February 14th, 2023

Dear Friends,

After an extensive statewide search, LFF is excited to announce Louisiana’s 2023 Longest Married Couple, Ira and Margery Milan of New Orleans, along with the newest inductees into LFF’s 2023 Marriage Hall of Fame.

Ira, 100 years old, is a World War II veteran who served as a U.S. Navy Seabee in the Philippines. Margery will be 100 this summer. They met when Ira visited his uncle in New Orleans. His uncle’s wife had three nieces, Katherine was a bit older, Marie was a bit younger, but Margery was “just right.” The pair have been inseparable ever since!

Yesterday we honored the Milan’s in Metairie, Louisiana surrounded by friends and family. Ira looked at me and said with all sincerity, “I’ve waited for this moment for 100 years!”

Read their story here!

Video Credit: WDSU's coverage

LFF co-honors Lauris and Earline Broussard of Abbeville for their remarkable 82 years of marriage together. As we prepared to crown the Broussard’s Louisiana’s Longest Married and celebrate with them at their home in Abbeville, Louisiana we learned that Mrs. Earline passed away. LFF’s prayers and condolences go to the Broussard family, loved ones, and especially Mr. Lauris Broussard.

The students on the campus of Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, during a required chapel service last Wednesday, heard a sermon regarding God’s love preached from Romans 12. Afterwards, many lingered to pray and share testimonies. That began to transform into something that has now been underway for 120-plus hours and counting.

Students are experiencing God’s presence, confessing and repenting of sin, sharing testimonies of their encounters with the risen Christ, and hungering for more of His presence to consume them and fellow students on campus.

One Asbury student testified, “Worshipers stayed all night. No one person was in charge. No one dared to get in the way of what God was doing. Reconciliation, forgiveness and healing were in this place.”

Video Credit: WKYT's coverage

Despite the pandemic's retreat, homeschooling is growing rapidly in the United States, with Louisiana seeing a 54% increase in homeschooling households! The reasons behind the increase include the desire for more flexibility, individualized learning, and increased parental control over what children are being exposed to.

About 40,000 children in Louisiana currently attend homeschools and small unregistered private schools, double the number from a decade ago.

Last month, Iowa became the second state to enact a universal school choice. The state passed legislation to create an education savings account for all K-12 students that can be used to cover education-related expenses, including homeschooling.

Louisiana would have joined the two states if not for vetoes by Gov. John Bel Edwards, who said the policy would have crippled underfunded public schools.

LFF supports parental choice in education and money following the child as a model policy!

Friend,, speaking of the spectacular, our friends at Thibodaux Family Church, under the leadership of Pastor Duane & Rachel Bland, just concluded their 5th Annual “Night to Shine.”

Check out this good news story here!

Video Credit: Thibodaux Family Church website

In His Service,

Gene Mills
President, Louisiana Family Forum