We concluded our last Discipleship training week of the year Thanks to everyone for the prayer and financial support Alpha Worship Connection is humbled for trust. To our connectors that we continue to train every week and they were able also to teach in this conference thanks. Betty and Amuge Angela Now our eyes get to focus on the #worshipleadersgathering! #africaworshipmissions #empoweringworshipleadersandpastors #equippingthelocalchurchhttps

Betty Robison shares concerning the loss of her husband James Robison

Chapter 4 ST TRINIANS WITH BOVVER BOOTS Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The St Trinian’s films of the 1950s tell the story of a girls’ school that was completely out of control and caused mayhem wherever it went. Skerton School looked fine from the outside. The drive had beautiful apple blossom trees on either side, and there were hundreds of little cherubs running about. But scratch below the surface and you would scream. The teachers were legends. These included Charlie Emmett — boys were sent to him if they had done wrong, and he would bring their backsides into close proximity with a T-square. Our music teacher, “Sweaty Betty” Wilson, used our lesson time to lecture us on the state of the world. There was Ms Pallister, our young French teacher, and Mr Curnow, our RE teacher, who met and married at the school. Mr Waterhouse, my history teacher, did train impressions. My form teachers were Mrs Warrington and Mr Scott. School uniform was often augmented by bovver boots and associated items — indeed, anything that could cause grievous bodily harm. This was the 1970s. You could not imagine students changing gender or openly calling themselves homosexual at Skerton; they would have been torn to pieces. Some of the girls did look a bit like men — no names mentioned, but your name begins with S. All those teachers did their very best under the most trying circumstances. We were a right bunch. But Keith was the school clown. He drove teachers and schoolmates mad with his antics. He was an attention seeker, desperately trying to be noticed. Some stories about school trips are the stuff of legend — from fire extinguishers being set off on the Mersey ferry to buses getting stuck on Formby Sands. On other trips, small swords were stolen in Keswick and items taken from a shop in Grasmere. The shop owner came onto the bus to identify the culprit but couldn’t, as most boys had their heads under coats or seats. But we all knew who it was. You know who you are! Grasmere was also where a group of students staying at the youth hostel got locked out, so the smallest boy was ordered to shimmy up a drainpipe, climb through an open window, and unlock the door. Keith was placed in the lowest stream in fourth year. He ended up doing woodwork, metalwork, and PE, with no academic studies. My father fought to get me into an academic class. Finally, after missing two terms, I was moved into Class 4S — but I still continued acting the clown. We had to leave our bags outside the classroom at lunchtime. Ours was the art room, and there was a small ledge just above the door. Someone took great pleasure in throwing my satchel onto that ledge. At 1 p.m., everyone was kept waiting while Keith ran around retrieving his bag. Again, we all knew the culprit. He still lives in Morecambe… doesn’t he? The school had many landmarks, including the toilets near our classroom — the only toilets with a chimney. This was the place for smoking. You know how white smoke comes out of the chimney when a new pope is elected? It was like that. White smoke streamed from the windows as students tried to “have a drag.” The school was not PC or “woke.” It was a throwback to a bygone age, but for us, it truly was the best days of our lives. Not only was there a place for smoking, there were places for snogging too — behind the bike sheds and near the brass band room. So I am reliably informed by someone who spent plenty of time in both places. In fact, the bike sheds have probably been moved to Altrincham town centre as a memorial — or a souvenir. I’m not sure which. Lunchtime meant football in the playground, but it was never long before you heard the shout of “FIGHT!” followed by teachers running over and saying, “You two clowns, get to Mr Emmett!” Skerton is now demolished. It has become a housing complex. But for us, it remains a deep memory imprinted on our minds. Life revolved around school. Next time I return to the UK, we will have a reunion with Russ, Wilf, Bruno, Gary, and of course, the legendary Sheri. Other memorable occasions include sports day, when Keith attempted the hurdles and fell at the first one, causing the biggest laugh ever. We played sports where teams had to be chosen. In football, I was never chosen first — always last. The choice often came down to me or a lamppost. The lamppost was usually chosen first. Eventually, Keith did buckle down. He achieved Grade 1 in both History and Geography, and Grade 3 in English Language and Literature. He won the prize for History — well, they had to give someone else a prize. The