he was not there. He was not there the rest of the week. I called him the next week and asked what happened to him. Did he get sick? Did he go some where else? He said, "Davy boy, I told you I drove a thousand miles to hug your neck and tell you I love you. I did it and then I came back home."

If I thought I was speechless the week before, I was really speechless then. What kind of man drives 2000 miles round trip to hug me and tell me he loves me? What kind of man does that? A man that is a true friend, that is who does that. Only a man that believes in me does that. I knew that day I had a true friend. I knew he believed in me.

I took courage from that extreme act of kindness. I knew if God inspired friends like that to help me then God must intend for me to make it. I knew there were good men that were willing to go to bat for me. I knew they were "on my side." I knew that God must be "on my side" too. For the first time in several weeks I had confidence that I could be an overcomer, I could win. My friend did all of that for me by driving a thousand miles, hugging me, telling me he loved me and then going back home!

I have rehearsed that story in my mind a thousand times. I have told it personally from the pulpit dozens of times. It is a story I will continue to tell as long as I have memory and breath. It is a story of friendship, loyalty and love. I can not believe I have friends that love me that much, but I do. Wow!

My friend, Bro. L.C. Clounch passed away last fall. We were in Florida when he passed. In fact we were in service with his baby girl and her family that night. I will miss my friend until I see him again.

His dear widow drove up from Texas to visit family and be with us during tent revival in Oklahoma City two weeks ago. She brought me one of Bro. L.C.'s pocket knives. You see, Bro. L.C. was all about pocket knives. Where Bro. L.C was there were knives, talk about knives and swapping knives. Sis. Clounch said as she handed me one of his knives, "Somebody SENT this to you."

I tell you I was overwhelmed again. I held in my hand a piece of my amazing friend. I knew it would be a constant tangible reminder of his extreme friendship. I will always cherish that knife.

I was overwhelmed when she handed it to me but not as overwhelmed as I was going to be in a few minutes. Sis. Clounch and her son began to tell me the rest of the story behind that trip to Ohio in 1993. Bro. L.C. felt impressed of God to drive that thousand miles to hug my neck and tell me he loved me but there was one small problem. They did not have the money to make a big trip like that. What did he do?

Bro. L.C. went to the bank and borrowed the money to drive 2000 miles round trip just to encourage a preacher that needed it desperately. Are you crying yet? I am slobbering all over the keyboard as I try to type this. He borrowed the money so he could drive all that distance for me. Wow again!

I owe you big time, Bro. L.C.!

Bro. and Sis. Clounch November 2012

What a friend! Yet Bro. L.C. is just a shadow of the greatest friend that man has ever had. Christ loved us so much in that while we were yet sinners He died for us. Praise God for a friend!

God bless you for reading,

Davy

Gearing Up For Tent Revival

We have have two wonderful tent revivals with Pastor Dallas Lakes and the folks from the Tunnel Hill Church, near Owensburg, Indiana.

In 2012 we set up on the only available flat piece of ground in Owensburg. God moved in a wonderful way. In fact that was the first tent revival that I cancelled a revival and extended tent revival a few more days. It really was that good.

In 2013 that perfect spot was not available for us and the church to use so Bro. Lakes found a place in Springville to set up the tent. I hated that we could not set up in Owensburg again but it turned out to be for the good. The location in Springville was even better than the spot in Owensburg. We had an absolutely wonderful revival with excellent attendance!

We set up right next to the old school gymnasium. Everybody knew right where it was and God moved from the very first service. It was awesome.

Pastor Lakes has secured the same spot for this year and we are gearing up for revival in Springville. When we finish in Omaha we plan to run toward Indianapolis as fast as our little legs will carry us. There we will swing by and pick up the tent trailer we stashed there a few weeks ago and then zoom on down to Springville.

By God's grace we will set up the tent Saturday morning and then crank up revival Sunday night. I am so anxious to get under the Blue and White Gospel tent again. I can not wait to see what the Lord is going to do this year all across the country. But right now I am really excited to see what is going to happen in Springville.

You should make plans to come and be with us under the Gospel then this year. I know your presence would be a tremendous blessing to us and I have a sneaking suspicion that God would bless you for coming. There is no telling what God will do.

Meanwhile we are having a great time in Omaha this week with the Diminico's. Thanks for praying for us.

Davy

Travel Day and Revival In Omaha

Friday night we had a special treat in revival in Wichita. Sis. Fellers from Weir, Kansas brought us a very special guest.

The special guest was Bro. Shobanke all the way from Nigeria, West Africa!

It was so great to have him in service with us.

And to have him join in praying for folks during the altar service. 

This will probably be the only time we get to see Bro. Shobanke while he is in the USA this year. It was not near long enough but I am glad we were able to see him and visit with him for a few hours. We are planning to go to Nigeria in December and that will be here before you know it.

