On the Road Again (to Montana)

On Sunday, May 19, Lee preached at Ingalls Avenue Baptist Church in Pascagoula, MS. Next, we headed to Providence Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, MS, for my brother-in-law, David Williamson's graduation reception. He recently graduated from Southwestern Seminary with his Doctorate. Finally, we headed to Thomasville, AL to Thomasville Baptist Church where we spoke to their mission team that is coming out this summer and Lee preached their P.M. service. Our day ended in Grove Hill, AL, where we spoke to their mission team that will be working at the rodeo. It was a whirlwind day! Monday we tried to pack everything up and Tuesday we flew home - this time with no problems! We had a couple of days to pack, and then our wonderful mission team from Hattiesburg, MS came to help us move. Mr. Rickey and Mrs. Gay Nicholas and their nephew, Shawn, flew in on Friday. We got the moving truck on Saturday and began loading it, with the help of Mike Ungaretti and Rob and Allison Labs, all from our church in Livingston. We finished packing the truck Saturday night. Sunday, May 26, was our last Sunday with Cornerstone Community Fellowship in Livingston. Lee shared about our work in Red Lodge, they had a special prayer for us, and lunch at the church. It was a special time with those sweet folks who were our first church home in Montana. One thing I left out was that Lee had been having back problems for a few months before we went south. While in Mississippi, he saw a friend of ours who was a chiropractor a few times. But he was still having pain. He was unable to help any while we were packing boxes or loading the truck to move. That's why our dear friends who helped us really were life savers. Also, the whole time we were down south, we were working with the bank to finalize the loan on the house we were buying in Red Lodge. It seemed at every turn there were obstacles. We even wondered if we would have to rent a while until we could find something. The strange thing was - no one could explain why we were having these problems. So we flew home on Tuesday, closed on the house on Friday, and moved in on Monday. God's timing is always right on! So, Monday, May 27, Memorial Day, exactly one year to the day of when we left our friends and family in Alabama, we pulled out from our rental house in Livingston and headed to our new home in Red Lodge. As we began to unload the truck, Lee continued to get worse. Now he could hardly stand, much less walk. A friend from the Rock Church in Laurel, MT, Kevin Kaiserman, came down to help us unload the truck. Once it was unloaded, Lee told me to take him to the Emergency Room. What a way to start our lives here in Red Lodge! I took him to the ER, and Mrs. Gay took care of the family. They gave Lee some strong pain medication, and he basically lost a week of his life! He was in the bed the entire next week, and mostly didn't know anything. Again, the Nicholas' helped tremendously. On Friday, May 31, Lee went to see our local doctor and he seemed to think he had a bulging disc in his lower back. He gave him a round of steroids and sent him home.

Graduation Pictures



On the Road Again ( Week 5)

We were so blessed to be able to worship with our mothers on Mother's Day this year, May 12.  I went to church with Mama and Daddy at Agricola Baptist Church, my home church, and Lee went with his Mama and Daddy to First Baptist Church, Lucedale, his home church.  We spent the rest of the week with my parents, visiting grandparents, and getting ready for Maggie's high school graduation.  The morning of Maggie's graduation, our dear friends from Grove Hill honored her with a brunch at the Grove Hill Baptist Church Fellowship Hall.

 

 

LaSha, Holly, Pertrise, Rachel, Mary Lynn, Miranda

 





 

I'm really not sure where the last 17 years went!  The day I went into the hospital in labor with my first child, I was a scared 21 year old.  Then when they told me I would have to have a C-section, I was really nervous.  But one look into those big, blue eyes and my heart melted.  What a blessing Maggie has been to our family during the last 17 years.  We can't wait to see what God has in store for her in the future.  So on May 18, 2013, Maggie graduated from Solid Rock Christian School at First Baptist Church, Jackson, AL.  She will attend the University of Mobile in the fall.  We are so proud of you, Mags!







On the Road Again (Week 4)

Sunday evening, May 5, we went to First Baptist Church, Vancleave, MS.  It was good to be with them.  They have been supporters of LOF as well. 

On Monday, we began working in the recording studio on our Christmas CD.  We all headed to Dogwood Studio in Mobile, AL early Monday morning.  We finished all of the girls solos, duets, and songs we sang all together.  It was a long day!  Tuesday, I went back and finished everything up.  We look forward to having the project completed in early fall.

 

 

On Wednesday, we sang and preached at Providence Baptist Church, Hattiesburg, MS.  This is the church that my brother-in-law, David Williamson, pastors.  It was great to meet these people and get to know them.  After the service, we drove to Grove Hill to spend the night with our friends, the Nelsons.  Thursday morning, Lee, Maggie, and Colleen saw our dentist.  Saturday we sang and preached at New Hope Baptist Church in Leakesville, MS.  We enjoyed our time and lunch there.

 









On the Road Again (Week 3)

Sunday, April 28, we sang and spoke at Rocky Creek Baptist Church.  It was a special time for many reasons.  Lee's Papa pastored that church for many years.  This is the church where both Nanny and Papa's funerals were held.  All of Lee's family attended the service that day.  Rocky Creek Baptist Church has been a huge supporter of Legacy of Faith from the beginning, and they are bringing a mission team this summer.  After the service, we had a wonderful lunch with the family and the mission team.  Then we met with the team.  They will be painting the outside of the lodge the end of July.

