“Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory” (Psalm 115:1).
Nothing else expresses so well the heartfelt thanks of singer/songwriter, recording artist, and morning drive-time host, Perry LaHaie, as he reflects on an amazing 2021.
As he launches into a new year of ministry, music, and missions, he does so on the heels of a fruitful 2021 marked by compelling creative content, meaningful media appearances, and Kingdom-building milestones for LaHaie and his family.
As a recording artist with Frontiers USA, an international community of people dedicated to inviting Muslims worldwide to follow Jesus, LaHaie is most grateful for the impact his ministry is having around the world with his latest project, Him.
“My heart in these songs is to recapture our hearts with the amazingness of God’s grace and move us to join the miraculous move of God in the Muslim world,” says LaHaie.
As part of his work with Frontiers, LaHaie has recently advanced that movement by sharing his Songs, Stories and Nations Worship Gathering at Straights Area Evangelical Free Church in St. Ignace, MI. He also performed at and emceed (along with his Perry and Shawna Mornings radio show co-host, Shawna Beyer) the Pathway to the Unreached gathering, sponsored by World Mission, an organization that provides solar-powered audio Bibles in regions that include a majority of the world’s Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist population.
The success of LaHaie’s Kingdom pursuits was matched by the critical and commercial acclaim of various remixes of favorites from the Him album.
In July 2021, LaHaie released to streaming platforms world-wide a remix of the album’s “Amazing Grace (Send Me)” from Nashville producer Joshua Frerichs, whose credits include Grammy-nominated artists Danny Gokey and Josh Groban, Warner Chappell Music, Food Network, Bank Of America, the USA Olympics, and more.
In the first few months following the release, over 100,000 people had streamed the song in over 50 countries, and over 40,000 had watched the lyric video.
Christmas 2021 saw the release of a cinematic remix of “O Come O Come Emmanuel (How Long),” also produced by Frerichs, which has been streamed by over 300,000 people in over 50 countries.
The success of the singles, Him project, and ministry were featured on multiple media outlets in 2021, including award-winning television show Babbie’s House, CCM Magazine, CBN.com, Making your Life Count on CRU (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ radio), Mornings with Eric and Brigette on Moody Radio, Afternoons with Miss Debbie & Sarah on Your Celebration Radio Network, and more.
A compelling media personality in his own right, Perry continued to share his heart for the Muslim world through Perry and Shawna Mornings, the daily morning drive show he co-hosts on 89.3 Grand Rapids, Michigan. Additionally, his radio feature, Cast Yourself In, was broadcast daily on over 200 radio stations across the country.
But his own music was not the only creative endeavor that made 2021 a memorable year for Perry.
“2021 was a special year as well because my daughter, Kali Joy, and my brother, Nate LaHaie, released new music,” shares Perry. “Both gifted singer-songwriters, they each are wounded healers, allowing Jesus to pour His healing through their raw honesty.”
Perry’s daughter, Kali Joy, released her second album, Real Life, produced by Nashville’s Daniel St. Black. The project was birthed from a time of deep insecurity and loneliness, during which God’s love broke through in a life-changing way.
“The title song, ‘Real Life,’ was inspired by the first moment of truly believing God’s love for me,” she says. “I said it over and over. ‘God loves me.’ It was as if I finally broke the surface of the deep waters I’d been drowning in, and took the deepest breath as life began to fill my lungs.”
Perry’s brother, Nate LaHaie, the singer and songwriter for the rock band Xavier Sun, also released a new single, “In My Heart,” following the death of their mother.
“Although it’s a tune about profound loss, I believe it offers hope to those who are willing to dig deep into their sorrow and reach out to their heavenly Father for comfort,” says Nate.
The God-given talent runs deep in Perry’s family, as does his personal mission to spread the soul-rescuing news of salvation with the world.
“I’m passionate about Jesus because He found me at my worst, embraced me, and loved me unconditionally,” says Perry. “What a privilege to get to share the Gospel with people all over the world through radio, music, and via amazing media platforms.”
