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SGNScoops exists to promote the gospel by unveiling what is intriguing and real about gospel music. With integrity, we aspire to highlight people who are fulfill ing a call to minister and emphasize the music that inspires audiences and glori fies God.
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Publisher | Rob Patz
Editor | Stephanie Kelley
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Founder | Dr. Allen Smith
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Living in a time where the news is rampant with nega tivity and teeming with false information, it’s a remind er that we, as Christians, have our own story to tell.
We have a message that can break down walls.
We have a message that can restore peace.
We have a message of truth.
And the world needs to hear it.
The world needs a song.
This is the very foundation of the Lore Family. Rising to every opportunity God puts in front of them, the Lore Family (Darren, Sandy, Fayth, Jake Whisnant, and Samuel) has used their own struggles to convey this message each time they step on the stage.
This family group is not in any way new to South ern Gospel music. Darren and Sandy have actually known each other since they were teenagers and began singing in the same church they were raised in, forming a trio, along with Darren’s cousin, when he was just 17 and Sandy was 14.
After dating for six years, Darren and Sandy were married on December 15, 1990. After Darren finished pharmacy school, they wanted to start a family but experienced fertility problems, which has turned into something God has used to reach people in their audiences.
After praying at the altar many times that the Lord would heal her, Sandy made a vow to God: “If you would heal my body and give me one baby, I will tell it on every new stage I stand on. But if you don’t, I’m still going to serve you because you’ve given me salvation.” At that moment, she felt peace. Just a few months later, they found out that they were pregnant.
During the time of praying for a child, Darren relayed that he had a dream that they had a baby girl, and a few weeks later they found out that they were preg nant. God blessed the couple with Fayth and then with Samuel sixteen months later.
The Lore Family has kept their vow to God that they made that day. Everywhere they go they share their pain, their heartache, their answered prayer, their joy. Sandy’s vow has resonated with audiences every where. They know what they sing about – that the world needs a song.
Although previously trying to balance a pharmacy career with a growing church, in September of 2015, Darren and his wife Sandy felt the call to go full time into ministry. As he walked out of pharmacy and all of the security and benefits it offered, The Lore Family walked into new ministry opportunities.
“We have a slogan that we minister the Word through songs, sermons, and seminars. We call ourselves musicianaries.” Although some of the time they go in for Sunday morning services, Sandy tells of the vow she made to God and how at that time she had no idea the extent that she would be sharing her testi
mony. “Everytime she shares that, inevitably someone comes up and says, ‘Please pray for us, we’re trying to have children,’” Darren explained.
Traveling to 19 states and over 240 dates in 2021, this family group is still on the rise. And although they have had charting success, their primary desire is to minister to the lost and hurting – in small churches as well as big churches – through any means necessary. They just want to sing with the anointing. In one particular ministry opportunity last year, they were able to see an 89 year old mother and 70 year old daughter get saved. And that is exactly why they push hard, day in and day out, to do more ministry.
They now minister not only through music, but also through preaching and seminars. One of those new opportunities is a conference that Fayth (Lore) Whisnant puts on for girls ages 10 and up called “True Purpose”. The first of these conferences was held in 2019 with nearly 500 in attendance and 39 people being saved. “Sometimes she’ll have skits, painting, and a live band. She’ll sing. Fayth is the featured speaker. She’s had hundreds of girls follow her in this ministry, and we believe it’s going to branch out.”
Another conference that the Lore Family is heading up is the “Determined” youth conference which has a target audience of boys and girls ages 13 and up. The year Samuel graduated from high school, three kids from his school and another senior who used to go to that school committed suicide. So The Lore Family stepped forward to start this youth conference, and Darren spoke on depression while the family sang.
In addition to those, Sandy and Fayth also do Real Women conferences where they sing and speak. “Sandy is a powerful anointed speaker. One of the things she does is do a lesson while she is doing a flower arrangement.” According to Darren, she picks a flower and finds an identifiable character to talk about while she is doing the arrangements. “She loves to use humor. She’s very serious at times, but she’s very passionate about women’s conferences,” Darren described. With The Lore Family, it’s all about getting the message of Christ across to their audience.
In 2020 with all of the chaos and uncertainty surrounding the Covid pandemic, Darren recounted how he just wanted to write something that would encourage the world. “That day I said, ‘Let me
have a word of prayer so we can get started. As I prayed, I said something along the lines of, ‘Lord use our talents, the gifts that you’ve given us to write something that will encourage people because Lord, right now, more than ever, the world needs a song. And when I said amen, my co-writ ers said – the world needs a song – we’ve got to write that!” It later became a hit song.
With all of the unrest, Darren had been preaching about bringing joy back into the world. “When we sing that song, it brings a moment of happiness. We want to bring a little bit of heaven down. It’s just a fun song. It has a good feeling to it,” Darren voiced. “How can God’s people not sing? We have a song, and people need to hear it,” proclaimed Lore. The Lore family is not just singing the mes sage but they are also living what they sing about.
Hand in hand with the message of hope The Lore Family brought to the stage with “The World Needs a Song” is the message encapsulated in their current hit song, “I Bring You Jesus”. You can’t give the world a song without showing them the power of Jesus – the power of his blood. When The Lore Family delivers these songs to their audiences, they are handing them the keys to power, to for giveness, to love, to eternal life. What they are providing is so much more than a melody – more than just a tune. What they are sharing brings a song that resonates deep within the hearts of all those who hear it. And for those who accept this, they will find true joy.
So what’s next for The Lore Family? Samuel, Jake, and Darren tag team preaching. Family confer ences. New music. A Christmas album.
No matter what the project, no matter what the future is for the Lore Family, you can guarantee that they will be spreading the joy and the hope of Christ. Because it’s true – the world does need a song.
The end of the summer signifies different things for different people. As the season transitions from sum mer to fall, we start focusing on all of the family times coming up. For me, the end of the summer means the beginning of the fall gospel music season – National Quartet Convention and my personal favorite, Creekside Gospel Music Convention.
