JACKSON, Tenn. — Nov. 30, 2022 — Award-winning musicians, Natalie Grant and Danny Gokey, kicked off the holiday season with a Christmas concert at the Carl Perkins Civic Center on Nov. 29. Over 1,300 donors, students and community members attended the 24th annual Scholarship Banquet to raise support for student scholarships at Union University.
Before their concert, Grant and Gokey joined Union President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver on stage for an interview, where they discussed Christmas memories, pursuing a career in the music industry and coping with grief.
Sharing about the death of his wife, Gokey told the audience the most memorable lesson he learned from that experience is the power of letting go. Reading Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God,” Gokey said he realized that he had two options. He could either grasp God’s word or hold on to the bitterness of losing her.
“When I let go and trusted the Lord with all of my heart and did not lean on my own understanding, it was like someone pulled the cork out of my heart, and all the toxic emotions just came running out,” Gokey said. “I was able to see and live life again.”
Gokey and Grant shared advice to young people interested in pursuing a career in music, and they both agreed that aspiring musicians must first and foremost seek the kingdom of God and the calling of the Lord.
“The music business is not for the faint of heart,” Grant said. “You have to have a resolve in your heart that God has called you to it, so when the going gets tough, you're going to stick with it because you know that he has called you to it.”
Following the musicians’ interview, Oliver joined New York Times and U.S. Today best-selling author, Donna VanLiere, on stage. The author of 14 books discussed the story behind her best-selling book, “The Christmas Shoes,” as well as being a mom of a current Union University student.
VanLiere said being a Christian in the book industry has given her the ability to craft stories that portray real people and real life while also sharing the truth of Jesus Christ.
“By the last page, I want for people to know that hope is alive,” VanLiere said. “Yes, life is hard. But, hope exists, and his name is Jesus. Truth exists, and his name is Jesus.”
When looking at colleges for her daughter, VanLiere said she was shocked by how little a biblical worldview was taught in higher education. However, when she and her family visited Union University, she knew it was a university that sincerely upheld its Christian beliefs and convictions, and she is now a proud Union mom.
After Grant and Gokey performed Christmas classics like “O Holy Night,” “This Christmas” and “The Prayer,” the night concluded with a standing ovation from the audience.