Editorial

Can You Believe It’s My 50 Year Reunion? – Deon Unthank

Deon Unthank, President, AbsolutelyGospel.com
Deon Unthank, President, AbsolutelyGospel.com

Reunions are full of good times reminiscing about the good ole days. They’re full of surprises, like those good looking kids that graduated with you are now old and fat, well at least old. Then there’s the solemn recognizing of those who are no longer with us. Some left us early, while others have recently left us. Then we’ll discuss how we succeeded in those lofty dreams and plans from 50 years ago, or how we miserably failed to reach any of our goals.

Life throws all of us some real curve balls. Some hit them out of the park, and some watch the third strike being called out. Some of us exceed what our peers thought we would be, and others just don’t quite measure up to what our peers expected us to do.

Let’s not forget how quickly this 50 year reunion came upon us. Some days I think I’m still going to football practice, or at least it was only a few years ago that I was on Parsons Field living what was a dream for me back then. Some days it seems like just yesterday, both my school mates and I were seeing each others kids birth announcements in the local paper. Where did this time go to?

The question is….. what have I accomplished in the past 50 years.

At an early age of 16 I knew that I had a special calling on my life. I knew that singing Gospel music was what I was supposed to be doing. Do to knowing a few Gospel singers and the lives they lived, my parents discouraged me from pursuing what I knew I needed to do. I sang with a couple of local groups, but without support, that light grew very low. I tried leading choirs and directing worship in various churches, and while this was really enjoyable, it was never fulfilling. I even Pastored a church for a while. Yet, I still knew what I was supposed to be doing.

After that, life just happened. I got a job, bought a car, got married, had kids, and life along with the bills that come along with it, just kept happening. Nobody’s fault but mine, my dreams and calling in life got put on the back burner, because life just kept happening. When I was in my 20s, a glimmer happened when I started my own group, The Sunday Edition. We were having good success when life kept happening. I went through a divorce, got remarried, had more kids, became a painter and wallpaper hanger, and my group fell apart, and life kept happening. Are you seeing a pattern here? In the midst of all of this, my wife became extremely sick and I became her caregiver and she passed away. I would care for her again in a heartbeat, but as usual, life kept happening.

Now at 68 years old, I am married again, trying again to sing as God has called me to do, but life just keeps happening. Some people still try to discourage me, but that’s part of life and it just keeps happening.

That is my story, but what’s your story. Has life just kept happening, or have you accomplished what you were called to do? Were you called to be a doctor, lawyer, architect, teacher, carpenter, maybe a janitor?

Were you called to be a preacher, youth minister, choir director, Sunday School teacher , or maybe visit nursing homes. The calling or dream of your life doesn’t matter if it is high class, high dollar, or even exciting. What matters is that you are doing it, or at least still striving for it. You will never know real contentment until you do so.

I have had doctors who shared their Christianity with me as they were treating me, and I felt at ease knowing that their Christian love would minister to me. I was working with an attorney who shared his Christianity with me, helping me through a difficult situation.

As I painted or hung wallpaper in customers houses, I used the opportunity to play Gospel music as a way to open the door to share with people.

So, where are you in your life’s dream or calling from God. Are you 20 years old and just starting to follow that dream, or you in your 40s side-tracked by life and it just keeps happening, or are you like me, 68 years old, or so and still struggling to reach that dream?

It doesn’t matter where you are in life. What matters is that you don’t quit striving to stay on that road to fulfill what God has called you to do. The next person you meet may be that person who needs what you have to offer. The next person you meet in your doctor office may be needing the encouragement that only you can give. The next student you talked to may need the advice that only you would give. The next person you meet on your mail route may be your opportunity to use what God has given you.

The next person walking down the hall you are sweeping just may be going through a situation that you have been through and can offer comfort or advice to help them with what they are going through.

It doesn’t matter about your age, or your job, or even the position you hold in life, never, never quit following that dream, that vision, that calling God has put in your heart.

Absolutely Gospel Music

Formed over 25 years ago by Founders Deon & Susan Unthank originally as SoGospelNews.com. SoGospelNews.com became the most viewed Southern Gospel website on the Internet with over 1 million hits per month. The website is based out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. In April 2010, SoGospelNews changed its name to AbsolutelyGospel.com, allowing the site to cover all genres of gospel music. Before the passing of founder Deon Unthank in December 17, 2022, he arranged the sale of the site to a dear family friend, Bev McCann. The site is now run by Bev McCann and the Nashville 37201 media group.
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