############## Thirty years ago, in 1984, I started traveling with my dad and my brother around to different churches and local concerts in east-central Kentucky. We had some friends who became our band. We bought a van, and then we bought our first bus. We recorded some albums and they caught on across the country on Gospel Radio stations. And so we traveled even more. In 1987 we quit our jobs and Gospel Music was no longer just our passion, it became our profession. It has been supremely satisfying to me to have my faith in Christ and my love of music intertwined with how I make a living. The truth is, I would be writing these songs even if they weren t my occupation. I just thank the Lord that He has blessed me with other folks who feel the same way that I do about life and love and our place in God s big universe. There were plenty of ups and downs in the past thirty years; moments of great joy and moments of despair. That s just like any life, isn t it? So now you hold in your hands a brand new collection of songs that explore both ends of the spectrum and everything in between, just like the past three decades have held for me. I would love to thank everyone who has been a part of that amazing journey. I wish I had space to go down the list and name you all, but that wouldn t be possible here. So thanks. Thanks for letting me and my music be a part of your journey. Thanks for letting me be a part of the soundtrack to your amazing, poignant, breath-taking life. I hope there are many more awesome moments to come.
That One s Easy I wake up in the morning. I climb out of bed. The world has somehow gotten crazier. I just shake my head. I worry for my children; all the things they ll hear and see. I guess that s the dad in me. Well things are really different from when I was a kid. Seems like people knew their neighbors; if we could help em, well, we did. Moms and dads would act like grown-ups for their daughters and their sons. No excuses; they just got it done. Yeah, kids ask crazy questions. They will open every door. Like, Why do people hurt each other? Why do countries go to war? And, Is there such a thing as true love? That one always gets to me. Cause that one s easy, yeah, that one s easy Well there are questions I can t answer, that only God would know. Why do children have to suffer? Why do broken hearts heal slow? Why can t families stay together? I ve got questions of my own. Yeah I ve got questions of my own. But if you ask me, Is there real love that can pick you off the ground? Does anybody hear you praying? Is there an answer coming down? And, Does anybody love me? Of all the questions you could ask me, That one s easy; that one s easy. Is there a love that helps a family get through hard times when they come? That when the pieces fit together, they re much greater than the sum. Well there are questions without answers, oh, but that s not really one. Cause that one s easy; that one s easy. Well there are questions I can t answer. That only God would know. Why do children have to suffer? Why do broken hearts heal slow? Why can t families stay together? I ve got questions of my own. Yeah I ve got questions of my own. But if you ask me, Is there real love that can pick you off the ground? Does anybody hear you praying? Is there an answer coming down? And, Does anybody love me? Of all the questions you could ask me, That one s easy; that one s easy. But if you ask me, Is there real love that can pick you off the ground? Does anybody hear you praying? Is there an answer coming down? And, Does anybody love me? Of all the questions you could ask me, That one s easy; of all the questions, I ve got to say, That one s easy. Look Who s Here That part of day when the sun was so much hotter She sat alone at the well drawing water. Crying tears that nobody else could dry. She kept her secrets locked up inside. The others watched. Sometimes they d point and whisper. She felt alone. Sometimes that woman wished her life was different. Felt like she was on the brink until a stranger came and asked her for a drink. Now look who s here. Look who heard somebody praying. Look who cared. Look who knew her heart was breaking. There she was, thinking love had disappeared, then she looked up, Now look who s here. Now I can tell today s not been the best day. Sometimes things never seem to go the right way. So here we are in a broken-hearted state. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is sit and wait. But we can pray, with both of us believing, Trust in faith, for the answer we re receiving. When you feel there s no way you ll make it through When you least expect, your heart will speak to you (saying ) Look who s here. Look who heard somebody praying. Look who cares. Look who knew your heart was breaking. There you were, thinking love had disappeared, then you looked up, Now look who s here. Look who s here. Look who heard somebody praying. Look who cares. Look who knew your heart was breaking. There you were, thinking love had disappeared, then you looked up Yeah you looked up, Now look who s here. Yeah look who s here.