Hundreds of people gathering together to enjoy gospel music is an amazing experience. But nothing remotely compares to the intimate worship we experience in the showcases at Creekside or the Creekside family of artists gathering together to share, sing, and pray – even after a long day of ministering to others. With the sun long gone and shrouded in the dark of night, Midnight Prayer reminds me that as good as the day was, the work of God is not over-- it’s just moving forward in a different way.
Fall is representative of the same thing… sometimes the existing goes dormant to give rest and an opportunity for new growth. I believe that God gave us this season to remind us that there are times in our lives when things may appear dead. But behind the scenes – in the depths of what we cannot see – God is mov ing, creating, and bringing forth new growth and new life.
When you feel discouraged and wondering if God hears your prayers, just look around you and remember what fall shows us. In those times when you see all of your hopes and dreams fading and dying, give it time. Fall might give way to winter, but winter will give way to spring. And in those times of uncertainty, im merse yourself in prayer and praise. God will show up.
We would love to see you this fall for Creekside Gos pel Music Convention in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center October 23-27. If you’d like more information, please call or text us at 425-754-1147.
Until next time, this is The Publisher’s Point.
Robert (Bob) and Linda Reese, from Canton, Georgia, started Glorybound Ministries, in 1986. For over 36 years, this ministry has sponsored various minis tries and causes. White Christmas is one that is near and dear to their heart. The event benefits over 700 children (under the age of 16 years) by giving them a special Christmas they would otherwise not be able to enjoy. In addition to White Christmas, they host an annual free dinner for widows and widowers in the Canton area. They also support other mission projects such as an orphanage in the Andes Mountains of Peru where Bob serves on the Board of Directors. Out of the Glorybound Ministries, Glorybound Quartet was formed in 2000. The group featured Randy Cook as lead, Brian Huffman (baritone), Keith Mc Neal (tenor) and Bob Reese as bass.
Today, the group is still together, but has had some change in personnel. Still rooted in Canton, Georgia, the group mostly travels around the state of Georgia, North and South Carolina, Alabama, and northern Florida. Bob stated, “For over the 22 years, Glorybound Quartet has recorded nineteen CDs, the latest, My Journey, been on several television
programs, Atlanta Live WATC TV 57 and ETC3 TV as well as The Great American Gospel TV program hosted by Ed O’Neal. We were doing more that 60 dates a year before Covid but now about 40 dates.” The group was awarded GME Best Quartet in 2015, 2016 and 2017. This past year “Grace” was the most requested song of the year. The most requested song of all time is “A Place To Spend The Night.”
Michael Cross now sings lead for Glorybound Quartet. Cross was born in Indiana. His dad was minister of music and his mom played piano, organ and ac cordion in a small church, and from time to time they would sing at various revivals and camp meetings. He stated, “My first experience with gospel music occurred while in the second grade. My parents took the family to see the Blackwood Brothers. I was amazed by the bass singer Ken Turner. My second grade teacher remarked to my parents that I was more interested in Ken Turner than my new baby brother, who was born near the same time. After at tending several of those concerts, in 1986 my parents took me to see the Cathedral Quartet. It was an amazing experience.”
During his younger years he was privileged to hear many amazing Christian musicians. Kim Keaton (now Collingsworth) attended church just 30 min utes away and the Cross family often attended ser vices there during revivals. Kim began playing for a quartet from Union Bible College, which included Mark Dubbard (Dubbard Family) and Ray Cagun (The Caguns). Throughout high school and college Cross had the opportunity to attend many concerts.
After completing high school and college, where he minored in music business, Cross moved to Atlanta in 1997. There he attended law school and served as adjunct professor for 11 years at Reinhardt University. Later he returned to law school and obtained a master degree in law with honors from Alabama Law School. In 2018 he married Christy Leonard. Together they have seven children. Christy operates a fundraising company that raises money for church groups, missions, youth sports teams and numerous other non-profit groups.
Michael said, “I’ve almost always been involved in church music, but I had no active involvement with southern gospel music. But in 2021, I realized that my years of coaching advanced level youth sports was coming to an end. I happened to encounter a listing... that a quartet that was located only 20 minutes away was seeking a lead singer. I first auditioned on February 23, 2021. Later, I was offered the opportunity to join the group, and began sing ing with Glorybound Quartet on a regular basis in June 2021. The first time I sang publicly with them was during an outdoor Good Friday service. The temperature dipped into the 40's as the sunset. By the final song, our bass singer (Bob Reese) had wrapped himself in a blanket, as had many of those in attendance.”
Glorybound owner, manager and bass singer, Rob ert Bob Reese, was born in Canton, Georgia where he still resides. Reese met his beautiful wife, Linda, in 1967, in Eastman, Georgia. For their first date, he took her to the sock hop. They were married in 1968 and are the proud parents of two children, Scott and Kristy. They have ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Bob said, “My first experience with southern gospel music was singing around my uncle playing his guitar and I just loved singing gospel music.”
In 1966 Reese started singing with a trio and later Glorybound Quartet was formed. Starting out at Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Canton, Georgia,
Bob stated, “We have promoted over 1,000 events including our church services." Reese still enjoys the ministry even when he has problems breath ing and staying on his part. "Of course I’m em barrassed when I forget the words to a song,” he chuckled.
Standing next to Reese is their baritone singer Gary Courington. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Courington graduated from Woodlawn High School and Grossmont College. He met his wife, Kathy, in San Diego at a YMCA dance and their first date was a picnic. They were married in 1971 and have two children and five grandchildren. Gary said, “I was about five or six years old when I had my first experience with southern gospel music." It was at a homecoming where his uncle Barney was singing with the Crusaders Quartet and he loved the music. Gary has sung most of his life, but embarked on his professional career when he got saved in 1980. He sang first in Spring Valley and has been with several groups before joining Glorybound. He said, “The highlights of my career was singing with Jerry Goff, Mark Trammel and Peg McKamey.”
