Jesus Got A Hold of My Life – Stories Behind the Songs

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This song is one of my earlier Christian songs and one of the first songs that was recorded by other artists. In 1972 we did an album called “Peace, Joy and Love” and when we were going through the material the producer asked if I had any other material.” I told him I had one other song and that I didn’t think he’d be interested.

My wife, Linda, said, “Sing him that one you just wrote.” I thought it was so simple that I was kind of embarrassed about it and our producer, Phil, said, “No, no, sing it!”

I played Jesus Got A Hold of My Life and he said, “Oh, that’s the song on the album.” Ended up The Imperials cut it, the Bill Gaither Trio, Truth and a whole bunch of other groups did as well. Not only did I learn that what I thought might be a good song wasn’t necessarily – I also learned that what wasn’t might be.

This video is exactly what it sounded like the first time I ever played it on my guitar.

Jesus got ahold of my life and He won’t let me go!
Jesus got into my heart; He got into my soul!
I used to be oh so sad,
But now I’m just so free and so glad,
‘Cause Jesus got ahold of my life and He won’t let go!

Sometimes I remember how I used to be livin’ in sin;
I tried to act happy and free but I wasn’t within;
I fooled a lot of friends of mine,
They tho’t I had some peace of mind,
But I never had a thing until I opened up and let Jesus in!

Jesus got ahold of my life and He won’t let me go!
Jesus got into my heart; He got into my soul!
I used to be oh so sad,
But now I’m just so free and so glad,
‘Cause Jesus got ahold of my life and He won’t let go!

Aren’t you getting’ just a bit tired of foolin’ around?
You try to laugh your way thro’ life but you’re not gainin’ ground;
Why not try the Lord today,
Just ask Him in your heart to stay,
And you’ll find Jesus’ love to be the greatest thing that you’ve ever found!

Jesus got ahold of my life and He won’t let me go!
Jesus got into my heart; He got into my soul!
I used to be oh so sad,
But now I’m just so free and so glad,
‘Cause Jesus got ahold of my life and He won’t let go

I always love the chance to share stories like this – I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for your friendship, thank you for watching, and thank you for your prayers. To those who have faithfully supported us through the years, I can’t say enough how much that means and how much we appreciate you.

Here We Are – Stories Behind the Songs

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I was doing an interview at a radio station in Carlinville, Illinois and in the course of the interview the disc jockey stopped and asked me what seemed to be a pretty simple and turned out to be a pretty profound question. He asked, “where did music come from?”

In my mind I’m thinking back to Elvis Presley and Ricky Nelson – that’s where it started for me. I started going further back and said, “It has it’s eternal foundation,” and he said, “Right, that being the case, what should be the purpose of music?”

He was kind leading me down a path, I still don’t know why, it was a wonderful moment. I said, “Best I can figure the original intent and purpose of music was to bring glory and honor to the Lord.” He had a little twinkle in his eye that said, “Yep, you got it.”

We went off the interview, but in the back of my mind I’m thinking, “I really hit on something here.” That was before what we now know as contemporary praise and worship. Now it’s a very big item, but that wasn’t the case back then. I don’t guess I had ever written a song that was directed towards the Lord. A lot of my songs were testimonies and stories – but this was the first time I wrote what we would call a worship song.

Here we are in your presence
Lifting holy hands to You
Here we are praising Jesus
For the things He’s brought us through.

I don’t have the words to tell You how I feel,
I just don’t know what I can say
I’m not worthy to speak Your Holy Name,
Yet You tell me You love me just the same.

Here we are in Your presence
Lifting holy hands to You
Here we are praising Jesus
For the things He’s brought us through.

I never thought that it could be this way,
And I never thought I’d be the one,
But You found me dying in my sin.
And You looked at me with love that took me in.

Here we are in Your presence
Lifting holy hands to You
Here we are praising Jesus
For the things He’s brought us through.
For the things He’s brought us through.

I think for me, the favorite part of the song is the second verse. That is a testimony of a time in my life when I wanted nothing to do with the Lord. I didn’t want to be around Christians and I wanted to check out of that whole thing. That may be you as well. I would encourage you, in faith – that’s what it’s all based on, by faith – just reach out and give it a shot.

I remember when I came to Jesus back in  1965, in the back of my mind I thought, “If this doesn’t work out I can just go back to what I came from.” It has worked out just fine. He did change my life, transformed my life. Absolutely best thing I ever did. If you’re in the same quandary that I was as to what to do, wondering if it’s for you – it is for you. He died for you, he loves you, and he can transform your life just as well.

He Knew Me Then – Stories Behind the Songs

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I’ve often been asked, “Of all the songs you’ve written, what is your favorite?” He Knew Me Then would be my favorite. If the Lord came along and said, “Dallas just pick one of your songs and that’s the only one you can sing from now on,” this is the one I would choose.

I wrote this song in 1974.

He knew me then, He knows me now,
And He died for me.
He loved me then, and He loves me now,
Oh, how can it be?
He saw my face, He knew the place that
I would be today.
He knew me then, He knows me now,
And He loves me.

Some people say, that He died one day,
But that was long ago.
Well, I’m sure that He was a very good man,
But me He did not know.
Listen, my friend, what I say is true-
That He knew me and He knew you.
He knew you then, He knows you now,
And He loves you.

He knew you then, He knows you now
And He died for you.
He loved you then and He loves you now-
Oh, I know it’s true.
He saw your face, He knew the place
That you would be today.
He knew you then, He knows you now,
And He loves you.

He knew us then
He knows us now,
And He loves us still somehow.

Thank you to those of you who pray for us faithfully and stood with us through the years, as well as those who monthly donate to our ministry – we simply couldn’t do it without your prayers, without your gifts, without your concern or without your friendship. Thank you.

I’ll Be A Fool for You, Jesus – Stories Behind the Songs

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This song really is a very early Christian song that I wrote. I committed my life the Lord in 1965, the 17th of October to be exact. My life was radically dramatically and eternally transformed. Still haven’t gotten over it. I don’t think you’re supposed to.

Think back to ’65 with me if you will, those who view that were around then…
– Contemporary Christian music wasn’t yet even a term
– Christian radio and TV as we know it now barely existed
– The Jesus movement in the late 60s early 70s hadn’t happened yet.

When I gave my life to Jesus, experienced that transformation but then began to try to explain to my friends what had happened, because they noticed quite a difference, it was like speaking a foreign language.

I remember one of my very best friends came up to the day after I’d given my life to Jesus, he was actually the drummer in the band were playing with at the time, and said, “we have some dates in Iowa we’re supposed to play, is that going to work out?” I said, “Well, it’s really not.” He looked at me and said, “Oh why, what’s wrong?” I told him I gave my life to Jesus. He just looked at me, incredibly puzzled.

He finally, kind of jokingly said, “You’ve you’ve lost your mind. You’re a fool.” And I thought about that for a while and wrote a song that I’m pretty sure he’s never heard.

I think it was Jim Elliot, the missionary martyr down in Ecuador in 1956, that said, “He is no fool who gives that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.

Scripture says that “If I gave the whole world and lose my own soul what does it profit me? What can a man give in exchange for his soul?” It’s a kind of a cute little song with little country feel but there’s a very very profound message in there.

I encourage you as you live for Jesus – if you really live for Jesus and truly stand for Christ – there is a price to pay. It goes against the grain of the way of the world and there will be those that say, “Man what’s wrong with you? You’ve lost your mind.” But Jesus said, “They hated me and they’ll hate you.”

It’s what we signed up for but there’s great joy in the journey and God will give us strength.

So live for Jesus, be a fool for Jesus, take whatever it takes and stand for him and be true.