rest went to a certain genius from Mount Avenue, including the “snogging prize.” Lifelong friendships were formed at school. My dear friend David Hobbs is still a great friend to me, as is my dearly beloved Andrew, whom I can never thank enough. Years later, Mr Waterhouse and Mr and Mrs Curnow came to my church. What a joy to know we will meet again. One last story. Our head girl in Year 5 was Diane Stephenson. She was vivacious and had a very quiet friend called Deborah Ormerod. They were inseparable and in my class. Diane often came to talk to me; she was a lovely person. I remember our last lesson on a Friday afternoon was Geography. One Friday, I looked across at Diane’s table. The boys were gathered around, hanging on her every word. She had her whole future ahead of her. On the following Monday morning, the headmaster and senior teachers came into our classroom. On that Friday night, Diane and Deborah had gone out with their seventeen- to eighteen-year-old boyfriends. As they came down a hill in their village, the car lost control and crashed into a wall. Diane, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was killed instantly. Deborah was seriously injured. I will always remember seeing them that Friday afternoon. Hours later, Diane was gone. Life is so fragile. That has always stayed with me. In Keith’s last term at Skerton, something happened to him — but more of that in the next chapter. Devotional Thought As youngsters, we go on our merry way. We laugh and cry together. For us, school was not about academics; it was about survival. I remember Mr Curnow saying in RE class, “Jesus is the answer.” I mocked him. I wish I had listened, because He truly is the answer. I did not want to go to Skerton, but it was the place where God had placed Andrew. Mr Scott once said to him, “You’re wasting your time with Keith — he’s beyond hope.” But there are two wonderful words at the start of Ephesians 2: BUT GOD “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved).” No one is beyond the grace and mercy of God. I am living testimony to that fact. Chapter 4A SILENT KILLER Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” I write this for those who have suffered bullying, both at home and at school. Bullying can scar a person for life. It is like an itch you cannot scratch. My story began at a friend’s school, where I met a boy a year older than me who took it upon himself to bully me — verbally and physically. I will say this: I did irritate people, and perhaps I brought some of it on myself. But that does not make bullying acceptable. Later, at Skerton, the bullying worsened. The more I was bullied, the angrier I became. Years later, I met a girl from our class online. The first thing she said was, “You were the one they bullied.” That was her lasting impression of me. Into adult life, and even into my first marriage, this pattern continued. Some of it may have been my fault — but not all of it. So how do you deal with it? Devotional Thought A deep relationship with God is the first step toward healing. Bullying often happens in the shadows, unseen by others — but not by God. When you come to Him, you come as a child and become His son or daughter, loved and accepted. You can pray and forgive those who bullied you, whether in the past or even now. The verse above gives great hope. The Lord sees everything. He has heard every word spoken against you, and He will hold people accountable. You must not repay evil with evil. The cycle must be broken. One way to do this is to tell someone you trust — a pastor, close friend, parent, or family member. Yes, I may have deserved some correction in life, but never the uncontrolled anger of another person. That is never right and never acceptable. I write this to give hope. I have been where you are. Now I rest secure in God’s love, knowing that no verbal or physical abuse can define me. I finish with Romans 8: “If God be for us, who can be against us? … Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Chapter 4 ST TRINIANS WITH BOVVER BOOTS ISAIAH 53 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. The St trinnian films of the 1950's tell the story of a girls school, that was completely out of control and caused mayhem, wherever it went. Skerton School looked ok from the outside, the drive had beautiful apple blossom trees either side of it, it had hundreds of little cherubs running about, but scratch below the surface and you would scream. The teachers were legends, these included Charlie Emmett, boys were sent to him, if they had done wrong, and he brought their bum in close proximity with a T-square, Our music teacher Sweaty Betty Willson, who used our lesson to give us a lecture on the state of the world, Ms Pallister our young French teacher and Mr Curnow our RE teacher, who met and married at school, Mr Waterhouse my history Teacher who did train impressions and MY Form teachers Mrs Warrington and Mr Scott. School uniform was augmented by bovver boots and associated items, indeed anything that could cause grievous bodily harm, this was the 1970's, could