The youngest member and tenor singer for the group is Stephen Evans from Newnan, Georgia, who now resides in Canton. He married Renee June 7, 2017. They first met on the internet and met in-person in January of 2016. The couple had their first date at a Farm Show in Pennsylvania. “I grew up in a Christian home," Steve said. "I sang in my first quartet when I was 15 years old and in my first touring quartet group at Pensacola Christian College. We traveled during the summer promoting the college. I listened to the Cathedrals as a kid and loved the message and loved the harmony.” In 2012 Evans joined Glorybound Quartet. He said, “Singing for Jesus is the best highlight there is. But, occasionally, I forget words to the song.” Working full time he also puts together a Christmas light show for the Christmas season in Canton, Georgia. www.evanslightshow.com
If you are a traditional male quartet you must have a piano player. Rick Sullins fills those shoes. Rick was born in Atlanta. “I was an only child. We moved around a lot, Sullins said. He attended several different schools, including Floyd and Reinhart College. Rick first met his wife, Donna, in 1982 but their paths never crossed until college where both were obtaining a major in music. Their first date was on Good Friday. The couple went to Pizza Hut in Kennesaw then to see the movie Platoon.
After the movie, they went out for a midnight snack. "Yeah, I was a big spender back in the day,” Sullins laughed. They were married in 1988 and have three children and two grandchildren. When he was young, he dreamed of playing piano for a gospel quartet and ended-up playing for several including Heirborn, Sweetwater Revival, The Perrys and The Diplomats. Rick said the highlights of his career was seeing souls saved, having the late Anthony Burger mentor him and give him lessons when they were together in concert.
Bobby Roberts is the sound engineer for the group. He’s from Ball Ground, Georgia. He and his wife, Laura have three children. Bobby is well versed in sound equipment and always looking for new ideas to improve the sound of groups.
Check their website www.gloryboundquartet.org for more information and booking the group.
KW: At the beginning of quarantine we saw that peo ple were scared. We felt the Lord was asking us to go live on Facebook everyday and bring them hope and
our daughters to show up on time, dress with a level of respect for our audiences, pay attention to details, and pour our hearts into every performance. We have
KW: The Grand Ole Opry! (Ha!) We feel that there is no limit to the things God can and will do with folks who trust in him. As long as we honor him with our gifts and our intentions, I see a really bright future. Plus, I hope that Williamson Branch can be a legacy
Blue Moon Over Texas spent 7 weeks atop the RMR Bluegrass chart. Walking in the Spirit featuring the Marshall Family was a #1 song on SGN Scoops and
pel, to acoustic praise & worship.
LB: Why such an ambitious effort?
KW: Our primary goal is to carry the presence of the living Christ EVERYWHERE we go, whether that’s a church, a festival, fair, truckstop, or restaurant. We
I started my radio career 32 years ago at a small AM station in Kansas City, MO. I still remember how ner vous I was on my first day on the air.
When I look back at those early days of my radio career, I now realize how awful I was! I didn’t know how to improve. I was stuck in a rut. One day I met a radio disc jockey in Kansas City who had been in radio for over thirty years at the time. As the conver sation ensued, he asked me how I liked being on the air. To me, it was an incredible rush to be behind the microphone playing the hits. But to be honest, I was struggling and I opened up to him about my struggles of being on the air.
He gave me the best advice I could have ever been given. He said, “Marty, when you go on the air, don’t try to be funny or act like you know it all. Just have fun.” I thought to myself, “Could it really be that simple?” I found out he was right! That’s the best advice I’ve ever received.
When you’re having fun, your audience is having fun. When you’re tense or stressed out, your audi ence can feel it just by the sound of your voice. I’m not great by any means when I go on the air. I make a lot of mistakes! I hear my voice and I cringe every time I hear myself. I think a lot of DJ’s do that. We can sometimes be our own worst critic. With that being said, I’ve found that when I’m having fun on the air, my listeners are having fun too. They remember what I said that morning. They talk about it to their friends. They share it on social media. Why? Because it was a fun moment that happened on the air. That fun moment was something that I got to share and connect with my listeners.
I’ve seen a lot of people come and go in this industry. The one thing that all of them told me when they quit was, “It just wasn’t fun anymore.” If you’re not having fun on the air, your listeners are not having fun either. If you’re depressed or angry, those moods are con veyed over the airwaves whether we realize it or not. But if your listeners are hearing that you’re having fun on the air, they feel it.
Your attitude on the air means a lot. It could be the difference between a good day or a bad day for your listeners. Have fun with your show. Have fun with your listeners. It’s okay to laugh at yourself. It’s okay to laugh. You may not think that your mood affects your listeners, but you’d be surprised at how much it does.
So what are some of the ways you could make your show fun? Well, what do you like? What are you passionate about? Do you like sports? Why not do a sports feature on your show? Do you like silly or goofy news? You could do a weird or goofy news feature on your show. Maybe you could make a character to be a regular guest on your show. There’s no limit to what can be done. Let your imagination run wild!
When you’re having fun, your listeners are having fun. You may not know it at the time, but you could be that one person who could make or break someone’s day. So the next time you’re on the air, just have fun.
Marty Smith has over thirty years of radio experience. He’s the host of the internationally syndicated show, “Today’s Cross Country” and is the morning host on Heaven’s Coun try on iHeart radio. He can be heard at 7 AM Central time weekday mornings at www.heavenscountry.com You can email him at: heavenscountry@gmail.com
It is difficult to grasp the observance of the 21 st anniversary of the 2001 attacks on our American soil has just been remembered. We re member those who died in the collapse of the Twin Towers, the attack on the Pentagon, and against United Airlines Flight 93 twenty-one years ago. It was a horrific day which left a scar on the soul of America.
Everyone the world over was changed at the news of nearly 3,000 lives lost as casualties of terrorism and senseless acts of planned evil. It was a demarcation of time in history and in our world.
