Thank You, Mr. Key...

Monday afternoon, I received an email from my good friend Jason. The message was short and sweet. It read, "Dana Key died yesterday :(." There was that short moment of disbelief as I typed his name into Google... just to find that it was indeed true. Dana Key of Memphis, Tennessee died Sunday night at the age of 56.

Maybe Dana's name isn't one that rings a bell with most people, but let me tell you that he played an instrumental part in my life.

Dana Key was the singer and guitarist for the band DeGarmo and Key.

I first saw DeGarmo and Key at a show in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I was just barely a teenager. I didn't think I was going there to spend time with God... I actually went there to spend time with a girl (who is now my wife!)... but God apparently wanted to spend some time with me.

Through Mr. Key's words and amazing musicianship, God showed me that He was far more than I had ever learned about in the circles of my childhood. I left that evening a changed man.

I had the pleasure of writing Dana a year or so back to share with him all that I experienced that night. I guess in hindsight now, I'm glad I was able to do so.

Thank you, Mr. Key for allowing the Father to speak through you to some messed up little boy those many years ago.

In Him,
Jim