Our Response if you were to ask us, “What’s Up?”. October 19, 2009

Thank you JB, Susan, and Jennie!!

I, Brett, speak for myself but i can confidently say that i’m speaking for everyone when i say that things are going amazing in our world. We feel like a band, we’re beginning to sound like a band, and we’re learning to work as a band, and we’re becoming more like  a family than anything.  I feel like we’re just stepping into the fun part too! Just as in any relationship; the closer you get the more conflict you have, but the more conflict you work through the closer you get and the deeper your relationships go. That’s kinda where we are.  With every week, weekend, or day we spend together we’re learning how to better communicate, love, and serve one another.  It’s awesome. I don’t know what i would do without these brothers the Lord has put in my life. I’m seeing that they think about the things i would never think about and vise versa, it really works out well.  On top of that, we’ve started writing together which is REALLY exciting and we’re really pumped about what’s been coming out. All of us, individually and as a band, are learning to walk fearfully and fearlessly in the calling and creativity that has been put on us.  We’re learning to not be timid when we get on stage or when we share a song idea. The Lord has given us all gifts and we should not be afraid to use them confidently and shamelessly. It sounds like pride but it’s backed with the knowledge that the ONLY reason we have these gifts is because He has given them to us and a total and complete dependency on him.  I guess to sum it up, we’re learning how to be a band, write as a band, and  walk and live in the anointing that God has graciously put on our lives.

Now for a more surface level update:

This weekend we we’re in Highlands, North Carolina, a place that we’re beginning to call our second home. We’ve formed relationships with some incredible people that have really blessed our ministry. It’s so cool being able to travel around and experience what God is doing in different places and build relationships with people that we would have otherwise never met. Really really great people at that.  This was our 2nd time in Highlands at Highlands Community Bible Church or Highlands CBC and we have gotten the privilege to stay with the Coram family both times. This family is one of the most selfless, hospitable, humble families we have ever stayed with.  And not to mention there house is UNREAL with an UNREAL view!! (See picture above) We got to spend Friday afternoon riding 4 wheelers around the mountain, writing songs while overlooking mountains, and calling it “work” at the same time. I love my job.

On Friday night we did a concert for anyone who wanted to come and it was a great night, it’s a lot of fun to have a night to ourselves to be able to just come and bless people. Lots of freedom was given to us and we really appreciated it. It was a great night.  On Saturday, though, we did a concert in Craggy Prison in Asheville, NC and it was quite interesting but very good. The whole time we were leading i was thinking, “how in the world am I, a 20 year old kid, supposed to connect with 150 men in prison????” And i thought that i did a terrible job but afterwards they came up and told us that they were so blessed by it and it was exactly what they needed. I hardly said anything the entire concert but the Lord used our music to minister to these men and it was really cool to watch.  It was a very sobering day to say the least.

From there we headed to Athens to be with friends, celebrate Van Moncrieff’s, one of our best friend’s, birthday, and then leading for the students at Athens Church on Sunday morning. That was a great time too! You know those YouTube sensations with all those crazy basketball shots, the Dude Perfect guys? They were there and we got to hear there story and hang out with them. It was really cool.

God is so good and He is working on and teaching us so much through this whole experience. We’re all in and we’re so pumped to see where he takes us no matter where it is. If you are reading this post and you were in any way involved in this past weekend, thank you so much! We appreciate everything.

-Brett

Jesus and Protein = Synonyms June 19, 2009

I want to start by saying this… I absolutely LOVE my job and i really can’t believe I’m doing this. With that said, these past couple weeks has been the first time in a while that i have been REALLY busy and although it’s really great and i feel beyond blessed and humbled to be doing this, i’m learning the hard way.  I shall explain…

As i said, starting Sunday June 7th i have not gone a day without leading or playing music somewhere and it won’t stop until this sunday the 21st and it’s been so great! I love it.  But somewhere along the way i lost track of exactly what i was doing and why i was doing it, the busyness took over and all i could focus on was getting from one place to another and doing what i needed to do for each session or camp.  Praise the Lord for grace because He has still been faithful to show up and move in people’s hearts despite my lack of focus but i’ve been somewhere else these past couple weeks and it didn’t hit me till yesterday when i was finally able to sit down with God and be honest.  He led me to Hebrews 12:1-3