Where were you When the World Stopped Turn ing? The country western artist Alan Jackson captured it beautifully and gave us salve for our hurting hearts. Everyone can express exactly where they were the very moment the first plane hit the first tower in New York City, and every network’s broadcast of live footage of the second plane making impact with the second tower. Our hearts were shattered. We watched in horror. Lives lost, stories untold, families forever changed.
It was this very event that gave me unction to pen Spirit of America Days and cry out for patriotism, unity in our nation, and revival. It was obvious, we desperately needed to turn back to our roots of Christian faith, strong family values, extending hands to neighbors, and restoring safety and peace to our land for ourselves and for the next generation. This program was a vehicle for action and a path to healing for Ameri cans and communities.
Following these events, chaplains, first responders, American Red Cross volunteers, families who had lost dear ones, and more, ran into the wreckage to help, to volunteer, to serve, to heal, and to love. There was a true outpouring of the spirt and “Love thy Neighbor” was seen in motion.
Then slowly, as the world evolved from its stand still of shock and trauma, people went back to work, neighbors went back to building fences, and the burden of the heart was buried deep. People, neighbors, communities, seemed to soon forget the depth of this loss.
Instead of continued unity, there became a simmer ing anger and rage and disdain for one another. There seemed to be a growing divide with a nation bursting at the seams to express themselves and be seen. There seemed to be a road rage, an intolerance for our fellow human being, and except for the 4 th of July and the anniversary of commemorations year after year, there seems to be a ghost of the past and a pain of the present. Have we forgotten? Have we lost hope? Have we given up on God?
I am here to challenge you today, to pause, remem ber, honor every event that occurred, every tear that was shed, every life that was lost, and every pain that was felt, then buried. Pain must be felt and released to be healed. When our hardened hearts can yield to forgiveness and surrender, and the healing balm of our Lord and Savior, all sorts of refreshing, freedom, and deliverance can come in its place. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could turn back time and erase these events? We can’t, they are part of our story and our history. They are, at
times, the reason we are determined to persevere, to show our American pride, and keep in this game of life.
Instead, we must surrender it all to the Lord. He alone heals. He alone turns events around and brings stories for His glory. Our part is to remem ber and honor and forgive and heal that unity might be possible in our nation.
We have now passed the anniversary yet again; let us never forget. Let us remember in our prayers every soul and every family. Let us implore the Lord to protect our borders and our citizens and to keep us safe. Let us come to the altar and restore our relationship with our God.
Bring our regrets and our pain, our tears and our brokenness to the One who can heal our land and restore our nation. Ask the Lord how we can part ner with Him to heal our land, to restore unity, to reach out in love to our neighbors and become the United States of America again.
America’s destiny is unfolding, but nowhere in the Bible does it say to yield. It says occupy until He comes. Take authority, as Jesus did; share the gospel; be a beacon of light; put on your armor and spread the Good News. This is every believ er’s commission.
I believe it’s every American’s responsibility to do so- to post your flag at home, to take a stand for God and Country, to be bold as a lion, to hold your ground, fight for Biblical values, and a free nation, and stand for our nation whether in (volun teer) service or in leadership.
September 2022, what a better time to be born and called for His purpose. This is a month that also kicks off the Jewish feast days. It is a holy time. Why not reflect on Yom Kippur, a Holy Day of Atonement, where we as a nation have fallen short? Why not spend time turning to the Lord and rededicating your life to living for Christ, for serv ing His children, for reaching out to widows and orphans, praying for those in prison, feeding the homeless, and freeing those stuck in bondage? Any of these actions would be honoring to the One true God. Living a life well pleasing to the Lord, with purpose, to honor those who lost their lives on that day indelibly marked on our hearts, and the
destiny and purpose they carried, that would be a very noble and American thing to do.
This is our calling with every day we have life and breath. Let us work diligently to honor our history and to keep America free for God & Country.
Jacqueline Arnold is a Champion of Patriotism and an Active supporter of the Military, Veterans, and Military Spouses. She is author of two award-winning books God & Country: All Things Are Possible (Amazon) and The Military Family: A Casualty of War No More! See sweetlifeusa.com for more information or to invite Jac queline to speak at your next patriotic or military event.
If Mother Teresa and Ronald Reagan produced a daughter together, Tawana Lowery would be her name. Known as a Champion for Women of Faith Empowerment, Tawana is a faith focused women’s Leadership Coach, gifted inspirational speaker, author and radio talent.
She is also the Executive Director of Miss Overcomer, a global mentoring sisterhood that empowers Women of Faith to “LEAD” with courage and calling so they can maximize their God given purpose.
As Tawana loves to proclaim, “When a woman of faith walks with courage, guided by her calling, she is unstoppable, she is Miss Overcomer, and she is you!” Tawana’s dream is for Miss Overcomer to be an “Oasis of Connection” to help equip women of faith on their journey to strong and courageous.
Because of her own personal “Overcomer” story that spans more than three decades of tragedy, Tawana knows first-hand the obstacles and struggles many women face when daring to live a more purposeful life! A few challenges she has experienced include years of domestic violence, date rape, poverty, death of loved ones, bankruptcy, betrayal, and divorce.
“With all I’ve gone through I should be a statistic! Thankfully God had another plan. Through the power
of prayer and his unlimited grace I was able to overcome each devastating blow. God not only brought me through the pain, but he transformed it into something truly beautiful. Miss Overcomer is my personal beauty for ashes.”
In fact, Tawana and her team are hosting a free event for women of faith called The Miss Overcomer Gather ing. This one day gathering will be at the Grandview Marriott in Birmingham, Alabama, on October 22, 2022.
“I’m so excited for this opportunity to share powerful Biblical strategies that prove how any woman of faith can overcome the struggles, reclaim courage, and get back in the game to live the Miss Overcomer lifestyle she was born to enjoy.”
During this event, you will also enjoy testimonies of hope and transformation from a team of local Miss Overcomers.
