CeCe Winans

"I learned a great lesson that day; everybody has a God place in their heart that only God can fill. I don't have to do as much as I thought I had to do," these words were spoken by the dynamic gospel singer CeCe Winans during my recent conversation with her. Winans was reflecting back to an experience several years earlier when she performed on the Grammy Awards. Prior to her performance Winans and her husband Alvin Love had prayed that God would use those few minutes to impact the audience, the production crew and those hosting the event. She says some in the audience started to cry as she sang 'I Surrender All' and later in the evening numerous individuals approached her saying it took them back to a time when they had attended church. Others said something in the song touched their lives.

Winans says that night God reminded her, "That all I need you to do is be a willing vessel. I (God) know how to touch each heart.' He knows everybody's story. He just needs somebody that is going to be available and committed to Him. He will take that and do more than you could ever do in a lifetime."

As well known as CeCe Winans has become by the Christian and non Christian communities and as talented as she is there has never been a doubt about her life of servitude. How could there be? As one of eight children born to David and Delores Winans in Detroit Michigan the role models were in front of her from an early age. Each Christmas the Winans family would gather and present a free Christmas concert as their present to the community. She says that the imprint has lasted a lifetime.

The Winans have always been a close knit family. I teased her about being a girl growing up with four older brothers and wondering if she had been spoiled or picked on. She responded by roaring with laughter before quietly talking about how special it was to grow up in a home like the one her parents had established.

The tight family bond took a heavy hit in June 2005 when her brother Ronald Winans passed away during heart surgery. The family considers it a miracle that Ronald was still alive in 2005, because eight years earlier doctors discovered serious heart problems. This time the doctors emerged from surgery to advise the family that Ronald's heart had literally exploded on the operating table.