My Five Minute Friend Lisa Jo Baker posted this recently on her Facebook page: “Sometimes there’s nothing so good for the soul as country music.”

Amen, Sister!

I enjoy country music … especially when I’m in my truck. It can be raunchy and risque at times, twangy and bring out the best (or worst) of our redneck feelings {aw, come on, we all have them}. But, no matter what, it is always real — addressing real-life issues, warts and all.

I think that’s what I like most about contemporary country music. Life isn’t always hearts and flowers. There are breakups, separations, hurts, successes, failures, looking back, looking forward and everyday choices — not always good ones. There is hard driving, hard drinking and hard loving in life and the country genre deals with it all. The country genre lyrics are honest, honest to goodness honest.

But at its root, the country music genre is a compilation of life in America — not the America of cities, but the rural America. It may have been born in the south, but its sound resonates in every state … even upstate New York. Despite its sometimes shortcomings, it buzzes with traditional American values — God, family and country. It’s not unusual to hear a country song with lyrics like “… five-card poker on a Saturday night, church on Sunday morning …” (Boondocks by Little Big Town).

Country music tells a story in two and a half minutes, especially contemporary ballads. It’s the lyricist’s story … it’s the singer’s story … It’s your story … It’s my story.

And then there are those times when a country story just stops you in your tracks. Whenever you hear it, you make that connection with God. It returns you to communion.

In fact, country music has promoted the Gospel so much so, beginning in 1988, the Dove Awards began to award in the categories of Country Album of the Year and Country Recorded Song of the Year.

I’ve written before about Beer with Jesus by Thomas Rhett (https://wisdomfromafather.com/2012/10/13/beer-with-jesus/), which is certainly among my favorite country songs with a Christian bent. I could have come up with dozens, but over the next few weeks, I’ll share some of my favorites — and why.

I’m not talking about artists who chose songs like Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art {there are so many great versions of these}, or Just A Closer Walk with Thee (Patsy Cline’s early ’60s version remains the standard as far as I am concerned}.

This week’s pick is Alabama’s Angels Among Us.

The song was chosen originally as a Christmas single in 1993, but it resonated with audiences far beyond the season. It charted twice on the Hot Country Songs charts and features backing vocals from the Sanctuary Choir and Young Musicians Choir of the First Baptist Church of Fort Payne, AL.

It could be a little schmaltzy at time, but it has survived the test of time. While we don’t hear it too often anymore, the song reminds me there are angels everywhere guiding us. It could be the person next door, the postman, our family and friends. It should be us.

“… They wear so many faces; show up in the strangest places.
To grace us with their mercy, in our time of need.

Oh I believe there are angels among us.
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours.
To show us how to live, to teach us how to give.
To guide us with the light of love …”

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Marriage is like poker – you start with a pair and end up with a full house.