In this episode I have the privilege of hosting another amazing guest whose story may read like a country song, but his testimony sings like a psalm. Kent Maxson is a gifted singer, songwriter, and now author ... Known in the musical world for working with legends like Will Banister, Buddy Mondlock, and even Garth Brooks.

Guest Links:

• Kent Maxson YouTube
• Kent Maxson Instagram
• Kent Maxson Facebook
• Kent Maxson - Kent Maxson, “Max” to his friends, is an award winning songwriter. His music has been performed on international radio and TV and he has won multiple industry awards, including an RIAA Gold Record for his hit single, “From Where I’m Sitting,” as recorded by Gary Allan. Artists who have most recently recorded Kent's songs include, CMA Texas Country Artist of the Year Will Banister, Multi Platinum Award Winning Songwriter/Artist Buddy Mondlock, Irish songstress Mary Duff, Irish Traditional Country artist Jordan Mogey, and rising young country artist, Alyssa Trahan. Kent keeps a busy touring schedule performing at House Concerts and small venues throughout the South while writing and mentoring young artists on the craft of songwriting. Kent released his latest EP, "MAX" in November 2019.

References to Bible Verses:

Mark 9:24; John 14:27; Hebrews 11:1

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Episode Introduction

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Jason: Thank you for listening and welcome to the podcast. I am your host, Jason McConnell. In this episode, I have the privilege of hosting another amazing guest whose story may read like a country song, but his testimony sings like Assault. Kent Maxon is a gifted singer, songwriter, and now author known in the musical world for working with legends like Bill Banister, buddy Mon Locke, and even Garth Brooks.

Kent rediscover the presence of God in a deeply personal way, and you can find out more about [email protected], K-E-N-T-M-A-X-O-N-M-A-X-S-O n.com. I'll put his link in the show notes along with his social media and and whatever else I can find for you. Get comfortable because Kent's testimony will encourage you.

His words will challenge you, and his music will move you. So let's welcome Kent to the show.

Getting to know Kent Maxson

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Jason: So thank you, Kent for joining us, giving us the gift of your time today.

Kent: I appreciate you having me on.

Jason: Absolutely.

Kent Maxon's Favorite Bible Verses

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Jason: Uh, I love kind of starting off with let's get to know you a little bit better a spill the tea as the kids would say these days. So if we could start with just sharing your favorite Bible verses, I mean, you were gracious enough to give me three good ones. Um, I, I think I like the first one that I, that I think is one of my favorite was Mark 9 24.

Um, the, the, you know, I do believe helped me overcome my unbelief. So let's start there and tell me what, what makes that so amazing for you?

Jason: Oh yeah, me too.

Kent: yeah, that's a big one for me. Um. I think, uh, Hebrews 11 verse one is very important to me. Now, faith is a thing. Uh, the belief in things, hope for the assurance of things. Not seen that you, it's I think all I know. I wish that sometimes God would have a big lightning bolt that would come down and strikers round, or he'd send, uh, you know, uh, an angel or a dove or something.

I like that. But sometimes you just, you know, he's given me signs that I've picked up, you know, over time, but it's never been that big booming barone that I want coming out of the clouds. So you just, uh, you just have to, you know, it's a choice. Uh,

Jason: It is.

Kent: I choose to believe.

Jason: Yes. And I, I think for, for me at least, some of the recent troubles, uh, tribulations that we've gone through, uh, in our family is it's, it's, it's not only a belief, it is making the choice to surrender. And that's where that belief is rooted. Because there are things that I can't do anything about, like I'm helpless and, and I have to accept that and be like, it's in your hands.

God, uh, I'm gonna have to trust you.

Kent: Yep. I, I agree.

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Kent: There's, when I went through the, the year that you talked about, um, it, a lot of it, uh, well. From November when, uh, so the events all took place, uh, between January and November as far as the, the the four of the five after that is when I started life over and moved back to Nashville, and I don't remember much. Uh, so my ex-wife, uh, told me she wanted a divorce in November, uh, November 20th. I don't remember really much of anything as far as making a, a conscious decision. Uh, uh, from there till January 8th, which is when I moved back to Nashville, it was just kind of like a blur. And, uh, but now when I look back after that, from when I got back to Nashville, I know that I was lost in all these ways, but I have such a peace in joy.

