reveal•redeem•restore

And in the End...

2009-09-16T13:00:00.003-05:00

Those of us who are Beatles fans are simply loving the release of the Remastered discs, and the arrival of the incredible Beatles Rock Band.

But the only thing that the Beatles have in common with this Road Journal is my appropriation of a song title. Those of you who follow this blog can now follow it on our newly re-imagined Project Onefifty website.

All of our posts have been ported to the new site, and you can simply subscribe via RSS to keep 'em coming (and I promise to do a better job about posting).

So we now say farewell to this faithful Blogger site. You've served us well...

And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make!

Couldn't resist that lyric!

See you at the new site!

GV

www.project150.com

Behind the music... "I Will Trust in You"

2009-04-03T10:30:00.006-05:00

Lately I've been talking a lot about this new collaboration with Wes Hampton of the Gaither Vocal Band. We've recorded brand new versions of two of my most popular songs, "Forty" and "I Will Trust in You". Both of these songs are several years old, but they seem to resonate with folks. So I was looking back through past journal entries and noticed something; I've never shared the story behind the songs here in this journal. So if you will allow the length, here is the inspiration behind "I Will Trust in You."

If you’ve ever gone through a failed pregnancy, then you know how devastating this experience can be. To go from the joy and expectancy of a new life... to the bitter pain of a life lost prematurely, the physical, emotional and spiritual toil can leave permanent scars.

God has blessed Carol and I with five children, but in between our second and third sons, we endured not one but two miscarriages. I almost cannot describe how this affected us. Needless to say, when we became pregnant again, there was always a shadow of fear in the background of our joy.

In February of 2004 we found that we were expecting a fifth child... we were so excited! Having four boys, we were of course hoping and praying for a daughter. When we announced our ‘impending arrival’, family and friends went crazy. As we were in our 40’s, we laughingly endured being called ‘Abram and Sarai’... lol.

But on the very day of our announcement, Carol started having problems. We immediately called her doctor but could not get an appointment for two days... two days! All the old fears and emotions were raging in my heart. How could God allow such a thing? We’d already been through all this twice! I’m ashamed to say that anger at God was just one of the emotions I was dealing with in this crisis. My heart prayer was for all to be made right. Thankfully God is big enough to take my puny rage.

I am a musician and songwriter. Part of who I am and how I deal with life and the world is through song. I can distinctly remember sitting on the edge of my bed on the night before Carol’s appointment. With my guitar in hand and my journal open, I was halfway playing and praying to God for guidance and understanding. I ran across a song fragment I had jotted down a month or so before. All I could see were the words of Psalm 56:3 leaping off the page... “When I am afraid, I will trust in You”.

It may seem like yet another songwriter story, but at that moment God gave me the song “I Will Trust in You”... it came into this world complete... chords, melody, and lyric. Through my tears I wrote down this incredible gift of comfort from Holy Spirit. I assumed that this was meant only for Carol and I, but in coming months this song found it’s way to Wes Hampton, where he and I performed it for the first time as part of a Celebrate Recovery worship service. God obviously had other plans for this song!

Audra Grace Vinson was born on October 29, 2004 and at the time of this writing is a healthy and vibrant four year old (going on twenty!). God not only brought our family through this trial, but the message of hope and grace and trust at the heart of “I Will Trust in You” is now being heard all around the world.

In this time of hopelessness in our world, God is using this simple song to proclaim the truth that He is hope, and that He is trustworthy!

Thank you for allowing me to share with you. It is the prayer of both Wes Hampton and myself that the promise of Psalm 56:3 will be at the center of this project and in everything we do.

God bless,

GV

The Fall

2009-03-25T09:49:00.002-05:00

No one likes a fall. I'm not talking about 'fall' as in the season (love that kind of fall). I'm talking about the 'I've fallen and I can't get up' kind of fall. Which is about what happened to me this past Sunday morning (in more ways than one).

It was another busy weekend on the road (can you say 'thank you, God'?), but things weren't going all that swimmingly. On the way down to Oxford, AL Saturday morning for an event that night, I started feeling a bit under the weather. By the time I arrived at the venue for set up and sound-check, I was in full-fledged 'virus' mode. Yep... the 'Full Monte(zuma)'. Thankfully our host and the band guys were very patient, and the event schedule was very kind to me. I got through the gig and made it to Birmingham that evening, as I was scheduled to play at Hunter Street BC in Hoover, AL the next morning.

By the time 6am rolled around, I was still a bit shaky but on the upswing. Whenever I play, I typically like to stand, especially in a worship setting. But that day I was just too dang tired, so I played from a folding stool. Two out of three services... no problem.

Can you see it coming? Of course you can! We had no more started the opening bit of music for the last service that it happened. There I was... sitting there, minding my own business... listening to the beautiful strains of "Shout to the Lord"... waiting for the measure to come where I strum this gorgeous A2 chord, replete with shimmering chorus and my trademark delay sounds. Suddenly as if the New Madrid fault line had a seizure, I found myself involved in literally the longest fall I've ever experienced in my life. Oh... I'm sure it only lasted seconds... but in that moment, I'm certain that Einstein's theory of time dilatation came into play and that my tumble was exponentially longer.

Somehow I started to fall backwards... yes, backwards and off the 18" high riser, all the while holding my prized '82 Strat. It would only be poetic justice (or poetic license) if the lyric at that moment was the 'mountains bow down' line in the song being played. But who knew... all I knew is that I was falling!

Finally I fell to earth. In best Olympic tradition, I immediately jumped to my feet. You know when the gymnast misses the final 'stick' but jumps up and acts as if nothing had happened? Yep... I tossed my stool back onto the riser, made sure that me and my guitar were all in one piece and plunged right back in (ok, I did re-tune first... lol). Fortunately there was no long-term damage, other than my ego. I have been told that part of this wonderful event was captured on video... oh, great!

But then it gets serious. I was on the way back to Nashville when I received a phone call from Carol. Our son Justin had been in a car wreck in Huntsville. Apparently he was on the way home and was literally a few hundred yards from his house when a car came out of the blue and hit his vehicle on the passenger side. He was in an ambulance on the way to the ER when he made the call to my wife. We planned on meeting at the hospital as soon as possible.

Thank God for grace and mercy! Other than a few minor cuts and some bumps and bruises, Justin was fine (his car, alas, was not so good). We spent the rest of the day getting him back to his house and settled.

On the drive back later that night, I couldn't help but think about all the events of the weekend. If you believe in luck, then you'd have to wonder why me and the family were patently unlucky. But I don't think that way. I don't even think it was the enemy or an 'act of God'. The Bible is clear that we live in a fallen world. When we fell in the garden, we pretty much told God what He could go do with himself. And ever since then we've been living in a world full of random chaos. Sometimes, stuff just happens!

But even in the middle of 'stuff', God never stopped caring or protecting. In every event of the past weekend, God's grace and mercy were evident. From getting through the event on Saturday, my Humpty Dumpty impersonation on Sunday, and to Justin's near brush with disaster... God protected us from far more serious consequences. And if feeling some sore muscles or replacing a vehicle is the price to pay, those pale in comparison to what could've been the end result.

No one likes a fall. Least of all God... when we fell, imagine his grief. But continue to imagine his love and mercy... so much so that Christ came and lived and died for me and for you and everyone who needs that mercy and grace.

Guess you could say that God 'took the fall' for us.

In His Mercy,

GV

"What's in a Name?"

2009-03-02T18:49:00.001-06:00

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

You've heard that one before, right? And while words can't really 'hurt' per se, what about your name?

Yep... your name. Your moniker, handle, designation, sobriquet... the list goes on. I love words and their meanings, but there is no more meaningful word than the one that signifies... you!

It's interesting the cyclical nature of the names we give or curse our children with. I was at a music workshop just this past Saturday, and three of the guys in the band were named 'Justin'. I have one of those too (son number two). It means 'full of justice', by the way.

So what's the deal with our names? Some of us have them because our parents just like the way they sounded. Names are also given to honor a past family member or great world leader. In fact, I'm named for both my maternal grandfather AND British kings... woo hoo!

Most ancient cultures believed that names were powerful and could shape the destiny of the individual. Some even have birth names that are used until maturity and then their 'real name' is bestowed after some 'right of passage', or at least until the nature and character of the person has been revealed. The popular young adult book series 'Eragon' has an important plot point in that everything in that fictional world has just such a 'true name' and the holder of this secret knowledge can wield immense power.

The Bible is pretty clear about what God thinks about names... especially his! All throughout scripture, God tells us that his name is so holy, that it's what he swears by. All the promises given to us in the word has the God-name 'seal of authenticity'! The people of Israel were so in awe of God that they wouldn't even speak his name aloud or inscribe it.

So do our names define us? Are these seemingly random bestowed appellations really self-fulfilling prophesy for our lives?

And it seems that the nursery rhyme about names and pain is not really accurate. There are some names that wound so deeply that these titles can shape our thoughts and emotions. 'Loser'... 'idiot'... 'cripple'... 'tramp'. Given years of repetition, these names begin to stick to our souls. Called 'loser' enough, a person will believe it, giving power to the lie and dominating their life until God knows what end.

But there IS hope! The Bible tells us that God not only knows our name... he has a new name for each of us, known only to him. Jesus promises that "to him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."

Wow! The God who created the universe knows and cares for me so much that he has an intimate name that only he and I will know. And I believe that this name will be the defining descriptor of me and my life and purpose... the ultimate 'true name'. Incredible!!

Finally, in a passage in the book of Revelation, the name and identity of Jesus is made crystal clear:

"On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

So what's in a name? Apparently... everything!!

GV

"Hope... and other four-letter words"

2009-01-20T08:42:00.001-06:00

Today is a historic day... but you don't need me to tell you that!. Whether with excitement or dread, we've all been looking toward this day when Barrack Obama will cease to be the President Elect and will become THE President of these United States. Whatever your opinion of the man or your political persuasion... he will be the God-ordained leader of our country, and deserves our respect and more importantly our prayers.

Barrack Obama early on was labeled the 'candidate of change' and ran openly on a platform of 'hope'.

Hope... now there's something to talk about.