 

That evening, Lee preached at First Baptist Church, Lucedale, MS.  This is his home church, where he was saved, and where he was ordained.  It was a special service, as well. 

 

The beginning of the week, we were able to visit my grandparents.

 Grandma Myrtis Mizell told me some funny family stories.

Mama, Grandma, and me

 The girls with Granny & Papaw (Rebecca & Russell Cottingham)

On Wednesday, we headed to the beach.  We had planned our trip to Gulf Shores, AL back in February, and we were so excited!  We stayed there until Sunday morning.  It was a great trip, even though it was a bit cool, windy, and rainy. 

 Mama and Daddy (Beverly & Ronnie Cottingham) with all the granddaughters.

 Silly Peyton and Abigail!

Caroline, Peyton, Maggie, Abigail, Colleen, Kaitlyn





Sunday morning early, we headed north to Grove Hill Baptist Church in Grove Hill, AL to sing and preach there.  It was a great time of reunion.  We had a wonderful lunch with many friends at JW and Hettie Reeves' home. 







On the Road Again (Week 2)

On Sunday,  April 21, the girls and I sang and Lee preached at Fellowship Baptist Church in Central, Louisiana.  This is the church that Lee's papa, John Merck, started many years ago.  It was quite an emotional morning as Lee stood in the pulpit that his Papa had stood in so many years ago.  They had a wonderful meal for us after church.  Then we headed back to Lucedale to spend the week with Lee's parents.

We enjoyed the week with them working in the flower beds, seeing his grandmother, and just visiting.

 G.G. (great grandmother) Jeanne Bryan with the girls

Lee and Granny

 

On Friday, Lee and I took Maggie to the University of Mobile so that she could register for her classes.  She is all ready to go!  Then we drove to Hattiesburg to spend the night with my sister, Jennifer, her husband, David, and our nieces, Kaitlyn and Peyton.

 

Saturday, April 27, we traveled from Hattiesburg, MS to Montgomery, AL for the Alabama State Bible Drill.  Caroline participated in the preliminary drill and scored high enough to participate in the final drill.  We were thrilled when she won 3rd place in the State of Alabama!!

 Caroline in the middle.

Our 3rd place winner!!



On The Road Again (Week 1)

 

 

 

I have a lot of catching up to do on my blog!  We have had an extremely busy two months.  In this post, I want to share with you about our "Partnership Development Tour".  On Tuesday, April 16, I got up early and took Lee, Maggie, and Colleen to the airport in Bozeman.  They flew to North Carolina to meet our friends, speak at Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church, and for Maggie to purchase a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee.  Then they drove down to Mississippi on April 18.  Meanwhile, Caroline, Abigail, and I caught a ride with a friend to the airport (on Tuesday, April 16) and waited for our flight.  We soon realized that our flight was late.  The attendant in Bozeman told me there was a good chance that we would miss our flight out of Denver.  So I decided to take my chances and we flew on to Denver.  As soon as we landed, mama text me and said that our flight out of Denver had left 5 minutes before we landed!  So we deplaned and made our way through the airport.  I talked with an airline representative on the phone and she told me there was not another flight our of Denver to Gulfport that day.  I found an attendant at the airport and she, too, told me there was not another flight out.  Finally, I spoke with a gentleman at the gate and, miraculously, he found 3 seats on the red-eye.  We spent 7 hours in the Denver airport, riding the people-movers more times than I can count, and finally left at 12:59 AM.  From there we flew to Charlotte, and then finally made it to Gulfport Wednesday morning around 10 AM.  What a way to start our whirlwind tour!

Mama and Daddy picked us (Caroline, Abigail, and me) up at the airport, we went for some Cracker Barrel, then headed to Lucedale.  After a quick shower, we headed to Grove Hill, Alabama, where I spoke to the children and youth of Grove Hill Baptist Church about our work in Montana.  Caroline practiced Bible Drills with the team there in preparation for the District and State Bible Drill. 



GHBC with their Prayer Bracelets

 



We spent the night in Grove Hill and the girls and I went to see our dentist.  Then we headed to Mobile for the District Bible Drill.  All of the team passed!

 Emily, Caroline, Samuel, Andrew

 Prayer with Mrs. Kim before the drill.

 Awards!

On Friday, April 19, we had a birthday/graduation celebration for Maggie at the Rocky Creek Catfish House and then had a dessert bar at Mama and Daddy's house.  It was great to get with all of our friends and family for this wonderful occasion.

(L-R) Colleen, Abigail, Maggie, and Caroline



 

Cousins!  Peyton and Kaitlyn

 

On Saturday, April 20, (Maggie's 17th Birthday), we had our 2nd annual LOF Board Meeting.  It was held at Grove Hill Baptist Church.  Some members even attended via internet.  After the meeting we traveled to Central, Louisiana, where Lee would speak the next morning.