Colorado is my home.  I love Colorado.  I love the mountains, the wide open views, the sunsets, the smell of Colorado air, the four seasons, the people, my church, and so much more.  There is much to do, see, and experience. I am thankful that I live in the flourishing town of Loveland.  Colorado is a wonderful place to live!

We now have a second home.  This past Spring my family purchased a lake house known as the “Fish Camp” on Lake Providence in the town of Lake Providence, Louisiana.   I have a special love for our new home and the town it is located in.

Lake Providence is beautiful! I love the Cypress trees surrounding the lake.  I love the lake.  I love the changing colors of the water, a wide variety of vibrant greens during day and then gentle pinks, lavenders, and blues at sunset.  I love the green farmland surrounding the town.  I love the humidity (yes, I actually do).  I love the mist rising over the soybean fields at dusk.  I love the quietness and peace I feel here.  I love the people.  People here are kind, extremely kind.   They are generous, whether or not they have a lot or a little to give.  They are welcoming all around.

How did we get here?  Why Lake Providence?  Why purchase a vacation home in a town that’s been labeled the poorest and most unequal town in America?  Why invest time, money, and love into a town with no movie theater, no public swimming pool, no mall, no Starbucks, no Walmart…..?

Let me take you back a few years.  My  husband Eric had dream that we purchased a house in a city with black people outside our front door.  It was a two story, green house, with wood walls in the interior.   Our church’s involvement with this town was the reason we were there.   One of the pastors was sharing the vision for this town outside of our house.  In the dream Eric was crying because he knew that the hand of God was on this town and the work that was happening there.   He woke up, shared the dream with me and then wrote that dream down.  We prayed about it and forgot about it.

Our senior pastors Jonathan and Amy Wiggins are from Louisiana.  They moved to Colorado about 6 years ago and became the senior pastors a little over 4 years ago.  They have a daughter named Madelyn who dances in the Rez Dance  ministry and who has a huge heart for Lake Providence.  I remember hearing about her love for Lake Providence and wanting to go there to see why she loved it so much.   Long story shortened, Eric and I decided to take a dance and art outreach trip to Lake Providence summer of 2013.  Around this time our senior pastor, Madelyn’s dad, presented our church with a vision and dream to adopt the town of Lake Providence and over time show the people there our love and commitment to them.   Through a series of sermons, many people’s hearts, including ours, were stirred for this town and we had no trouble putting together a team to go to Lake Providence.

On this outreach trip we were able to lead a dance camp at the local community center. Black children and white children participated in this camp.  We got to build a parade float, and dance in a fourth of July parade.  We ate A LOT of delicious southern food!  We had a wonderful experience making friends, and feeling so much love from the people in LP.  My husband Eric had the privilege of starting a mural on a big building that sits on the main highway that runs through town.   Our oldest son, Josiah, felt a deep love for Lake Providence the moment he arrived.  He felt like he was home.  A feeling he had never felt any where else we’ve been.

Over the course of this past year our son Josiah went to LP on two more outreach trips.  Eric went there with the deacons.  We took an art team to finish the mural,  took another dance and art team this past June and we bought a fish camp.   When we entered into our contract on the fish camp I remembered Eric’s dream.  He pulled it out, we read it, and we were amazed by God’s divine PROVIDENCE over the past few years and how He knew and prepared us before hand for HIS work in LP.  Wow!  God is awesome!!!!

We believe Lake Providence  is a town marked by God for His good and glory.   Just think about it’s name. Providence means the protective care and nature of God. This is God’s plan and destiny for LP.   This is a town named after Him and His character. The words Worth, Hope, Change, Love, Vision, Unity, Respect, Impact, Courage, Forgive, Serve, and Believe are painted on the LP Mural.  These are the words God is speaking over this town! This is why we love Lake Providence and why we are here.

We have met so many amazing people in this town:  Brother Don and Miss Linda Boyett who pastor Providence Church and run Jehovah Java (a coffee shop and cafe that puts Starbucks to shame!),  Andrea of My Dream Eatery, town historian Larry Brock and his author and Prayer Pastor wife Ann,  Shellie Tomlinson of All Things Southern, Sucletter Brown leader of Morning Star’s Power and Diversity Dance Teams, just to name a few and we think about how much good is in and has come out of Lake Providence.

When people heard that Jesus was from Nazareth they said, “What good can come out of Nazareth?”  The GREATEST Good there is came out of Nazareth!  People today ask what good can come out of Lake Providence?  I say, look how much good as ALREADY come out of and is currently in Lake Providence right now!   I want to be, my family wants to be, a part of the work that God is doing in Colorado, and also a part of the work God is doing here in LP.  It’s huge!

We love Lake Providence! We’ve been vacationing in Lake Providence for the past two weeks. I am thankful for our time here.  There’s been nothing to distract me from doing what I really want to be doing, and that’s spending quality time with my husband and children.  We’re playing in the lake, putting together a puzzle, watching movies, reading, writing,  playing board games.  We’ll be here for a few more days before we head to our Colorado home to get ready for the new year of school and dance.   Before we go, we get to be a part of a fundraiser called LA Delta Field of Dreams.  The money for this fundraiser is going towards building a new sports complex for the community.  Si Robertson and Mountain Man from Duck Dynasty will be there!  I am hoping to get my picture taken with Uncle Si:).  People from our church in Colorado are coming to support this event.

There is so much hope for Lake Providence!  It’s a city named by and after God!  It’s beautiful here!  The people are kind, generous, and welcoming.   I am so happy to call this place my second home.  I am excited to see all that God is doing here and all that He is going to do.  I look forward to meeting more and more wonderful people who are a part of this community.

I encourage you to visit Lake Providence.  I encourage you to experience the beauty of this town marked by God and to serve this community in some way.   For more information as to how you can serve Lake Providence watch this message from our Senior Pastor and check out Hope for LP.

Please also feel free to ask me personally how you can get involved.

Last, but not least, please pray for Lake Providence.   Pray for unity.  Pray for blessing.  Pray those destiny words I mentioned earlier over this town and community.  Add Lake Providence to your Prayer Box.  I have a feeling you’ll draw it often!

Here are some pictures that bring me joy from our time here in Lake Providence.

P. S.  If you are interested in renting our Lake Providence house, please comment below and I’ll give you my contact information.