Carl's Testimony

This testimony has been updated as of 05/21/2011.
I was born in Guntersville, Alabama. The son of "musical parents", it was evident that I would eventually play music.
I wouldn't start this far back but there are things that happened through my life that I need to share with people, because it is in these things that God has revealed Himself to me as a true, existing, alive God who loves His children.
In my first year, I came down with Pneumonia, my mom and dad was rushing me to the hospital. I was blue in the face, because I couldn't breathe properly, and would probably die before I got there..
This is the first occurrence of God's miraculous hand in my life. My Mother prayed to Father, "Lord, We love him and want to keep him, but He is yours and it's up to you."
Immediately; my breathing and vitals became normal and I was much better than I was before she prayed that prayer.
From here I have been blessed throughout my life. There are things I've done that I regret doing, and yet when I think of it, it wasn't really me that did them; it was the "old creature" that did them, not this "new creature in Christ".
My family has always played music; at the age of 3 I began singing in churches with my parent and siblings. We had a Bluegrass/Country Gospel group, "The Towns Family" and sang all over the southeast at various churches.
Even into my teens we played music as a family in one form or another. I went to the altar for the first time when I was around ten. I accepted Christ then, but was not taught that I only had to repent if I did something I shouldn't do.
So every time I did wrong, I went back to the altar thinking I needed saving again. It was at the age of eighteen that I truly became a follower of Christ, and knew that I could ask for forgiveness and He is just and faithful to forgive.
Throughout the following years I grew in my faith. I read the bible everyday, like a good Christian should. I continued playing music as we had all my life. It never hit me that I could do it for a living. I had been singing and playing since I was three years old.
It wasn't a hobby, or a career to me, it was a way of life. It's just something that we did. One day as I was working a temporary job, a light bulb went on in my head and I suddenly realized, "Hey I could be singing for a living, if I wanted to." It sounded easy enough. I had a desire like I never had before to try to "make it" in the music industry. Easily said, hard to do. I had no clue how to get started in the music industry; I just knew for the first time in my life, I really wanted to do with it. I had been reading in the Psalms. That particular night I went to bed after reading Psalm 37. There is a part in there that really struck me:

Psalms 37:3-5
(3) Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
(4) Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
(5) Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

I knew that if I followed this, then God would help me. The next night at work, I asked the Father: "Lord, I know I'm not the most righteous man in the world, but I love you and if you will give me this one desire: deliver me from this job and help me get started in music, whether it's songwriting or performing I will give you the credit for it."
He showed me through one of His miraculous moments that He would perform this. The truth is, I didn't know just how much he would bring it to pass.
The next night, the foreman came to my workstation, "Well, we won't be needing you anymore. We've sold all the steel that needs cleaning, so this will be your last night." I'm sure my mouth dropped open right there. It was all I could do to hold back my joy, I simply smiled at him and said "Ok". He walked away with a peculiar look on his face.
As soon as he was out of hearing distance, I jumped in the air and shouted, "Woohoo!!! Praise the Lord"
Now I know most people wouldn't be all that happy over losing a job, especially in today's economy. Yet; I knew that this was the first part of my prayer being answered. God had "delivered" me from that job that night. Now some skeptics are going to say, "Oh that is just coincidence.". Ok, for those skeptics, take into account my job. I was working a job that required me to clean tubes of steel that had been laying too long in the weather. Yes it was a temporary job, but...There were tons and tons of steel to clean and I hadn't even touched it yet. My point being, there was plenty of steel there for job security, but through God's hands they somehow decided to sell the steel instead. Who wants to buy rusty steel tubing? I don't know, but God did.
I went home that night beaming, I just knew that I was going to wake up the next morning and have a recording contract and be a "star", ohhh boy was I ever wrong. Father had a much bigger plan and I was going to find out. A week went by and nothing was happening, I was out of a job and beginning to wonder where God was. Another week passed and I got a phone call from a friend who was a DJ at a local gospel station.
"Hey Carl, I met a music publisher recently and I booked him for my show. As soon as I saw Him I knew that I should mention you. He said it would be alright if you bring your guitar and come down to the station and play him a few songs."
Wow, here we go again...God was bringing things to pass behind the scenes. I learned that though it may seem like nothing is happening, things…little things are occurring to bring about the Father's plan for each and every one of us. I went to the station, very nervously sang him some songs and to my surprise he liked them and told me to come by and discuss them with him. A week or so later, I had three publishing contracts with McGibony Publishing and was on my way.
During the months following, it was a slow go. Nothing much was happening, I had to get another job..yet really God had already answered my prayers from before, and he was about to bring the rest of Psalm 37 to pass in my life.
Now that I look back on it, I should have read and took into account the verses that followed those above in Psalms 37.
Psalms 37:6-9
(6) And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
(7) Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
(8) Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
(9) For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

I had to wait patiently, but first I had to rest in the Lord. I have a message on here about the true Sabbath. Resting in the Lord. Digging into His word, learning of Him and we find rest.
That was His plan for me....
A week later I have a job through a friend who was a supervisor at the company. I am working a 2nd shift job, from 4 PM to 3 AM. One of my co-workers was a brand new Christian and was asking another worker questions about the Bible.
In my heart, I knew that I was supposed to be able to answer him, but I thought, "I don't have a clue what the answer is." It was then that I had a new desire: To learn the Word so that I could answer anyone's questions and hopefully help those along the way.
I asked the Father if he would help me learn His word and give me His understanding and Wisdom that night.
Shortly after I got home, I began flipping through channels and happened upon a man who seemed to be just another "Holy" man asking for a handout, though he didn't ask for money. I turned off the tv and went to bed.
The following nights I kept going back to that program, and staying longer and longer. It is through Pastor Arnold Murray and the Shepherd's Chapel that God taught me how to study and begin learning His word.
I studied straight from the time I woke up to bed time each day for two years. God revealed to me many things in that time and though I don't know every thing after 10 years, Father has opened my eyes to more than most preachers teach in churches these days.
I was now able to answer questions; answers that I know are truth straight from the Word of God. I started a newsletter that I sent out to several people, that newsletter turned into a website: "The Lighthouse". This web site is the final child of that first web site and ministry.
I continued in music, Father brought several people into my life; I was signed to a record label in 1998 and toured Europe for three months. After I came back from Europe, I went back to where my heart is, Bluegrass. I am now performing Bluegrass Gospel and some secular Bluegrass as well, and writing lots of songs. I released my first project as Carl Towns & The Remnant in 2009. It was called "Songs From My Childhood Vol. 1" and a new project is due out in April 2024, "I'm Home" features the music which I believe that God has for me to share in this season: Positive Bluegrass Music.
The Lord has blessed me with being a part of many musical endeavors. He has so good to me, and has shown me His reality through it all. His true plan for me is now in the light. I am here on this web site to proclaim it and in songs that I sing. The Truth of the Word! Father Bless, I hope this site brings you a blessing or two. - Carl Towns