One More Soul didn’t arrive all at once.
“It came in fragments—quiet, persistent, and carried by something deeper than inspiration. By Jonathan Clark
Years ago, after watching Hacksaw Ridge for the first time, something in the story lodged itself in me. But the truth is, my connection to Desmond Doss began long before that. As a child, my mother would tell us the story of Desmond Doss, sharing it just as it had been told to her. We didn’t grow up watching TV like most kids do today; instead, we listened to Bible story tapes—hundreds, maybe thousands, over the years. One of those tapes told the story of the conscientious objector who refused to carry a weapon yet was committed to saving lives. That story was etched into us from the time we were young.
So when I watched the film as an adult, it didn’t just hit me—it stirred something that had been planted decades earlier. I couldn’t tell you the exact date I watched it or what else was happening in my life, but I remember the feeling it left behind: the courage, the sacrifice, the weight of one man asking for the strength to save just one more life.
“One more soul…
One more soul…
Lord, help me get one more.”
I didn’t force it. I didn’t sit down with the intention to write a full song. I just followed the feeling. Those words became a poem, and the poem became the beginnings of a song—something raw, unfinished, but honest. I tucked it away afterward, thinking maybe one day I’d come back to it. Maybe not.
Life moved on, as it does. Years passed. The pages of that idea faded into the background of my memory.
Then, in the middle of 2025, something unexpected happened. Hacksaw Ridge appeared again on my streaming recommendations, almost like a tap on the shoulder. I watched it, and the memory of that unfinished song hit me hard—like it had been waiting for the right moment to return.
I went digging—through old files, notebooks, and phone notes—until I found the scattered pieces I’d written years earlier. And in that moment, I knew it was time to finish it.
With new creative tools finally available, I typed and retyped the lyrics a hundred different times, shaping every line until it felt true. Then I input the instrumentation into the software—adjusting the arrangement, the pacing, the layering—hundreds of times until the song sounded exactly the way it lived in my head.
Piece by piece, One More Soul came together.
And in the end, it felt less like completing a project and more like responding to a deeper pull—a moment of inspiration, maybe even divine guidance, urging me to finish a song meant to call people toward their own purpose. A song that honors the courage and sacrifice of a man who kept going back for “one more soul,” no matter the cost.” – Jon Clark
As God guided and encouraged Jonathan R. Clark to first write the poem and then the song “One More Soul,” He also had a plan for how this heart-penetrating universal song of love would be shared globally.
Romans 8:28 is a promise for those who love God and are called according to His purpose: “all things work together for good,” meaning God uses even difficult circumstances for a positive ultimate outcome in our lives, not necessarily an immediate, easy good. It’s a promise of divine purpose and hope, reminding believers that God is orchestrating events for their ultimate benefit, reinforcing trust in His unchanging character and powerful, redemptive greater plan.
God’s divine plan for “One More Soul” was established long before Jonathan was born. Just take a moment to follow the path and timeline of confirming ‘God’s winks.’
- Jonathan’s mother, Donna, was Jacquie Zytkoskee’s college roommate at Southern College (now University) in Tennessee.
- On August 11, 1974, Jacquie had her sister Taryl and Donna serve as bridesmaids at her wedding.
- Taryl became engaged to the charming and resourceful Jeffrey Cordone, and they married in 1975.
- Donna gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Johnathan R. Clark, in 1977.
- In the fall of 2025, Jon eagerly shared his latest song project with his mother, a piece he had poured several years into creating.
Donna knew right away who should listen to the song because she had stayed in contact with Jacquie and was aware of Taryl and Jeffrey’s strong connection to Desmond Doss, the documentary “Conscience Objector,” and the Academy Award-winning film “Hacksaw Ridge.”
Later, Jonathan told Jeffrey, “As soon as I shared my song with my Mom, she said, ‘I have to call my roommate Jacquie – Jeffrey & Taryl are devoted to the Doss Foundation & Jeffrey traveled with Desmond…”
- As God would have it, Jeffrey is the Production Executive responsible for overseeing special screenings and preparing the documentary for marketing. It was largely through Jeffrey’s efforts that “TCO” was entered into various film festivals, where it won 23 top awards. An essential contribution to Desmond was Jeffrey’s nursing skills, one of his many career qualifications, which enabled the pair to travel the country with him. He required special attention to his health needs, including the constant availability of oxygen. When “Hacksaw Ridge” was released to worldwide acclaim, Jeffrey’s administrative management talents were called upon to serve on the Doss Foundation’s Advisory Board. Jeffrey is spearheading our Character Development Educational initiative, Edusodes. Jeffrey was elevated in 2020 to become a full board member, in 2022 to Acting President, and in 2025 to President of the Foundation.
Jeffrey and several Foundation members were so moved by the writing, message, and the deep connection in “One More Soul,” which centers on Desmond’s simple prayer, whispered on Hacksaw Ridge, as he sought guidance and reassurance from God before rushing into danger to save the wounded, “Just one more, Lord, help me get one more!” Tears came as the song spoke of Desmond’s heart and relentless faith. This song will ensure his legacy endures for future generations.
- Jeffrey and Johnathan promptly secured the copyrights and legal clearance to produce the “One More Soul” music video with Fred Knopper.
Fred Knopper is a TV and movie producer/director. He was the first Chairman of the Doss Council, and Desmond initially contacted him in 1999 to help create a small film about his life to encourage children to live morally.
God guided every step! Although we can look back and see how His plan for “One More Soul” unfolded, His work is not finished yet. Now that we’ve shared the music video with the world, we wait expectantly for the next chapters to be written and blessings to be revealed.
Let’s keep Jon’s music video in our thoughts and prayers, as it has the potential to touch and impact many lives and inspire wonderful stories and blessings to be shared.
“For every life brought back to the sunrise,
A little more light returns to us all—
Reminding even the wounded and weary
That love still lifts, and no soul is ever too small.”
The Desmond Doss Foundation exists because of the incredible heroism and faith in God displayed by our namesake, Medal of Honor recipient Desmond T. Doss, whose character values are the basis for all we do. In fulfilling Desmond’s dream of inspiring young people to live a positive, character-driven life, through the Desmond Doss Edusodes, the new video series, which is free online at DesmondDossFoundation.org.
The song, “One More Soul,” Donated to the Desmond Doss Foundation, Courtesy of Jonathan R. Clark, all rights reserved