I, it's hard to explain about that period of time. Uh, I actually daydream sometimes about, uh, those quiet moments and the things that I went through because little by little miracles were happening and I probably saw more miracles. Not that they haven't happened in the rest of my life, but I saw more miracles in that first year of Nashville than I, than I ever noticed before.

And Heavenly Father Abba Alls I could say is, God, help me. Uh, grant me to wake up. There was nothing fancy about my prayer then, and I came out of it and, uh, I found out that I had, uh, AFib and Peric, uh, pericarditis. So, um, from then until August, I went into the, uh, doctors or emergency room, or, you know, some kind of thing, uh, eight times.

Jason: Oh wow.

Kent: Yeah, it was, uh, and every time the, you know, there's, I remember once, uh, I was traveling, uh, for my job and, uh, started having this stuff and it is really a weird feeling whenever you go into, whenever you're in AFib. But anyway, uh, so in August, uh, I finally had the first of my heart ablation surgeries. Uh, and, um, right after that surgery is when, uh. My ex-wife told me that she was thinking about getting a divorce. Uh, and so that was happening and I knew I had the second surgery coming up in September, and so right before the Labor Day weekend, I got a phone call from my boss and he said that the company was going out of business. And so I just lost my job and I found out that my health insurance was gonna expire. It was actually gonna expire one day before my surgery, so they moved my surgery back. So it'd be one day before it. Forward, whatever that is. So I had the surgery and then, um, my, uh, ex-wife and I went through counseling everything again, uh, for the next couple months. And then on November 20th she told me, uh, she wanted the divorce and I walked out. And, uh, the next couple of months, you know, like I said, it was just a blur and I really didn't know what to do. I'd lost my job. So I, one way or the other, I had to have a job. But I. I. never wanted to leave Nashville the first time I did it to take care of my family. And I'd been in, uh, where I lived in, in Texas for 22 years and I decided, and it wasn't, I tell people I didn't really decide it, it was just like I knew I had to go back to Nashville 'cause that's all I ever wanted to do was write songs and, and make music. So January 8th, uh, my best friend from high school on a basketball team, we. Uh, I drove out and I moved into the bedroom of one of the two roommates that I'd had 30 years before they had bought houses side by side, and I felt like you talk about it feeling like a failure 32, 30 years later, and you're still a roommate and you have nothing really to your name. Uh. So it was, it was horrible. So I couldn't sleep. I tell people that when you're going through a crisis like that, or you know a divorce, the days you can get by because there's something to distract, you read, go to DI lunch or something like that. But at nights it's just absolutely, the silence is overwhelming. And I can remember laying in my bed and saying my prayers, and it felt like they stopped at the ceiling. They didn't go any further. And that's when I was wondering, are you there? And that's scary when you've been a follower of Jesus all your life. And then you question if he's there. So I would get up in the middle of the night, actually I don't, I didn't even go to bed most of the times, but I'd get up and midnight, 1, 2, 3 in the morning and I'd go out walking the, the neighborhood there.

And if you've been to Nashville, the part that I've been at, there's no street curbs or anything like that. It's blacktop. It's like being in the country. So I'd walk those streets. And I usually ended up at this, um, uh, high school racetrack or track field. And I'd walk around and run around until I couldn't walk or run anymore.

And then I'd stumble back to the bedroom, um, that I'd rented. And when you're walking those streets at night, and it's just, it's complete quiet except you'd hear like street lights humming or critters running around or crickets. Well, little by little.

Miracles and Small Steps Forward

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Kent: The Vince that, you know, that brought me back to life, uh, I can, there's a lot of things I can talk about, get involved in church again, uh, going to a lot of different meetings. Um, I started to heal well, uh, as I started writing songs again. Uh, some of the publishers here in town started sending to me young kids to show 'em how to write songs or help refine their arts. And one day I was writing with this young girl. Very talented young lady, and she had just submitted a song to a, a pretty big artist.