Pastor Joseph Snow and his family drove up from Tulsa to pick up Bro. Shobanke. It was super great to see them and to have them in service too.

Now, just a few more pictures from Bethany Revival Center.

Late Saturday morning we pulled out of Bethany and pointed the BoggsMobile toward Omaha.

After only a couple of stops and 300 miles we pulled into Pine Grove RV Park near Omaha. After setting everything up I sat outside for a while and then headed to bed. After a week of revival, plus jail services and 300 miles I was ready for a long winter nap.

Bright and early we loaded all the sound equipment and went to Bethlehem Revival Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

It is so good to be with Pastor Joe and Sis. Alma Diminico. We met these folks many years ago in Wichita and we love and appreciate them very much. We have preached here twice before including last summer but this is our first revival in Omaha.

Bro. and Sis. Diminico left their home church and family in Boston over 35 years ago to pioneer a church in Omaha. They have been faithful to the ministry God has given them and we are super thrilled to be here with them.

On the way to church we saw another Green Machine! It had some custom striping but it was unmistakable.

We had two great services on Sunday and we are expecting three more nights of God moving among us before we hook up and go toward Indiana. Thank you for praying for us. I hope you had a good weekend.

Davy

View Out The Front Window 5/18/2014

PFYC Mass Choir 2014

Wichita Revival Pictures

City Reach 2016

Revival In Pictures OKC

Travel Day and Revival In Wichita

Several folks have noticed we have not been posting on Sunday much lately. That was a deliberate change. Last year we put up more posts than any other year. We averaged one per day at 367 posts for 2013. After we were a few months into last year I noticed we were putting up good numbers so I thought I would see if we would post at least 365 times. We did and that was that.

I use the pronoun "we" very loosely because Odie had fallen way behind in posting much at all. So at the first of 2014 I made two deliberate changes. I dropped back to posting no more than 5 days per week and Odie started posting nearly ever Saturday. It has been working very good and the feedback has been positive.

The only negative comment we received was from a few folks that read the blog every day and missed having a new post to read on Sunday morning or before they go to bed on Sunday night. That is OK, it is nice to be missed.

Recently I thought of a way to post on Sunday without a big time commitment. Actually I had considered this quite a while back but could not find a way to fit it in and let it slip from my feeble mind. 

I take a lot of pictures from the driver's seat when we are parked but I hardly ever post them. On Sunday I will give you the View Out The Front Window. I will try to take a picture from the driver's seat and from the front door and maybe a picture of the BoggsMobile every place we spend the night. Some weeks that will be pictures from one place and other weeks it will be more.

Here are the first pictures. The front window this week is overlooking a farm field from Pine Grove RV Park near Greenwood, Nebraska. It is a beautiful place.

Davy

This 1995 Prevost XL Liberty conversion is parked two spaces down from us this week. It is the same year as the BoggsMobile and is in fine condition. It really looks good.

PFYC Mass Choir 2014

Wichita Revival Pictures

City Reach 2016

Hey friends, it is Odie again today.   We had a wonderful week in Wichita. It is always great to see our long time friends, and make new friends along the way. Today we plan to leave for Omaha! That is exciting.

Last fall I was asked to be apart of a Mass Choir at Pentecostal Fire Youth Conference 2014. It was directed by Bro. Randall Walls of Richlands, Virginia. We had over 150 voices representing many states. It was a honor to represent Ohio. I was joined by 6 others from Ohio; Whitney Ward, Hannah Lloyd, Deidre Boggs, Jeremy Margeson, Anna and Seth Hoover. 

The choir practiced Friday afternoon of PFYC and sang that evening. It all really came together very good. The Walls family are very talented. They direct the choir at Richlands Tabernacle and do an amazing job. You can find their music on YouTube. 

We sang 2 songs Friday night. Lord You Are The Potter and He Got Up. This clip of Lord You Are The Potter is on YouTube.  

I found these pictures of the Mass Choir on www.pfyconline.org. 

Check out PFYC online and make plans for 2015. It will be Thursday and Friday Mach 26th and 27th. I know it will be wonderful. I am already excited about next year. They have great line up of speakers scheduled. 

Have a good weekend. See you next time. 

Thank you very much for continuing to pray for me.

Odie

Wichita, Kansas - Revival In Pictures

Make sure you check out our recent post announcing City Reach 2016.

We are having a super great revival in Wichita at Bethany Revival Center. God has been speaking and moving every single night and we are giving him all the praise and glory. It really has been special. We have one more night before we move onto Omaha and I can not wait to see what God is going to do among His people. Thank you for praying for us.

I hope you enjoy the revival in pictures.

Davy