“We are more than 80 percent full despite having no budget, no advertising dollars and no mailing list! It’s going to be an incredible day of encouragement and connection. We call it a Spa Day for your spirit!”
Although the event is free, seating is limited. Out of town guest can enjoy discounted rates at the Grand view Marriott if booked by September 30. To learn more about this event, visit www.MissOvercomer.com/ events or scan the QR code.
“It’s so powerful to see how God transforms our tragedies into platform of empowerment for others. And that is what Miss Overcomer is all about. But if you quit when times are tough, if you give up too soon, you'll miss seeing how God works all things together for good!”
Visit the website at www.MissOvercomer.com to learn more about Tawana and the Miss Overcomer Global ministry.
Then I looked up, and there before me werefour horns. I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What arethese?”
He answered me, “These are the horns thatscattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
Then the Lordshowed me four carpenters. I asked, “What are these coming todo?”
He answered, “The carpenters have come to terrifyand throw down the horns of the nations who lifted up their hornsagainst the land of Judah to scatter it.” Zechariah 1:18-21
Isnot this the Carpenter? Mark 6:3
God gave the prophetZechariah a vision. He saw four horns, representing four evil powersthat had scat tered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. They had tossed themlike furious bulls with their horns. They had scat tered them, so thatno man showed his face for fear of them, much less gave them anyopposition.
Have you ever felt beat up and trampled by thecruel blows of life? Sometimes the struggles seem insurmountable.Maybe we have said like Zechariah, “I looked up and saw an enemytrying to scatter my fam ily. Something trying to destroy my life, mymarriage, my children, my faith, my church, and my country.”
TheBible tells us we have a real enemy—the devil, and he is always onthe lookout to destroy people. He leaves lives scattered and litteredalong the roadways of life.
Be alert and of sober mind.Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking forsomeone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
But the enemy’s hornsweren’t all that Zechariah saw—he looked up again and saw fourcarpenters. They had the power to make right what was wrong.
God providedthose carpenters to defeat the adver sary.
Carpenters buildfirm foundations. They rebuild and restore homes and buildings aftera horrific storm. Jesus was a Carpenter, and built the ultimatefoundation for our lives with three nails and two pieces of wood. Hecame to give us abundant and eternal life.
The devil comesto steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,and have it to the full. John 10:10
I’m not sure whereyou are in your life today. Maybe all you are seeing is the enemy’shorns and the dev astation he has left behind. But I pray the Lordwill open your eyes to see the Carpenter. He is more powerful thanthe enemy. Jesus is a Master at rebuild ing broken lives. He is theGod of second chances. He is all-powerful and can defeat the enemythat’s been attacking you. He wants to redeem your story. Just callon His name and you will find He is willing to rebuild your life.There’s nothing you have done that Jesus will not or cannotforgive. He has a bright future for you.
“For I know theplans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for goodand not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."Jeremiah29:11
Pastor Paul and Dixie Phillips have beenhonored to serve the Gospel Lighthouse Church, 205 Madison Street, in Floyd, Iowa, since 1981. To find out more about the church andministry go to www.floydslighthouse.com
Jantina Baksteen: Though you are considered a "new" artist, you really are not new to the industry. Tell us about your singing career.
Brittany Morse: In regards to being a “new” artist - yeah, that’s probably pretty true. I’ve had our music on radio rotation since 2017, I think it was… Someone reached out to me a few years ago, I’m pretty sure it was in 2017.They felt that my song, “Come Rest” would do well in the Inspi rational Country genre, so I began promoting it that year. I didn’t enter my ballot for “New Artist of the Year” at that point because I had only been promoted for less than a year. But by God’s grace, and to my surprise, He allowed me to be nominated in the top 10 for “Female Vocalist“at the ICMA’s that first year, then again the following two years. I promoted a second song “Chasing After You” the following year and it did well too. I charted on the Power Source charts and several others. There was a magazine that listed me as #62, I think it was, for their end of the year top 100 – but I can’t remember which magazine it was!! So that’s my history when it comes to being “IN” the Inspirational Country genre. I had my second child around that time so I slowed down a little. I haven’t paid for promotion since 2018 I think, and this isn’t my full-time job by any means.
My husband and I felt the call of God last year for me to leave my nearly 11-year career with the Social Security Ad ministration to become a stay-at-home mom. It has greatly helped our family to have me here taking care of the little
one and things around the house, and also be more avail able for the older one that goes to school. This change has been such a blessing! God has also blessed me with speak ing at a couple of ladies conferences over this past year as well, so He’s made me more available to cultivate new opportunities He’s brought my way. It’s been amazing! I have 2 little boys and a husband, so I don’t have time for “touring” like some other artists do, but I’ve just tried my best to listen to God and obey when He’s prompting me (us) to walk through a new door. He has so blessed in this way! I can ac tually say that this time in my life has been the most blessed – full of quality projects while at the same time, having plenty of time for my family as well. He’s definitely shown me (us) that He has a purpose for this, so we’re following His lead as a family and doing the best we know how to obey each step of the way. God has been so good to us!
JB: Tell us about your touring schedule and what the time off the road has taught you that you can use in your ministry?
BM: So time off the road… Well, I haven't really considered myself to be an “on-the-road” artist, at least not yet. I am first a wife and mother to 2 young kiddos, so the road hasn’t re ally been a part of my life yet. However, I do perform locally at festivals, at church and have recently spoken/sang at a couple of ladies conferences, which has been very reward ing!