I tried to search out all the political speeches that contained the word 'hope' but quickly realized how futile a task that would be. Just about every politician has, at one point or another, embraced or even tried to personify the concept.

The word itself is defined several ways. 'Hope' can be 'to wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment' or even 'the theological virtue defined as the desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with God's help.' Hope... just say the word. It's powerful... and you can see why speakers are quick to invoke this magic phrase.

And that's the problem. We are quick to make the promise, but rarely can we deliver! When bandied about so casually, the word becomes (like it's close relative 'love') just another 'four-letter word'.

My prayer is that Barrack Obama will be a great President. We're in desperate times and need the fulfillment of the promise of hope. But ultimately we need to trust not in a man or a system or the hope that political promises will be kept... we need to find the true source of Hope... Jesus Christ.

"What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all—life healed and whole."
1 Peter 1:3 (The Message)

Now that's Hope!

GV

So This is Christmas... 2008

2008-12-31T14:25:00.002-06:00

Wow. 2008... almost gone. And where did it go so quickly? I couldn't let this year end without one more journal entry. I purposefully went on 'radio silence' during all the election madness of November, and then the Christmas season was upon us (and numerous musicals and gigs, thank God!).

In the midst of all the holiday cheer, there are a select few Christmas tunes that I really enjoy. "Silent Night" and "Do You Hear What I Hear" are a couple of carols that ring my bell. But one song in particular has been rolling through my mind even now.

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

John Lennon wrote "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" as his ode to peace and the belief that love could triumph over war, hate, bigotry, and all the other ills that infect and affect mankind. This is not just an idealistic hippie dream of the 60's, but the fervent faith of a man proclaiming his heart-felt faith in peace.

And he was right... almost. In my own life, every attempt to change in my own power usually ended in disaster... or worse! I can't help but be reminded of my friend Martin in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After giving us a tour of that war and hate-torn city, he made a statement that still rings true. "The only thing that will bring peace to Ireland", Martin boldly exclaimed, "is the Love of Jesus".

Amazing! I know he was referring mainly to Belfast and the Irish 'Troubles", but his words are incredibly appropriate. On every hand we have our own 'troubles'; recession, unemployment, bankruptcy, political unrest... and almost in fulfillment of those dire prophesies, we have war, famine, and starvation. Somehow just hoping and wishing for Love and Peace to triumph is not enough.

And it's not. But God made a way through these troubles (notice I didn't say 'out of'). The Love and Blood of Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Check it out for yourself and see if it's not true.

So... this was Christmas and 2008. What have we done? What have 'I" done? In spite of the triumphs and trials of 08, I know that 2009 will bring it's own unique set of challenges, and that Jesus Christ is still the answer to the war that rages in my own life.

I'll leave you with the chorus of what is now my favorite Christmas song...

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over over
If you want it
War is over
Now...

Wishing you Love and Peace in 2009... His!!

GV
December 31, 2008
www.project150.com

Breathe... breathe in the air...

2008-09-23T21:50:00.002-05:00

Take a deep breath... hold it for a sec.. exhale. Now don't take another breath... hold that for as long as you can stand it. Now... take in the tiniest amount of air imaginable and hold THAT.

That is just a small taste of what my buddy David Gaines has been going through the past year or so. But thank God for medical doctors and the miracle of a double lung transplant. He's out of hospital and doing well back home in North Carolina. David is a life-long friend, and I couldn't imagine life down here without him. But I was convinced that God still had work for Dave to do... and apparently God agreed with me!

As close to home as that close call was, things got a little closer for us recently. My oldest son, Brandon (23) has dealt with asthma since he was a child, but with fewer and fewer issues as he's gotten older. So imagine our shock when Brandon had to hospitalized for a week due to a very severe asthma attack. The doctors never really could find what triggered such a massive attack. Right on the heals of one of my best friends going through issues with lungs... breathing... I was more than a bit apprehensive when Brandon's doctor decided to consult a pulmonologist. All I could think about was David's ordeal... was this the beginning of the same in Brandon?

Thank God for mercy! They finally determined the causes of the attack (a variety of factors) and initiated the proper treatment. Brandon's doing great and we're all resting much easier.

But I find it interesting how the enemy would like nothing more than to steal the breath from our lungs. With no air, there is no life of course... but even the slightest attack on our breath has major consequences. It affects our strength and stamina... it changes the way we live and work... and it silences our voice and the ability to proclaim the grace and mercy of the Father.

I am convinced from scripture that our very breath is from God. Genesis tells where God literally breathed live into man. And the apostle John relates where the resurrected Christ breathes on the disciples, imparting the Holy Spirit. Is it any wonder that the enemy wants to rob us of this God-given gift?

So now I find myself reminded to thank God as I take in a big gulp of O2. And I can't help but think of all the people who don't know Christ and how they really need air...

Waiting on the wind of the Spirit to blow...

GV

Sacred Blues and a "Point of View"

2008-06-24T23:30:00.002-05:00

For those of you in the Birmingham area that attended the launch of the Genesis Coffee House series, you might recognize the shadowy figure in this pic... lol. For those of you who missed "Sacred Blues", well... I have a feeling that we'll be doing another such event. We had a packed house, a LOT of fun, and (most importantly), we helped raise several hundred dollars for the "Babies First" charity. Not bad... doesn't really make you blue, does it?

I am excited about this extra bit of news; I'm finally beginning to work on my new CD project! This new record, under the working title of 'Point of View', is going to be a blast to make. I've spent the last few years writing, and I feel like I have some of the best songs I've written. Time will tell, won't it?

So, hang on for the ride. I'm going to attempt to document the work in progress on this blog. Keep an open mind and keep me in prayer!!

More to come...

GV

Sacred Blues!

2008-06-17T18:53:00.005-05:00

Hey! Me and some of the P150 guys are playing at this event.
Here's the official word on this cool new concert series. Glad we can help kick it off! Hope to see you there!

GV

Genesis Coffee House series presents “I Have A Hope; An Evening of Sacred Blues”

Leeds, AL, 7:30 pm, June 20th, 2008 – The Genesis Church will kick off its coffeehouse concert series this June with “I HAVE A HOPE; An Evening of Sacred Blues” with Liturgical Autopsy featuring Rick Sutton, 2Blu, The Lucky Stiffs, George and the G-Men and George Vinson’s Project 150.

The coffee shop will be open from doors at 6 PM till 7:15 serving coffee, tea and assorted desserts. Come early and enjoy the company of other blues lovers.

This first event will be a benefit for “Babies First of Birmingham”. The Babies First program provides residential group care for single young mothers and their babies. The reality of life has come too soon for many young women. Babies First provides opportunities for both mother and child, including housing, education, and job opportunities. Go to http://umch.net/locations/birmingham.htm for more information.

For additional information on “I HAVE A HOPE; An Evening of Sacred Blues” contact Rick Sutton or go to www.myspace.com/genesiscoffeehouseseries for updates and links to the artist. You can also download a full size poster of the event there.

The Genesis Church is a new United Methodist congregation located at the River Oaks Golf Course (formally Terry Walker Golf Course) in Leeds, AL. The church website is www.thegenesischurch.org.

Johnny Fever

2008-06-16T09:21:00.002-05:00

For 7 years I was the Director of Technical Ministries for the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, AL. During those years God placed about 25 folks into my ministry there... yes, I'm talking about those wacky, wonderful, and sometimes weird people who were the tech volunteers. Each of them brought passion, dedication, and their own unique set of skills to the task of enhancing our worship services, week in and week out. I miss them terribly!

But even since moving to the Nashville area almost 3 years ago, I still try to keep in regular contact with as many of them as possible. I was saddened to learn this past weekend about the passing of Mark Groenke, probably the one person in our crew that personified all the qualities I described above. Every person on our crew was vital, and I could safely describe each of them as a 'right hand man (or woman)", but Mark would arguably be at the top of that list.

One of the things that made Mark wonderful was his selflessness. So it's no surprise to learn that he had been fighting a battle with MS... I don't think any of us knew that about him, and we were all very close. Just like Mark to keep such a thing to himself! In fact, we all lost touch with him after he moved to Florida a few years ago.

Mark was truly unique. As my main backstage manager, Mark would handle any situation with speed and professionalism... along with a dry wit that would have you rolling on the floor. At the time, he sported shoulder length grey hair and a huge mustache, baring more than a passing resemblance to WKRP's "Dr. Johnny Fever", hence that nickname (one of many, trust me...lol).

I could go on and on about my buddy, but will spare you. Those of you who knew Mark share my grief at his passing, but can rejoice in the fact that we WILL see our buddy again in heaven. If I know Mark, he's rearranging that backstage area right now... and probably has a few angels laughing uncontrollably... lol.

John "Mark" Groenke

GROENKE, JOHN "MARK", 57, joined our Heavenly Father Tuesday, June 10th, 2008. After an 18-week battle (he WON) in the SICU at a local hospital. Preceded in death by his mother, Lois Ann Nelson and his father, John H. Groenke. He lives on through his children and grandchildren. Daughters, Lindsey (Paul) Correia of Hoover, AL, Shelly (Sean) Payne of Vestavia Hills, AL and Tania (Jon) Tate of Gulf Breeze, FL. Grandchildren, Ashton, Tate, Olivia, Miller, Connor, Austin and Ali. Sister Marcia (Ken) Lanier, Stepmother, Joy Groenke and many family and friends. Mark's true passions in life were food; he enjoyed cooking and entertaining, a life long race fan and music lover. He was a father, friend and joker. He will be deeply missed and remembered for touching so many lives. Daddy, may I have this dance? Love, Booka. Visitation will be held Saturday, June 14, 2008 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM at Ridout's Southern Heritage Funeral Home. Graveside services will be held Saturday at 3:30 PM at Southern Heritage Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family would like to request that those interested contribute donations to the National MS society.

Mark... I miss you, my friend. Get things ready for the band up there, willya??

GV

Empty 71

2008-04-30T20:56:00.002-05:00

In all my many travels, I get to play a lot of different kinds of places and events. I mean a LOT! C'mon... I've played American Dixieland to Muslims in the Middle East! lol

I was reminded of a student camp I played a couple of years ago over in the eastern part of Tennessee, for a church denomination known for their 'exuberance' in worship, and for their disdain of 'modern cultural influence'. As many of you know, I am the essence of modern culture (lol), with no better example than my hip/cool hoop earring (properly threaded through my left lobe, as everyone knows is the 'correct' bit of cartilage for straight guys).