Love s Gonna Get You Yet Woke up a mess every day, without a compass to guide Looked like I knew where I was, but if they d seen me inside They d know that I was afraid, they d see that I was alone Lost like a child in the woods, and I was so far from home Maybe you ve felt the same way. I think we all do sometimes. like we don t merit God s love. He can t forgive me these crimes. But then He touched me with grace. Just like a bolt from the blue. If it can happen to me, well, it can happen to you Love s gonna get you yet. Love s gonna get you yet. God s gonna reach right down, and pull your heart out of debt. Love s gonna get you yet. Love like you ll never forget. Heartache might have you right now, but love s gonna get you yet. I ve been where you are now, just couldn t figure out, Who Jesus really was, what this was all about It sounded so fantastic! Too good to be true! But when you give God a chance, that s when His love will break through Love s gonna get you yet. Love s gonna get you yet. God s gonna reach right down, and pull your heart out of debt. Love s gonna get you yet. Love like you ll never forget. Heartache might have you right now, but love s gonna get you yet Grace that s so amazing, and joy that overflows Love that fills your heart until you think you might explode Pray on the Little Days I m just like you in so many ways. I ve had my share of tears; had my share of rainy days. Yeah, there were ups and downs and the seasons turned. But through it all the greatest lesson that I have learned (is to just ) let God be God on those little days. and He ll be God there on the bigger days. Why do we wait until things go wrong? When we could have Him by our side all along. Let God be God in the best of times. And He ll be your God when you re going through the worst of times. If you need God to move in mighty ways When you need God to be there on the bigger days Well pray on the little days. It s more than a book sitting on a table. God can change your life; He s willing and He s able. Oh, but we keep Him small, and then we stay the same. But we could change the world by calling on His name. So let God be God on the little days. and He ll be God on the bigger days. Why do we wait till things go wrong? When we could have Him by our side all along. Let God be God in the best of times. And He ll be God through the worst of times. When you need God to move in mighty ways When you need God to be there on the bigger days Pray on the little days. Let God be God on the little days. and He ll be God on the bigger days. Why do we wait till things go wrong? When we could have Him by our side all along. Let God be God in the best of times. And He ll be God through the worst of times. When you need God to move in mighty ways When you need God to be there on the bigger days Pray on the little days. Pray on the little days; let God be God!
This Is What It s All About John wore simple raiment. Every day He walked a dusty path. When he told his crazy stories, all the people laughed. He looks across the fields and whispers, Everything here is so brown. There is something different about him. Have you seen the things he s written down? John talked to the people; this is what he told. Imagine trading these dusty streets for streets of purest gold. He said, There s a city even greater than Rome, a throne of holy light. Walls of jasper and gates of pearl and never comes the night. Most of the people just turned and left; still some others stayed. We asked John how he knew these things, but all that he would say God has made me a lonely man; He knew that I would yearn And count the sunsets that bring me to the day that I ll return. He said This is what it s all about. This is what it s all about. Pray and love one another. This is what it s all about. John s hands would quiver, sitting at his desk at night. He thought about all the things he d seen, and write them down by candlelight. Early every morning, John faces the sunrise Like he s waiting for something with a faraway look in his eyes He said This is what it s all about. This is what it s all about. Pray and love one another. This is what it s all about. La La La La La La La La La La; La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La; La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La; La La La La La La La La La La This is what it s all about. This is what it s all about. Pray and love one another. This is what it s all about. Tonight I ll Mention You in My Prayers The patter of the rain upon the leaves Speaks to me of what the tree believes. It needs the rain. It needs the sun. It needs them both and when they re done, God creates an emerald canopy. Tonight these feet will climb celestial stairs. Before the stars begin to wane, Someone in Heaven will hear your name. Today I followed footsteps in the snow. They wandered through the wooded vale below. No matter where the footprints roamed They always led my feet back home. Today I followed footsteps in the snow. Tonight these feet will climb celestial stairs. Before the stars begin to wane, Someone in heaven will hear your name. If troubled times should ever come to be, I know you would do the same for me. But here upon the streets of gold A prayer does not have far to go I know you would do the same for me. Tonight these feet will climb celestial stairs. Before the stars begin to wane, Someone in heaven will hear your name. Before the stars begin to wane Someone in heaven will hear your name. Tonight I ll mention you in my prayers In my prayers Tonight I ll mention you In my prayers.
