Marked for Life

May 19 2024 6
Marked for Life Podcast artwork

Cody Coots, fourth-generation serpent handler, has an unusual childhood. By age 6, he's already handling mock serpents with his sister, Trina. They use leather belts as props. It makes him yearn for a normal childhood. He just wants to ride his bike, practice drums on pots and pans, and watch professional wrestling with his father, Jamie - the world's most famous serpent-handling preacher. But after a terrible act of evil devastates Cody at 8 years old, leaving his innocence in tatters, he turns his wrath upon his parents, his church, his God – and even himself.

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Foreword

Dec 21 2023 4 mins  
Cody Coots, a fourth-generation "Signs Follower," had a childhood that was anything but normal. At age 6, he practiced handling serpents with his sister Trina – used leather belts as props. Besides that, Cody tried his best to live a normal childhood. He rode his bike, practiced drums on pots and pans, and even watched WWE Wrestling with his father Jamie, one of the most famous s

1 – 2. "The House of Horror"

Dec 31 2023 29 mins  
After a fatal rattlesnake bite at his apartment in Middlesboro, Kentucky, Cody and his family move to a new place on South 45th Street. It's a house that changes Cody forever, and not for the better. In this account, he will refer to the house as The House of Horror.This special introductory episode features chapters 1 & 2.

3. "We Can't Testify"

Jan 07 2024 11 mins  
A trial is scheduled for Cody’s abuser, but believers across the faith show concern about him testifying. Something unbelievable happened one day at church when Cody was 8. If it's discovered at trial, Cody knows he will be whisked away from his parents along with his sister, Trina.

4. "The Coots vs. The Public School System"

Jan 14 2024 16 mins  
The Bible passage "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man" from Deuteronomy means another life change for Cody: the child of the serpent-handling faith who continues suffering from a horrid abuse case. With a real-life monster behind bars, Cody now tunes into his father's shepherding style, the beloved preacher from Middlesboro who leads the family church. Cody d

5. "Nothing Left to Lose"

Jan 21 2024 18 mins  
Cody Coots' childhood is in shambles, so he pursues a relationship with his father: the world-famous serpent handling preacher Jamie Coots. Jamie starred in what Cody calls, "a national TV program that I won't mention out of legal concerns." Together, they watch WWE every weekend. It's what they have in common. They pull for the great underdog, Chris Benoit, who's a man disrespecte

6. "I Ran to the Altar!"

Jan 28 2024 9 mins  
Cody is haunted by his secret sins, so he runs to the altar to pray. His father sees this and kneels by his side, taking his son's hand. Together they call upon The Lord for salvation.Cody knows he must change his ways. He must stop cussing. He must stop listening to country music. And, he must give up rock n' roll forever.He will even shave his "bad attitude" mohawk. Most importan

7. "Andrew Got Bit"

Feb 04 2024 11 mins  
A rattlesnake slithers in the woods, and by divine help, Jamie knows right where to find it. He pulls it from some weeds. God says to take it to the house, but not to the snake room. Jamie obeys.This is the story of an emerging friendship between two prominent, Signs-following preachers: Cody Coots, and his friend, Andrew Hamblin.

8. "Andrew's Ordeal Continued"

Feb 11 2024 14 mins  
Andrew and Cody emerge from the snake room. Andrew's arm desperately needs attention. With every step, he deteriorates. Cody knows rattlesnake bites are nothing to play with. He also knows his friend is in for a long, hard ride.When Jamie walks downstairs to find Andrew suffering in the La-Z-Boy, he says, "Oh, Andrew. Are you scared, Son?""Yes sir.""Well, then," the man says, "we s

8. Part II: "Marry...Or Burn"

Feb 18 2024 13 mins  
Cody's down-spiraling. “There I was,” he says, “18 years old and a blaster in the coal mines.” Jamie demands he stop sleeping around, or else, get married. He subjects Cody to a verse from First Corinthians: “I say therefore to the unmarried and widows," it reads, "It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better t

9. "I Got Busted"

Feb 25 2024 7 mins  
One night, up to no good, Cody starts Messaging people on Facebook.It's a risk, but it's a good thrill.Soon, his wife bursts into the room. His heart skips a beat."What have you been doing in here, Cody??" she yells. "Who were you Messaging online?!"Cody, ashamed, blocks the computer screen, but realizes it's futile. His wife is laser focused. The other woman on Facebook must have