I have had my issues with Amy Grant over the years, I even wrote to her once rebuking her when I learned she planned to record John Lennon's godless song "Imagine" in the 90s (and she never did, BTW!!) But when I learned last night that "Life Way Christian Resources," the large Southern Baptist retailer, refused to carry her new Christmas album because they say it's not "Christian enough," well, I was UPSET. You may recall a few weeks ago that I bought the CD and wrote about it here on FB, praising Amy for its HONESTY because she acknowledged how some folks (even Christians) struggle with sadness at Christmastime. Apparently, this is the very feature that Life Way does NOT like, and I believe that is an unChristian perspective. The album DOES clearly share Amy's faith IN THE MIDST OF THE ACKNOWLEDGED PAIN AROUND HER. What's "not Christian enough" about THAT??
David, the "man after God's own heart," was VERY honest about the sadness and pain he and others experienced, and he recorded those struggles right in God's Word...is LifeWay going to refuse to sell Bibles with the PSALMS in them?? Those Psalms almost always end on a note of triumph, of trust in God, and so does Amy's album, BTW.
As you may know, I, myself, in God's Providence am going through the extended trial of a slowly dying wife, as well as the sadness of the anniversary of my unsaved dad's death on Christmas Day...and my prayer list is filled with names of godly Christians who are suffering GREATLY this Christmas season. Interestingly, the Bible commands us to "weep with those who weep" but it never says we should celebrate Christ's birth. So why should we suspend our weeping with those who weep, simply because it's......Christmas?? Why is an album “not Christian enough” because there’s a song “Melancholy Christmas” on it?? I wish to point out that the last four letters in MELANCHOLY are H-O-L-Y and God often uses suffering to sanctify us, to MAKE us holy people. Isn’t the real meaning of Christ’s Advent that He came into the world to save sinners and make us.....HOLY??
If GOD doesn’t shield us from pain at Christmastime, why should we seek to shield others and ourselves?? Shall we not display Hope in Him, in the MIDST of the pain....rather than deny the pain exists?? Which glorifies God MORE??
I posted this as a Note on November 25th.... https://www.facebook.com/notes/chet-jelinski/chetitorial-dont-forget-the-lonely-the-depressed-the-grieving-this-christmas-sea/10154194398273196
It's about not forgetting the lonely, the depressed and the grieving, at Christmas.
Amy's album is RIGHT UP MY ALLEY because it sounds the same note, and if anyone thinks I'm wrong for that..................fine.
I answer to God alone.
Amy's "Tennessee Christmas" is something the Lord MINISTERS to me through. "But Chet, she was DIVORCED...and so was VINCE GILL...they both left their spouses to marry each other, and they sing a duet on that album, how can the Lord MINISTER to you through.....THAT??"
A: It is not my place to judge them, I don't know WHY they got divorced and Jesus DOES allow divorce in the case of adultery. All I can say is I like this album SO much that I bought the SECOND version ALSO...the "Target" exclusive, with the two extra tracks.
No matter WHAT "Life Way" says, it's "Christian enough" for ME.
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