Lake Providence | Melissa's Tips

Yesterday we celebrated the 4th of July. Our family enjoyed fireworks as a part of that celebration. We enjoyed the lights, colors, and booming sounds of fireworks set off all around Lake Providence. We shouted and cheered with joy as we watched the the show from our boat in the middle of the lake.

This morning we all woke up to the sound of the most intense thunder we have heard in many years. There were flashes of lightening followed immediately by the cracks and booms of thunder so loud and so powerful it literally shook our beds! The thunder crashed, roared, boomed and rolled for hours and hours producing an enormous amount of rain.

At dinnertime, we all shared our high point and low point from the day. Josiah’s high point was that storm. He told us that as much as he enjoyed the sounds and sights of the fireworks last night, they didn’t even compare to the power and majesty of the storm we experienced this morning. That storm reminded him of the intensity of God’s power and the beauty of His glory!

Emmy shared with us a passage of scripture she had read today.

Job 36:24-37:5

“Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him;
Nor can the number of His years be discovered.
For He draws up drops of water,
Which distill as rain from the mist,
Which the clouds drop down
And pour abundantly on man.
Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds,
The thunder from His canopy?
Look, He scatters His light upon it,
And covers the depths of the sea.
For by these He judges the peoples;
He gives food in abundance.
He covers His hands with lightning,
And commands it to strike.
His thunder declares it,
At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
Hear attentively the thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
He sends it forth under the whole heaven,
His lightning to the ends of the earth.
After it a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.
God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
The cattle also, concerning the rising storm.”

Psalm 29:3-4 says,

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

Revelation 4:5 says that from God’s throne proceeds lightnings and thunderings and voices!

God’s glory is greater than anything we can imagine! His voice is powerful! His Word is true! Our God is mighty!!!

The next time you are in a thunderstorm, remember that God is the creator of that storm and HIS voice is mighty! HE is mighty! He is King. He is ruler of the universe! He is to be feared and to be praised!

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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.

Destiny Words Mural

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.

The whole fam having great fun on the Lake.

Eric’s Fish Camp.

We are renting our fish camp out as a vacation rental! Please let me know if you would like to stay here sometime:).

This is how we ride the dog!

Lake Providence is great for all sorts of water sports including paddle boarding.

Me and Tirzah having some fun.

Date night. Eric and I took a drive in the boat over to The Dock restaurant. Delicious food and a beautiful sunset. Time together alone is always a good thing….:)