I have two little boys and a husband, so I don’t have time for “touring” like some other artists do, but I’ve just tried my best to listen to God and obey when He’s prompting me (us) to walk through a new door. About a year ago, my husband
For this edition of the beyond the song article I reached out to the incredibly talented singer and songwriter, Brittany Morseand I felt the call of God for me to leave my 11 year career with the Social Security Administration to become a full-time stay-at-home mom. It has greatly helped our family to have me here taking care of thelittle one and things around the house, and also be more availablefor the older one that goes to school. God has blessed us so much during this season of ourlives. He has worked in just about every area of our lives, from finances to home life, to parenting and even cultivating new opportunities, such as my hus band’s growing trucking business and this music ministry. It's amazing how He has made me more avail able to cultivate new opportunities that He’s brought my way. I can actually say that this time in my life has been the most blessed – full of quality projects while at the same time, having plenty of time for my family as well. He’s definitelyshown me (us) that He has a purpose for this season, so we’re following His lead as a family and doing the best we know how to obey each step of the way. God has been so good to us! God has blessed me with the opportunity to speak at a couple of ladies' conferences over this past year. I’ve also been given the opportunity to teach Sunday School to the little ones at church and have learned more and more about the character of God as I’ve tried my best to be faithful in what we consider the “small things,” although there is no such thing as “small” when you are doing it for the Lord!
I guess that leads me to your initial question, what have I learned during this time? Well, in a nutshell, I’ve learned that being faithful and obedient to God in whatever has been put in front of you TODAY, is more important than what’s down the road. I used to worry about what the future would hold and whether or not I’d meet my goals in life, but then I felt God say to me through His Spirit, “Just do the next right thing that I put in front of you to do…I’ve got the future under control if you just focus on what’s in front of you RIGHT NOW.” Through keeping my focus on listen ing and obeying Him with each step, it’s given me so much more satisfaction and peace in life. He is the only One that holds the future and all I have to do is listen to Him and obey. That’s it. That’s the major lesson during this season. As I’ve walked this out, I have seen Him open up the doors of Heaven to pour out His blessings upon our lives as a family. I always tell people that I feel like we’re living out Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righ teousness; and all these things shall be added unto you,” because I’ve seen it firsthand. It has greatly in creased my faith! God is good and is always at work for our good!! Another favorite verse at this time in my life is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all
your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
JB: You’ve just put out a video to your song‘Beautiful’ from a project you produced back in 2017. Could you share with us about that album?
BM: The album that we created back in 2017, Es cape, is still going strong! God has blessed abun dantly as we’ve seen song after song touch many hearts. So the way this album came about was just taking one step at a time, and God led me to the right producers for this project. A couple of years prior to Escape, I googled “Christian producerin Nashville,” and Creative Soul Records popped up. My husband and I felt good about it, so with his support, we took a trip out to Nashville for a free consultation with Eric Copeland, the owner and producer of Creative Soul Records. I met with Eric, Dennis Dearing and Joe Beck. This was the first time we met Joe but didn’t begin working with him right away. At this time, we decided to keep it simple and write/record a new song and release it as a single under the production of Eric Copeland. This is when “Come Rest” was born. It’s kind of a long story, but I worked for the Social Security Administration for nearly 11 years,and during that time, I spoke with many people that were struggling with depression and anxiety. This was the inspiration behind “ComeRest,” which is another song off of the Escape album.
So fast forward, after “Come Rest” was born and released, I worked with Joe Beck on another song through Creative Soul Records- it is also on the album, “Come Have Your Way.” This is a song that I wrote the lyrics out of the viewpoint of someone ready to give their heart to God – the whole song is basically a sinner’s prayer for salvation. Joe came up with the melodic structure and greatly helped guide the song musically.
After this song, I had the idea for a song called “Es cape,” basically describing the timealone with God being a quiet escape from the world to gain clarity and peace, just as the Bible tells us that Jesus drew away from the crowds to be alone with the Father quite often. I wanted to represent that in a song, and that became “Escape.” The idea intrigued Joe, and we began working on five new songs, including “Escape.” We have seven total songs on the album, the five new ones plus the two songs created by Creative Soul Records, under Eric Copeland.
Since the release of this CD, God has blessed in so
many ways.
Not only has this cd blessed many hearts, several songs have been up for awards. In addition to having some suc cess in the Inspirational Country Music world, “I Rest My Soul” was also nominated in the top 10 of the USA Song writing Competition in theGospel/Inspirational genre in 2020. In addition, “Come Rest” has been nominated for Single of the Year by the Josie Music Awards. “Christmas Prayer,” a song that was intended to just be a demo, but was released in November 2021, has been nominated for “Song of the Year” in the Christmas category of the Josie Music Awards. This song was written by Juanelle Venter, produced by Isaac Moore and sung by me. I am also up for “Female Vocalist of the Year” by the Josie Music Awards. All of this to say, that when you give what you have to God, He can take your little and turn it into so much more than you could ever do on your own! God has been so good and my family and I are so grateful for every open door that’s been given to us! So first, “Beautiful" is a song that describes God's love for us and how He sees us versus how we see ourselves at times. None of us are perfect (no doubt about that!),and it can be hard to view ourselves the way He does because we are flawed human beings. I have struggled with this in the past,but God has really opened my eyes and my heart to the truth that’s in this song - that He loves us and it’s okay to not be perfect. If we were, we wouldn’t have needed Jesus to die for us. God isn’t afraid of our failures as human beings. He’s ready to open our eyes to experience who HE is, and what HE’s done for us, so we can live in His love and have peace throughout any circumstance. He just wants our hearts - He’ll take it from there and create somethingout of our lives that will be so beautiful that all we will know is that it came from Him!
God is still working on each and every one of us, so I would encourage anyone reading this or listening to the song, to not be defeated by the struggles in your life, but to press in to God and keep your eyes on Him. "He’s always at work for the good of those who love Him." (Romans 8:28) "He will offer you peace for keeping your eyes on Him." (Isaiah 26:3).
To the reader: It is my prayer that this song will encour age you wherever you are in your journey. We do carry flaws, but when we focus our eyes on Jesus instead of our mistakes, it enables us to experience His grace and love in such real ways. We are nothing without Him…just a blank canvas...until He is allowed to come into our hearts and create beauty out of our lives. Each one of us was brought into this world for a unique purpose, and IN CHRIST,we can find out what that purpose is and be made into a beau tiful work of art - complete and whole!
