Travis Cottrell

I am pumped. PUMPED. It's 11pm. In about 12 hours, I will be in Nashville, TN. Unexpected twist: that is not why I am pumped.

In less than 12 hours, I will be in Franklin, TN. Travis Cottrell lives in Franklin, TN. I am PUMPED about getting to see him.

Travis and I met about... (I need backup) seven years ago. FBC Bentonville hosted a women's conference one weekend, and flew in a worship leader and guest speaker. Travis and his team led the women in worship all weekend. My great friend Phillip Johnson was on the media staff of FBC Bentonville, (I think he WAS the media staff at the time) and invited me to tag along for the Weekend of Women.

Maybe it was to double the testosterone level in the room, maybe he needed me to help him lift all the sound system gear, maybe it was to be nice. I was 12, I'm telling you it wasn't for my testosterone. :D Phillip has just always treated me well.

Anyway, Travis, Phillip and I spent the weekend together, camped out behind enemy lines of the Women's Conference, and got along really well as the males among makeup.

The conference leaders asked Travis back for all the conferences following that first year, and Phillip asked me back to A2 (Audio Two, AKA: Audio Assist) the conference. Travis, Phillip and I got to be closer and closer friends through our annual event.

Then my senior year in High School, Travis and his worship team was leading the music for a conference in Branson, MO. Something like a ten hour drive for them was a two hour drive for me. Travis invited me to come up and be the road manager for the gang. I'm no professional road manager, but I tried to work hard.

Travis, like Phillip, has always been overly nice to me. He had no reason to go out of his way to befriend a 19-year-old punk like myself, but he did, and he has continued to maintain contact even through his busy event and recording lifestyle.

I can't wait to meet Angela and the kids. They've all got school this week, so I'll only get to hang out at nights, but I still can't wait. I have only heard great things about Angela, both from Travis and others, and hopefully Jack and I are a close enough age where I'll still be cool to him. Basically, I'm nervous and PUMPED.

Thanks for helping me let a little air out, I might be a little too PUMPED right now.

Clock says 11pm.
Alarm says 4am.
I say "bed time".

Thanks for reading! If you're on the 6:10 XNA-MEM, I'll see you in the morning. Otherwise, have a great night, and a pleasant tomorrow!