And, uh, so I said, what did you hear? He said, crickets, I'd never heard that before. And so she explained it to me and as soon as she explained it to me, it hit me just like that. That is what I felt like, you know, those crickets walking around. And if you go back to the Bible, you know, you talked about, uh, there's a section where the prophets in a ca says God wasn't in. The wind, God wasn't in the thunder.

Jason: Oh yeah. Yeah.

Kent: and then there's that small still voice and that's what crickets was to me. I was looking for this hallelujah moment where he was gonna come down and rescue me. The whole time, there was all these little miracles going on, you know, people that I met, meetings that I went to, I actually ended up getting a job, uh, president of a small company, and the guy that hired me had been my store manager 30 years before when I worked at Circuit City. And I hadn't seen him, but maybe, I think I saw him once at a trade show for, you know, and we, and that had been like 10 years before that stumbled into him. And next thing I know. I've got a job and

there's all these other stories I could tell, but I'll stop right there. I've already talked a little bit too much.

Um, so that's a lot to take in.

And, and I, well, I mean, not even a full year, just, you know, first three quarters of a year if you will. If,

Kent: Yeah, I, I don't like to wait around. Let's just get it over with.

Jason: yeah. Right. Let's just do it. Roof the bandaid off.

Kent: Yeah.

Jason: Um. So it sounds like everything kind of, kind of eased you into this realization. I mean, what, was there ever a point where there was a definitive turning point to you? I mean, was crickets hit? Mm-hmm.

Kent: Well, no, I mean, I wasn't aware of it at the time about crickets. It really was a series of small miracles. Uh, so what I call it, um, I, um, gosh, how do I go into all this? So when I, I told you I was walking the neighborhood, um. I used there. I walked by this one little house every time and it was just a beautiful little house and I was kind of lamenting that I didn't have have a house anymore. And um, so I, you know, and there's when I just, you know, I'd walk by it as I was going to this track to run around everything. But when I got this job and, uh, with this company and became this president of small thing, um. He'd asked me where I was living and I told him, and I, he said, well, are you planning on doing this?

I said, well, eventually I want to get a house again. And, uh, he said, well, what if I gave you the down payment? And, uh,

he basically, he basically gave me a bonus a year before I would've earned it because he said, I know you're gonna earn it. Uh, so he gave me the down payment so that I could. By this little house that I'd walk by every day.

And it was just, I couldn't believe it. So then I, uh, reconnected with, um, with, uh, Garth and I reconnected with, uh, the name probably won't mean anything, but it's, uh, you really, you need to know who he is. Kent Blaze, Kent, uh, wrote with gar things like. If tomorrow never comes, ain't going down to the sun, comes up the black dress song for another person. He's, uh, in the songwriter's Hall of Fame here in Nashville. And again, when I'd left Nashville, I kept up with them for maybe three to five years and they always had to change their phone numbers because someone would find it and all that kinda thing. So, and I finally got tired of calling, uh, the office and asking for it.

And I said, well, my life isn't, I'm not doing that anymore. And I just kind of let it slip. So when I reconnected with them, it was just kind of like another stepping stone, uh, to getting back into what I always wanted to do and what I'd done before I'd left, which was writing songs. So just Miracle Upon Miracle, uh, took place over that that year and led me back to, uh, where I'm writing songs again.

Jason: Yeah. And you, you had, when we had talked.

Meeting Garth Brooks and Other Miracles

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Jason: For you had gone through how you met Garth Brooks, which I mean, like, that's a wow moment. Right? Um, definitely an attention grabber.

Um, you know, I don't know if you wanna share that, but you, you kind of tied that into miracles in the sense that they're not always these big booming moments in your life.

