As seen through powerful testimonials and his passionate artistic expression, gospel singer Fred Hammond has exhibited a life of perseverance, which he attributes to God’s plan -- which he says came into affect when he was still in his mother's womb.

Hammond’s first love album, a double-CD set entitled "God, Love & Romance," is set for release on Jan. 31, 2012.

"This is the soundtrack to my personal love life; these are my heart songs," Hammond told Elev8.com.

"I sing my worship and I sing the Gospel, but there was something just pulling at me and I wanted to make sure it wasn’t just me wanting to do something to just do something," he added of his desire to address love in his latest body of work.

The first album in Hammond’s double set consists of new gospel songs, while the second album focuses on a collection of love songs, which the recording artist insists has a special purpose and meaning for the church.

According to his interview with Elev8, Hammond feels church leaders have not been doing enough to address issues of romance and love with congregants, which he claims could help prevent divorces.

"We don’t talk real in Gospel," he told the online publication. Hammond, whose mother reportedly went through a painful divorce due to an an affair, also divorced from his wife in 2004.

Hammond previously revealed that his mother, who died in 2010, confessed to him on her death bed that he was a survivor of an attempted abortion.

In a video making the rounds on the Internet, Hammond, appearing in an interview with minister and fellow gospel singer Donnie McClurkin, shares his story of hearing the shocking confession from his mother.

In the interview, done on “The Donnie McClurkin Show,” Hammond attributes his mother’s unsuccessful abortion to God’s plan for his life.

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