Growing up in a Christian home, Tollie knew what being at church "every time the doors were open" felt like. She "walked the aisle" and joined her local church at age 11. Her teenage years were filled with many great memories of school, family and church activities but no real growth in her relationship and no desire to share Jesus with others. 

One Sunday night, sitting on the back pew of her church, she listened to a visiting speaker describe her own plight as a Sunday School teacher just "playing church." Tollie knew instantly that God sent that speaker just for her to see her own situation. At 27, a Sunday School teacher, actively involved in her church, Tollie realized that she too had been playing a game. Although she knew a lot about God, she never had truly repented of her sin, cast herself at the mercy of the Savior and trusted Him with her life. She wholeheartedly did that and has never been the same since. She is living out what God says should be present in our lives. We are new creatures!

Over the next several years, God began to water a growing passion in Tollie's heart for His Word. In addition to teaching Sunday School, in 1998, She established a monthly Bible Study for women in her home. That group led her to expand to a larger audience. God began blessing Tollie's willingness to study and prepare and has given her several life-changing seminars to teach women. Whether at a large seminar or a small Bible study, Tollie is always amazed at the Holy Spirit's ability to take the truth of His Word and use it to pierce the hearts of so many in so many different ways. It is truly supernatural.

In 2002 as demand for her teaching grew and her passion to know Jesus swelled, Tollie began to sense God's calling into full-time ministry. As a full-time public health professional of 15 years, with a degree in biology, she questioned whether she was hearing God's call correctly. Over the next several months, God miraculously provided equipment, support and a clear direction. He was asking her to jump "out of the boat" of complacency and comfortableness and trust God to do more with her life than she imagined. She and her husband Tony prayed diligently, and clearly heard God's voice.

Tollie established OOTB Ministries in September 2002 & quit her job in January 2003. Now, she spends her time speaking, teaching, writing, and preparing seminars for future events and mobilizing believers for international adventures.. She is the author of two books, Searching for Joy in a Hopeless World and Dealing With Disappointment. The highlight of her ministry is a monthly community Bible study that she leads at Capstone Church in downtown Tuscaloosa. (See Schedule for the dates). The study is attended by hundreds of women in the West Alabama area.