I Am a Promise is a
Gaither Vocal Band children's album, heavily featuring a chorus of elementary school-age kids who also step out as soloists along with the group members. In fact, it's a child's voice that is heard at the start in the title song, and while the grownups kindly lead the way through the album, sometimes chuckling paternalistically, it's the children, individually and collectively, who make the strongest impression. The songs are simple, pitched to the pre-adolescent element of Christianity that emphasizes the storybook quality of Bible passages, passages that are referenced in such songs as "I Wonder How It Felt." While "God Loves to Talk to Little Boys When They're Fishin'" seems aimed at sentimental parents, many of the tracks are singalongs intended to involve the youngsters while reinforcing a version of the Christian faith they can understand at their ages. ~ William Ruhlmann