Toward the end of the song, Anne Wilson stood in front of me and grabbed my hand for a second while she sung her song.
Courtesy of Sarah Shrader
Country Concert was a little different this year. And no, not because we were sober – we did that last year as well. Although, I will say – that didn’t really make it any easier at times. But we made some changes – embraced it as more of a normal now – versus last year where it was more like a challenge.
Even if sobriety has become normal most of the time, there are still moments where drinking crosses my mind – and the week leading up to Country Concert was full of them. Just a small thought of how much fun it could be to just go “live it up” one more time, and I can go all the way down that rabbit hole of thinking. Thankfully, prayer and strength has kept me from acting, but whew, those thoughts still happen.
In fact, if we hadn’t already paid for our tickets, I seriously thought about not going. I was in a terrible mood all week letting the thought of missing out take over. But other than the money spent, there was one other thing holding me on to going – one of my favorite artists, Anne Wilson, was going to be there in the saloon.
A little back story on this lady – three years ago, she put out a song called, “My Jesus.” I instantly fell in love with it, and it quickly became a repeat on the playlist. In 2021, at Country Concert, another artist on stage started singing Anne’s song, “My Jesus” – and I, a little tipsy (remember it was three years and some beers ago), joined in as probably one of a handful of people in the entire place that knew that song.
Yes, even drinking, I knew My Jesus. And I begged for Him to save me from drinking. Sometimes, that same night after drinking. And always, the next day. I wanted so bad to just stop drinking – but I just didn’t think it was possible. Cue Anne’s song: “He makes a way where there ain’t no way, rises up from an empty grave, ain’t no sinner that He can’t save, let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus. And let my Jesus change your life.”
That’s the song that I belted out at Country Concert in 2021, but still didn’t offer Jesus the actual opportunity to change my life.
Until I did.
So even though I was having a bad week leading up to Country Concert, I knew that Anne Wilson was going to be in the saloon, so I kept my eyes on that part of it. While “My Jesus” was my first favorite, She has a ton of songs that I love of hers including one that talks about why she sings songs about Jesus instead of singing songs about whiskey, and how she is a rebel — when the crowd goes one way, she goes the other.
Still, when Anne Wilson day came (as I called it), I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I mean, I don’t know if you all have been to Country Concert, but it isn’t exactly church. Don’t get me wrong, country music does talk about God a lot – but a full-blown Christian/country artist was going to be a little different.
We were excited about it though, and Lee and I waited 2 hours to make sure we were right up front. I literally cared more about seeing her than any other artist there. And let me tell you, she did not disappoint.
But her beautiful voice (which really is amazing) is not even the best part of this story. I watched and felt the spirit move as she sang song after song about Jesus in a place that, well, I had been drunk at several times. And I stood there soaking it all in as people sang her words with her – Jesus’ name – in a saloon of tons of people with drinks in their hand. And I felt every word of it. Because I wasn’t drunk this time.
When her last song came on – that familiar tune, she came around and shook a few hands. Towards the end of the song, Anne Wilson stood in front of me and grabbed my hand for a second while she sung her song – my sobriety song – “My Jesus.”
And I cried. So moved and taken over in a place where I swear time stopped and showed me myself three years ago and showed me myself today. And I could not stop crying — so thankful for the artist, the song, the moment, but especially for My Jesus – who changed my life.
Country Concert was different this year – but I certainly didn’t miss out on anything – in fact, instead, I was moved more in one performance than in the hundreds of moments spent there in the past. And I assure you, I did live it up – it’s just that, these days, living it up with my Jesus, feels way more alive.
Sarah (Pitson) Shrader was born and raised in Lima. She is a Lima Central Catholic and Tiffin University graduate. Sarah is a full-time working mama who enjoys writing about her somewhat crazy, always adventurous life as a mom and bonus mom. She lives in Bath Township with her husband, Lee Parsons, and their seven kids.
