Wishing on a Kansas Star Dreams Do Come True John Elefante never expected to get one dream answered let alone two.     by Annette Wierstra     Two dreams have helped shaped John Elefante’s life.     The first was to become a rock star. For Elefante, the dream came true. Eventually he became the lead singer for a ‘70s rock super group.     Kansas, known for hits like “Dust in the Wind” and “Carry on Wayward Son” needed a new lead singer when Steve Walsh left the band in 1982. At 22, Elefante landed the job.     “It was completely overwhelming — I went from small time to big time basically overnight,” says Elefante. “It was such a blur. Suddenly I was performing in front of 20,000 people. I was on Entertainment Tonight and MTV.”     Elefante sees that God led him to Kansas. Guitarist Kerry Livgren, a new Christian, was writing songs for the band with strong spiritual lyrics. “Of all the groups God could have picked, He chose the band whose driving force was a Bible-believing Christian,” says Elefante.     The fame and success should have been a dream come true, but it had its downside.     “God showed me that it was extremely empty,” he says. “I don’t know why God did that — maybe because He had plans for me down the line.”     After leaving Kansas in 1985, Elefante planned to continue his singing career but all the doors were shut. Instead he opened The Sound Kitchen studio in Nashville with his brother Dino, with intentions of producing his own album soon.     “Soon” turned into months and years. “There was always another group we had to work on first.” The work was rewarding — the brothers won two Grammy’s for producing and have been nominated seven or eight times — but there was never time for Elefante to make his own album.     “I think God took me out of Kansas and put me into boot camp and told me, ‘You’re not ready yet,’ ” says Elefante. “I think God was waiting for me to glorify Him on a record.”     It took nearly a decade before Elefante came out with Windows of Heaven in 1995, his first Christian album. He followed the release with Corridors in 1997.     While working on his newest release there was a second dream — this time someone else’s.     An old friend called Elefante about a dream he had about him. Elefante was skeptical but when the man started to explain the dream, he was shocked. Although the friend had never been to Elefantes’ home, he described it perfectly. He told him that he had a crack in his foundation and suggested calling his builder.     Elefante interpreted the dream from a spiritual perspective.     “It was powerful,” says Elefante. “I’m a busy guy. The cares of the world were getting the best of me,” he admits. “It’s a disease that infects a lot of us and we don’t even know it.”     “God was saying to me, ‘You think your spiritual life is OK but I can’t communicate to you.’ I know it was real because it changed my life,” he says.     That change is reflected in Elefante’s latest album, Defying Gravity. It’s the first time where Jesus in mentioned in his lyrics. “God was in my earlier records,” he says. But Defying Gravity is bolder.     “On this record I am saying ‘This is who I am, this is what I am about, this is my purpose — to be an instrument for Christ,” says Elefante. “100 per cent is definitely what I’m willing to give.”     Elefante crosses paths with many people in the music industry. Some ask why he doesn’t he put out a mainstream release — likely a more profitable venture. Elefante admits that at times the idea is appealing.     “But at night when my head hits the pillow, I hear a quiet voice that says, ‘I like what you are doing,’ ” says Elefante. “God’s given me a wonderful gift and I want to use it for Him.” [LLN-Online] [Adopt-a-Block] [Newsbriefs][Event Calendar] [Lifestyles] [Juke Box] [Cover to Cover] [Movieguide][Casting the Net] [Viewpoints] [General Info] [Rates & Sizes][Marketplace/Classifieds] [Volunteer Ops] [Writing Guidelines] [Contact Us] [Subscribe][Archives][Good News] [About Us][Links]