Alas, this bit of chrome proved to be a point of contention for the Elders of this group. When I arrived on scene to play the first night of a week-long camp, the band leader (a friend of mine) said that I'd need to remove my ear-wear. This was not an unreasonable request... but I typically don't get this at events designed to reach students. I quietly complied and the night went on (and on and on and on).

The next night came and I arrived a bit early. My band leader buddy once again pulled me aside and explained that he had 'taken some heat' on account of my worldly fashion statement. Apparently the Powers-That-Were observed my earring and wondered... "who is this worldly guitar player? How can he possibly lead our students in worship? He's wearing what? An EARRING? Tool of Satan!! He's obviously NOT a Christian!!"

You can imagine my reaction! When I explained to my friend that I wear a hoop as a sign of being a life-long bond-slave to Christ, he understood and assured me that he had tried to defend me. Despite the fact that I've been a believer since the age of 13 (and an ordained minister since 2004), I was 'weighed in the balance and found wanting'. At least I was allowed to come back and finish the camp... lol (my buddy and his group have since broken ties with this denomination).

On the ride home that night, I immediately thought of the scripture in Matthew where Christ talked about how we shouldn't judge people, unless we want to be judged as well (Matthew 7:1). In this era of 'rock star as human billboard' I thought about showing up the next night with a clever yet enigmatic phrase scrawled on my hand... EMPTY 71.

Get it? MT 7:1? MT? Empty?? I know you get the reference. People who judge are no worse than the Pharisees who would publicly denounce and deride those of lesser spiritual insight. Truly these self-appointed judges are nothing more than empty shells, embracing a form of godliness but denying it's power.

But even though I was wrongly judged, I deemed it hypocrisy on my part to attempt to judge them in however subtle a manner. But that phrase, Empty 71, has stuck with me. From time to time I think about using it, in an effort not to be a judge of others, but as a reminder that I have NO right to judge any one.

So if you see me out playing a gig, and you see Empty 71 written on my hand, rest assured that my heart and head are asking God to forgive me for being so empty and judgmental, and to fill me instead with the Spirit.

Empty 71... I rest my case!!

GV

One Quarter Later... C'est La Vie!!

2008-04-25T11:29:00.005-05:00

Hi gang!

I just realized that it's been almost an entire quarter-year since my last posting... for shame! lol As usual, I will plead too much activity... thank God that it's true!

And because of all the things that have transpired since late January, it's a difficult task for me to 'hone in' on just one topic to share. I've traveled all over, from Mississippi to Wisconsin, been down to Birmingham almost weekly, done sessions with gospel & soul legend Roscoe Robinson, played on a Dove award winning kids worship project, been to prison a couple of times (!), and endured personal triumph and tragedy.

But you know... that's life! The French have a wonderful term for it; "c'est la vie". Ttranslated literally as 'this is the life', it has neither a positive or negative association. But being the 'glass half full' guy that I am, I see it as 'this IS the life'! So many people think that being a Christian means no more problems, everything is great, etc. But Christ never promised us this (or a rose garden either). I am firmly convinced that the most effective faith-statement we make in life is how we respond to life, with it's challenges and rewards.

The past 90 days or so have brought me into contact with believers in a variety of settings. Each of these folks are going through 'life' in a big way. Some of these brothers and sisters are in situations that society looks down upon (prison, halfway houses, etc), and are there because of poor choices. Others are living in the prison of their relationships, enduring trials not of their making... walking prisoners in a sense.

But the reason I am so intrigued and impressed by them is the way they are responding to these trials... with the quiet hope and resilient inner joy that only a changed life in Christ can create. I have a song on 'Spheres of Influence' called 'A New Heart' that is based on Psalm 51:10. The Message Bible says it like this:

"God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life."

Even as a Christ-follower, I can have chaos in my life. But what an incredible promise that no matter what we face, God can and will make a fresh start. He can shape my life in the same way that He shaped and molded creation from nothing and into an awe-inspiring work of art.

C'est la vie?? You bet it is!!

GV

"An 'Epic' in the Making"

2008-01-23T21:35:00.000-06:00

Everyone loves a good story... I know I do. Early on my parents helped instill in me a love of reading, and from that love I learned pretty quickly how to tell stories (not always just for the entertainment value...lol). I guess it's no surprise that after falling in love with music that I'd eventually try my hand at song writing. It's storytelling set to music after all! Like any skill or talent, my early efforts were almost always terrible, despite what loving (and tone-deaf) parents would say. Even after 30+ years, some songs come more easily than others (and yes, some are still terrible...lol).

But every so often it happens that you find a melody and a turn of phrase that invokes a powerful reaction. The best of these moments occur when Holy Spirit breathes life into our feeble artistic and all-too-human creations. And far too infrequently you 'discover' a song, almost as if The Song was waiting there all along for you to finally unearth it... as if the Spirit led you to the 'dig site.'

I've had that happen a couple of times in my song writing career thus far. These rarities are treasured all the more as I understand that it doesn't usually work this way. And almost without exception one of the qualities of these songs is that they tell a story... a story both uniquely personal yet universal. The best compliment a song writer can receive is to be told that "... you wrote that song just for me."

Which brings us full circle back to The Story. One of my favorite authors is John Eldredge (Wild at Heart, Waking the Dead, the Sacred Romance). A while back he published a short little book called Epic, a wonderful distillation of the themes discussed in Waking the Dead. In less than 100 pages or so he talks about how our best-loved stories are simply mirrors of a greater Story. And that by looking into what makes us love these tales, we can see the finger of God writing on our hearts.

Rather than give you my 'book report' version, go buy this book and check it out for yourself. See if you don't get as excited as I am when you realize that through the arts God is telling The Story of his love for us and his longing for us to be reunited with Him. But better yet, each one of us has a chapter and a role to play in this incredible adventure.

Over the coming months I'll be sharing with you our theme for Project Onefifty this year, one almost directly inspired by the ideas in Epic. Our goals and events haven't changed... we're still doing coffee houses, mission trips, concert events, CD projects and the like. But my prayer is that we'll be telling our story more effectively (and often) and through this telling, The Story will be shared with people all around the world.

I'll leave you with the 'teaser' for this theme:

Rescue•Reveal•Redeem•Restore
God is waiting for you

Sounds 'epic' to me!! Let's go!

GV

New Year's Resolution: Day 15

2008-01-15T11:03:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! Yes, I know it's about 15 days late... but you know me and my blogging schedule... lol! I must say there are some exciting things in store for me and Project Onefifty this year. Please keep us in your prayers... you'll be the first to know just how exciting!

One of my resolutions for this year (besides the usual list... get in better shape, bring world peace, etc.) is to finally read the Bible all the way through. Now, I've read every book, but never sequentially from cover to cover. One of our buddies, drummer Steve Sample has accomplished this feat several times! The fact that Steve became a Christ-follower in his 40's just confirms we can sometime forget just how important and life-changing God's word is.

So, I'm on Day 15... that means I'm close to finishing the book of Genesis. Just a day or so ago, I was reading the story of Joseph, his sale into slavery by his jealous brothers, his rise to favor and subsequent fall from grace into imprisonment. It's significant how God provides his way of escape, but only after waiting for years. That God restores Joseph is incredible; but not only is he restored, he rises to one of the highest places of authority in Egypt and sets the stage for fulfillment of prophesy and the long-term freedom we have in Christ.

A great story and a great truth! And here on Day 15, I find myself in a period of waiting... much like Joseph. No, I'm not in prison or been sold by my brothers (although they probably wanted to sell me a few times when we were growing up!). Since our move to Tennessee a couple of years ago, we've seen God do some great things through P150. We've been in Japan, and Ireland, and even the Middle East. It's humbling to remember how God has used our music and ministry to plant seeds of change in the lives of people all around the world. We've put down great roots here in TN, gathering a new support group and encountering ministry opportunities we'd never dream of doing. But we know we've just scratched the surface of what God has planned.

But even in the midst of activity, we still are waiting for the next step. I am so excited about the new CD project coming. I've just finished the writing stage and have entered pre-production. It's going to be a challenging project, not only for the production team, but I fully believe that lives will be challenged in an amazing way through the truth in these tunes.

One of the new tunes was inspired by our friend Rashel Ross and her victory over cancer, and contains lines in the bridge that really sum all this up for me:

"I will not waver
I will not live here again
I will remember the promise
But waiting is the hardest thing to do...
I wait for you"

I pray that you find patience in your time of waiting. Remember God's promise of love, mercy, and grace...

It's gonna be a great year!!

GV

"I Wait for You" (copyright 2008 Vinsongs Music, ASCAP)

Gone in Sixty Seconds

2007-11-06T21:39:00.000-06:00

I've had many different jobs in my life so far. Most of them have been in the music field, but some have been in related areas. And while the title of this entry suggests otherwise, I have never been a car-jacker. No, something much worse... a producer of radio spots!

Yes, I've been one of those guys who help create those wonderful one minute messages that interrupt the flow of your favorite radio programming (and I've done TV spots, too!). For a number of years I would each day see the lines of a script declaring that 'now is the best time to buy', 'prices will never, EVER be lower', and (a personal favorite) the promise that 'no one will be turned down' (never mind the outrageously fast and often unintelligible disclaimer legally disavowing said promises).

So after basking in the warm afterglow of nostalgia for those days filled with announcers screaming over a generically rocking music track, I was thinking about all the places I now get to work. Every week I get the chance to help churches all around the Southeast with the musical component of their worship services. Alabaster, Argo, Asheville, Hoover, Jackson, Spring Hill, Tupelo... these cities all have 'branch offices' of a place where each week you can encounter the most important message any of us will ever hear.

For those of us in the throes of a personal crisis, be it physical, emotional, or spiritual, now really IS the best time to discover true Hope. The price? Never lower! And there are no forms to fill out, no talking it over with the manager in the back room to see if we can get approved, either. The cost of hope for the hopeless is FREE (in fact, someone else paid the bill)!

