Potential Magazine Winter 2015 - Florida Edition | Page 10

what i know now laura & cody bell age: 23 & 24 hometown: Laura Jean was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, and Cody was born in Columbus, Mississippi. His family moved all over the Southeast until they made their way to Montgomery in 2008. cup of kindness with the education: Both attended high school at Alabama Christian Academy and received their degrees from Faulkner University, Cody in Business Administration and Laura in English Literature. bells career: Cody is a Customer Service Representative at Alabama Retail Comp. Laura works for Anchor Social Media Management and manages social media accounts for local businesses, and she is also a freelance writer for LACES Inc. Laura and Cody are a dynamic young couple looking to make a difference in their community with their coffee cart business Market Town Coffee company that serves hot coffee and kind words in downtown Montgomery. More than just a business, this non-profit puts proceeds toward two shelters helping women victimized by human trafficking. parental influence: Cody: My parents are both hard workers who pushed me to be the same. With a father in food and nutritional services, I’ve watched him rebuild programs from the ground up, using a positive attitude, hard work and excellent customer service. Laura: My parents always pushed me to follow my passions and the Lord. They made sure education and church were top priorities. secret to success: The Lord. Completely. Totally. Wholly. We are just doing what He asked of us and the rest has fallen into place. It’s pretty magnificent to see His idea come to pass in us and we can credit no other but Him. can’t live without Cody: best advice: Laura: “Marriage is the hardest thing you will 1. Jesus 2. Avett Brothers 3. SEC Football ee! f f o C & ) v Laura: ever do, but it is the best decision you will ever make.” My dad told me that right before I wed. He was right. No choice will ever be better than marrying Cody Bell; marriage teaches me to wake up and immediately think about someone else. I never realized how hard it is to be selfless until I got married, and as hard as it is, I am so glad I get to learn that. 1. Jesus 2. Running 3. Friends (the show) advice for parents: Laura: Speak life into your kids. Tell them who they are and what they are becoming: great. I think so many kids go to college and make decisions based off of expectations instead of doing what they’re passionate about, and in turn, their success is limited. favorite quote “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, there will be a voice behind you saying ‘this is the way, walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21. That’s the “Bell Family Motto.” It hangs on our wall that we see when we open the front door. 10 | Winter 2015 future focus: We hope to open up a coffee shop where people can gather and really have a space for community. We are also hoping to create a roasting business that successfully provides coffee for Market Town Coffee Company but also for other businesses around Alabama. We are taking it all in stride, one foot in front of the other, until the Lord takes us to the next step. www.potentialmagazine.com