Mike Donehey, a recording artist, songwriter, author, and founding member of the band Tenth Avenue North, has seen his fair share of the unexpected.

Following a potentially fatal car crash as a teen, Mike learned to play the guitar while recovering from his injuries. Playing guitar gave birth to songwriting, which then led to the formation of Tenth Avenue North who became one of the most loved and successful bands in Christian music.

Despite their years together and widespread popularity, it was at the beginning of 2020 they sensed they each had their own unique roads to follow. They amicably disbanded and were planning their farewell tour when everything stopped. The world was impacted by the pandemic and Donehey, like so many others, found himself struggling. With the tour cancelled and the band officially over, he was lost, not only about what his next steps were going to be but was feeling - in his own words - like a dried-out sponge.

As months went on, he realized he needed to mourn these drastic life changes as well as the unknown. The more he began to open up and let himself feel sadness and the sting of the pain, "the more joy came flooding in on the other side," Donehey explains. Songs began pouring out and an album was quickly penned. 

Today on Connections, Mike talks about his first solo project and the inspiration behind it. He also chats a bit about what the past year and a bit have been like for him.