Kent: That's kind of one of the things we all think that a miracle is being, know, turning water into wine. Wine right then and there. Uh, so, and the most common question I get asked is, no, no one's ever heard of me. You know, I'm a songwriter. But when they hear that, I've written with Garth Brooks. Everyone's, uh, and thank goodness he's good about, you know, uh, you know, he's been very good to me. But, so I'm, I'm asked, how did you meet Garth? It's a crazy story. So I was working in a Circuit city and, uh. I was, I'm big, you know, I'm about six seven. And so whenever we, in the area we were in, we had a lot of vagrant things come in. So they would usually have me escort them out the building. And one day this guy comes in and, I mean, I, he was looked ragging, old, greasy sweatpants, and it looked like he hadn't bathed in about a month. So my boss came up and says, uh, take him outta the store. Okay, so I go over and he was sitting on this end cap, and I go up to him and as I got closer, you know, he started looking familiar and I said, do I know you? And he said, Randall tco, damn, glad to meet you. And, and I don't know if you know him, but he was the, the boxer and also an actor. Well, he's from Abilene, Texas, and I grew up in Midland, Texas and my parents lived for a while in Abilene. So we started talking and uh, so we found out from Texas, he said. What's a country, a Texas boy like you doing out here? I said, well, I'm a songwriter. Well, you are. Well, my wife's a songwriter, so then he takes me over and introduces me to his wife, Sharon. So I started talking to him and. They were in the by stereo. So I end up showing 'em stereo and they bought one. They said, we'll buy it as long as you'll come over and put it together. And I said, well, I'll put it together if you'll listen to my music. They said, okay. So I go over, put the stereo together, and uh, when I finished, they listened to my songs and Sharon said, you know, you're, you're pretty good. Why don't you call Bob and Ask Cap and tell him I sent you. I said, okay. So I called up to ask Gavin. I said, can I speak to Bob? I'm not gonna say his last name.

And they said, well, Bob doesn't work here anymore. Uh, he left, but since you're a friend of Randall and Sharon, here's his phone number. Okay? So I called the number and I, I get ahold of Bob and, uh, asked him if he could help me.

He says, well, you know, I, I don't do that anymore, but since you're a friend of Randall and Sharon, come on in. I'll listen to what you got. Okay. So I go in and, uh, I play my songs. He says, you know, you're pretty good. I don't do that stuff anymore because I, I, uh, I resigned so that I could manage a new act.

His name is Garth. Would you like to write with him? Sure.

Jason: Who

Kent: Well, no one knew who he was back then.

Uh, so, uh, I, I met him before the big label deal, and that's really only half the story, uh, for me because, but. We look for, I said water to turn into wine. And God sometimes is working, not sometimes, a lot of, most of the time was working in the, just behind the scenes.

Uh, and you don't see the connections about this little thing that happened at this, like my boss, uh, from 30 years ago being the president, you know, hiring me to be president of a company, just. All the little, and, and my roommates from 30 years ago, having living side by side and giving me a room. I mean, all these things took place.

Jason: Yeah.

Kent: Now, the rest of the story, and forgive me for talking so much,

Jason: No, you're good.

Kent: has to do with, you know, how I even got to Nashville, you know, for any of this to happen. So I was in Lubbock, Texas, and uh, my girlfriend and I split up, uh, I just finished college. And so a couple months later I called her back and I said, uh. Any chance we're gonna get back together again? She says, Nope, you need to move to Nashville. You always wanted to. And I'm thinking, I don't remember ever saying that. I always thought my music was better for LA and I'd gone out and talked to some labels out in la so I was really surprised about this. So I was going to the church that she went to, you know, that's how you get more members.

You go to the church with the girlfriend. So, so I went to the, we had some kind of a social, this college social, and I was talking to this guy and I told him what she said and he says, well, you know, my in-laws live in Nashville. I bet you could stay with them for a couple days till you had a place to live. So that started me on the way to Nashville. Well, the last night. That I was there. I, I was part of a, a group, a music group, and so I told 'em I'd finished recording the album we were on, and I do the last few shows that we had booked. So the very last show that we did, I'm up there singing and she comes in with another friend of mine. She gets on the very front row. Sits in his lap and starts hugging and kissing on him. So I'm up on stage and I'm said, man, I'm standing up here dying. You're sitting down there acting like a fool. And that stuck with me forever. So when I moved from Texas to Nashville, I stayed with this couple, uh, very nice people.

And so I was looking for a church and they said, well, why don't you come to church with us? Okay. So I go to that church and. Not long after that is when a lady there, uh, just came up to me and in church says, Hey. And she knew I was looking for a job. She goes, circus city's hiring. Why don't you go, uh, you know, apply. And so that started that part of my journey.

