The Country Gospel Music Association recently announced their national award winners. The Golden Heart Convention and Awards Show was held in Knoxville, Tennessee over the Labor Day week-end. 
According to CGMA president Billy Hale the event was saturated with tears of joy, laughter and an eagerness to share the goodness of God and a sincere desire on the part of the artists to use their talents for the glory of Christ. 

Among the artists receiving awards were the Ely's from Indiana, who were named Vocal Group of the year. Duo of the Year honors went to Chuck and Lee Campos. Gayla Earlene was named Songwriter of the year, while Male Vocalist of the year went to Abe Zacharias. 
Former Elvis impersonator Don Richmond was voted entertainer of the year, and WROM, in Rome, Georgia, was named radio station of the year. 

Lisa Daggs was the only dual award winner, garnering Female Vocalist and Favorite Artist of the year honors. 
Lisa is a very talented young lady with an interesting story behind her ministry. Nearly eight years ago, Lisa was sitting in a jail cell facing a possible three to five year sentence for cocaine "possession for sale". Having been raised in a Christian home, Lisa took time to reflect on where her own self will had brought her. She decided it was time to give everything back to God. She now gives all the glory to him for the work that he is doing through her and mostly for the hundreds of souls that she has seen saved at her concerts. 

In 1995 Daggs was named New Artist of the Year by the Christian Country Music Association. The next year the CCMA awarded her Entertainer of the Year honors. In 1996 her album "Love is the Bottom Line" received a Dove Awards nomination from the GMA. 

Lisa has also been embraced by Bill Gaither for the past two years at his annual homecoming and featured her with her fourth number-one single "Hands on the Plow" on his video "I Love to Tell the Story". 

She has appeared on TNN's "Prime Time Country", 
where she shared her testimony with a primarily mainstream country audience. I"ve seen Lisa at various awards programs and had the pleasure of performing with her at a county fair in Virginia last summer. Her genuine love of God is evident in her gentle smile and her uplifting music. 

Congratulations to all of the CGMA award winners. Our prayer is that God will continue to use them to proclaim his word through their efforts in venues all across the world.  
Until next month we're keepin it country, but keepin  it Christian.