Eighty Six: Guest Blog

Guest Blogger – Jeff

A couple of weeks ago, I had to “work” from home because Hayden was running a fever for an extended period of time and couldn’t go to school. After taking him to the doctor and getting him antibiotics to fight an infection, I put him in my bed and let him watch cartoons all day while I went to “work” in the living room.

While I “work”, I prefer to listen to music so I tuned in to my favorite rock station 89.7 PowerFM. And just my luck, the first song playing was my favorite song (now my second favorite which will make more sense later). It was “Whatever You’re Doing (Something Heavenly)” by Sanctus Real. And as I listened, I thought, “I should go find the chords and lyrics and learn how to play it.”

SIDE NOTE – links are attached at the bottom if you want to check out the songs and comments I reference at the end

So I quickly went to my favorite guitar tab site and found it. Next I went to YouTube and found the video. I listened to it over and over again while practicing (I am not very musical so it takes me a very long time to put the music and rhythm of playing a guitar together with lyrics).

After a good 20 to 30 minutes, I took a break from the song, and noticed a YouTube link to another Sanctus Real song that I’ve never heard before called “Lead Me.” I clicked on it… I listened… and before the first chorus was over, I found myself struggling to hold back the tears. This song hit home… hard. It was like Matt Hammitt, the lead singer, wrote this song so that it might become my prayer.

After listening (and praying/crying) a few times, I clicked the next YouTube link… it was Matt and Sarah Hammitt talking about their personal story and the meaning behind the song “Lead Me.” And if the song wasn’t already enough to get choked up about, the parallels in their lives to mine and Lisa’s lives made my knees wobbly… sheesh!!! By this time, I am more emotional than a woman 37 weeks into pregnancy. I won’t give any names, but I saw this pregnant lady one time sitting on the couch with Sponge Bob playing on the TV in the background break into tears and laughter at the same time for no reason… but I digress.

I couldn’t wait for Lisa to get home. I forced her to sit down and listen to the song. I prefaced it by telling her the song has become my prayer. But I still kept my expectations low for a reaction (if you know anything about Lisa, you know that she is completely indifferent to music… she seriously has no desire to listen to music EVER… I am not exaggerating… even if you tell her to listen to the words, something in her brain physically prevents her from doing it… if you ask her to sing the first song that comes to her head, she’ll sing “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas"). But this time, she was speechless… and both of our eyes were filled with tears. I played the other clip too… she cried some more and all she said was, “Will you learn that song for me?”

So I did… enjoy (if you have an auto-tuner, now is the time to hold it up to your speakers).



I dedicate this to my wife, Lisa and sons, Hayden, Davis, and Blake. I pray that I’ll be the Husband and Father that God has called me to be in your lives. Love - Jeff

Now if you want to see what it is really suppossed to sound like, you can click the links below:

“Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly)”

“Lead Me”

Story Behind “Lead Me”