“Loneliness is the ultimate poverty.”
– Abigail Van Buren
So many people are struggling today with the feelings of loneliness. Many feel abandoned, forgotten, and unloved. In our humanness, sometimes we will feel lonely, but we are never alone.
In Hebrews 13:5, Paul reminds us that Jesus promised to never leave us or forsake us. Then in verse 6, we see that God is our helper and friend, that we do not need to be afraid of anything man can do to us. David said in Psalm 27:10 that even if his mother and father left him, the Lord would adopt him.
Believe me, in my ministry and calling, I have had to learn how to deal with loneliness. It’s especially hard when I have to make very difficult decisions; decisions that will not only affect those who work in the ministry and expect a regular paycheck to support their families, but also those who may not be saved if I make the wrong move.
In the midst of the R.I.O.T. tour, I was never more discouraged. In fact, I was sick for weeks over the situation. The tour was not paying for itself, and if we completed it, by the end we would be $1 million in the hole – but we’d also be able to win 10,000 souls into the kingdom.
My answer came when the Lord asked me the simple question, “Are 10,000 souls worth $1 million?” But then I heard a more personal question: “Are 10,000 souls worth your million dollars? Would you, Carman, be willing to sell everything your ministry has accumulated down through the years to win another 10,000 souls?” In the midst of that fire my answer to the Lord was, “Yes! Absolutely yes!” And suddenly my path was clear again and my peace restored.
If you are feeling forsaken, forgotten, and alone today, cry out to God. He is right there, waiting to hear and to answer – just like He was for me during the R.I.O.T. tour. And you will learn what I have learned through the years: Jesus is always there for you.
“For he [Jesus] hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5).
Excerpt permission granted by Albury Publishing
Carman Domenic Licciardello is an enigma in Christian music, often described as part evangelist, part Vegas Showman. His concerts were more like a rock and roll Billy Graham Crusade than a Christian music event. After all the singing, dancing, clapping, and preaching, crowds of people would stream down to the counseling area to accept Christ-many times as many as 5,000 in an evening.
Admission was usually free; a simple offering was taken, similar to 30,000 churches on Sunday mornings. And he filled the largest stadiums the world over. Carman held the record for the largest Christian concert ever in Dallas, Texas. But it even goes beyond that. Take the Mega Stadium acts that played the famed landmark such as Pink Floyd, U 2, Madonna, The Jackson Five, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, and even Metallic. As the newspapers noted, you'll see that the one-act that drew the highest attendance in Texas Stadium was Carman, with 71,132.
Carman (1956-2021) was a popular contemporary Christian singer and songwriter.
Born Carman Licciardello, he began recording under his first name and released his debut album in 1980. Carman began charting contemporary Christian hits in 1984 with "Sunday's on the Way," reaching No. 1 with "The Champion" (1986) and "Radically Saved" (1988). His other hit songs include "Lord of All," "Jesus Is the Light," and "Satan, Bite the Dust!" Carman reportedly holds the world record for the largest audience at a Christian concert. His popularity was at its height in the 1980s and early '90s, but he continued releasing albums for years, including his most recent release, 2014's "No Plan B." In 2018, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