Meeting Garth and the Journey of a Song

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Kent: Well, when I met Garth, we kicked, we really hit it off. He's such a nice guy and I mean really, uh, I cannot say enough positives and wonderful things about him. So the second writing session we ever had, I took in. What we call the hook, the title is what it became. And I'd taken that phrase that I'd said in my mind about, I'm standing up here dying, sitting down there acting like, oh, and I turned it around to, from where I'm sitting, I can see where we stand. And so Garth and I wrote that thing and, um, it, I cannot tell you how many people recorded it, but it was never released.

The Struggles and Triumphs of Songwriting

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Kent: One time, a very large, I'm not even gonna say his name, a very big star had recorded it. I was told it was gonna be on the album. About a month and a half, two months before the album came out, they called me up and said they'd taken it off. And I was, and this is when I was in Texas, I was just crushed. So not long after that, I called back to Garth's Place, uh, and I was talking to a, a lady named Lana, and I said. I've had it. Uh, you know, I was, I was writing long distance in and I said, I, I, I'm quitting this. I can't do it anymore. And she was in, no, no, you're so talented. You know that. And she goes, besides you got that single coming out by Gary Allen. Who's Gary Allen and what song I'd never heard of it.

The Release of 'From Where I'm Sitting'

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Kent: So that was when I found out that finally from where I'm sitting had the recording was and was being released. And, uh, that was, uh, when I, and that's how I got my gold record, which is my biggest claim to fame is a song I wrote with Garth. It was recorded by Gary Allen and I got a gold record. I did a lot of talking there, but there's a lot of miracles that took place in that.

Faith and Miracles in Life

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Jason: Yeah, I have to look at the, you know, when we're in a situation, we feel like we're over our head and. We find ourselves on the other side of it. Somehow we get through it. And you know, there's a point in that scenario where I think God just reaches down and picks us up and drags us to the finish line. Um, and because, because you look back and you're like, I don't know how I did this, but you didn't, God did.

Kent: The first thing you said was where the title of the book really is. You know, there's no way out, but through. Some people can give up, but the only way you're gonna make it, and you know, you, sometimes you crawl, sometimes you, you run, uh, but you just keep moving forward. And if you, it's kind of hard sometimes seeing God working, not sometimes a lot of, most of the time because it's not like he announces it.

Uh, and you look back and you see. Things that we say was good fortune, luck, a, a good break. Uh, and you can, if you don't want, you're not a believer, that may be what you think, but he's got his hand in. You know, one of the things that a friend of mine kind of drew my to my attention as I was telling my story. He says, you know. I, and I told him how I prayed ever since I was eight years old to be a song, you know, a songwriter and Layden and Beth making that prayer, he says, and he told me, he says, you know, that could have started way back with your grandparents. That, you know, that maybe one of them said a prayer that by generations may prosper. Or maybe it was your dad, uh, who did this, and you just don't know. God doesn't necessarily work in the mo, you know, like a flashlight in the moment. He, he can work over throughout time.

Jason: Absolutely.

Introduction to the Book and CD

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Jason: And that's, I mean, that's a great segue to your book. No way up it through. Um, I mean, before we go too far down that, that path, I do wanna thank you for the copy. Not only a copy, but a signed copy, very thoughtfully written, signed copy, um, along with. Um, uh, a companion CD that goes with the book, which is kind of, I mean, it's very unique.

I've never seen anything like that before.

Um, so you have the book, you have the cd, and the songs in the book tie into the chapters of the book, and it's just very well put together. It's, you know, I, I haven't, obviously haven't finished it, um, but it's very, very well written. It's elegantly written. And it's very easy to read and very entertaining.

So, um, you know, thank you for writing it and thank you for, for sending me a copy.

Kent: I appreciate you having me on here. Uh, you know, I, and you're right, there is a CD that you can purchase. But you can also, there's a QR code in the back of the book and you can go and listen to them or buy 'em streaming, uh, off my website. So it's just.

