I have one major prayer for 2009. I fully understand that this prayer may be farfetched and unrealistic. Nevertheless, I am going to say it any way. My one prayer is for a drama free year of gospel music in 2009.

Over the last couple of years gospel music fans have had to watch their favorite artists go through a lot. I am fully aware that none of us are exempt from life. No matter who you are and how many CDs you make, there is a chance that some of the challenges of life can slap you right in the face.

As I think about some of the situations that have happened, it makes me sad. What happened to Tonex’s career? One minute it was extremely promising. The next thing I know he is cursing on the Internet.

Marriages have been destroyed. Unfortnuately, Yolanda Adams, Fred Hammond and Tonex have each had to divorce their spouses over the last couple of years. In addition, let’s not forget the divorce heard around the world. The divorce between Juanita Bynum and Bishop Weeks is a tragedy that is well chronicled.

If you throw in J.Moss’s child support situation and Timothy Wright’s accident that just adds more fuel to the fire. It makes you want to just pray real hard.

I’m sure there are a bunch of other instances that I am forgetting. I know that in this life we will all face suffering of some type. Is one drama free year too much to ask for?

On January 1, 2010, I am going to reflect on the gospel music industry in 2009. I don’t want the dominant memory in my mind to be about tragedy or divorce. I would love it if the top story in gospel in 2009 was a CD someone released that completely shook up the world.

Will it happen? I don’t know. I’m sure going to pray about it. What do you pray for when you think about 2009?