you imagine, having students change sex or calling themselves homosexual, at Skerton, they would of been killed, although some of the girls did look a bit like men, again no names, but your name begins with S. All those teachers did their very best under the most trying circumstances, we were a right bunch. But Keith was the school clown, he used to drive teachers and schoolmates mad with his antics, he was an attention seeker, desperately trying to grab people's attention. Some of the stories about school trips are the stuff of legend, to fire extinguishers being set off on the Mersey ferry to buses getting stuck on Formby sands. On other trips small swords were stolen in Keswick and items stolen from a small shop in Grasmere, the owner of the shop came onto the bus to identify the culprit, but couldn't as most boys had their heads under coats or under seats.. but we all who the culprit was. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! Grasmere was the location, were a group of students visiting and staying at the youth hostel, were locked out, so the smallest was ordered to shimmy up the drainpipe to climb through the open window and open the door. Keith was placed in the lowest stream in 4th year, he ended up doing woodwork and metalwork, PE and no academic studies, my father fought to get me into an academic class, finally after missing two terms, he was moved into class 4S, but he still continues to act the clown. We had to leave our bags outside our classroom, at lunchtime, ours was the art classroom, there was a little ledge just above the door, and how can I put this, some person, took great pleasure of lobbing my satchel onto this ledge, so at 1pm, everyone was kept waiting as Keith was running about retrieving his satchel, again we know the culprit. He still lives in Morecambe.. don't you? The school had many famous landmarks, which included the toilets near our classroom, which was the only toilets with a chimney as this was the place for smoking. You know when a new pope is elected, white smoke comes out of the chimney, well it is was like that in the toilets, white smoke would be seen streaming out of the windows, as students were trying to in their words.. have a drag. The school was definitely not very PC or woke, it was a throwback to a bygone age, but it was truly the best days of our lives. Not only was there a place for smoking, there were places for snogging also, behind the bike sheds and the brass band room, were the best places, so I am reliably informed by a person, who spent lots of time in both places, indeed the bike sheds have been moved to Altrincham town centre as a souvenir. or a memorial, I don't know which. Lunchtime was time for football in the playground, but it was not long before you heard the sound of FIGHT, and the sound of teachers running and saying, you two clowns get to Mr Emmett. Skerton is now demolished, it is now a housing complex with flats, but it was for us a deep memory imprinted on our minds, life revolved around school, next time I return to the UK, we will have a school reunion with Russ, Wilf, Bruno, Gary and of course the legendary Sheri. Other memorable occasions include the sports day, where Keith decided to do the hurdles and fell over the first one, creating the biggest laugh ever. We played sports, we had to choose teams, in football, I was never chosen first, always last, the choice came down to me or a lamp post the lamp post was usually chosen first. At school, Keith did finally buckle down, he got Grade 1 in both History and Geography and Grade 3 in English Language and Literature, he got the prize for History, well they had to give someone else a prize, the rest went to a certain genius from Mount Avenue, including the snogging prize. Lifelong friendships have happened through school, my dear friend David Hobbs is still a great friend to me and my dearly beloved Andrew, who I can never thank enough. Years later Mr Waterhouse and Mr and Mrs Curnow, came to my church, what a joy to know we will meet again. One last story, our head girl in year 5 was a girl called Diane Stephenson, she was a vivacious girl with a very quiet friend called Deborah Ormerod, they were in my class and they were inseparable. Diane especially used to come and talk to me, she was a really nice person. I remember our last class on Friday afternoon was Geography, one Friday I looked across to Diane's table, the boys were gathered around the table, she had them eating out of her hand, she had her whole future in front of her. Coming in on the following Monday morning, we had our headmaster and other senior teachers in our classroom. On that Friday night, the two girls had gone out with their seventeen to eighteen old boyfriends in a car, coming down the hill in their home village, the car lost control and crashed into a wall, both passengers who had no seat belts, were killed instantly, the two back seat passengers were seriously injured. Diane was killed that night, Deborah was seriously injured. I will always remember looking at them both on that Friday night, hours