^“1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Right now i am running a race that has been marked out by Jesus. Every camp, every session, every song, every note, every car ride, everything is part of this race and it’s really easy to get tired and apathetic.  At the start of this race (june 7th) i was ready to go and running at a full sprint, but after a couple miles i got tired, slowed down, and totally lost track of where i was going.  I wasn’t seeking God’s heart for direction, i became selfish, my pride puffed up, and i just plain forgot why i do this.  I really hate that this happened but God has used this to teach me so much.  It’s a simple truth and in the back of my mind i know it but reading verse 2 yesterday it just hit me: The only way to run with endurance and perseverance throughout this entire race is by FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS! He is our strength, he is our hope, he is the author and perfecter of our faith and if we look to him we will find strength and begin to have his heart for every situation. This is the piece i have been missing for the first leg of this summer, my eyes were not looking to the reason i lead worship, Jesus.  I got tired and went from a sprint to a slow jog and then to an exhausted walk.  

The cool thing about God teaching me this now is, this is the start of many busy summers and seasons of life, He’s just teaching me how to be busy and still have a healthy, growing, relationship with Him.  I lived, i learned, and hopefully, as busy seasons come and go, i’ll be able to remember where my eyes need to be lookin.

God’s grace is so amazing.  I fail in so many ways but he STILL uses me and loves me.

Amazing Grace (Fellowship Church) May 11, 2009

I’m gonna be totally honest with you… i just laughed at the title of this post. Guilty:/ I’ve realized by people’s reactions to my jokes that i am really good at making bad jokes and really bad at making good ones.  So there… That has nothing to do with what i intended this post to be about.

Last week was an interesting week full of good talks, hard talks, good times, tough times, good people, and not really any bad people but it ended with a great big bang yesterday.  Mothers day. HAPPY (late) MOTHERS DAY! Half of my band and i led at Grace Fellowship Church all day long and it was a really good day.  I always get so nervous before leading at Grace because Aaron (Keyes) is the worship pastor there and the voice inside me that tells me i have to “perform” well convinces me that i have some pretty big shoes to fill.  The truth is though, i don’t. The shoes that i feel like i have to fill don’t even exist… there are no shoes!  All i have to do is be who God as made me to be as a leader. As Carrie (the amazing woman who runs production at Grace) says, “Remember, you’re not filling in for Aaron, you’re here to lead us in worship.”  I don’t think I’ll ever forget her telling me that.  

There is this constant battle that goes on inside of me before, and even as, i lead worship (i spoke of it in “2 for 2 baby”). It’s the “Who You Wanna Please?” battle.  See i can go into a service terrified because i feel like i have to perform and please the people with my creative guitar chords and smooth scripture references or i can go into it resting in God’s grace, trusting in the Holy Spirit to lead me, and seeking to please the Lord and the Lord only.  I wish i could say i choose the ladder of the 2 every time but i sadly and humbly admit that i seldom choose to please the Lord first.  To put it bluntly, i worship acceptance. I think we all do to a certain extent.  The good news is Jesus is a lot stronger than our desire to be accepted or liked. (phew)  The question for me  is, which one is going to be my God? Jesus or other people’s opinions of me? Who’s approval am i going to care about?  Jesus’ or other people’s? When i step on stage it’s not about me, it’s not about the congregation, it’s not about the music, it’s about Jesus. 

Yesterday leading at Grace was not good because the music was good or people raised their hands and sang really loud. It was good for me because i felt like my desire was to please the Lord and not the people.  It’s so much more fulfilling that way! I think this is one of the biggest things we, as worshipers, need to understand.  It’s so huge.  

It was a great Mothers Day. Here’s the set we did:

Came to the Rescue (Hillsong), Living for Your Glory (tim hughes), Glory to God (fee), Highest and Greatest  (tim hughes).

