DAN BONESTEEL’S BIO
Dan Bonesteel, affectionately known as Mr. Dan, is a Christian songwriter. He’s a retired photographer and a computer professional who loves his God and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. His greatest passion is to help build His Kingdom here on earth by letting his light shine for Jesus and to glorify God (Mathew 5:16). Hence, his company name Light Shine Pics, LLC. To obtain this end, Dan works in several children’s ministries at his church and with Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Project. He has also published “The Giggle Couch”, a children’s book about learning God’s forgiveness. He and his college sweetheart wife Sandi have two daughters and three precious grandchildren.
MUSIC
Dan's creative songwriting spark began when he wrote his first lyrical verse in high school to a secular hit song on the radio. He ran to his best friend's house (he was so proud!) to show him, and his friend’s Mom said, "You can't do that!" Say what?! She said I had written a lyric (still have it!) to an existing song, which is illegal without the original song writer's permission. Ooops – his first lesson in the music business!
Before becoming a follower of Jesus, Dan wrote many secular songs. Several years after becoming a Christian, he clearly heard God’s voice in a dream (yes, nothing is impossible with God!!): “Write Twelve Songs!” Lovingly and obediently, Dan started writing them. He spent two years focused on the Lord’s desire, which resulted in completing them.
Dan recorded his first published song “God’s World Goes ‘Round” and excitedly launched it on January 27, 2023. His second song recorded and launched is “Baby Jesus In A Manger".
Dan has always loved music and dancing while growing up. When singing a solo in a school class, the teacher stopped playing the piano and said, “You sing like a little angel!” The uproar and taunting from my “friends” was thunderous. Glad I kept singing! He was in folk singing groups in high school and college. After making a profession of faith to be a follower of Jesus, Dan joined the choir and sang solos in church and hasn’t stopped serving God with his musical talent since.
CHRISTIAN SERVICE
Dan sings with his church's praise team and choir and is part of the church’s media team. He has also written many children songs and sings them for preschoolers at church. One of the songs, “Baby Jesus In A Manger”, has been sung at his church at Christmas time. He currently plays Jesus’ songs to preschoolers in Sunday School, Mission Friends, and the Good News Club that meets at the local elementary school.
God has called both Dan and Sandi to be active year-round volunteers with the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift project. They have a heart to distribute these shoebox gifts because every child recipient hears the Good News gospel of Jesus Christ. Over 200,000,000 million children have received a precious shoebox!!
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dan prayed and asked God how he could use his passion and talents in photography for Him. God opened the door for Dan to take professional pictures for the start-up Christian Upward children’s basketball program at his church. For fifteen years he took team and player pictures before he retired from photography. He has also been on several mission trips to capture trip activities.
OTHER INTERESTS
Dan has a lifetime interest in baseball, gardening, and bike riding. He takes great joy in creating and maintaining God’s beautiful flowers at his church’s gardens and his home. He regularly rides and explores the 184.5 miles of the C&O Canal National Park tow path in Maryland near his home.