Jason: I, I, you had mentioned that before, and I, I had to laugh because I, I think I sent you an email about this, like I. I don't have CD players like anywhere, and I have the CD and I'm like, I really wanna listen to this. Um, and I dug through drawer after drawer box after box, and I finally found the one like USB cd, DVD rom like plug into my computer and listen to it.

And then I'm like, oh wait, there's a QR code. I could have been, I could have been listening to this like an hour ago. Um, but

Kent: I mainly have the CDs for when I do live presentations and shows, uh, and I, I make a, a package deal if they wanna buy 'em together. I like, I'm an old guy. I like, I like to physically hold something versus.

Jason: me, me too. I mean it Spotify's great. Don't get me wrong. iTunes, Spotify, those things are wonderful. Um, Amazon, the Kindles, they're great, but for me there's nothing like touching a book and, and flipping the pages and. Inserting a seat. I mean, I grew up on that stuff, so maybe that's why, but

Kent: I.

Jason: not quite the same.

The Story Behind 'Crickets'

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Jason: Um, so anyways, you got this idea, uh, of the book from Crickets. I mean, you kind of explain that. You know, and I, I love the story. Um, I love how it, you know, things just happen to line up. We know it was God, but you know, from the outside it's like things just happen to line up. You know, like you said, call it luck.

Whatever you wanna do, um, believers know better. Um, but the first song in the book is entitled Crickets. And, and it goes along with the first chapter. And that first chapter does explain a lot of what we've already talked about, uh, in a very, like I said, very elegant way. So I thought, you know, if it's okay, um.

I'll go ahead and play the song and then we can kind of talk about the book, um, and go into more details on that if that's good for you.

Kent: Yep, that'll work.

Jason: All right. I've got on my sound pad here. I'm just gonna hit the button, so hang tight.

"Circkets" by Kent Maxson

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Jason: Wow. You know, if you've never, if you can't understand that song, if it's not deeply personal to you and you listen to it, your faith hasn't been tested. Um, because when, when it is you really, you really understand that feeling of, you know, Hey, God, are you out there? And, uh, and I can tell that the song, I mean, it's, it touched me when I first heard it, and, and it's gotta be very deeply personal to you as well.

Kent: Yeah, it's um. Yeah, it's special for me. I, there's, there's, a couple of songs on, on that, uh, album and in that book that are very special to me.

Jason: Yeah. And, and they're all, I mean, I've listened to almost the whole cd. Um, they're, they're, they're all, you know, they, they all have this very similar. Uh, I don't what to call it in musical terms, but similar feel to 'em, uh, in the sense that they're, they're, you know, they've got great lyrics. It's not overshadowed by the, the musical composition.

Um, it's, they're just well balanced and, and you, you really get a lot out of 'em, even though it's not super fancy and synthetic and everything. They're very real, I guess is what I'm saying.

Kent: I'm glad you said that because one of the things that I, I meant, wanted to make sure of is that we didn't, it's not like a song that I'm gonna put, uh, doing in front of a, a huge, you know, like an auditorium. Uh, we took the production from all electric guitars and drums and all that things, and it's just acoustical instruments, guitars.

The, what you heard was, you know, like, like bongos. Uh. Everything was very, uh, natural without any electronics involved in it because it needed to be naked because I wanted the book to be naked.

Jason: Absolutely.

Themes and Messages in the Book

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Jason: So at, at a 30,000 foot level, what's the book about? What are we gonna, what are we gonna read when we get into it?

Kent: Wow. I wasn't expecting that question.

Jason: Sorry.

Kent: No, that's fine. Um, I would hope. In one of the chapters, at least one of them, if not all of 'em, that you will be able to draw a parallel to your life, something, uh, that you've gone through or experienced. And maybe, uh, it'll open your eyes to the possibilities of, uh, God and what he does and how he's present in so many different situations. There's some. There's some, most, not, not most of 'em, a lot of those songs are dealing with, uh, down subjects, you know, like, uh, why do good things happen to bad people? But then there's also some that I think are very positive. Like, uh, one of my favorite songs on the, uh, that I've ever written in my life, it's called Memories Not Dreams. Uh, and I wanna Die with Memories, not Dreams. And that's one of the things I came out of this whole period with is I don't know how much time I've got left. None of us really do. And I have, I spent so much of my life working, making the dollar to take care of my family and to do everything, you know, that's an outstanding citizen would do or whatever. And, uh, I let a lot of things pass me by just the sheer enjoyment of life and seeing God in the, you know, uh, the babies or God in the trees, or God in the birds, or, uh, just a simple thing like a waterfall or a river. We

just miss it because we get so tied up and everything. And you know, here's something, this kind of going on subject.

