A lot of today’s pop music and various other styles acknowledge their debt to the old black churches with their gospel stylings. You would not have heard the likes of Whitney, Dionne, Aretha, Chaka, Mariah, Mary J and the assortment of others influenced by them. Sure, it is a pity that those beautiful voices are cheapened by singing songs about foolishness knowing that mugs will buy it and perpetuate the vacuous industry and lifestyle, but still there are some voices that maintain purity and commitment to singing songs that go beyond the apparently felt-needs of now.
Sara Jordan Powell? Nah, never heard of her really. Seriously. Not heard a dickie about her. Shirley Caesar, sure. Mahalia Jackosn, obviously. Sara Jordan Powell? Nope.
Yet on hearing her the ears are perked and attention is given because something awesome comes through her lungs and throat and vocal chords to bless all who has the ear to hear. And that is the brilliance of the voice and the message contained in it. This is typical biblical narrative, like evening and morning, darkness and light, gloom and joy, misery and elation, apathy and love, death and life. Here we are given the stories of people like those in the gospels who were lame, blind, deaf, hopeless, alienated and then Jesus comes. Ahh the difference Jesus makes – walking, seeing, hearing, hopeful and embraced in the eternal family of God.
He made the difference then, only He makes that difference now in preparation for the ultimate difference He has up His sleeve.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd
Life With CD 
Thank you for your kind words about my Aunt Sara. She very much enjoyed what you wrote, and she forwarded it to me … yes, all the way to Tulsa, Oklahoma USA, where each of us lives with our respective family. Thank you, thank you, thank you … Denise Whiteurst Felton (whiteurst@yahoo.com).