Friends keep asking me if I’m Ga Ga for Gokey. As one who, generally speaking, is completely unenthused by anything pop culture, my simple answer in the positive comes as shocking to some.
But my official “ga ga for Gokey” status has little to do with pop culture, really. I mean, I fully acknowledge the man has dreamy vocals; and I almost melted into the concrete when he sang my all-time favorite song, “Signed, sealed, delivered,” at the Summerfest grounds free concert; and I love that he is a hometown hero, born, bred and brewed in Milwaukee. But really, I’m ga ga for Gokey because the man is a testament to what it means to have hope, peace, and joy in the Lord.
As most know, just a year ago Danny unexpectedly lost his young wife Sophia during her surgery. The pain he endured must have been beyond unbearable. But despite his loss, every time you see Danny, he is beaming that big old grin of his. It’s miraculous, really.
In a world where many are angered at sports team losses, traffic congestion, lattes not being just perfect, or other petty annoyances, the way Danny Gokey has overcome such a significant loss is proof positive of the presence of the Spirit in him, and it’s inspiring.
Life can throw us unexpected curve balls. Jobs, dreams, loves, hopes, people – you name it – can be stripped from us unexpectedly at any minute. When those things happen, I hope we can all be a little more ga ga for Gokey by following his inspirational and resilient example. The Lord may, for reasons we don’t understand, give and take away blessings. But because He, not the blessing He gives, is the source of joy, we are still able to march forward in His joy even in the most troublesome times.
Danny Gokey is an encouraging reminder that when life throws extra lemons in my grocery cart, I can always make lemonade by going home to the Lord and allowing the sweetness of His grace and comfort to infuse my life. And that, my friends, is why I am indeed ga ga for Gokey.
YOUR favorite song is "Signed, Sealed, Delivered??" Before or after it was the President's anthem of coolness? Because I know you heart all thing Obama, but still.... :)
ReplyDeleteLONG before! You should have seen my reaction when I heard it played after one of his rallys on tv... I almost cried. I think I have a facebook status post from back then to prove it.
ReplyDelete