later, she was dead. Life is so fragile, this has always stuck in my mind. In Keith's last term at Skerton, something happened to Keith, but more of that in our next chapter. Devotional thought As youngsters, we go on our merry way, we laugh and cry together, school for us was not an academic lesson is was about survival. I remember in RE class, Mr Curnow saying Jesus is the answer, I just mocked him. I wish I had listened, because he is truly the answer. I didn't want to go to Skerton, but it was the place, where God had placed Andrew. Mr Scott our form master had said to Andrew " your wasting your time with Keith, he's beyond hope". There are two wonderful words at the start of Ephesians 2: BUT GOD 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) No one is beyond the grace and mercy of God, I am a living testimony to this fact. CHAPTER 4A SILENT KILLER Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. I am writing this to be able to relate to the many people, who have suffered from bullying both in the home and at school. Many people suffer from bullying at school and it can scar them for life, it remains an itch that you can't scratch. My bullying story started at friends school, I met a boy there who was a year older than me and he took it upon himself to bully me, verbally and physically. Now the first thing I would say is that, I deserved at least some of it, as I did irritate people, but that is not the whole story, although I did cause some of it by my actions, that does that mean that any bullying is acceptable. Later on at Skerton, this bullying got worse, the more I was bullied the more angry I became. I remember years later meeting a girl in our class online and the first thing she said was " you were the one they bullied", that was her impression of me. Into adult life and in my first marriage, this bullying has persisted, again some of it is my fault, but not entirely. So how do you deal with it, let me share what I have learned, as getting over the pain is not easy. Devotional thought Having a deep and meaningful relationship with God is essential as this is the first step to healing, bullying is usually done in the shadows, no one else knows about it, except you and the bully. Having this relationship with God allows you to heal, he is the great healer, because when you come to him, you come as a child and become his son or daughter and you are loved. Also you are able to pray and forgive the person who has bullied you in the past or maybe who is doing it now. The verse at the top should give anyone who has experienced bullying, real hope. The Lord sees everything, he has seen every word spoken against you and will hold that person accountable. Another thing to do, is that if you are going through bullying, you must not render evil for evil, that is not the way to go. The cycle must be broken and one of the ways to do is to tell people you trust that bullying is going on, it may be a pastor, close friend or parent/extended family member. Remember what I said earlier, in my case, I deserved a little bullying, but not the indiscriminate anger of another person, that is NOT RIGHT AND IS NEVER ACCEPTABLE. Even joking is not acceptable, I got lots of nicknames at school, we indeed gave nicknames to some of our teachers, indeed I was not nice on several occasions to my teachers. I write to give hope to people, I write because I have been where you are and now I rest secure in God's love, knowing that nothing can ever hurt me, no verbal or physical abuse. I finish with the words of Romans 8, may they be as amazing to you as they are to me. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you. It appears to me that Menopausal Mary (Mother Nature) has been joined by Bipolar Betty, because looking at the weather forecast, I see pneumonia in the near future for everyone. I am not complaining about the beautiful weather yesterday and what is going to be here this weekend; however, we just came out of near parka weather into almost short weather back to light to heavy jacket weather next week. Looks to me like an entire family has run out of meds. Just saying. Crazy. Haha. After appointments and errands yesterday, I was blessed with about two hours in the presence of my groundhog friend (who was not happy to see me), the singing of the birds, and the presence of the Holy Spirit at my She Shed. I was able to make a promotion video and get about 1000 words typed. To be honest, I was in awe of how peaceful it was. I looked at the clock and realized it was almost 7, and I needed to come back up to the house. Walking up to the house, I found the spot for the Gazebo…haha. Two more days of this Indiana weather comparison work week. Today and Tomorrow. After which, we will be back to normal…at least as normal as it ever is. I told my boss that the chaos of the week made me realize how much fun I was having. She definitely looked at me as if I had lost my last marble. She is probably correct in that assumption. However, over the past year, I reflected on how challenging it was and realized it was exactly what I needed to keep my mind focused on all the paths I am walking right now. In the nonsense of upper management, the Tetris of covering routes, and the new programs I had to learn, I found my way out of my comfort bubble and gained peace of mind and purpose. Today, I give thanks for God’s wisdom in knowing exactly what I need when I need it, regardless of how ridiculous it may look to me. What path has he led you to that makes no sense, but if you look at it in perspective … makes absolute sense? Think about it. Then say thank you. Be blessed. **Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. – Psalm 106:1