The best news is that whatever despair we are feeling can truly be 'gone in sixty seconds' or less. All we have to do is to trust in Christ! It seems too good to be true, but I'll just end this entry with 'the disclaimer' found in 1 John.

"If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing."

This freedom can be found anytime and anywhere... it doesn't have to be in church. But it sure is a great place to start.

So... when? SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!!!

GV

Dilithium sharpens dilithium...

2007-10-02T23:31:00.000-05:00

Glenn Williams is a great guy. Not only is he a fabulous drummer... he's proven to be a great friend. The past year or two have seen us both dealing with some 'life stuff' and it's been great to have a brother to help carry the load. He's been a sharp iron to my dull blade on more than one occasion.

But not only is Glenn a great musician and friend, he shares with me a deep passion for that incredible iconic and mythological beast known as... Star Trek!!

I know what you're thinking... geek squad! Trekkies (but that's 'Trekkers', thank you)! Lest I misrepresent, neither of us have ever been to a convention, worn a Trek uniform, or even consumed 'qagh' or 'bloodwine'! lol But buried deep in the DNA of every guy is the ability to quote lines from movies and TV shows, and Star Trek is the ultimate in technobabble.

It never fails that when the subject of Trek rolls around, Glenn and I will toss out more than a few quotes. But hey... when the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few... or the one, there's usually a Trek axiom to fill said need!

If you don't love Star Trek (shame on you!), right about now I just KNOW that your eyes are rolling around the back of your head, contemplating the desire for a root canal or an IRS audit. You are begging me to cut it out and speak like a normal person!!

But how many times as believers do we do much the same thing? Uh-oh...! Why do we feel the need when talking to folks outside the church to use such terms as transubstantiation, the Tribulation, the Rapture, condemnation, salvation, or use phrases that are sure to make Trek-speak seem almost palatable in comparison??

I'll be the first to admit that I am guilty in this... I think this 'communication breakdown' happens when we are constantly around other believers and never engage people outside the church. But I daresay that our actions are speaking loudly, even when our language is seemingly incomprehensible. Wow... I know that in my life and walk, these don't always line up!

So the next time you find yourself talking with someone and the topic turns toward spiritual issues, remember to speak English, or they might just think YOU are speaking Klingon...lol!

Live long and prosper!!

GV

Remembering...

2007-09-11T22:10:00.000-05:00

On this 6th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I (like many of you, I'm sure) have watched dozens of TV shows and heard hours of commentary on this tragic event. For some reason I felt prompted to take the numbers of the various hijacked flights and read the corresponding chapters of the Psalms (my favorite book). Psalm 77 in particular resonated with me personally; but instead of forcing you to endure my 'pontificating', here's the majority of Psalm 77 in the Contemporary English Version.

'I pray to you, Lord God, and I beg you to listen.
In days filled with trouble, I search for you.
And at night I tirelessly lift my hands in prayer, refusing comfort.
When I think of you, I feel restless and weak.
Because of you, Lord God, I can't sleep.
I am restless and can't even talk.
I think of times gone by, of those years long ago.
Each night my mind is flooded with questions:
"Have you rejected me forever?
    Won't you be kind again?
    Is this the end of your love and your promises?
    Have you forgotten how to have pity?
   Do you refuse to show mercy because of your anger?"
Then I said, "God Most High, what hurts me most is that you no longer help us with your mighty arm."
Our LORD, I will remember the things you have done, your miracles of long ago.
I will think about each one of your mighty deeds.
Everything you do is right, and no other god compares with you.
You alone work miracles, and you have let nations see your mighty power.
With your own arm you rescued your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
The ocean looked at you, God, and it trembled deep down with fear.
Water flowed from the clouds.
Thunder was heard above as your arrows of lightning flashed about.
Your thunder roared like chariot wheels.
The world was made bright by lightning, and all the earth trembled.
You walked through the water of the mighty sea, but your footprints were never seen.'

Wow... guess I need to do some remembering of my own...

GV

1147 Days...

2007-08-31T20:38:00.000-05:00

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

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

2007-08-01T13:14:00.001-05:00

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

Anyone have a rope???

2007-06-20T12:52:00.000-05:00

WARNING: The following post is an attempt at honesty and transparency. That's not to say that my usual posts are full of lies and masks. At our home group meeting this past Monday, I realized that it's easy to be open and transparent when things are rosy... but I have a tendency to clam up during calamity. Ok... that was the disclaimer... onto the good stuff!

I can't believe that my last post was back in April... but who am I kidding? LOL I wish I could use my usual reason of being too busy, but while I have had a few trips and sessions, I am currently trapped in a doldrum. Like a sailing ship with no wind, I feel adrift on a becalmed sea.

Not that calm waters are a bad thing, but where there is NO wind, there is no movement. Not only is this a bad thing from a financial standpoint, in the spiritual realm it makes me question everything. I've had a number of events, gigs, and sessions either postpone or cancel outright. What the heck is going on?

I hear people talk about such times of drought, both physical and spiritual. It's an odd coincidence that much of our area is experiencng a severe drought. Grass once green and full of life now lies brown and shrivelled, the earth cracked and dry. I look around and see a very real image of my inner condition.

So what to do? As a Christ-follower, we have the answer to life's troubles... the Hope for the hopeless. Or at least that's what the ad campaign promised! But the truth is that we all have to traverse life's desert from time to time. We live in a world that is fallen and we have to live here. Cause and effect is the law of karma, but (as Bono has so eloquently pointed out), Grace has interrupted karma.

So if you are struggling like I am right now, we can take solace in the fact that we're not alone! And I'm not talking about knowing that someone else is in a crappy pit too! I'm talking about the true hope and truth that God is still sovereign and Christ's grace and mercy are still working. Listen to this incredible promise in Jeremiah 33:3...

"This is God's Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: 'Call to me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.'

So what to do? Have faith that truth is truth even in this postmodern era... even when the bills aren't paid... even when love has turned to infidelity... when people lose loved ones to the ravages of disease... when people simply have life happen to them. Wherever you are and whatever your situation, God tells us to call... and not only is he listening, he's promised that he'll even answer!

Is that a rope being lowered into this pit?? Boy, and it's a good one too! Woo hoo!

GV

"You Are My 'Density'"

2007-04-25T21:21:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite movie scenes occurs in 1985's "Back to the Future". You all know the story of young Marty McFly inadvertently traveling back to 1955 and his quest to make certain his future Mom & Dad will meet and have their first kiss.

The scene I love is in the coffee shop where nerdy George McFly is trying to pluck up enough courage to actually talk to the wildly popular Lorraine. Marty had been coaching his 'Dad-da-daddyo' in great opening lines, with George literally taking notes.

With a rumble taking place between Marty 'Calvin Klein' McFly and the metaphorically challenged Biff Tannen, George (reading from his notepad) proclaims his love for Lorraine with the words "you are my 'density'"!

Her puzzled look forces George to re-read his notes, and time seems to stand still as he correctly exclaims:

"You are my destiny!"

Destiny... my dictionary defines it as "the hidden power believed to control what will happen in the future".

This past weekend I was playing with Glenn Garrett (www.glenngarrett.com) down at Auburn University to a small but passionate group of students. Glenn's challenge is still ringing in my ears, that the greatest force in the universe is love, and that we all have a destiny. As Christ-followers our destiny is to love Him and love our neighbors, and in doing so both fulfill and proclaim this destiny.

I've seen many moments of this fulfillment in my faith journey... but equally as many where we've fallen woefully short of the mark. But lately I have been reminded at every turn of the longing in every heart for love, acceptance, community, and purpose. The Bible explains this desire in that "...He has also set eternity in the hearts of men..." (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV)

The implication is huge; in other words, this destiny is not the working of some 'hidden power', but the God-breathed and inspired plan He has for each one of us!

Now that's a destiny to look forward to!!

GV

Point of View

2007-04-17T18:09:00.000-05:00

Hi gang! I'm heading out tomorrow for NC, home for a day or two, and then back out on the road. I've been meaning to share this editorial I found during the Easter season. It's by Roland Martin and I found it to be intriguing. I'd love to hear what you think about Mr. Martin's comments. Enjoy!

By Roland Martin
CNN Contributor

Editor's note: Roland Martin is a CNN contributor and talk-show host on WVON-AM in Chicago, Illinois. He is the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith."

NEW YORK (CNN) -- When did it come to the point that being a Christian meant caring about only two issues, abortion and homosexuality?

Ask the nonreligious what being a Christian today means, and based on what we see and read, it's a good bet they will say that followers of Jesus Christ are preoccupied with those two points.

Poverty? Whatever. Homelessness? An afterthought. A widening gap between the have and have-nots? Immaterial. Divorce? The divorce rate of Christians mirrors the national average, so that's no big deal.

The point is that being a Christian should be about more than abortion and homosexuality, and it's high time that those not considered a part of the religious right expose the hypocrisy of our brothers and sisters in Christianity and take back the faith. And those on the left who believe they have a "get out of sin free" card must not be allowed to justify their actions.
Many people believe we are engaged in a holy war. And we are. But it's not with Muslims. The real war -- the silent war -- is being engaged among Christians, and that's what we must set our sights on.

As we celebrate Holy Week, our focus is on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But aren't we also to recommit ourselves to live more like Jesus? Did Jesus spend his time focusing on all that he didn't like, or did Jesus raise the consciousness of the people to understand love, compassion and teach them about following the will of God?
As a layman studying to receive a master's in Christian communications, and the husband of an ordained minister, it's troubling to listen to "Christian radio" and hear the kind of hate spewing out of the mouths of my brothers and sisters in the faith.

In fact, I've grown tired of people who pimp God. That's right; we have a litany of individuals today who are holy, holy, holy, sing hallelujah, talk about how they love the Lord, but when it's time to walk the walk, somehow the spirit evaporates.
A couple of years ago I took exception to an e-mail blast from the Concerned Women for America. The group was angry that Democrats were blocking certain judges put up for the federal bench by President Bush. It called on Americans to fight Democrats who wanted to keep Christians off the bench.

So I called and sent an e-mail asking, "So, where were you when President Clinton appointed Christian judges to the bench? Were they truly behind Christian judges, or Republican Christian judges?

