The year was 2012 and the month was May. It was a gorgeous holiday weekend in Canada known as Victoria Day, and our local Southern Gospel promoters, Bill and Marg Griffin, were celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary. There’s no better way to celebrate such a momentous occasion than by hosting an event in Banff National Park – Rejoining in the Rockies – with the legendary Legacy Five and the original Couriers. Fabulous music, great testimonies, incredible sight-seeing, warm fellowship – a truly unforgettable weekend for everyone involved. We all left the mountains on an incredible high – something that would carry us through until we’d all meet again. And then everything changed.
On Tuesday night after the weekend, my husband Norm (who was only 52 at the time) went to bed and woke in heaven. How do you go from such an incredible mountaintop experience to the lowest valley of your life? Bill and Marg (who I’ve always fondly referred to as Uncle Bill and Aunty Marg) showed up at my house that night to console and love me. Gus Gaches (a member of L5 at the time) felt led to reach out daily to provide words of comfort and support. Other members of the Southern Gospel family rallied around with empathy and encouragement to help me through my darkest days. And the Lord provided that peace that passes all understanding I’d only heard about but now got to experience firsthand.
The words of “Great is Thy Faithfulness” (Legacy Five), “Knowing What I Know about Heaven” (Guy Penrod), “Total Praise” (The LeFevre Quartet), and so many others carried me through those challenging times. The message in the music truly changes lives and can bring comfort and healing to our broken hearts.
I was so blessed to be able to help Bill and Marg with their concert tours as they welcomed several groups over the next few years. They brought in groups that ministered to each audience, uplifted those who needed encouragement, and provided hope for those searching. During prayer time each night before the concert, Marg provided a brief devotional for the artists that was challenging and uplifting. Being involved in these concerts continued to give me purpose and became a healing balm to my broken heart.
These concerts continued until Uncle Bill was suddenly called home to be with the Lord in 2015. Although this was a devastating blow to all who knew and loved him, Aunty Marg bravely carried on with all the concerts that he had planned. It was such a privilege to be able to stand and support her as she carried out Bill’s commitments.
The concerts eventually transitioned back to local promoters until live music came to an abrupt halt in 2020. Our friends south of the border were rarely seen in Western Canada, and the silence was felt by all of us. In 2024, my sister and I started Faith Family Concerts through the encouragement of Scotty Inman (who was our first concert). I am so grateful for the incredible example we had in Bill and Marg to guide us in this new endeavour.
Just last year, Marg moved on to her heavenly home, and grief was revisited.
What I’ve learned in the past 14 years is that grief and joy can co-exist. Grief is not something you get over, but something you must go through. You never return to being that same person, but you can be better, stronger, and more resilient with God’s help.
Through it all, the friendships, the music and the message are the constants that keep us going in the right direction. Southern Gospel Music has a special way of uniting our hearts, helping us understand what others may be going through, and encouraging us along the way. We are continually reminded of God’s faithfulness with each new valley we cross and each mountaintop we climb. And one day soon, all of it will fade away when we are reunited with our loved ones in heaven and see Jesus face to face. What a glorious day that will be!
