Perry LaHaie

Hopefully this will interest you. Perry was born and raised in the north woods of Michigan about 15 minutes from the Mackinac Bridge, a five-mile suspension bridge spanning the Staights of Mackinac. www.mackinacbridge.org. The region is rich in native and early American history. And much of the native and early American history can still be experienced at Mackinac Island where horse and buggy is the only transporation allowed. www.mackinacisland.org.

Perry says "growing up in northern Michigan worked in me a great respect for the history and culture of native Americans and for the pioneering spirt of the first French and English explorers who came to northern Michigan. I guess part of that appreciation for other cultures and the adventurous spirit that God's put in my life comes from growing up in northern Michigan and has helped shape who I am today."

In terms of Perry's faith journey Perry says, "On the school playground in 5th grade I started following Jesus. A sixth grader who was a follower of Jesus said to me 'Perry I hope that one day you can be saved.' And the first thing that sincerely came out of my mouth was 'I am a believer!' In that moment the Spirit of Jesus let me know that I was one of his."

From that point on through his teen years, Perry describes his faith journey as that of a 'baby follower of Jesus.' "I really didn't know how to follow Jesus everyday and didn't know how to put him first in my life. I struggled with lots of wrong thoughts and actions that seemed to dominate my life," Perry says.

Perry's failures as a teen left him with 'a lot of guilt and shame issues.' In this place of brokenness came a defining moment:

"I had severly sprained my ankle playing basketball my senior year of high school. My friends carried me home and laid me on the couch. I asked my mom to pray and it was just as if Jesus walked into the room. He took away the pain in my ankle, but more than that he touched the pain in my heart. It was THE moment in my life that I knew that Jesus loved me unconditionally. And out of that experience I said to Jesus 'Now I KNOW you love me, so I'll follow you wherever you lead.' And it's that unconditionl love of Jesus that has empowered me to live for Jesus the way I never could before. His forgiveness empowered me and has been the fountain and power of my life ever since."

"I love the story in the bible about the boy with five loaves of bread and two fish," Perry says. "The boy gives Jesus the bread and fish and Jesus feeds over 5000 people with it. Wow! What strikes me is two things: Jesus' miracle, and the fact that the boy gave everything he had. I think the two go together. I believe that if I give the little I have to Jesus, somehow He'll make much of it."

For Perry his five loaves and two fish are radio and music. He's trying to use these media to make Jesus known close to home and to the farthest reaches of the planet. "When the waves of Jesus' grace rolled over my life, He put in me a hunger to share this love not only with the people around me but also with people far away and very different from me. I really believe there's grace for the world, not only for the few."

With an undergrad degree in communications, a graduate degree in cross-cultural communications and several years in broadcasting and as a singer, songwriter, Perry is offering his little in hope that Jesus will make much of it. "I'm trying my best to bring the unconditional love of Jesus to those who've never had a chance to experience it."

With that in mind, Perry and his wife Teresa have joined Frontiers, whose sole reason for being is to, 'With love and respect, invite all Muslims peoples to follow Jesus.' www.frontiers.org. Frontiers people are in over 40 countries of the world building bridges with Muslims.

"What I'm doing at Frontiers is using my radio and music skills to inspire followers of Jesus to join with God in what He's doing among our Muslim friends." With radio, I'm creating a daily feature that tells stories of what the Lord is doing among Muslims. Essentially the feature says 'Here's what God is doing. Come join Him. To find out how come to frontiers.org.'

Perry continues, "As a singer/songwriter I'm writing songs that share God's huge heart for all people and how we who follow Jesus are invited to be part of what He's doing." Currently Perry is writing songs for a new record that will "hopefully be a powerful tool to inspire the American church to get involved with what God is doing among our Muslim friends." Look for Perry's new project in 2008.