The Devil s Playing Chess Well the preacher s shaking hands and everybody s going home. He sees a young man on the back pew and he s sitting there alone. The preacher sees the desperation etched upon the young man s face. He says Lord, give me wisdom in the words that I should say. The man says Preacher I m a sinner; got a lot that I regret. There are sins that I ve committed, I d just as soon forget. My whole life has been a failure; I ve let down my family. I would pray but I don t think that God wants much to do with me. So the young man tells his story for an hour, maybe more. And everything he hears, well, that ol preacher s heard before. He says Son, it s all real simple. You re not the first to fail life s test See, you ve been playing checkers but the devil, he s playing chess. And we need the Lord every day to win the battle. Without Him it s a game that we can t win. For when you play against the devil, you re in trouble. That s the way it is and the way it s always been. Somehow he knows, and he ll hit you where you re weakest. No wonder this old world s in such a mess. It s time to change your strategy for living. See, you ve been playing checkers but the devil s playing chess. Well the young man finds the altar and the tears begin to flow. He prays and calls out to the Lord and none of it s for show. Through the stain-glass windows there s a beam of golden light. The preacher hears him say, Forgive me, Lord, and he knows he made it right. Soon the young man s on his way and he shakes the preacher s hand. Says, After all these years of sinnin, I believe I understand. And as he shuts the door behind him, well that old preacher rares up straight. He locks the door and says, Hey devil, I believe that that s check-mate. It s no wonder we are living in a world that s such a mess. Yeah, we ve been playing checkers, but the devil s playing chess. He Can See My Tomorrow I go to church every Sunday where I pray and I sing. You know on Monday and Tuesday, I can do the same thing. On Thursday and Friday, I feel happy inside. When Saturday rolls around my soul s still satisfied. He can see my tomorrow and he knows what I need. He can see what I m growing, before I even plant the seed. I can move to the backseat, and just give Him the lead. Cause He can see my tomorrow and He knows what I need. Well tick-tock, tick-tock. My doesn t time fly. Every time I turn around, another year s gone by. But I never have to worry. No it doesn t mean a thing. He s already made a way for me, whatever the world might bring. Well He loves you in the summer. And He loves you in the fall. He can see you through the winter; yeah He can see you through it all. Like a flower in the springtime, you grow a little every day. You could offer me a million dollars and still I wouldn t trade Him away. I can move to the backseat, and just give Him the lead. Cause He can see my tomorrow and He knows what I need.