Surprise, surprise. There was never a response.

An African-American pastor I know in the Midwest was asked by a group of mostly white clergy to march in an anti-abortion rally. He was fine with that, but then asked the clergy if they would work with him to fight crack houses in predominantly black neighborhoods.

"That's really your problem," he was told.

They saw abortion as a moral imperative, but not a community ravaged by crack.

If abortion and gay marriage are part of the Christian agenda, I have no issue with that. Those are moral issues that should be of importance to people of the faith, but the agenda should be much, much broader.

I'm looking for the day when Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Joyce Meyer, James Dobson, Tony Perkins, James Kennedy, Rod Parsley, " Patriot Pastors" and Rick Warren will sit at the same table as Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Cynthia Hale, Eddie L. Long, James Meek, Fred Price, Emmanuel Cleaver and Floyd Flake to establish a call to arms on racism, AIDS, police brutality, a national health care policy, our sorry education system. If they all say they love and worship one God, one Jesus, let's see them rally their members behind one agenda.

I stand here today not as a Republican or a liberal. And don't bother calling me a Democrat or a conservative. I am a man, an African-American man who has professed that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that's to whom I bow down.

If you concur, it's time to stop allowing a chosen few to speak for the masses. Quit letting them define the agenda.
So put on the full armor of God because we have work to do.

What is your take on this commentary?

The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer. This is part of an occasional series of commentaries on CNN.com offering a broad range of perspectives, thoughts and points of view.

A Kind of Homecoming

2007-04-15T22:26:00.000-05:00

Hi... it's me again! It's Sunday evening, and I need to tie up some loose ends from the past week and the end of the Reveal Tour. We finished up this past Friday night in Meridian, MS, and with only 300 miles between me and Thompson's Station... you guessed it! I headed for the house. As I drove, my thoughts became more and more centered on home. But many of the events and images from this tour kept flooding my mind and I realized that 'home' was more central to the week than I imagined...

In a high school auditorium 'less than full', I was humbled on Thursday night by sight of the 4 or 5 folks who came home that night. God's way of measuring success is far better than mine!

In Meridian on Friday night, I watched a student struggle to answer the call for home. I saw a miracle take place as spiritual warfare waged inside this teenager. The result? Another homecoming!

As I drove through the night to get home, the sight of a dazzling lightning storm had me spellbound. With each bolt
crossing the sky, I couldn't help but think of how God casts my sins as far as East is from the West. My desire to get home to my family was nothing compared to the thought of the 'homecoming' to come, and how soon and quickly it will happen.

Thanks again to all of you who prayed for us this past week. I truly wish you could see what I get to see... lives that had no hope, suddenly filled to overflowing with the Hope that only Christ brings. I am always humbled by the fact that God chooses to use broken and shattered people to point the way toward Him, and that I have the honor to use what skills I have in His service.

This Wednesday I head up to Asheville and the Biltmore Baptist Church for one last event tied to this tour...

The 'homecoming' concert!!

Love you all!
GV

No 'Biloxi Blues' tonight

2007-04-11T22:50:00.000-05:00

Whew! What a day! I just got back to the hotel after a full day. I've already mentioned the VBS at the FEMA trailers, the senior adult lunch at FBC Biloxi, and the setup for tonights' event. That alone would be plenty to qualify as a productive day.

But around 6:30pm, the student room at FBC Biloxi was almost full (close to 300 folks) as Kevin and the band began to lead worship. Let me stop right here and brag on Austin, Preston, and Zack for doing an incredible job in the band. These young guys have been working tirelessly to prepare for this tour. Not only are they hanging in on the worship set, but they are kicking on the choir songs. What makes this significant is that we are playing along to prerecorded tracks with extra musical parts. This means that these guys are having to play along with a click track while using in-ear monitors; there are a lot of adult pro musicians who can't do this! And an honorable mention goes to Frederick, one of the soloists who is helping us lead worship, and our buddy Zack B. running monitors. What a talented bunch of students!

Tonight was pretty incredible. Due to the nature of a production like this, there's little or no variation in the concert from night to night. But our speaker, Gary Permenter is bringing a fresh message each time, weaving a thread to our tour theme of 'what are you waiting for?' And that pretty much sums it up. Gary presented the Good News in such a simple and powerful fashion. It was a significant moment for many as Holy Spirit moved and did his work.

I couldn't help but notice this one young lady on the other side of the room from the band. After the invitation had finished and the choir prepared to end the night with a big number, this girl still had her head bowed... her face in her hands. The student pastor of this church was sitting next to her and was quietly praying. God's Spirit was so strong that she literally was humbled in His presence.

So, no big numbers to report, no 'evangelistic exaggeration' of the dozens and dozens of commitments... just the awesome sight of God moving in such a powerful way. For me, this was the high point of this tour so far. We may be tired, but we don't have a case of the blues; far from it! Tonight there are several new members of God's family, and we had the humbling privilege of being able to sing His praise and tell the story of His love, mercy, and grace!

Tomorrow brings the last day of our VBS outreach, as well as our work projects. Our venue tomorrow is a local school auditorium and we're hoping that the crowd there will be as excited and receptive as tonight. On Friday we'll be up in Meridian, but I don't want to rush too far ahead; I can't wait to see what's in store for tomorrow.

Thanks to those of you who've written with words of encouragement and prayer for this week. I'm certain that you have had a hand in the success of this tour. Thank you!!!

Until tomorrow, God bless!!

GV

Gulf Coast update

2007-04-11T13:03:00.000-05:00

If you're keeping score, it's Day Three of this tour; and yes, that means no entry for Day Two, but it was both busy and good! Today I'm sitting in the student room of FBC Biloxi while setup goes on around me.

We just finished doing a few songs for a Senior lunch and Gary Permenter brought a hilarious yet timely message about who we can and should forgive and have compassion for. He made a statement that is so true... 'hurt people hurt people' and that we should remember that when we encounter people difficult to love and accept.

Yesterday and today Kevin and I did a few songs for the VBS outreach we're doing each morning at the FEMA trailers. Imagine a really large mobile home park and you'll have an idea of the housing that many of the displaced Katrina survivors now inhabit. We've seen a dozen or so kids come out and play and listen to us sing songs and tell the Good News about Christ.

The concert last night at Petal-Harvey BC went well. While we have been playing mainly to church folks, Elizabeth (a junior girl from the Reveal Choir) said it best in the luncheon today; 'we are passing our joy onto the people in this area'. If we can give Hope to the hopeless, we'll gladly let Holy Spirit do the rest!

Pray for us tonight! We kick it at 6:30 and last year at this church was simply rockin!

God bless!

GV

Putting the 'Road' in 'Road Journal'

2007-04-09T10:04:00.000-05:00

Hello from Meridian, MS and Day One of the Biltmore BC Reveal Student Choir tour. It was about this same time last year that this BIG group of students (along with adult leaders) hit this area to help with Hurricane Katrina relief, and to spread the Good News through song.

Me? I'm just the guitar player, but I'm honored to once again be a part of what I know will be a life-changing experience for many. Tonight we have a full production rehearsal at the Petal-Harvey BC right outside Hattiesburg. And what a production... a kicking sound system, a cool lighting rig, video, and a full band and close to 200 singing/dancing excited students! Our first concert is tomorrow night, but the coolest part of this whole deal is that during the day the team will be assisting the Katrina relief effort. Last year this included some pretty heavy demolition and clean-up; this year will be strictly painting, so that means a great deal of work has been going on in our absence.

I'll be blogging every day and will do my best to describe our efforts, and will put up a pic or two when words fail. Expect a LOT of pictures! lol

Thanks for praying for us... I know the God we celebrated yesterday will be doing incredible things today and tomorrow!

GV

"Infiˈdelitē"

2007-04-01T20:10:00.000-05:00

It's been 13 days and about 1300 miles since my last post. The past fortnight has had me in Tupelo with our friends at Trace Crossing, down with the Kevin Williams Band in a revival for FBC Brandon, MS. Tonight I'm writing from the Asheville, NC area, where I've been working with the Reveal Band in preparation for their student choir tour down on the gulf coast area (yes, still in great need from the effects of Hurricane Katrina).

But tonight I have been thinking about infidelity. You know... the act or state of unfaithfulness. It's true that the infidelity of a well-known Christian evangelist has made the news in a big way. And the reaction to this bombshell has been alarmingly varied. Beyond the shock and disbelief, the admission of evangelist Rick Ousley of his lack of fidelity has shaken many people to the core.

My own reaction was alarming even to myself. I served with Rick for seven years. He's been a friend and help to me and my family in ways too numerous to count. I, too, felt shock... and didn't want to believe, and I've been alternating between sadness, anger, and fear. These emotions were nothing compared to what I felt when I read some of the recent blog sites that have sprung up. While there are a few voices advocating prayer and mercy for all, most of the voices are raised in anger, vowing to keep Rick from ever preaching again.

Should Rick be allowed to one day again present the Word? I honestly don't know. But I do know that there is another issue that's far more important to consider. With the angry mob demanding this and that, and disenfranchised Pharisees egging them on with words of what can't and shouldn't and must not ever be... I stop and wonder what Christ would say and do.

I know exactly what he'd do. With the crowd gathered for the kill, stones in hand... Jesus would kneel and draw in the dirt. You already know what he'd say, too. Let those with no sin whatsoever in their lives throw the first shot.

With my rock in hand, poised to throw, I think of the thousands of ways I've commited infidelity. Usually we think of this in regard to sexual relationships, and this is a biggie, with physical and spiritual rammifications and consequences beyond our initial grasp. But equally big in God's eyes is our unfaithfulness when we look on someone or something in lust. What about being unfaithful to help and to pray for those in need? What about the infidelity of gossip?? Of failure to give to God the first fruits of our labor? What about setting myself up in the place of God as judge?? The list is as endless as the 'moral failure' in each of our lives.

There are no winners in this current mess, that much is clear. And only time will show the truth of how Grace will work in this situation and in the lives of all involved. But there is not one person on this planet that is worthy of forgiveness and mercy and grace.

But God extends it anyway. Even to those we don't want to have it.

I think I'll drop my rock now.