2 for 2 Baby May 2, 2009

This is twice in 2 days… Wow. I’m so proud of myself. Maybe this time I’ll keep it up?? I’m not making any promises though. I’ve come to realize that I’m a seasonal blogger, there’s times when I really love it and then there are times when frankly I don’t see the point. I guess today there is a point. I’m sitting at starbucks right now here in Auburn, AL and I’m lovin it, give me some coffee and the morning time after a good night’s sleep and I’m a happy man! I love the morning. All you late night people, you need to wake up (see what I did there?) and see this gift we’ve been given called morning. Haha. Not really, I have nothing against people that enjoy staying up late. Wow. I’m rambling.
Anyway, last night we led for a group of middle schoolers at Auburn Church and it was a great night. We felt good as a band, it felt even better just to get to play together, and much more importantly Jesus was there with us and I think He was pleased. I’m finding that as I lead there is this constant battle inside me, one half of me (let’s call it my flesh) desperately wants to be accepted as a “good” worship leader so I try to perform for the so called “important” people there. And then the other half of me (let’s call this half my spirit) hates the other half and desperately wants to want to please God only. I felt this battle like crazy last night and usually I would have beat myself up for trying to perform but I’m learning to learn from these times and ask the Lord to help me in this battle next time. Instead of feeling like a failure, I realize that God knows my heart and he knows that, “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” He knows, and I think is ultimately pleased, by my desire for Him to be the focus. I guess it all comes with growth.

(I’m tired of trying to come up with smooth or clever transitions from one topic to another so from now on I’m not gonna worry about it. If you’re looking for smooth transitions and good punctuation you’re gonna have to look elsewhere.)

2 Things:
1.) If I were to ask you Sleeping Beauty’s (you know? The lethargic Disney princess) actual name would you know the answer? Cause a middle school boy sure did last night during the trivia game. Upon being asked the question he quickly, with NO hesitaion, replied, “_________!” What middle school boy knows that? I have lots of respect for this kid. That’s a real man right there!
2.) I read this book this week called, “Divine Nobodies” by Jim Palmer. It’ll change ya. It sure changed me.

That’s all I got.

drive slowly… angels at play! February 2, 2009

His grace is really amazing. i’m seeing that in my life more and more as the days go on. i see how much i need it, i see how much He gives, and i can’t get enough of it. that’s kinda been the thought in my mind this past week or so, i praise the Lord for grace. humility is not self loathing, humility is celebrating the grace you have been given in the midst of your o so broken life. i’m learning that.

it was a great, no really great weekend!! on thursday night i headed down to midtown to meet with this newly established group of guys that now make up the “worship team” (for lack of a better phrase) of midtown community church. i felt so so honored and humbled to be sitting in the midst of these guys i’ve looked up to for so long and be part of this vision for changing the city. i have been praying a lot for guidance for the next step of my life and this has been a huge answer to prayer. i wanted to be plugged into a local church but i also wanted to travel with my band and this way i’m going to be doing both. this church really grabbed my heart the first time i lead there and i can’t believe i’m going to be a part of leading there often. i feel compassion stirring in my heart for the city as i sit in the midst of these guys with a heart to see the kingdom take control of atlanta. i’m really excited, i mean really excited!!

from there i headed to auburn, al to spend the weekend with my lovely girlfriend. we had some much needed time together, it was great. she is the most patient, encouraging, and kind person i know and i’m so grateful to have her in my life. did i mention she is amazing?!?!?!? check out this picture i took outside of a church… i can’t get enough!!

yea, it really says that!

on sunday i led at north point community church’s middle school ministry called xtreme. i had a lot of fun. for the most part, middle school is not my forte, but this sunday i just had a lot of fun. i felt an authority and boldness that made me very comfortable being myself in leading. i think when the leader has joy, it spreads throughout the room so i’ve been working on finding joy in leading and showing it. it had bookoos of fun!! our set was:

alive and running (one of my bro’s new songs)

i am free (newsboys)

all because of Jesus (fee)

it was also fun cause i got to play with my drummer, anders and we got to hang out sunday afternoon. he never ceases to impress me in his drumming abilities, he broke his collar bone 3 weeks ago and he’s playing drums now. haha, it’s amazing, he’s amazing. i’ve seen so much growth and humility in him in the past 6 months, he’s a stud.

welp. big gulps huh?