Not only does God give us grace, we have to give grace to others and to ourselves.

If you really want something and work hard, you can find a way to have your dreams come

true.

Welcome to the Jesus Calling Podcast.

We all hope that when we look back on our lives, we can consider them well-lived.

And what signifies a life well-lived?

Is it how much money we made or to what heights of fame we climbed?

Not according to our guests this week, both who have achieved fame and recognition

for their musical talent, but who have also realized that real meaning comes through

their music when it makes a difference in other people's lives, and that God gives them

the words and the platform to spread his message of love.

We're talking with Lawrence LaRue, a singer with the iconic music group The Fifth Dimension,

and country music artist Michael Ray.

Let's start with Lawrence's story.

I'm Lawrence LaRue, I'm an African-American mother, grandmother, and woman who loves the Lord.

I grew up in a small town called Glenside, Pennsylvania, which is a suburb or beautiful

suburb of Philadelphia.

I had many challenges growing up.

My family lived in a town where the white community and the black communities were separated

by a road, and our house happened to be on the side of the road with a white community

lived, so I ended up going to an all-white except for me, a school.

So I was in the middle, I wasn't truly accepted by either race.

...