My wife Cindy, uh, I got remarried. Uh, my wife Cindy has no fear. I mean, she's her captain Kirk, uh, goer. No one's ever gone before. There's

nothing that frightens her. And I've always been kind of a, you know, afraid of my own shower shadow kind of guy. She has dragged me kicking and screaming into so many things, and I came out on the other side like, wow, that was cool. Uh, and so I'm doing more of that than I ever did in my life. Uh, and I, I owe that to her.

Jason: That's wonderful. Well, I'm glad you got remarried. Um, certainly deserve it. Um, your, your book. Kind of combines, from what I can tell so far, combines these personal stories, biblical truths and these original songs. And it's, it's kind of well woven between the three of those. Uh, because you, you quote scripture, um, you use N-I-V-K-J-V and I think one other bible, uh, translation throughout the book.

Um, you know, you, you quote your own song in appropriate context within the book, and then you, you put the, the lyrics to the songs at the end of the chapters, um, and, and then you can go listen to the song and, and it's just this wonderful balance of, of entertainment information. And I was just like, how did you come up with this unique combination?

Kent: Um, I, I'm gonna draw from two different sources on that one. Um. Whenever I release a song before this book ever came out, I'll, you know, no one ever heard of me, but I'll, I'll release a song, you know, through the internet, Facebook, whatever, CD, baby, Spotify. Uh, and I usually put in like a one paragraph story. Uh, maybe it's what inspired me. Maybe it was an event that took place. Uh, you know what I want people to hear out of it. Uh, things like that. And that's really how the whole book started is I wrote crickets and I had this one little paragraph. Then I was talked into doing more. So that's one explanation.

The other explanation about why the different ways, I mentioned that I was gone for 22 years from Nashville and I'm taking care of my family. And in that time I was a training manager. I, um, I traveled the world teaching people about audio and electronics. And one of the things that, uh, I learned as I was going through this is that people learn different ways and you have to deliver your message in more than one way.

Some people are audible audio learners. They learn just by you speaking. Others are visual. They'll be the ones that watch YouTube or you know, they gotta see that. Others have to have it written down. Uh, Uh, you know, like a, uh, step one, step two, step three. But everyone, no matter what their learning style, they learn it better and more completely if they have to do it, the physical.

And if there's someone watching them saying, no, you don't wanna do it that way, and stepping them through it. So that's kind of where I came from. I thought, I need to make sure this thing comes out. Where I reach people, however they learn, however they process things.

The Power of Storytelling

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Kent: So that's why it's, uh, you know, I try and the other thing is whenever you're doing training like I do, I would, uh, you stories are how people know Jesus did parables.

We learn

through stories. So if you want someone to get a, a truth out of it, hide it inside of a story. And then after they've heard the story, which hopefully is entertaining, then you can extract the the learning lesson, and then you can bring it all together with music, words and feelings.

Jason: That's great. Yeah. If anybody listens to this podcast, you know that we've got a parable project going on. Uh, my friend Laura and I, um, we, we did a whole series of revelations. Took us like nine months. Um, I think it ended up being like 14 episodes. It was insane. Um, but we've, we've started a new, uh, parable project and what's fun is that the word parable basically means to toss alongside.

So you're basically taking a truth and or, or a story and tossing it alongside a truth. Um, and that's, I mean, that's true. Jesus. Did that all the time, and there were multiple reasons why he did it. But one of those is because we love stories. We love hearing stories, we love storytellers. Uh, and it's an easy way to remember stuff.

I love

Kent: Yep. I agree.

Final Thoughts and Reflections

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Jason: Oh, um, for, for you as the author, what's the biggest takeaway from your book?