THREE ANGELS BROADCASTING NETWORK DEVOTIONAL Persecuted But Not Forsaken. By Tracey Ridenour January 6th, 2026 “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12 As Betty sat there talking with her teenage daughter Karen, there was a knock at the door, and sudden fear shot through her. She knew this day was coming but did it have to be today? As she walked to the door, she sent up a prayer to Heaven for strength to endure what was about to happen.​ She opened the door, and it was her son saying that they wanted to meet with her at the house next door. But right then, that peace that passes all understanding flooded her whole body. Betty knew that God would be with her no matter what happened.​ ​ As she started to leave, Karen asked if she could come along, and with a deep sigh, Betty said yes. It seemed like such a long walk, but in reality, it was only a short distance away. As they arrived, Betty sent up another prayer to God for strength.​ She knocked, and Carol’s sister opened the door. She told Betty to sit down and wait for Carol to arrive. The minutes ticked by; the tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Then, suddenly, the door swung open with such force that it hit the wall, and Carol flew straight for Betty in a rage. Why all the anger? Because Betty had refused to go along with Carol on something, choosing a godly path instead.​ Betty sat quietly, except for her whispered prayers, and peace flooded her soul again. Carol’s shouting became louder, and her accusations kept building. Then, with her pointing finger almost touching Betty’s face, she screamed, “I’m so angry at you right now, I want to kill you!”​ Betty glanced toward her daughter—sitting on the floor and watching the whole thing. Then a thought flashed through her mind: This is just a taste of what it was like for Jesus when He was falsely accused of things He’d never done! Visions ran through her mind of what Christ must have endured as He was slapped, spat upon, and beaten almost to death. As she pondered these things, the angry words faded away, and she suddenly wondered what it would be like at the end of time—just before Jesus comes to take us home to Heaven. John 15:20 came to mind, “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.”​ As she sat there patiently listening to each accusation, Betty realized that Carol wasn’t screaming at her; instead, she was persecuting Jesus Christ and the principles He taught us to live by. Her fearful, trembling heart became full again as she realized she was not sitting there alone. She knew that Christ was her protection and that nothing could happen to her unless Christ allowed it.​ When I find myself in situations I don’t like, I try to remember that while I may not understand why God is allowing it to happen, it’s not happening in vain. There’s always a lesson to be learned, and each difficult situation is a chance to draw even closer to Christ. May we all learn to trust and depend on Him—no matter the cost!​ “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” Psalm 34:7.

William J. “Bill” Gaither was born on March 28, 1936, in Alexandria, Indiana, to George Gaither and Lela (Hartwell) Gaither. Raised on a rural farm, he developed a deep love for music early in life. Bill and his younger brother Danny Gaither (born November 20, 1938) began singing within their community as children. Danny quickly emerged as a gifted lead vocalist, while Bill devoted himself to learning piano. Southern gospel music deeply captivated Bill; he filled his youth by collecting gospel records, attending concerts, and tuning in to radio broadcasts of his favorite groups. Early Musical Ventures (1950–1955) In 1950 and 1951, Bill and Danny joined their first quartet, the Log Cabin Four, singing alongside Howard Little and their cousin Maurice Gaither (1934–2001). By 1952, the sixteen-year-old Bill played piano for the Gospel-Aires. Bill continued experimenting with ensemble singing throughout high school. One of his early quartets—featuring Billy Gaither, George Glass, Richard Scott, and Larry Campbell—performed at a sports banquet on March 11, 1953. On January 3, 1954, a foundational moment took place when an early version of the Gaither Trio sang at the Alexandria Church of the Nazarene, formed by Bill, Danny, and their older cousin Arden Gaither (1922–2007). Bill graduated from Alexandria High School in 1954 and pursued his dream of a gospel career by creating a quartet called The