“Beautiful” was filmed and produced by Tex Parsley and Tony Ward at the Kindred Barn, a wedding venue in Mul berry, Arkansas, where my family and I reside. We had a
lot of local people come out to support the filming, and I would like to take the time to thank everyone that made this song & video possible! These projects take a lot of time and effort and I just appreciate you all!
“I Rest My Soul” - This is another video thatwe just re leased, also produced and filmed by Tex Parsley and Tony Ward. This was filmed at Fountain Square House Recording Studio inMuldrow, Oklahoma, not far from us.
This song was written to remind us that we have a friend that understands our struggles and will intervene in our lives and on our behalf if we just trust Him. Troubles and hardships are a part of life. If we come to Him with our burdens, He promises to give us peace and joy in return, despite our current circumstances. Even ifo ur situations don’t immediately change, He will give our souls rest dur ing the storms of life. He longs for us to come to Him - after all, He holds all of the answers to this life and beyond! I have witnessed God’s faithfulness in my and my family’s lives time and time again, so I feel this song so deeply. It is my hope that this song will also encourage you as you listen to these Iyrics.
Jesus already knows what you've been through, what you're going through and what's to come. My prayer is that you will find peace in Him as you are going through. God the Father has an ultimate plan for each person's life and we can trust that He is preparing a perfect place for us once we've passed through this valley called LIFE. We can rest peacefully in Jesus, knowing that He too, went through and overcame this valley. If we choose to trust Him and let Him be Lord of our lives now, we can also be overcomers.
JB: You’re back in the studio. Can you give us a sneak peak on what is coming?
BM: Yes, about a yearago, I wrote a new worship song “My Rescue” with Jeff Elliot and Mike Morgan. Mike (a success ful songwriter that has a Conway Twitty hit to his name), reached out to me about doing some vocal demo work on one of his songs. From there, we began writing a new song in addition to the demo. I plan to go into the studio within the next month or so and record it locally at Fountain Square House Recording Studio in Muldrow, Oklahoma. It will be a Contemporary Christian Worship song that is similar to what you hear in churches today. That’s the plan, anyway… we’ll see how it comes together in the studio! And If that isn’t enough I’m working to form a new band, so we could potentially do some bigger things.
JB: How does a new song you write cometo you?
BM: New songs come to me in all kinds of ways. Since I’ve become a stay-at-home mom, it’s usually in the middle of cleaning the house. It’s usually birthed out of a prayer or random thought that comes to mind with a good hook.
If there’s a good hook, that’s where the inspiration starts and it gets me excited. The hook and melody usually come before the verses and when they do, I grab my phone to record a voice memo so I don’t lose it!
JB: What’s the best way to reach you?
BM: The best way to reach me is by messaging me on facebook, as I’m quite active there, or emailing me at bmorse129@gmail.com.
Thank you Brittany for sharing your ministry to SGN Scoops. May God bless your ministry richly and open up doors to bring out the wonderful message of encourage ment.
Being from the south, it is commonplace to have deep roots in family, community, and in the church. Sandy Knight is no different. She started out as a 12 year old girl with a guitar, singing with her Dad in revivals and church. That was 55 years ago but in many ways it was almost yesterday.
As with most gospel singers and songwriters, there is a salvation experience. Sandy tells, “As a small child I remember going to the altar and asking God to forgive me and save my soul. That practice hasn't yet stopped. I still ask him every day for His grace. Now, more than ever, faith in Jesus Christ is the most important thing I could ever have!”
Church music, GOSPEL music has always been a mainstay for Knight. She shares, “I loved Dot tie Rambo. My parents would buy her albums and I would wear them out on the record player. From my childhood, I wanted to sing but never had the oppor tunity for any training in voice or music.”
Yes, it is a known southern fact that most love affairs start in the church. Such was the case with Roy and Sandy Knight.
Roy Knight always told the story of how he was riding around on a Sunday afternoon and was listening to the radio. As the story goes, Sandy’s church had a ra dio program on Sunday evenings. She would play the guitar and sing. It is then he heard her singing (“This Is Just What Heaven Means To Me”).
She states, “I was fifteen, just about to turn sixteen. Roy was a few years older than me, but my parents knew him. He played for the Sheltons. They would come sing at our church. Also, the Knight family was very well known in our area as musicians, singers and preachers at different churches. Roy came on a Wednesday night and asked me to go to his brother Frank's church to a revival service. So, I went. He had his own group by that time. In time, I started sing ing with them on occasion.” They dated over the next three years and married when Sandy was nineteen.
As you talk with Sandy Knight, you will find a deeprooted desire to be used and to be an encourager. The spirit began to surface when she began to pen lyrics down on paper. Knight exclaims, “When I was about 25 years old, I asked God to anoint me to write songs. I prayed saying ‘God we always sing songs by other groups, if it's your will could you anoint me to write?’"
Shortly thereafter, Roy and Sandy were singing at the funeral of an elderly lady. The preacher was also el derly. He began to talk of the things this woman was now seeing in Heaven. He started to shout and said, "I THINK I'LL GO HOME AND READ THAT AGAIN.” Sandy states, “I wrote some of ‘I Think I'll Read It Again’ sitting in that funeral. I finished it, we recorded it. Eldridge Fox was producing Gold City. He pitched them the song. They recorded it, and it was a number one song. I was in shock of course!”
Then one song after another started coming. She would write them down, and the Roy Knight Singers would record them. The studio would pitch her songs to the pro groups. Knight always says the pro groups gave her songs wings. They took them where a part time group could not.
She continues, “I remember one night we were hav ing our anniversary singing. The Inspirations were there. Archie asked me if I had any songs for them. Our group had not heard a new song that I had just written so I borrowed someone's guitar and sung the song on our second round, ‘I’ll Not Turn My Back on Him Now.’ Archie loved the song. They recorded it and went number one and also song of the year. I felt like that just fell in my lap as a great blessing.
With recent events in my family's life that have hap pened, I have gone to that song at times for strength and comfort.”
