Bill and Gloria Gaither Are An Inspiration to Cancer-Stricken Joey Feek

Bill and Gloria Gaither are veteran songwriters in Christian music, together they have penned church staples such as "The Longer I Serve Him," "Because He Lives," "The King Is Coming," "Jesus, There's Something About That Name" "I'm Gonna Sing", and "Let's Just Praise The Lord." Their songs have been performed by Christian artists (David Crowder Band, Carman, Sandi Patty, The Cathedral Quartet, The Speers and the Heritage Singers), country singers (The Statler Brothers) and pop artists (Elvis Presley). Bill and Gloria are also close friends of Joey and Rory Feek.

Before Bill became a Gospel singer, he was an English teacher in Joey's hometown.  Whenever he was not on the road, he would visit Joey almost every day.  Joey Feek, one half of the country duo Joey + Rory, has Stage IV cervical cancer.  After one round of chemo nd radiation treatments, Joey has stopped all treatments as the cancer hs spread. 

In a new update to his blog, This Life I Live, Rory admits Joey's Christmas season was a "roller coaster," with some good days and bad days, and for the first time she experienced "a sadness. A fear of the unknown. And even some anger - not at God, just at her situation I suppose. It's not easy for her to be as excited about what the new year holds in store as it was last year," he writes.

However, in the midst of the darkness of cancer and suffering, Bill and Gloria are rays of light for the Feeks. "Bill comes to see Joey just about every day, when he's not on the road.  We'll get a knock on the door in the morning or early afternoon, and next thing you know Bill will be parked in a chair beside Joey's bed, telling her jokes and stories about days long-past and he'll have Joey and all of us laughing and smiling 'til our faces hurt.

I think he just wants to brighten Joey's day and create as much joy for her as he can.  We all do."

Gaither even built a fire across the pond from Joey's bedroom window one night before Christmas. "From Joey's bedroom window, we could see the beautiful flames dancing across the water," Rory shares. "It was magical." Gaither called on his cell phone to make sure she could see it, and that it made her happy."

"In early November when this little town of Alexandria held a prayer vigil for my wife, Gloria and Bill were one of hundreds who stood out on the street in the rain and lifted Joey up to [the] Lord in prayer," he relates. "With candles, they all gathered and lit a fire that I have a feeling will keep burning long after Joey's gone. After I'm gone."

"Thank you Bill. Thank you Gloria. Thank you everyone," Rory adds. "We are all seeing the light."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill comes to see Joey just about every day, when he's not on the road.  We'll get a knock on the door in the morning or early afternoon, and next thing you know Bill will be parked in a chair beside Joey's bed, telling her jokes and stories about days long-past and he'll have Joey and all of us laughing and smiling 'til our faces hurt. 

 

Gaither even built a fire across the pond from Joey's bedroom window one night before Christmas. "From Joey's bedroom window, we could see the beautiful flames dancing across the water," Rory shares. "It was magical." Gaither called on his cell phone to make sure she could see it, and that it made her happy."

 

Read More: Joey + Rory Post Hopeful New Years Update | http://tasteofcountry.com/joey-rory-bill-gloria-gaither/?trackback=tsmclip

 

 

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