Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas

Sermon Illustrations

Fontella Bass grew up in the church singing gospel music, and serving the Lord. Eventually her marvelous voice led her into a singing career.

In 1965 her No. 1 R&B single "Rescue Me" placed her among the greatest.

But she was a one hit wonder.

Twenty-five years later Fontella was facing the lowest time of her life.

She was at the end of her roap.

She had no career to speak of and she had strayed far from the church.

She was broke, tired and cold: the only heat in her house came from the gas stove in the kitchen.

She had strayed far from the path God had laid out for her years before.

Then one day she humbled herself in prayer before God and asked God for a sign. She wanted to know if there was still a chance for her

All of a sudden on the TV she heard ... ‘Rescue Me.’ " She was unaware that American Express had been using her song on a TV commercial.

She said "It was as if the Lord had stepped right into my world!"

"I looked around and got my back royalties. I started to go to church every Sunday.

" Now she is back singing. She has a new album,

But she believes the Lord has served her career best. "For so many years I tried doing it on my own, and it didn’t work," she says. "Then I took it out of my hands and turned it over to him, and now everything’s happening."