Another pivotal point in my life in ministry came by surprise one evening at the dinner table with my wife and our two daughters. I believe it was winter 1990. It was an emergency phone call asking me to come and fill in for the popular Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman because he was delayed by a snowstorm at the Philadelphia airport. His concert was scheduled for 8:00 PM at a local high school auditorium sponsored by area Christian bookstores and radio stations. I grabbed my two guitars and took our oldest daughter along with me. I performed my original songs and shared the inspiration for the lyrics and my story about being saved while working on a church steeple. Steven arrived while I was playing my last song. We met backstage where he was tuning his guitar and he thanked me for filling in. (I doubt he would remember me) . It was after 9:00 PM so I had to leave to get my daughter home. As we were leaving he was playing his song “My Turn Now.” He won the Gospel Music Association Dove Award that year and I founded Humbleheart Ministries.

It was the following two weeks after that concert that I received phone calls from the bookstores and a radio station looking for my albums. I had no albums! Apparently after the concert people were looking for my albums of the original songs I played. I was encouraged to pursue recording them. After much prayer, research and demos God brought John McLane and I together in Atlanta, Georgia to record my first album in February 1992. John is actually a native of our hometown here on the shores of Lake Erie, Pennsylvania and he is the engineer, producer and a lead musician of all our albums. He is also a good friend. It’s hard to believe it’s been more than thirty years since the first album.

While putting together several items for our new website I was considering the inclusion of hundreds of publications like newsletters, articles and sermons over the past 30 years. I came to the conclusion it would be best to keep it simple and easy to understand the message of a life’s journey in ministry giving Christ the glory for every step along the way. The words and music in every album have helped me “say it in a song.” It is my prayer that those songs continue to touch the hearts of many by leading them to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. I am always humbled by the words of Jesus when He said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) NASB

Although we have albums on CDs in stock for shipping when requested, I’ve had to learn to roll with the changes in technology where CD players are becoming a thing of the past. My first album was recorded on reel-to-reel tape and manufactured on cassettes tapes. Imagine that! We have several boxes of unopened cassette albums for those who still listen to music with cassette players in vehicles or on home stereo systems. Those cassettes are of the first three albums 1992-2000.

The frequently asked questions concerning our music ministry and how it all began has prompted me to write this article. Especially with new listeners and songs being more available online. While digging through the archives of Humbleheart Ministries going back three decades I found myself experiencing a sense of both gratefulness and embarrassment. I was thankful for the blessings I was reminded of, but embarrassed for the things I had forgotten. There are so many great memories, the stories from people and events tucked away deep in my heart. I came across a quote from someone I considered a spiritual father to me, Rev. John R. Elliott (Randy) “The depth of your ministry is up to you, the width and breadth is up to God.” He is now gone home to glory with the Lord, but I still treasure his guidance and encouragement from so many years ago. He was an example of what it means to have a “passion” for preaching the Word of God.

I have been asked by several people if I have ever considered writing a book. I think about that when I go through old files and calendars where I have kept somewhat of a diary of events. However, anytime I’ve made an effort to start compiling what I would put into book form I always struggle with what I should include and for what purpose. As I go back and forth in my mind I realize in the end I’ve already written what I wanted to say. It may not be in a book, but it is told in every single song on each album. I can tell you what was going on in my life and ministry when I wrote the lyrics and the source of inspiration. So for now I’ll just “say it in a song.”  MARANATHA!

Announcing Our New Website!
Humbleheartministries.net

For those who have a computer, smart phone or other devices with access to the Internet you can go online to check out the website. You can also find all albums on Spotify, You Tube, Apple, Amazon, Pandora for streaming and downloads.

 

For more information you can email hefrees@aol.com