5/13/05

I took one last look. My hand reached for the light switch and the silence of the moment was gently interrupted with a small click. I turned to leave and took a half a step. Once more I looked back. . .

Nine years ago. It was the fall of '96. I had just sold most of my guitar equipment that summer. I sold my equipment because I thought that God was leading me away from music. Looking back He wasn't calling me away from music, but toward obedience. That fall, an upper classman at Kentucky Christian College approached me in the halls of what is now KCU (Kentucky Christian University). He wanted me to gather some musicians to provide some music for a coffee house in Chesapeake, OH. I told him that God was leading me away from music. He said that he felt lead to ask me to do this. I told him that I sold my guitar equipment. He asked if I would pray about it. I told him that I really felt that I wasn't the man for the job. He asked again, if I would pray about it. I agreed to pray about it.

Weeks later I found myself gathering a freshman guitarist who lived next door to me in the dorm, an ex VIP singer who dabbled a little on the bass guitar, a tall folk singer who had little interest in drums (but little interest was better than none), a classically trained vocalist who swore he would never sing on stage again and me, a guitarist who had just sold his equipment.

One thing led to another and that group of guys became fishHook. After one album (red) and over three years of traveling John Kelly (our bass player) felt called into full-time Youth Ministry in a church instead of on the road. Soon after John left Nick Wagner left for personal reasons. To this day John continues as a Youth Minister and Nick has recovered well after going through a rough period in his life.

At this point the three remaining members, Lyle, Jeff and myself (Dusty) ventured out and lived in three different states ministering at churches while we continued to play, write and minister as fishHook. After a little over two years of rebuilding fishHook we felt called to "hit the road" full-time. So we did. In 2002 we stepped out and traveled full time. From 2002 to 2004 we released our other two albums, Blueprints and God's Time. It is during this period when most of you who are reading this knew us. The time spent on the road full-time was an amazing experience. We grew as a ministry team and the ministry of fishHook grew as a Kingdom tool. As God used the ministry of fishHook we just sat in awe of what He would do through music, speaking, worship, goofy skits and any other means that He led us to use in our ministry.

This continued until August of 2004. Earlier that year Lyle had informed Jeff and I that he would no longer be traveling with fishhook at the end of the summer. He wanted to be home with his wife and child. Lyle felt called back into a full-time localized ministry.

It was August 20, 2005 in Springfield, OH that we played our last concert. We didn't know it at the time. Jeff was still undecided if he was willing to take the risk of bringing in another drummer/minister. Weeks later he realized that he was not.

Lyle made his decision in the spring of 2004. Jeff in August of 2004. As the founding member I watched each member of fishhook enter the ministry of fishHook and now I have watched each member exit. Years of ministry, music and memories still circle my thoughts and heart. Jeff is helping his dad (Art Bush) in the office and went back to school for his Master's degree. Lyle has settled into a Youth and Worship ministry in Indiana. And me? Well I'm looking forward to the next adventure that God calls me to.

. . . I took one last look. My hand reached for the light switch and the silence of the moment was gently interrupted with a small click. I turned to leave and took a half a step. Once more I looked back and I saw the empty space where my desk was, where Jeff's and Lyle's were. Sticky tack dots filled the wall where we kept every letter of encouragement that you sent us. An old bass amp that I had given to Jeff to use as a practice amp sat against the wall. A broken printer lay in the corner. I turned this time and continued out of the room and down the stairs. I set the alarm to that office complex one last time. I went to my car and turned to look at the studio door. I could almost see ghost-like figures of the five of us, seven years ago, as young college students eating lunch outside the studio during a recording session of "red." That was years ago.

Sometimes in your life you come to a major change and it feels like you are turning the page to another chapter. Well this change is more like closing the cover of a great book.

I want to thank you on behalf of fishhook for making fishhook the ministry that it was and for continuing the ministry by listening and sharing our songs. Ministers first, musicians second, Christians always.

All because of Him,
Dusty D.