In His Mercy,

GV

Sending out an SOS

2007-03-20T16:16:00.000-05:00

Shocked to hear from me so soon? Me too, but I vowed to be a better blogger! Last night I joined Kevin Williams and Randy Tolleson at an 'SOS" campus outreach at Mississippi State. This is a monthly deal that features us doing some cool cover songs as well as a set of worship tunes. The speaker is the always funny and always insightful Gary Permenter (www.www.garypermenter.org).

While our crowd was low (due to a change of dates), we had a great time. We did a cool 'rendering' of Finger 11's "One Thing" that capped off the night. Gary's message really hit home to me, as he was sharing how God has called us not to 'comfort' but to a life of service. For some, their service might be in the center of the spotlight of major events on a global scale. For others, it may be out on the fringes, serving those who society deems 'unloveable'. Wherever we are called, the key is to follow the leading of Holy Spirit to your particular place of service.

This really resonated with me. I love big shows and lights and sound and all, but I'm equally at home in a coffeehouse or even a living room. I fully expect this year to contain both kinds of events for me and Project Onefifty.

But I think the MS State guys have got it right in that they are answering 'distress calls'. I never want to be guilty of trying to mandate my own brand of morality, but I pray that my music is laced liberally with truth and grace, and delivered with love.

This week is filled with wrapping more recording projects and then I'm back out with Kevin Williams and the boys in a week-long event in Brandon, MS (with a one night service at the Church at Trace Crossings in Tupelo).

I've begun recording demos for a follow-up project to my "Spheres of Influence" CD (released way back in 2004). It's still amazing to me how SOI is still reaching new folks each and every day. But I am incredibly excited about this new project. More than just a music CD, it will include a companion book, a DVD, and what I hope to be an amazing live event, with great production elements that will make you consider some of the Big Questions but in a fun and inspiring way.
OK, enough hype... thanks for praying!

Love you, gang!

GV

The Return of the Slacker!

2007-03-18T15:48:00.000-05:00

Ok, it's true... I have been a 'blog slacker'. But the dog didn't eat my laptop... I really have been busy! And for that I am very grateful!

I was on the road this past weekend with my longtime drummer buddy and fellow 'Spring Hillian' Jim Pollard. We were playing a D-Now student event at a camp near Paducah, KY for our mutual friend Rob Perry (www.robperryministries.org). Joining Rob in the band were another long-time buddy Larry Shaw on bass, a newer friend Billy Smith on BGVs, and their young tech guru Nathan Daniels.

It was a great weekend, but Rob was one of the folks who shamed me into getting the blog current (he said he'd read my last entry 'Tupelo Honey' more than a few times).

So, here's a month-by-month (!) sampling of what's transpired since January 21st...

January
21-23 Session for Birmingham worship leader Billy Smith at Bates Brothers Recording(www.batesbrothersrecording.com)

24 Radio interview on the Preacher & the Doc show WXJC AM, Birmingham, AL

26-28 Student retreat with Kevin Williams in Brandon, MS (www.kevinwiliams.org).

28 (pm) Concert with Glenn Garrett in Huntsville, AL (www.glenngarrett.com).

31 FBC Jackson, TN with my drummer buddy Glenn Williams and bassist extraordinare Chris Kent

February
4 Played at the Bluebird Cafe for my pal Jim Pollard (yes, it was Super Bowl Sunday, but we had a great time!)

11, 18 Helped lead worship at my church, the People's Church (11th Spring Hill campus, 18th in Franklin)

20 My son Colin's 11th birthday!! Woo hoo!

21 Writing and demo session with local songwriter Melody Morris. I also played at Lyric's that evening with Melody.

22 Played guitar with Camp Kirkland and the Nashville Praise Symphony (www.nashvillepraise.org) on the General Jackson Riverboat. This was a fundraiser event for a international mission organization called the HopeHouse International (www.hopehouseinternational.org). Lee Greenwood was just one of the luminaries who performed that evening.

23-25 Another Kevin Williams weekend! Friday at the Church at Trace Crossing, Tupelo, MS; Saturday night a student event in New Hope, MS; Sunday morning BACK at Trace Crossing, and finally a student gig at Mississippi State University in Starkville... whew!

28 Wrapped the month playing once again over at FBC Jackson

March (we're almost there!!)

2 Started the month playing a showcase for Sony writer Ben Caver. Ben is a B'ham boy who seems to be on the rise! Be watching for Ben the next months and years... he's really good!

4, 11 Played at the Spring Hill campus of TPC

9 Worked with country artist Shane Prather up in Hopkinsville, KY

And all through February and March I've been working on projects for Jen Timmerman, Melody Morris, LifeWay (more about this later), and Prism Music.

Tomorrow I'm on the road to Starkville for Kevin Williams and the following week I'm again out with KMW for a week-long revival at FBC Brandon, MS.

I will make every effort to keep you up date, because the next few months are shaping up to be very, very, VERY busy!! Thank God!

Thanks as always for your prayers and your support. There are some really exciting things on the horizon, and I'll be filling you in over the next few days and weeks.

God bless!

GV

Tupelo Honey

2007-01-21T19:21:00.000-06:00

Yes, that is the title of a great Van Morrison song, but it has nothing to do with this post. Well...except for us playing in Tupelo, MS today!

You've read an earlier entry about the Church at Trace Crossing, which features the tag team of Kevin & Kevin (Wood & Williams, the pastor and worship leader, respectively). Kevin Williams was out today doing a Disciple Now weekend in Brookhaven, MS, so I was asked to fill in.

And since I have such a lovely singing voice, I brought 'a ringer' with me. Michael Hill is one of my new buds from up here in Spring Hill, TN. Not only is he a great singer and guitarist, but he's helping to develop a cool video game with a Christian worldview. This 38 year old guy also looks to be about 25, making me look like the venerable & wisened veteran that I am. So today, Trace Crossing got 'Age and Beauty' (guess who is who... lol).

Michael and I got on the road about 5:15 A.M. (ugggh) and made the trip down. Michael and his family moved to TN from the San Francisco Bay area and it was his first time in Mississippi and Alabama. At one point he asked if that was a cotton field on the side of the road (which it was, of course). A day of firsts!!

But what a great day. We had a great worship time, which once again found us playing "I Will Trust in You". Kevin Wood had asked me to relay the story behind the song, which I am always glad to do. It really tied into his message, and it once again humbled me to see how God is using that tough time in our lives that inspired the song that God gave for comfort.

As we headed back, we just couldn't resist driving by Elvis's birthplace... we even sang "Heartbreak Hotel" (with the Raga harmony parts).

Tomorrow I'll be in Birmingham through Friday morning (doing some sessions at Bates Brothers Recording, and another radio interview on WXJC AM850 on Thursday). Friday through Sunday morning I'll be with Kevin Williams and his band in the Jackson, MS area, and I end this busy week with a Sunday night Huntsville concert with my pal Glenn Garrett.

Thanks for your continued prayers. It makes the time on the road and away from home almost as sweet as Tupelo Honey!

Later!!

GV

GV OTR n NC

2007-01-06T22:02:00.000-06:00

Sometimes the hardest part of doing this journal is coming up with a title for the entry. Just how many times can you say 'on the road'? So, GV OTR n NC is my ridiculous way of saying I'm on the road in North Carolina! Cute, huh?

Last Spring, I was out with the Reveal student choir from the Biltmore Baptist Church in Asheville, NC. The choir director is my best buddy David Gaines, and we are once again going to the Gulf Coast region this coming April to do more ministry down there.

One of the goals of my ministry, Project Onefifty, is to find areas where we can do recurring work. It's great to go different places every time you tour, but it's near and dear to my heart to find areas where you can come back to and follow up where you left off. This is Reveal's strategy for this Gulf Coast tour, and I'm excited to again be part of it.

THIS weekend I'm up here helping my buddies Kevin Williams and Gary Permenter lead the choir in a workshop/retreat. It's always a fun reunion, but this time is even more special as we have our long-time drummer Jamie Rogan here. Last year Jamie started playing with the wellknown country artist Billy Currington, so it's been a long time since we've played together.

The students have been working hard on learning music and choreography, etc., but Kevin has been leading us in some great worship times, and Gary has been challenging us all to look for ways to be better ministers. What a great time!

We have 2 morning services with these folks before we head back to our regular gigs. I'll be keeping you up on what's going to happen with the tour, especially while we are out in April.

You can go ahead and start praying for this trip. It's difficult to imagine what the people on the Gulf are still going through. While things have improved down there somewhat, and there is some hope, Gary pointed out that for the people who STILL don't have a home, their hope is still 0%.

Keep praying!!

GV

The Year of Jubilee

2006-12-31T21:30:00.000-06:00

2006 is almost over... and welcome, 2007! With only three hours to go until midnight, already the sound of fireworks are breaking the silence of what would be a typical Thompson's Station, TN Sunday night.

This past year has been incredible in a number of ways. It's hard to believe we've been here for a full year (technically 16 months, but who's counting?). We've seen many places around the world, and seen the passing of many loved ones, as well as the beginning of many new lives, in both the physical and spiritual sense.

It seems oddly appropriate that this New Year's Eve finds me at home, with kids in bed (or at least heading that way) and Carol and I enjoying a quiet night. Even with all the great places we've been and the many exciting events Project Onefifty has helped me take part in, it has been a year of transition as well as preparation. I know with all certainty that this coming year will be special.

In the Jewish faith, 2007 is the Year of Jubilee. Every 7 years is a Sabbath year, but 7 cycles of Sabbath years end in the Year of Jubilee. In the Old Testament, this is a time that calls for forgiveness of debts, the end of strife and aggression, and freedom for those in bondage.

If you do a Google search for the Year of Jubilee 2007, you'll find a great deal of information. There are many organizations proclaiming this year as a time to end wars, to forgive debts of nations in Africa, and to help end famine, poverty, and sickness all around the world. 2007 also marks the 200th anniversary of the end of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. There are plans made to honor the many brave men and women who helped end slavery and helped inspire the modern movement to end the slavery of poverty and disease.

Is it any wonder that 2007 will be the year that Project Onefifty enters a new phase of ministry?

