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How many times in your life can you think of that a small, everyday action you took ended up having a life changing effect on you?
For me, it was simply changing the channel on my TV set.
One Saturday evening back in about 2000, I was getting a bit discouraged at the direction the video music channels I enjoyed so much in the 80s and 90s were taking. So, I started switching channels and came across a gospel music group singing in front of a live audience. It sounded pretty good to me...after all, I thought, I've always liked the Hopeful Gospel Quartet I heard on "A Prairie Home Companion". I channel surfed a little bit more that evening, but kept coming back to the gospel group, so I stayed with it. It turned out it was one of the Gaither videos I found that evening, and I believe that first video I saw was the Cathedrals Farewell.
I started to notice that these shows were on pretty regularly, so I looked for them each week. One particular week I found a fellow on there who was pretty funny. He sang this song about running for president…hilarious lyrics, sung beautifully. He also kept plugging his website: http://www.marklowry.com . I paid a visit and found a lot more humor, very engaging writings about Jesus and faith, and 30 second song samples from his "But Seriously" album. It's not easy for me to be impressed by short clips, but these blew me away. This guy could sing. If you want to draw me in to anything, being a great singer has always helped. I also learned he co-wrote "Mary Did You Know". I always felt it was an amazing song, but I thought Michael English wrote it since I was most familiar with his version.
Over time, the rest, you could say, was history. I hooked up with other Gaither fans and made life impacting friendships (as I've talked about in previous articles). I learned more about Southern Gospel music and discovered other acts outside of the Gaither Homecoming circle. I became familiar with many more of the Homecoming artists, and some of them even came to know my name or be a friend. I couldn't have imagined when I first took notice of Mark Lowry on that Kennedy Center Homecoming video that eventually he'd know who "Wendy V" was or that I'd be an "official blogger" for his Senior Trip events. Not only did I find out who really wrote "Mary Did You Know" (Mark and Buddy Greene), but who knew then I would later have opportunities to directly support both of them in their creative efforts through writing and radio promotion.
Most importantly, all of the above deepened my faith. Before I found the Gaither videos, my faith had pretty much been on the back burner. As I said earlier, though, God knows just how to get my attention. Music has always been the way to the deepest parts of my soul. When my dad passed away over two years ago, the first place I went after I got the call was to the Gaither Homecoming "Heaven" and "Going Home" videos. My dad's passing was expected but had it not been for these two videos, the transition would have been much more difficult for me.
It's been quite the remarkable journey, and I'm thankful it's brought me right where I am today. Of course, the journey continues…
Wendy Vickers
http://www.wendyv.com
http://www.embraceencouragement.com
Reader Comments
What a great testimony of how music can & does impact our lives. Praise God for all He does through the singers & players of His music.
God is good all the time & all the time God is good.
Elaine Harcourt
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Written: 09/01/2007 
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Wendy Vickers
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