Mark Bishop's "Grandkids" Collection Out Now

When Southern Gospel favorite Mark Bishop recorded his song, "Grandkids," he didn't have more in mind than celebrating the "'new' love" brought by the arrival of his first grandchild. But as it became clearer that this creation had touched listeners in a unique and powerful way, he realized that the special joy - and challenges - of rearing children is a theme that has run like a bright, colorful ribbon through his ever-growing catalog of songs. Now, Sonlite Records has gathered some of the most memorable of these into a special collection: Grandkids.

"Someone pointed out to me that I write a lot of songs about family," notes Bishop. "As I look back through the years I realize that that is true. Maybe that is because the deepest love that we feel in this life is often with our family. Our husband or wife... our moms and dads... brothers and sisters... our kids... our grandkids... our hearts are connected in a way that follows us through a lifetime."

Sure enough, after the opening "Grandkids," Bishop turns to the earliest days of childhood - and to a recording from decades ago - with "Grow Up, Baby, Good and Strong" and its opening children's chorus, and then a moving meditation on "a parent alone" in "The Refrigerator Door." With "Sometimes God Whispers," the tempo turns lively, offering the reassurance of its powerful chorus:

I believe God loves us; I believe God cares
I can feel Him in my heart, in my soul, I can feel Him in the air
I see the fingerprints of God upon creation. I can see Him everywhere

And after the misty-eyed remembrance of "I Remember Her Well" - "the hardest thing a dad ever does is give his girl away," he offers in the song's uplifting bridge - Bishop closes the set with an unexpected and welcome gift in the previously unreleased "Lightning Bug," a buoyantly whimsical tale about a firefly that reaches its apex with a valuable reminder for young and old alike:

When you hide your light, you're harder to find
No matter the circumstance, let your light shine

"Sometimes the simplest examples are the best examples," notes Bishop. "When I was a kid, going to church with mom and dad, I can remember singing, 'this little light of mine... I'm gonna let it shine...'"

"We were in the studio and ended up with a little extra time to record something just...'fun,'" he continues. "I had this song that I had written for my daughters when they were still in school. It's about a lightning bug that learns the valuable lesson of letting your light shine, in this case, literally. We had a lot of fun with the different voices and the story is just plain cute. I hope it's something that parents, grandparents, and kids alike can enjoy together."

"I'm proud to release this special EP that celebrates our connection with family," Bishop concludes. "God's had a lot of great ideas... and one of His best has to be family."

Listen to Grandkids HERE.