by Jeanni Ritchie
Aunt Gloria and Uncle Bill. That’s who I thought they were as a child. Not only had I met them at a family dinner, my grandmother’s entire Christian Book Store was filled with all things Gaither.
My lullabies were Gaither 8-tracks. I learned to read on Gaither Vocal Kids storybooks. I learned more than just vocabulary words- I learned PRINCIPLES.
Herbert the Snail taught me to Have Patience. I knew that my life had Promise with a capital P!
As I grew older, I began singing Gaither tunes both in the service and as solos. Something Beautiful and There’s Something About That Name were two of my favorite solos.
My grandfather’s favorite hymn was Because He Lives. He told us for years that would be his funeral song. It was that hymn that taught me not to fear death. While my voice would peter out on verse 3- And then as death gives way to victory- his voice would get stronger.
I’ll never forget the conversation we had in his kitchen one day when I was a young teen.
“Doesn’t that scare you?” I’d asked. “Dying? Fighting with pain?”
“Not at all,” he’d replied. “Because no matter what happens, I know at the end of it I will be with Jesus. That’s a promise He makes to all who know Him.”
I stopped fearing death after that conversation.
Some thirty years later I watched him fight a tough battle before that victory came. I knew once the Lord finally called him home he was rejoicing. He’d lived verse 3.
I still get choked up hearing that song.
Through all the Gaither groups- the Bill Gaither Trio, Bill and Gloria Gaither and Friends, The Gaither Kids, and more…the same message was melodiously sung. There’s a hope and a promise in Christ.
We need only Believe in the Hill called Mount Calvary.
The Gaither Vocal Band, with nonagenarian Bill Gaither, will be coming to Central Louisiana with their Love Like I’m Leaving Tour on May 1st. They will be at Calvary Baptist Church at 7 PM. Tickets are available through their website gaither.com. Additional cities and dates are online as well.
I’ll be going with my parents that evening. It’s only fitting as Calvary is the church they raised me in. I know my grandparents will be singing along from Heaven. It’ll be like a family reunion.
Except for “Aunt” Gloria. They told me she stays home with the dogs now!
But she’s always there in spirit, having co-written many of the 700 Gaither songs written and performed in the last 60+ years. Can you imagine the crown she’ll have to lay at Jesus’ feet?!
Calvary Baptist Church is located at 5011 Jackson Street, Alexandria.
