A couple of weeks after that first meeting with Jessica, I was visiting with a friend and writing partner, Mike Carrol. He was at the piano, so I said (as always when we write), "play something you’ve never played before." In ten minutes we had a song called, “A Will to Live”. It was obviously about Jessica and the words came out fast, like they were coming through me instead of just from me, but when I reread the second verse I almost changed it because it was too heavy. How could I say that about her? I had only met her once! After reflection, I decided not to second guess the Muse and left the second verse as it was. I soon read her book and saw some of the same exact ideals that were in my second verse. That’s when I began to see this was divine inspiration at work.

A couple of weeks later, the regular soloist at my church, Becc Lester, was out of town during a Sunday service, so I took her place. Becc was also in the midst of recording her first album and it so happens that her record label owner and her producer were in the congregation. Mike and I performed “A Will to Live” for the first time in public. After the service the producer approached me and asked if Becc could record “A Will to Live” and include it on her album. And so the blessings continued!

I was honored for Becc to record it and "A Will To Live" became my first published song. I asked the producer, Eddie Dattel, if I could record my version at the same time and he agreed. When we were finished, we called Jessica and her mom and brother and sister to hear it. It was the producer’s idea to ask Jessica to say a few words as the piano was fading out. Unrehearsed, she strapped on the headphones (see picture at left) and floored everyone in the room with what she said - so you will hear her voice from that evening in the song “A Will to Live!” As she was leaving the studio the owner said, “There goes our little star.” She turned instantly and said, “Yes, look what it took for me to get it!” The owner looked shocked, but I told him, “You and I define success as a hit song, but she just wants to live.”

Jessica's aura wasn't through bringing blessings, even to those who experienced it second hand! I played my version of "A Will To Live" for some massage therapy clients of mine – I had also been their wedding singer. They loved the song and told me I needed to share this message with the world… and what would it take? I said, “You know, it’s always about the money.” At that moment they gave me a “no interest” loan to record a full CD and release it on my new label, “Lavender Soul Records.” It wasn't Sony or Warner Brothers that gave me a record deal... It was Jessica.

I continued massaging Jessica whenever possible throughout that first year. She was a tenth grader at Olive Branch School. She was one of the top students and was nominated for “Who’s Who.” Sadly, this was the only year in her life that she could actually go to school. She had always been too sick. I soon came to know her family and massaged them too. I remember the day her grandparents gave her a used car for her sixteenth birthday. That was the only time I ever saw her jump up and down for joy like a kid. For that shining moment she was not sick.

CONTINUE READING    page  1 - 2 - 3  >next