No, I’m not going to write about miracles, at Christmas or at any time. Except maybe the miracle of God’s gifts to individuals. Some people are gifted as artists, or preachers, or teachers. The list goes on and on. But the gift I am writing about today is the gift of communication, and I’m focusing on one man. Joseph S. Bonsall.
Now some of you know that name, but others may not. So, brief bio: Joseph (or as he is better known, Joe) Bonsall is from Philadelphia, PA, but has been a resident in the Nashville, Tennessee, area since 1973. He is a tenor with the Oak Ridge Boys (aha! Now that’s where you know the name!) As such, he is the “front-man” who introduces the songs, the band, and interacts with the audience the most. But Joe is also a writer. (Check out a complete list here )
I have already written about his book, G. I. Joe and Lillie in another article. Today, I want to share with you a little about an older book of Joe’s called Christmas Miracles. While this is out of print, used copies are still to be found – I found mine on Amazon. This book is a series of short stories some of which Joe says he has written while the Oak Ridge Boys are on their annual Christmas tours (which, if you have never been to one, or to an Oaks concert at all, you simply must go see! Best. Christmas. Show. Ever. I promise!)
Anyway, back to the book. This was a hard read for me, simply because I found myself sobbing through some of the stories. Joe has an image of the happy go lucky smart-aleck due to his stage persona, who (dare I say it?) often doesn’t duck fast enough when 2 other Oaks who shall remain nameless decide it’s time for a prank. But he is also a very tender-hearted, loving man who loves Jesus, his lovely wife Mary, their family, and their cats. So these stories are tender, faith-filled, and very emotional. They also, not surprisingly, center mainly around service men and women, as both his parents were World War II veterans.
My favorite, and one of the two with the most tears, is the first, “Eric and Emily,” about a young couple, a secret mission in the Mideast, and God’s protection. Without giving away the storyline, let it just be said that you will at least begin to wonder about the power of prayer and love after reading it. The second one, “Big Grin,” hit close to home. It is about a vital, energetic man with Alzheimer’s. My dad succumbed to that, too, so I almost skipped over this one. But in the end, I’m glad I didn’t, because it shows how we never know how much someone in the throes of that awful disease is aware of.
I know that I have not given you very many firm story lines, or specifics, and that has been deliberately done, gentle readers. Because these are only short stories, much would be lost if too many details were given you. I believe that I will better serve you by tantalizing you so that you go read them for yourselves.
As I said at the start, this article is about the miracle of God’s gift of communication. God has blessed Joe Bonsall with that gift, both as a singer who pours his heart out in his music, and as a writer, who can write about the big things in life – faith, love, hope, joy – in a deceptively simple style that allows Joe’s heart to shine through the words on the page, and right into your heart.
I have two more of Joe’s books making their way to me thanks to used booksellers on Amazon, so stay tuned! And go find one of Joe’s books and listen to some Oak Ridge Boys while you are at it!.
Jacquie's World 