My
name is Mike Leming, born the first time June 17, 1948 in
Marietta, Georgia and the second time at the early age of
seven by surrendering my heart to the Lord Jesus Christ after
an old fashion fall revival meeting. My parents were both
Christians serving the Lord in the local church in any and
every capacity that was available to them. One of those capacities
was singing good old-fashion southern gospel and convention
style music. I fell in love, not only with Jesus, but also
with the joy of sharing His gospel in song. Some of my most
precious memories as a child were singing with my family at
church. When I was sixteen I was asked to lead the adult choir.
For the
next 27 years I served as a minister of music at several different
local churches and one not-
so-local
church called Margarita First Baptist in Colon, Panama while
I was in the U.S. Army. In November of 1969 at a Thanksgiving
singing I met the girl of my dreams, Doris Lunsford. Doris
also was saved at an early age and was singing with her sisters
in a very talented group called “The Canaan Trio”.
I hated to “bust up” the group but it didn’t
take me long to decide that she was the one that God had picked
out for me. On May 7, 1971 she agreed to become a “Leming”
by walking down the aisle and taking my hand in marriage.
She made me a very happy man!
God
gave us our one and only child, Alicia, on January 1, 1976.
We knew she was going to be a singer when at the age of two
she preferred to play pretending the end of a long curtain
draw cord was a microphone and sing along with her favorite
group, “The Rex Nelon Singers” rather than play
with dolls and other toys. In 1984 Alicia accepted the Lord
one Sunday morning in children’s church. In September
of 1991 Doris and I both felt the Lord leading us away from
choir work into another type of
ministry that could include Alicia as a family singing together.
Several years later Alicia met a young man, David Ivey, from
Douglasville,Ga. They were married June 15, 1996. David has
become a vital part of our ministry helping in whatever capacity
he is called upon. Now for the past 12 years we have shared
together the rewards of seeing many Christians encouraged
and non-Christians coming to know the Lord through the forgiveness
of sin. God has given us a great opportunity and privilege
to proclaim His Gospel in song. It is a service that we do
not take lightly.