God Loves to Tell a Story With a Happy Ending In Chapter One we meet someone lost out in the wilderness searching for the road to lead them home. In Chapter Two we find them with a heart that has been broken The choices they have made left them alone. Later in the story after trials and tribulations They find redemption in a rugged cross. Suddenly their tragedy has a happy ending, A happy-ever-after for the lost... And that s the story for me; Without Him, where would we be? Little David would have died at the hands of ol Goliath. Moses would have stopped at the Red Sea. The three Hebrew children would have perished in the fire. Satan would have won at Calvary. And I who was lost, would have been lost forever. But that s not where the story ends for me. For God saw the finish and He wrote another chapter; an ending where salvation set me free. He never met a broken heart He wasn t capable of mending. I m so glad God loves to tell a story with a happy ending. I am not the only one; I know that there are others; Soon every story draws to a close. Epic tales of struggle that have spanned across the ages Where before the cross there was no hope. And just before the dawn when the outcome was so certain A knight in shining armor did appear. The story took a turn in a way no one expected. It s no mystery why I am here If it wasn t for His love for you and me, Well the story would have ended differently With a happy ending This Life There is a home beyond this one; tis a place of eternal rest. Where we shall meet once again they say, but this time as heavenly guests. And so what I should say, I ll say now to you lest I should leave and can t tell you again I m glad I got to know you in this life. Glad God allowed me to know you in this life. Who knows after the journey s through What we will see somewhere beyond the blue. Oh what a gift I was given to know you, here, in this life. Soon comes the day when our traveling is done. The journey is finished. The race has been won. A long life for others; a short life for some All in God s wisdom we pray. For mothers and fathers and daughters and sons, Live all of the days of their lives till they re done. They cherish the memories, even the ones That bring melancholy and tears. If each life were a tree and each day were a leaf Then winter s a bandit and time is a thief. Look past the gray skies; past sorrow and grief To the joy that the springtime will bring. And if life were a river that flowed evermore And then someday we land on a heavenly shore I will step on those banks where I ll travel no more. All there, together again. I m glad I got to know you in this life. Glad God allowed me to know you in this life. Who knows after the journey s through What we will see somewhere beyond the blue. Oh what a gift I was given to know you, here, in this life. All of the miles we have traveled; all of the days we have lived here below, What makes the journey worthwhile are the good people we know And saying goodbye, seems we just said hello But we shall meet on life s other side
Produced by:, Jeff Collins Recording Engineers: Scott Barnett & Van Atkins at Crossroads Studios, Arden, NC Mixed and Mastered by: Scott Barnett at Crossroads Studios, Arden, NC Additional Post Production: Mylon Hayes Photography: Kim Lancaster Brantley Graphic Design: Lynn O Hara, Art & Design Den Musicians: Jeff Collins # piano, keyboards Tony Creasman # drums, percussion Jeremy Medkiff # bass and electric guitars David Johnson # acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, resonator guitar, harmonica, steel guitar, banjo Milton Smith # Orchestrations Guest Vocals on This Life and This Is What It s All About # Courtney Isaacs The Hey choir on This Is What It s All About # Haley Bishop, John Isaacs, Courtney Isaacs, ############# Label Coordinators: A&R Executive: Chris White Visit Crossroads online store at: crossroadsmusic.com pg2014 Sonlite Records, a division of Crossroads Entertainment & Marketing, Inc. ManuStudio Services: Jeff Collins factured and Distributed by Crossroads Distribution, P.O. Box 829, Arden, NC 28704. (828) 684-3066. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. Made in the U.S.A. Printed in the U.S.A. Distribution Services: Scott Wagner Radio Services: Jim Stover For booking information: Layout & Publishing: Greg Bentley 615 851-4500 harperagency.com Financial Services: Vickie Collins For more info on Mark visit: markbishopmusic.com Marketing Director: Ty Gilpin 2222222222
1. That One s Easy 5:34 2. Look Who s Here 3:18 3. Love s Gonna Get You Yet 3:48 4. Pray on the Little Days 4:42 5. This Is What It s All About 4:31 6. Tonight I ll Mention You in My Prayers 3:41 7. The Devil s Playing Chess 4:26 8. He Can See My Tomorrow 2:59 Visit Crossroads online store at: crossroadsmusic.com pg2014 Sonlite Records, a division of Crossroads Entertainment & Marketing, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Crossroads Distribution, P.O. Box 829, Arden, NC 28704. (828) 684-3066. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. Made in the U.S.A. Printed in the U.S.A. 9. God Loves to Tell a Story With a Happy Ending 4:06 10. This Life 5:31 markbishopmusic.com Produced by:, Jeff Collins A&R Executive: Chris White