Kent: Wow. Man, you come up with some questions I didn't ever expect. Um, I guess there's a couple of 'em, but the main one I think is no matter what situation you're going through, like there's 13 chapters. God is in there. You know, we don't necessarily see him as he's operating. And sometimes it's on the other end of whatever took place. Uh. And I tried to bring out some of those things. But the main thing, I guess, is even in, I mean, there's a chapter in the, you know, you know, why does, uh, uh, bad things happen to good people? Uh, we question that, you know, why did this child die? Uh, sometimes we won't know on this side of heaven, but, you know, it's there.

There's, that's, I guess the big thing is about the whole scenario of what we set up is. God is present no matter what the situation.

Jason: Absolutely, and, and that's where I think faith crosses over into surrender, because when you're in the middle of that. I did an episode, I think it released the week prior to this one. But, um, my sister passed away and in the middle of that you're asking, you know, she was, she was a doctor. Um, you know, she was helping people.

She was a good person. Why this, why now? And at some point you have to just bow your head and say, you know, not mine, my will, but yours. And, and, and that's where you have to surrender and trust. And that's really hard when you're in the thick of it.

Kent: Yeah. I'm sorry to hear about the, uh, your sister. I lost my baby sister, uh, about, you know, two and a half, three years ago. Uh,

Jason: Thank you.

Kent: it's, uh, I don't, you know, they can't put in words sometimes, things like that and, and. You can go along with a day and then all of a sudden out of somewhere something hits you. Like Tammy liked doing that, whatever it was, or Tammy and I did that together.

Jason: Yeah.

Kent: and it hits you. Yep, I get it.

Jason: All right, well, um, any, any last thoughts, any, um, commentary on your book before we wrap this up? I wanna give you a chance to just speak your mind.

Kent: I guess if I was gonna say anything is, um, I worked on this thing as far as actual creating it almost four years, but in reality I've been working on it for 67 years, uh, because I've been learning, even though I didn't know it a long time. I want to be able to reach people. I want to be a witness. I don't want to be the center of attention.

I want to be a witness. Uh, my new goal in life is no longer to write the next huge hit. It's to go out and be able to witness. And I said that when I do my presentations, and one of the things I tell them is, I'm not here to entertain you. I'm not here to be a preacher. I, I don't have that kind of knowledge, but all of us are told. To be witnesses and I can witness through my stories, through what I've learned and through my music. And so, uh, I will go for any opportunity such as this to be able to witness and hopefully through the stories and the things that I've learned, I can help other people.

Jason: Absolutely. No, I a hundred percent agree. And you know, I appreciate you taking time to share your book, your music, uh, and your wisdom with us. And this has truly been a pleasure for me. Um. I, I, I mean, I haven't finished a book, but sometimes you read the first chapter, first couple chapters, and you're like, I'm gonna finish this book.

So you already know up front. And, and I do, just so the listeners know, you know, this is, this is, you know, when I have guests on and I talk about their, the material, this is genuine. I plan to go, you know, uh, encourage people to buy this book, or I'll, I'll buy it for them if, if they have, if I have to. Um, it's a good book.

It's well written and, and I know your intent is to get out there and, and witness through the book as well. So, um, again, thank you, thank you for coming on here.

Kent: I can't thank you enough for letting me be here. I've enjoyed it,

Jason: Absolutely.

Kent: and let's stay in touch after this. Okay.

Jason: Absolutely. I've got a few, uh, quite a few of, of, uh, the guests that have come on. Um, I, I, I love hearing from 'em, I love talking with them. So that's, that's a, that's a given, I think.

Kent: All right. Sounds good.

Conclusion and Farewell

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Jason: All right folks. That's, uh, Kent Maxon. Again, you can get more information by going to kent maxon.com, K-E-N-T-M-A-X-S-O n.com.

Uh, highly recommend his book and his music. Uh, again, I put the links to his website, as well as his social media in the show notes. Please go click on those, give them some of your attention. It is well deserved. Until next time, keep loving your neighbors, dive into God's word daily and may the Lord bless you and keep you and fill you with his peace.

So God bless the listeners and God bless. God bless you, Ken.