Pathfinders, composed of Bill, Danny, Charlie Hodge of Decatur, Alabama (a fellow student from the Stamps School of Music), and young bass vocalist Vance Windsor. Personnel changed frequently: Danny left when school resumed, replaced by Gene Lowery; Vance married and moved to Florida, and Olen “Honey” Dunn stepped in on bass. After continuing through the winter with singer James Barnett, Bill ultimately left the group in August 1955 due to limited success. He returned to work at Cox’s grocery store in Anderson, Indiana, and began his college studies—first at Taylor University, then transferring closer to home to Anderson College to major in English. Formation and Rise of the Gaither Trio (1955–1961) Determined not to abandon music, Bill regrouped with his siblings: Danny and younger sister Mary Ann Gaither (born January 17, 1945). The Gaither Trio debuted on September 11, 1955, singing at an evangelistic service in Alexandria. Their schedule revolved around school commitments, as Danny was attending Ball State University while Mary Ann was still in grade school. The Gaither Trio began performing cover arrangements of well-known Christian songs, and by 1959, newspapers described them as well-known across the Midwest, appearing on local radio and television. Danny married Lolita “Toni” Floyd in 1958, and their son Steven (“Nic”) was born on May 5, 1959. Meanwhile, Bill completed his Bachelor of Arts in English with a music minor from Anderson College in 1959, then accepted a teaching position at Madison Heights Junior High School while beginning a master’s in guidance and counseling at Ball State. By 1960, the trio was recording professionally for Crusade Records, producing albums such as: Presenting the Gaither Trio of Indiana (Vols. 1 & 2) Oh, How I Love Him On October 8, 1960, they appeared at an all-night gospel program in Indianapolis alongside major gospel names including The Blackwood Brothers, The Statesmen Quartet, and The Speer Family. Bill’s First Songs and the Trio’s First Breakup (1960–1962) Bill did not begin writing songs until 1960, when he composed “I’ve Been to Calvary.” Unsure of his talent, he approached Jim Hill of the Golden Keys Quartet, who adopted the song and recorded it on The Ninety and Nine (1960), along with another Gaither composition, “I’m in Love with Jesus.” Ben Speer of the Speer Family later published and recorded the song. In 1961, Bill and Danny both completed their degrees from Ball State. The trio undertook a three-week multi-state tour before Danny accepted a teaching job in Wheelersburg, Ohio. Personal and professional strains eventually led to the group’s first disbanding, confirmed publicly on April 4, 1962. Gloria Enters Bill’s Life & Songwriting Expands (1962–1966) Gloria Lee Sickal was born on March 4, 1942, in Battle Creek, Michigan, to Wilford Lee Sickal and Dorothy Boster—a Church of God pastoral family. She entered Anderson College in 1959, where she met Bill in 1961 when both were hired as teachers at Alexandria High School. They were engaged in summer 1962 and married on December 22, 1962. During this period, Bill served as choir director at South Meridian Church of God and self-funded two albums: South Meridian Sings (1962) South Meridian Sings Vol. 2 His songwriting flourished through collaboration with Doug Oldham, who first performed “He Touched Me”—written in 1963 from a suggestion by Doug’s father, Dr. Dale Oldham. Bill and Gloria revived the Gaither Trio in 1963, now as Bill, Gloria, and Mary Ann. They recorded: Songs of Praise and Devotion (1964) He Touched Me (1964) The Longer I Serve Him (1965) Danny, meanwhile, recorded solo and group albums with the Golden Keys and returned to the trio in 1966, allowing Gloria to step back as she cared for their first child, Suzanne, born in 1964. Full-Time Ministry, New Members, and Landmark Songs (1967–1977) In 1967, both Bill and Danny left teaching to pursue full-time music ministry. The trio now recorded with Heart Warming Records and continued to expand their influence. After Mary Ann married John M. James on October 27, 1967, she retired from touring. Bill persuaded Gloria to return temporarily, leading to a transformative spiritual moment that deepened the Gaithers’ understanding of music as ministry, not performance. Between 1968 and 1969, albums such as I’m Free, He Touched Me, and Sings Warm featured contributions from vocalist Betty Fair. Bill earned the first Gospel Music Association Songwriter of the Year award in 1969 and would win eight of the first nine such honors. During a season of exhaustion, anxiety, and writer’s block—coinciding with the birth of their son Benjamin in 1970—Bill and Gloria wrote the life-affirming hymn “Because He Lives,” released in 1971, followed by another classic, “The King Is Coming.” Their music entered major hymnals and inspired highly successful choral collections and their first musical, Alleluia! A Praise Gathering for Believers (1973), which sold more than one million copies. Danny’s Departure and the Birth of the Gaither Vocal Band (1977–1990) Danny left the trio in 1977 to