PHOTO EPISTLE #19 – Meeting Charlie Daniels

Through the years, I’ve had the fortune of meeting and shooting a few country performers. All of them have been class acts and great people to work with. One of my all time favorites is Charlie Daniels! Most young folk don’t know who I’m talking about until I mention his great hit “The Devil Went Down To Georgia”. The first time I met Charlie was on his ranch in Lebanon, Tenn. I’d been hired by a national magazine to shoot a behind the scenes story on Charlie and he opened the doors wide open for myself and the writer, Brad.

As I’ve mentioned in other post, I always consider any assignment I’m given to be a possible divine mission God is sending me on. So, I always keep my spiritual antenna’s up for that special opportunity God will provide. On this trip, Brad, who I had worked with a number of times before, was who I thought perhaps God was calling me to share Christ with. The guy was very spiritual, but in a real new age kind of way. He was constantly asking me really good and tough questions about Jesus and Christianity.

So, picture Brad and I sitting on top of a corral fence at Charlie Daniels ranch. Charlie, who is a very big man, makes a full grown cutting horse look like a Shetland Pony when he is sitting on top of one. Charlie is cutting cattle, while I’m shooting photos and trying to answer some of Brads “Jesus” questions at the same time. Charlie would ride right by us to set up for the next shooting sequence, when he heard me talking to Brad about Jesus. He about ripped that poor horses head off turning him around and skidded to a stop with his horse in my face. With a look that made me wonder if the devil had just come down to Tennessee, he then asked me in a loud/gruff tone  “ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?”. I looked at Brad, who’s note pad was drooping down and his mouth was wide open along with his eyeballs. My immediate thought was, well we are about to be kicked off this ranch because denying Christ is just not in my nature. In my most country voice I could muster with a big smile, I said “Yes sir, I sure am!”.  Charlie, just for good measure, sat there with a glare for a few more seconds, I’m sure to make me squirm a little more and then put on a big ole’ smile and said “Good! So am I!”. From there on, Brad got an ear full of Jesus Christ as Charlie and I spent the rest of the weekend off and on talking about how God had blessed us.

At the end of the weekend Charlie shared how much he had enjoyed our time together. How it had reminded him how much he missed having more time with his family in Christ. He spends so much time on the road he rarely had time to go to church and realized how much he needed that contact with Jesus through other believers. I told Charlie I’d be praying for him & his time with God and to also call me when he was in Texas. He did a couple of times, but it’s been years since I’ve heard from him. I still pray for him whenever the Holy Spirit brings him to mind, which is often. I’ll say this, Charlie is a god loving man and I’m sure a lot of credit goes to his wife Hazel! He definitely married up:)

Brad sure heard the gospel! Seeds well planted. I hope and pray they will bring the fruit of knowing Jesus into his life. I tell you, being a messenger boy for my Lord sure is fun. 1 Peter 3:15  “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

the Jesusfreak