For the Christ-follower, every day of every year celebrates Jubilee. Christ is the fulfillment of the intent of the Year of Jubilee, and we have the awesome privilege to proclaim this truth to the world. From peoples halfway around the globe, to the neighbors down the street, the world is poised and waiting to find freedom and forgiveness...

Sounds like Grace to me.

So farewell 2006... we had a great time. But it's time to celebrate new life and healing and freedom. It's time to party!

Bring on the Year of Jubilee! Anyone want to join the fun?

Grace in His name,

GV

'Grace' for today

2006-10-29T23:27:00.000-06:00

It's late on Sunday night, and I'm writing from my hotel room in Starkville, MS. I left Nashville early (5:15 am) to get to Tupelo, MS for the morning worship at the Church at Trace Crossing. This is a brand new Faith Family led by a great friend of mine named Kevin Wood (I had the joy of working with him at Brook Hills). I have always said that he would make a fantastic pastor, and it looks like my prediction is coming true.

Leading the music for Trace Crossing is another of the 'Kevins' in my world, Kevin Williams. You know that I have been working with Kevin for ages now... I've played on both of his recording projects, and we even served together at Brook Hills. He is a huge part of what I do as a sideman, and we play student events, retreats, and conferences all over the South.

These two Kevins make a great team. It was a very powerful service, with incredible worship in music and teaching. For me, today was extra special. Kevin Wood made a point to mention my song "I Will Trust In You' as he was introducing me to the audience. It's funny because Kevin Williams had already planned on singing it anyway! But Kevin Wood asked me to briefly tell the story behind the song, which I gladly recounted.

Most of you know how God gave us this song when the life of our yet-to-be-born daughter Audra Grace was hanging in the balance. Needless to say, Audra and all the rest of us came through those trying times (thank the Lord), and the gift of "I Will Trust In You" was a great encouragement to us. And while I thought the song was for us alone, He obviously had other plans as many people have relayed to me how it's helped them as well.

The lyric is based on Psalm 56:3 and simply relates how when life is tough, confusing, scary, and uncertain...you can trust in God and His word. This is a incredible truth and the reason why this very simple song resonates so powerfully.

Many times as we sing "I Will Trust", I am often overcome with emotion as I remember the trial and the grace of those dark moments. It was especially poignant today as this is Audra's second birthday!! The way God has comforted and guided is amazing, and His grace was sufficient...and remains so even now. Audra is named Grace as a reminder of His gift of love and mercy in the form of our precious little girl.

Tonight we (Kevin Williams and the rest of his band) played at a student ministry event at Mississippi State called SOS. We played a mix of popular radio tunes as well as some of the rockier worship choruses. There were a couple of hundred students there and we were having a great time. But once again Kevin felt led to sing my song. It's an amazing sound...hearing 200 young people singing words and melodies that I helped 'bring into the world', and to do so on the day that celebrates Audra Graces' arrival...wow!

So, my grace for today is running over. It's tough being away from my family, especially on days like today. But God knows that and decided to give a little extra grace to help me through!

"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
II Corinthians 13:14

God bless!!

GV

Clearly Different!

2006-09-20T23:29:00.000-05:00

It's Wednesday night around 11:30 pm, and I just finished up 4 days of revival services with our friends at the ClearBranch UMC in Argo, AL. My former pastor at Brook Hills, Rick Ousley, was the speaker for the week, and he preached with fire and passion and authenticity, speaking truth into the lives of the members of this wonderful church.

I've known their worship leader, Charles Harnach since I was 15 (and I turn 45 in about 30 minutes, so you do the math). He has been a musical mentor and friend to me for decades now, and it's always a joy to work with him. I had the privilege to play guitar each night with a different musical group from their church. Sunday and Tuesday nights featured 2 different praise teams; Monday night saw me playing bass with Exit 148, their way cool college folks, and tonight I got to jam with my buddy Stephen Hayman (the Mad Scotsman) and their kicking student band. It was another special joy to once again work with my buddy Wes Hampton (the tenor with the Gaither Vocal Band). Wes may be with the GVB, but he'll always be one of the Project Onefifty guys.

It was a powerful moment for me on Tuesday night, as Wes and I got to sing "I Will Trust In You", a song that many people around the country have come to adopt as a special musical rendering of Psalm 56:3. Rick Ousley's own story about his recent battles with a rare medical condition found him reciting that verse and rolling this song through his mind as he lay on a hospital operating table.

All these thoughts flooded my mind as we sang that night. And as we sang, it was all I could do to get through this song. I kept thinking of those moments about 3 years ago when God was leading us through a dark valley, wondering if the life of our yet-to-be-born Audra Grace would have a chance to develop. Thank God that His grace gave us Audra Grace (turning 2 next month!), and He gave a song to comfort...not only us, but many, many others. I can honestly say with no shame that tears flowed freely and abundantly this week.

I won't again recite it in this blog, but Psalm 116 once again comes to mind. Crack the Book and read it and be challenged!

Love you guys!!

GV

Same passage...different song!

2006-09-13T10:26:00.000-05:00

THE JOURNEY SO FAR: Reflection: Lamentations and the blues

This morning my friend and 'partner in crime' Durand Robinson posted an entry on his blog about Lamentations 3. It's funny...he read these passages and heard a blues tune. A while back I was reading the same verses and heard something completely different! You can check out a demo of 'Love Never Fails' (featuring the vocals of the incredible Tony Wachter) at my page on My Space (http://www.myspace.com/georgevinson).

Durand's comments are timely and on target. For me, this passage sums up my life before and after I met Christ.

Isn't it amazing how His grace and love is perfectly applicable to each of us? Thank God His mercies never run out!!

GV

Family and Faith

2006-09-01T21:42:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

I've had a couple of weeks here at home, being busy with domestic stuff (ahh, yard work!) and doing some sessions. Work is steadily increasing...so keep praying! Tomorrow I head down to Birmingham for a session at Bates Brothers Recording...a quick 'there and back again' trip. So with little P150 news, I thought I'd share some thoughts about family and faith.

As many of you know, I am the father of 5 children. Yes, down in the South that officially makes me 'white trash'...lol. Well, I know that having lots of kids can generate some trash.

But having this wonderful group of 4 boys and 1 baby girl has generated more than just trash. Brandon (22), Justin (19), Colin (10), Cameron (8), and Audra (22 months) have brought so many wonderful moments to Carol and I. And not a few moments of anguish and fear. From Brandon's near-fatal car accident a few years back, Cameron being in a halo at age 2 (so his broken neck would heal), and our latest challenges with Audra, there have been moments where we bombarded heaven with prayers, and not a few angry questions.

Isn't it wonderful to know that God not only hears and answers prayer, but can handle our anger? In my work with Project Onefifty there have times where people have compared me and my music to David and the Psalms in the Old Testament. David was reported to have a heart like His (in tune with the Father) but had moments of trial, dark moments of sin, and many moments of consequence resulting from his actions. There are times when I have far more in common with David's dark side than anything else!

In many of his psalms, David displays a brutal honesty with God. I suppose that is what draws me time and again to these centuries-old songs. And no matter how angry David gets, or graphic (asking God to destroy his enemies) invariably his tone lightens and he gives God praise, no matter what the circumstance.

Is this 'a heart like His'? The trust in Abba Father in every trial? I fall so far short of this mark (and often), but I continue to pray that I'll be faithful. God has proven His faithfulness to me over and over and over. My reasonable response is a life of faithful worship.

I'll close this entry with a Psalm that the 'prophet Bono' has been know to pray over U2 crowds:

"How can I repay the Lord
all the good He has done for me?

I will take the cup of salvation
and worship the Lord.

I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all His people."

Psalm 116:12-14 (HCSB)

Love never fails!!

God bless!!

GV

Sweet Home Chicago

2006-08-19T13:32:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!!

I'm sitting in the lobby of our hotel in the Chicago area (we being Glenn and Kathy Garrett and Julie Fisher). Glenn and I are playing tonight for Sure Foundation Ministries at an older church here. I'll be posting some pics when I get back to the hotel.

Love you guys!

GV

Playing 'catch up'

2006-08-13T19:41:00.000-05:00

Ok...that should be the official title of this blog, since I always seem to be 'playing catch up' with keeping this up to date!

So...where were we? Oh yeah...wrapping up Camp Voyager in North Carolina. I don't ever want to become jaded about the way God chooses to move, but once again we had many, many decisions by the kids to follow Christ for the first time, re-dedications, and even some who feel called to service! I'm convinced that young people are far more attuned to His call than us old-timers. I know it took several big 'taps on the shoulder' and a huge encounter before I realized it was Holy Spirit trying to get my attention about starting Project Onefifty. I can't wait to hear more from FBC Spartanburg about the follow-up to this years' Camp Voyager.

One last 'camp' story. As you know, this church rents a camp facility in Flat Rock that is a Jewish camp, Camp Blue Star. I've told you many stories about the folks we've met and shared with. I'm including a pic of the young Russian guitarist I got to play with the last night of camp, Liza...she was incredibly talented. Music is universal!

I digress! Thursday was a Jewish holiday called the 'Fast of Tisha B'Av', which is when the Jewish people mourn the destruction of the Temple. How do I know this? One of the full-time camp staffers is a lady named Allison. We've gotten to know her a bit the past 4 years, and she has always enjoyed our music. With all the conflict over in Lebannon, we asked her some questions. She actually has 2 relatives who are fighting with the Israeli army, and I assured her that we'd be praying for them (I trust that you'll join me in this). Allison is pursuing a degree in theology, and she commented that this fighting is senseless since 'we're all praying to the same God', meaning the Jews, Arabs, and Christians. I responded that she and I were definitely praying to the same God. Please pray for Allison as she learns about Jehovah and that one day she'll come to know the Messiah.

This weekend, the P150 Band played a Discipleship event for the Church at Brook Hills. It was the first time I've gotten to play there this year. And while it was a bit strange to be back as a visitor, it was great seeing a few of our old friends there. Our singer, Tony Wachter, had a wedding to attend in Atlanta, so we enlisted our friend Stephen Hayman to sing with us, and Rick Sutton and Eugene Bates stepped up and sang a couple of tunes as well. These guys are incredibly talented! It was great fun!

