SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN A WINNER

Sue Herweck Smith has always been a winner. God blessed her by sending her to Hal and LaVerne Herweck so she could have outstanding Christians as parents. Always a good student, Sue was highly successful in high school, Oklahoma Baptist College, finally graduating from Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis.

A long-time friend of mine called me and said he had word of an alleged "88." and she was expecting me to call. An "88" was code for Tom and me indicating a girl was a fox. I was not too hot on blind dates, but decided to call and ask her out. I planned to take her to a fine restaurant for dinner, if she was indeed an "88." We went to a restaurant in St. Charles that at that time was a special place. This was the beginning of a special relationship, not only for Sue and me, but also for her daughters, Jamie and Holly, and my son, Rick. We blended our families into one and agreed that no one would ever be called "step-anything." Sue was immediately mom for Rick and I was dad for Jamie and Holly. Rick, Jamie and Holly remain brother and sisters today, enjoying a close relationship with each other.

Prior to our marriage, Sue and the girls had joined One Accord and had become an integral part of the group. Sue not only sang with the group, she also sang some solos and played the bass guitar. Jamie and Holly joined Rick, singing as the "One Accord Kids." Sue had already begun writing and we were singing some of her songs. We still have people call us for the song that was her testimony, "I Came to Love You Early." Recognizing Sue's talent for writing was not difficult and as we began to get exposure as a singing group, individuals in Nashville saw what the members of One Accord knew.

Tonight, she won her second and third Dove Award for writing a Christian musical and a children's musical. With the success she has experienced, one might think she would believe she had arrived as a writer. NOT SO!!! Sue continues to study, pray, read her Bible, and grow as a writer. Not only is she a great writer, she is also a great wife and mother. What can we say about her accomplishments as a writer? CONGRATULATIONS Sue, you deserve a lot of credit. Jamie, Rick, Holly, and I love you and we thank Jesus for all He has done for us.