Friday, August 31, 2007

1147 Days...

I was looking back through the calendar on this last day of August... it's only human nature to reminisce, so permit me to do so for a few. I was researching some of the important events from the past few years and that prompted me to do some date calculating. And the answer is... 1147!! 1147 days since my first ever solo CD project, "Spheres of Influence" was released and performed live for the first time. The actual CD itself took over a year to complete, as we were jumping into Bates Brothers Recording in Hueytown whenever there was some studio time available. Some of the songs on SOI were birthed literally years previously. So, as you can tell, I don't tend to rush anything... lol.

Lots and lots of events in these 1000+ days... 2 trips to Ireland, a Japanese tour, a trip to the Middle East, and numerous camps, concerts, and sessions for a multitude of artists. Oh yeah... we moved too! On August 14, 2005 we completed 7 years of ministry at the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, AL and moved the family up to the beautiful hills of Thompson's Station, TN.

The 2 years we've been here have been incredible... and that's true... but let me elaborate. There have been moments of incredible joy and spiritual breakthrough... and an equal amount of moments both fearful and tearful. To be completely candid, if I had the choice to do it all again... I'm not sure I would! I know with all the certainty in my heart that God moved us... and I'm learning that sometimes it's better NOT to know what's coming. If I had any inkling that these would be the toughest 2 years of my life, I would've run screaming! lol

But had I run from this call (like I had been doing without even knowing it), so many things would be different. While I imagine that we'd still be enjoying the comfort of our family and friends back in Birmingham, we would be missing all our new friends here in Tennessee. God has been doing an incredible work in my life and our family through our church home group, and I would not trade this for the world. We've seen people come into relationships with Christ, believers I've gotten to baptize, and God has allowed our music to be used in ways and in vehicles and venues I never dreamed possible.

So... what's next? The Year of Jubilee is drawing to a close, but we are poised on the edge of something wonderful. That sure sounds like 'Sunday school cheerleading', but I believe it with all my heart. The call that God placed is still there... and the influence that call creates is still rippling outward, like the lines of hope represented in the P150 logo.

Ok, enough big words! We're learning that this Project Onefifty thing is much harder than we thought... but when has anything really worthwhile EVER been easy? But through all of it, God has and will be faithful. I've used this verse before, but it really encapsulates what I'm trying to convey:

"But God's not finished. He's waiting around to be gracious to you. He's gathering strength to show mercy to you. God takes the time to do everything right—everything. Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones." Isaiah 30:18 (the Message)

1147 days... and counting!!

By the way... God IS great (more on that next time)!

GV

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

The Girls of Summer (and one boy, too!)

Ahhh... summertime! Lazy days out by the lake... sunning by the pool... and then there's what I've been doing! lol

To be sure, I have had a time or two to enjoy the aforementioned activities, but I get to do them all around the country! So this entry will be an attempt to give you a glimpse into my idyllic life on the road!

Toward the end of June I had the awesome privilege of tracking acoustic guitar for an equally awesome Nashville artist and friend, Debra Soule (aka Deb Solberg). Deb is a great singer in the Janis Joplin tradition but to my ears a FAR better singer! I've been playing some dates with Rob and Deb and they went into Vibe56 studio with legendary producer/writer/artist Phil Madeira. What a great day! Great players, great songs, and the foundation for an incredible project. Check out Deb's site for details (www.debrasoule.com).

Another 'girl of summer' I had the joy to work with is Morgan Bracy (www.morganbracy.com). Nashville is crawling with lots of folks trying to make it in the biz, but Morgan is the rare artist with something to say with her music... and the music is great, too! I had the chance to fill the guitar slot in Morgan's band for a showcase and I hope to get to work with her again. She's taking a bit of a break to have a baby(!), but be sure to check out her site in the meantime.

July started off with a bang... and no, I'm not talking about fireworks on the 4th! In what is probably the most unusual job I've had, I was in front of the cameras taping some segments for a LifeWay kid's project. Yes, I am now a 'thespian'! lol In a tie-in to the project that will be featuring my song "I Will Trust in You", I play a character named Uncle Marcello and I tell kids about all the cool places I've been to and how they can be praying for ministry needs there. In a strange way it's art imitating life... but it's obviously something I'm passionate about; using music and media to reach people all around the the world with the Good News! As they say in the biz, 'film at 11!'

That brings me to another one of the Girls of Summer... Jen Breeze. Jen and Brian Timmerman attend our church (Brian helps with FOH audio and Jen plays in the band and leads worship from time to time). I had the honor to play on a few of the tracks for Jen's new CD "Something Real" (check it out at www.jenniferbreeze.com), which led to not one but TWO CD release events. The first was held in her hometown of Stuart, FL (close to West Palm) where Jen and her band (I was on electric guitar) played to a packed house at the Lyric Theatre. Needless to say, this hometown girl did very, very well. It was a 28 hour round trip by car, but I got to read the last Harry Potter novel from cover to cover on the ride home... lol! We got back to TN and played a cool little venue called Puckett's where Jen really wowed her adopted hometown. In all the press these concerts generated, critics would compare Jen to Melissa Ethridge (probably because of her gutsy vocals and great guitar playing), but to me she reminds me of Sheryl Crow. Jen is another artist with songs that tell stories from the perspective of a musician who is a Christ-follower, and not as a 'Christian musician'. While they may seem like the same thing to you, there's a huge difference where these talented artists simply share truth in a way that folks outside the church can really relate to. Hmmm... what a great idea!! :-)

Finally... a Boy of Summer, my longtime buddy Kevin Williams!! I just got back home last night from a children's camp held at Camp Windemere in Roach, MO (no, I'm not making the town up!). We were leading worship for 2 churches from the Ft. Smith, AR area, and it was a great week! At least a dozen kids accepted Christ as savior and it was an awesome week of renewal for me especially. You'll be excited to hear that our song "I Will Trust in You" was used in a huge way during our worship times. I can honestly say that I'm astonished how this song touches so many people. But I'm quickly reminded that God's word will never return void and that this song is simply one of His many promises!!

Sorry for the length, and I can blow some smoke about doing better next time... but you know me!! lol

I love all of you and hope you are having a great summer!!

GV