According to Sandy, one of the most memorable times would have to be when “Somebody Touched the Lord” won song of the year. “What a night that was. The song was written from a personal miracle. That night I felt the spirit of the Lord so strong and was able to accept the award but also give a healing testimony.”
Sandy points out her songs come according to what she is going through in life. That is what makes a song minister. She expounds, “I have realized at times that God had given me a song for later on down the road. He knew what was coming and a certain song would minister to that need. I'm just thankful for the songs God has given to me and the contribution
The Roy Knight Singers garnered a loyal following in the southeast. Through her original songs, their concerts, camp meetings, revivals, television ap pearances and recordings, the group reached new heights for what many would call weekend warriors. Sandy says, “Such great memories from traveling with our group. Different musicians over the years and singers helped us. As years went by and our daughter Tracie grew up, she began singing with us, then her husband Rodney. Then her children joined us as time passed. We didn't travel full-time, but we traveled on weekends. Roy had a real-estate busi ness, and the guys were either in school or working. We would sing for revivals, churches and concertssometimes every night. There was never a dull mo ment.”
Time does change and sometimes we may not un derstand the why. Knight comments, “This last year and a half has brought great loss into my life. Roy passing away and then my precious daughter Jena. It has been overwhelming. The pain, unimaginable. Time and the Grace of God has brought me and my remaining family thus far.”
She continues, “The memories are still so alive. I miss being younger and stronger in voice. I miss Roy always being the glue that held our group to gether. I miss seeing people being blessed in some way as we would sing. I miss traveling with family and friends. When you are in a ministry that changes over time and in different ways, you then realize how much you really loved it. It is actually a part of your DNA.”
As for the future, this Knight Writer is in a new chap ter of song, message and ministry. She says, “I am starting to write some songs again. I didn't think that
gospel. So many writers out there write great songs.
would happen. I was too broken. Close friends and family have helped me along like a crutch keeping me from completely falling. I feel a ray of hope and light shining through. If it's God's will, I will keep on writing and do some singing as God gifts and provides.”
When in those low moments of life or on the mountains high filled with overwhelming joy, there is a song that comes to the Knight Writer. In those lyrics and tunes you will find hope, peace, joy touched by grace, mercy and a loving message that reaches your heart, soul and mind.
“My soul was sick and dying, bound in sin and shame,
Somebody called upon the lord, 'til sweet redemp tion came
Somebody held me up to god, when I was feeling down,
And I'm so glad that somebody prayed so I can sing it now.”
From the Knight Writer’s Somebody Touched The Lord. A simple message that encourages every one from the pen of Sandy Knight, the Knight Writer.
David and Brenda Faye Babb are no strangers to the world of southern gospel. While they have ministered in song together for more than a decade, they also each began doing music long before they became a duo.
Brenda Faye began singing in church at the age of three years old. David was raised in the same church as Bren da Faye and began playing drums in his uncle’s band.
“Both of our families sang, and after we married, we kept it going. My biggest influence was my Dad. He wrote his songs and sang. He was country, but still, his style of mu sic and songs were a big influence on me. My Mom sang too and she was the one who taught me to sing tenor and alto,” Brenda Faye described.
The Babbs now continue that family tradition, recording music and singing wherever the Lord opens the door for them to go. With their music out on digital platforms, it makes it easier for new fans to discover their music.
"We have some music on our website and then there's some on Reverb Nation. We send a few out to Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Music,” David explained.
Most of the music comes from the songwriting talents of Brenda Faye.
“I’ve got over a hundred songs that I’ve written that I need to get a copyright on,” she said.
To date, the Babbs have recorded around 10 albums, which gives them plenty of material to keep their concerts fresh. The main focus for them, however, is on ministry.
“We aren’t there just to sing or be seen, we are all about seeing souls saved. We were singing in a nursing home and this lady came up to me asking if I had the time to talk. She began asking me about my experience with being saved, and I explained to her the steps of salvation, asking the Lord into her heart, and she got saved. We are there for reasons like that. To see people blessed and souls saved,” she voiced.
In addition to their traveling and singing, David and Brenda host a radio program called “Spotlight Tunes” on SOGR radio.
“I had found the station and asked the owner if they ever hired anyone. He mentioned they would like to find DJs but it would have to be on a volunteer basis and that was hard to find. I told him if I could do it from home I’d be willing to do it. He said there was a way to make that hap pen and he told me what equipment I needed.”
From that conversation, “Spotlight Tunes” was created. The program is on Monday through Friday, 8:00 pm to 11:00 PM CST, and can be streamed through the SOGR radio app.
For those who come to hear The Babbs share their music ministry in person, there are some things David and Brenda Faye hope people take away from the experi ence.
“I hope they see we aren't there to put on a show and that we aren't fake. We are there to be a blessing and also to be blessed. Hopefully, they will feel like they’ve been to church and they will feel better than when they came,” David said.
As with most artists, COVID-19 has been the biggest challenge the group has dealt with.
“The internet helped us because churches were cancel ing bookings during that time. When it first hit, we were in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee to sing, which is 10 hours away from our home, when we got the call that the event had been canceled. We had rented a cabin already and the money was non-refundable, so we stayed, but by the end of the week, restaurants began to close. We had to leave and just go home at that point,” she recounted.
While expenses have gone up, especially in areas like the price of fuel, The Babbs continue to hold faithful to their calling and travel wherever they have the opportu nity to minister in song. What keeps them going is their faith in Christ and their determination to share Him with as many people as they can.
This is one of the most unique devotionals I have ever read. It includes 90 days of blessings for mother and child. Cute and heartfelt.
This book would be a beautiful way for mother and child to share quiet time. This would even be great for grandmother and grandchild. With each devotion there is a “blessing” for mom and child, words of encouragement, and then there is also a scripture ref erence for each day. What better way to block out the craziness of the world than to read together blessings written specifically for us? It feels like 90 gifts given by the author.
I would truly recommend this book to my mama and grandma friends.
I was given an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
