There are long, dark passages of life that many aimlessly wander, desperate for light, for truth, for a voice saying, “You are loved.”  Divorce and its aftermath was such a path for Bonnie Keen, founding member of First Call.  Struggling with the guilt of a failed relationship and with the fear of failing as a single parent, she felt as though everything she held dear was slipping through her hands.  But God began to prepare the way, to create in her a richer, fuller life and to remind her of His truth -- that she is marked for life by the love of God.

And this mark she wears with hope and confidence, grateful to be able to share it with those who are facing similar battles today.

From the depth of those experiences and the imprint of lessons learned, Bonnie penned a collection of songs that made up her first solo effort, Marked For Life.  It is a project born out of her desire to share how God has healed her life and restored her hope.  “I was desperate for someone to speak reality into my situation as a divorced person and a single parent, and I found very little out there to help me,” Bonnie says.  “My desire is not to fix anyone’s life or offer a five point plan for getting your life back.  My desire with this music is just to say, “It’s not over for you.  You’ve not walked out from under the cover of grace because you’ve failed in one area of your life.’”

“More than anything,” she continues, “I want to be a voice of hope and empathy for those who feel pulled toward despair.  I want to try to be a point that turns them back toward believing that, as a child of God, they are marked for life.”

Marked For Life is filled of hope and encouragement.  “Every Drop of Red,” written by Bonnie and Lowell Alexander, is a soaring testimony of the greatest gift of all -- Jesus.  Inspired by the Bible story about the woman with the blood disorder (Luke 8:43-48), the song speaks to the changing, cleansing power of His blood.  “Healing flowed like a river / It was scarlet love that He bled / And the world was changed like black to white / With every drop of red”.

Bonnie wrote the stirring “Isaac” as a tribute to the peace she found when, at long last, she was able to surrender all the pain and failure to God.  “You Will Cover Me” began as a trembling prayer of consecration early in her single parenthood.  All ten songs reveal a strong, passionate heart, once broken but now healed by the steadfast hand of a merciful God.

Produced by new husband, Brent King, Marked For Life features the co-writing talents of Lowell Alexander, Scott Brasher, Cheryl Rogers and Kevin Stokes.  Guest vocal talents include Bonnie’s First Call partner Marty McCall, Russ Taff, Lisa Bevill, and Bonnie’s son, Graham Keen.