pursue a solo career. Bill recruited Gary McSpadden, and in 1981, an impromptu reunion with Steve Green and Lee Young gave birth to the Gaither Vocal Band, whose debut album was The New Gaither Vocal Band (1981). The GVB gradually eclipsed the trio in popularity. Membership evolved over the years, showcasing many renowned gospel vocalists, including Larnelle Harris, Michael English, Guy Penrod, David Phelps, Wes Hampton, and others. The trio issued final major recordings through 1990, while Gloria shifted more of her work toward writing and theological reflection. The Homecoming Era and Global Influence (1991–Present) In 1991, Bill organized a video reunion of legendary Southern Gospel artists, intending to record a single song, “Where Could I Go but to the Lord?” The recording lasted three spontaneous hours, leading to the creation of the Gaither Homecoming series—over 100 video and audio productions filmed across the U.S. and internationally. The series revived careers of older gospel pioneers and introduced new audiences to historic gospel music traditions. Gloria expanded her career as an author and editor, contributing devotionals, hymn reflections, and serving as editor for Homecoming Magazine. Losses, Legacy, and Continued Ministry The Gaithers endured many personal losses, including the passing of: Danny Gaither (April 6, 2001) Mother Lela Gaither (Dec. 27, 2001) Father George Gaither (Jan. 20, 2005) Mary Ann (Gaither) Addison (April 25, 2018) Gary McSpadden (April 15, 2020) These experiences inspired the Gaithers to support the Gospel Music Trust Fund and create reflective works such as their book and video projects on Heaven (2003). Across more than six decades, Bill and Gloria Gaither have reshaped Christian music through: hundreds of songs, many now standard hymns best-selling choral arrangements and musicals the enduring Gaither Vocal Band the global Homecoming series books and devotional writings Bill once summarized their calling with characteristic humility: “As long as God allows us to make music with a message, we’ll keep doing it.”

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Custom Name Meaning Artwork created for Betty Anne. What a beautiful example of the true and better fulfillment of all things through Jesus Christ our King. If interested in your own personal custom name meaning artwork, or to give as a gift, DM me. God Bless you. 8x10 Photos, Framed #name #names #namesmeaning #namesmeanings #namemeaningsign #namemeaningpicture #whatdoesmynamemean #whatdoesyournamemean #namemeaningartprint #namemeaningartwork #namemeaningprint #namemeaningphoto #namemeaningart #Jesus #JesusChrist #JesusChristisLord #christianname #Christiannames #ChristianNameMeaning #betty #anne #gift #customnamemeaningart #customgift #digitalart

Be At Peace Overheard from the girl’s bathroom at the high school, “Liz, can you hear me? I think you’re the meanest and nastiest person that I have ever known!” Betty yelled. As Liz left the bathroom she ran into Betty’s boyfriend who also joined in with Betty. As Liz went running down the hall, tears streaming from her eyes, Betty was then joined by the rest of her gang who immediately began assuring her that she was right in what she did and that Liz “got what she had coming.” This scenario happens far too often in high school, but was Betty really right in her harsh cutting words to Liz? What does scripture say about such judgment? Romans 12:18 charges us, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Unfortunately, too many people do not do all that is possible to live peaceably. This reminds me of a story about a boy who asked his dad, “How do wars begin?” The father replied, “Well, World War I began because Germany invaded Belgium.” At this point, his wife interrupted, “Tell the boy the truth. It began because somebody was murdered.” The husband quickly retorted, “Are you answering the question or am I?” The wife stormed out of the room and slammed the door as hard as she could. When the room stopped vibrating, an uneasy silence followed. The son then said, “Daddy, you don’t need to tell me how wars begin. Now I know!” In another scripture, Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” We should be more concerned about the wrongs in our own lives and leave the judging of someone else to God, before whom everyone "will give an account" (Romans 14:12). Ultimately Jesus is the only one who can make a righteous judgment because He never sinned once. An unknown poet said, Don't find fault with a man who limps or stumbles along the road, Unless you have worn the shoes he wears or struggled beneath his load. There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt, though hidden away from view, Or the burden he bears, placed on your back, might cause you to stumble too. Are you quick to retaliate, or have you cultivated a peaceable spirit? Jesus prayed for His enemies. Do you? Let us close with prayer, Teach us, Lord, that when we take a speck out of someone's eye, we do it gently and with love. Teach us to deal with people as Jesus did. In his name, Amen.