I finished this trip by filling in on bass at ClearBranch UMC in Argo. It's so cool to be able to be part of so many different fellowships and to help in their ministries. There's never a dull moment...well, hanging out in hotel rooms is not very exciting...lol!

This coming weekend I'll be in Chicago playing with Glenn Garrett, and the end of the month will find the P150 band playing an event for my new church home, the People's Church! Yeah...a gig close to home!

I'll close by asking you to keep us in your prayers. Durand Robinson (with the Greater Europe Mission, presently over in the States) and I are praying and brain-storming about some ways to raise support for some coming projects. It's exciting to think of the doors that God has opened for us to partner in sharing the Good News with people all over the world.

There...I'm officially 'caught up'...for the moment!

Love you, gang!

GV

Camp Voyager 2006

2006-07-31T15:40:00.000-05:00

Hello from beautiful (but incredibly hot) Camp Voyager! The mountains of North Carolina are still gorgeous, just in case you were worried.

It's Day Two of camp and already we've had some incredible moments. We've been doing this camp for FBC Spartanburg for 4 years now, so the first day or so is filled with seeing old friends, and seeing how all these 4-6th grade students have grown!

That's one of the joys of being in a ministry like Project Onefifty; it enables me the freedom to partner with fellow ministries like that of Kevin Williams and others. The cool thing is that we are all out there doing Kingdom work, since we're all on the same team, right?

One of the other special things about this camp is the staff of Camp Blue Star, comprised mainly of international students from literally all over the world. Each night after the kids are in bed, the staff will come and hang out at the snack shack. Since they've been hearing us play each day and night, it gives us an instant 'in'. We come and hang with them and talk about all kinds of things. It's fun just to sit back and listen to people from Britain, Australia, Russia, Poland, Canada, etc. find commonality and community. Through the years we've met and shared with many of these folks. Imagine coming to North Carolina expecting one level of ministry and finding yourself on a mission field!

But that's the mindset we need daily; we're 'on mission' whether we're in Tennessee or Ponte Tresa, Italy. I'm learning that the work we do in Project Onefifty is all about helping the local church, whatever the locality.

Ok, I'll run for now. On my next post I'll try to put up some pics of our friends here, old or new, young or old!

Later!!

GV

How many times can I use "On the road again" as a title??

2006-07-29T23:52:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

I’m literally heading out on the road again in a few hours. 3am comes early (I have to be at Dawson in Birmingham by 7am). I know...why didn’t I leave sooner? Work! Thankfully, the big LifeWay projects I’ve been working on are finally done...well, all my parts at least. Now my buddy Brian Green gets to put it all together. I’ve heard a few of the mixes so far and it’s sounding great. I’ll let you know as soon as these discs ‘hit the streets’.

Speaking of hitting the streets, I need to run. After Dawson in the morning, Barry Page and I will be jumping in the vehicle with Kevin Williams for our annual NC kid’s camp for FBC Spartanburg. This is our 4th (?) year running and we always look forward to leading these kids in worship.

There’s much more beyond this camp, but I’ll save for that the next update. Please continue to pray for me and the family. Work has been steady, but cash flow is another story. At least there is flow...!
Pray that Carol and the kids are safe while I travel, and also that my travels are safe and rewarding in a Kingdom way.

I’m praying for you as well. I miss you, guys!

God bless!

GV

Up to date with updates!

2006-07-22T13:11:00.000-05:00

OK...trying to lose the self-imposed 'slacker' title by finally getting up to date with the road journal. It has been a busy week (like they all haven't been, thank goodness!

I've been telling you about a few of the projects I've been involved with, the most notable being with my friend of many decades (!) Glenn Garrett. He has just released a new CD project called "Mysteries and Dreams" (his site is listed in the Links area of this blog). I am so humbled to be on this record with guys like Glenn, Dave Cleveland, Tony Morra, Tom Lane, and Chester Thompson. This past Thursday evening we attended a CD release party where friends, family, and all the folks involved in the project got to listen to some selected cuts. It was a wonderful time...not your typical 'industry event'. One of the more famous guests was Glenn's long-time producer Brown Bannister. Carol and I got to chat with Brown and his wife for a bit and discovered many things in common (we've each been married 25 years, and we both have 5 kids!). Brown was very complimentary of my work on "M & D"...I'm praying that this seemingly random meeting will prove to be yet another God moment in our adventure here!

Of course, where would I be up here without my buddy Brian Green?? Not only has he gone out on a limb to give a virtual nobody like yours truly some work, but has proven to be a great friend. It's amazing how God plants people in your life where you least expected! Our two big LifeWay projects are drawing to a close and we pray these are the first of many to come.

And while I've been working like mad during the days to get my parts done so Brian can mix, I've been leaving around 3pm each day but Thursday to go play a student camp up on Signal Mountain in the Chattanooga area with my friend Greg Lowery. Yep...to say that I've been a 'road warrior' this past week would NOT be an understatement...lol. Carol and others make fun of me because I have most of the exits on I65 memorized...now I have a new interstate to work on!

Next week is pretty light, but that's good because I head back out on the road on Saturday for a session in Birmingham and to then hook up with the Kevin Williams Band for our annual North Carolina camp.

Make sure you check all the websites for the folks I've mentioned...I've added them to the Links section. Also in there is the link to the blog site for Randy Elrod, the former worship pastor at the People's Church. Randy is one of the most visionary men I know, and he recently left the staff of TPC to devote his life to helping other artists fulfill their God-given call. I know you'll find his site to a fascinating read, and also a great resource as well.

Yes!! I'm up to date...I'll not be a slacker any more!

Well...until the next time I get behind!

Love!

GV

Hello? McFly??

2006-07-21T14:19:00.000-05:00

Ok...I'll admit it; these days, I have more in common with Marty McFly's inept dad beyond sharing first names. I've been a 'slacker' with my updates...but I have great reasons...I've been too busy to write!

I'm not even sure where to begin. Since my last post back around July 4th, me and the good old Project Onefifty Boys had finished a weekend in Birmingham. From there I headed south with my buddy Kevin Williams to play a student camp in Wetumpka, AL (and had a fabulous time with the students from a Huntsville area church).

I left Wetumpka straight away for a session at Bates Brothers Recording in Hueytown on Friday, and rehearsals on Saturday for the worship services at ClearBranch UMC in Argo on Sunday.

I got back in time on Monday to prepare for my opening slot at a People's Church event, where I opened for (and played bass with) my old friends Nori and Barbie Kelley, better known as "Wind". These guys have traveled with world playing thier music, and have been a great source of help and inspiration for P150. Check out their site at www.windmusic.us.

All through this time I've been continuing to work on a couple of big LifeWay projects with my friend Brian Green (we are almost finished...woo hoo).

OK...that was about 14 days worth, and brings me up to date for this past week. I'm about to head out the door for a camp I've been doing this week in Chattanooga, but I promise to finish up tomorrow and tell you about hanging with Brown Bannister (producer for Amy Grant and lots of other folks) and Chester Thompson (yes, THAT Chester Thompson, the drummer).

Keep praying for us! Love you!

GV

Ahhh...Life on the road!

2006-07-02T21:06:00.000-05:00

Whew! Thankfully yet another busy week (and then some!). Let's see...where do I begin?

June ended in a bang! I thought that was reserved for July, but I'll take this crazy schedule over the alternative ANY day! The last time I updated this blog, I was in Chattanooga at the Summit Camp with Kellee McCoy. Well, I finished there on Friday and drove to Birmingham to play a private party for my friends at O2 Ideas ad agency. The band included ad genius and friend John Zimmerman on guitar and vocals, Bob Norman on keys, and fellow P150's Tony Wachter on vocals & percussion, and Jim Pollard on drums. We played a mix of rock from various decades on their 3rd floor deck. It was great fun!

From there, it was back home for a day or so, and I managed to be able to play bass at the People's Church where we've been attending. Check it out on streaming video sometime (www.pclive.org).

Onto this past week. Monday and Tuesday found Jim Pollard and I doing a CD project at Bates Brothers Recording in Hueytown, AL (the wonderful facility where we did 'Spheres of Influence'). Eugene Bates played bass, Charles Harnach played keys, and Eric Bates masterfully engineered the tracking session for a local artist.

Bear with me...we're halfway there! Wednesday, fellow Tennessean Glenn Garrett and I played a mini-concert for a home Bible study in the Mountain Brook area of Birmingham. It was a powerful and Spirit-filled night. We made many new friends and I was able to share with these folks about P150.

Thursday I made a quick trip home to see the family and get some clean clothes (both very important items...lol). Friday I did a jingle with Tony Wachter and Steve Sample at AudioCzar (Tony's project room).

Last night (Saturday) a modified line-up of my band played a cool venue called the Coffee House of Trussville (located, oddly enough, in Trussville, AL). This place is a bit on the small side, so we stripped back to a 5 piece unit (me on electric guitars, Eugene playing bass for a vacationing Barry Page, Rick Sutton on acoustic guitar, and groovemaster Steve Sample playing drums). Helping us sound great were Jesse Reagan, his son Jonathan, and Shawn Roberts snapped some pics (including the one in this blog post).

It was a special night for me in that, with great friends backing me up, and great friends in the audience urging us on, I had the honor of playing a Beatles song with my brother Melvin. This guy is to blame for me picking up guitar in the first place. It marked the first time we've played together in about 25 years...wow! He has an amazing story that I hope to share with you in an upcoming issue of our "Spheres" newsletter.

Today we helped Rick Sutton lead worship at Genesis, a new church plant here in Birmingham. The message that pastors Dale and Amy Bowers spoke on was 'Jesus on Injustice'. We played some P150 standards (People Get Ready, When Love Comes to Town) along with a couple of worship songs. We played "I Will Trust In You" before the message, and finished the day with a rousing version of "Amazing Grace". I always get chills when I hear Tony sing such great lyrics with his powerful voice. All in all, an 'amazing' end to a great week.

Next week (tomorrow) I'll be on the road again with Kevin Williams as we play a week-long student camp down close to Montgomery, AL. Yes, that means I haven't been home in a while...sigh. But I've been praying for work, so God is faithful! Oh yeah, during all this activity I've been working on a recording project for LifeWay with my buddy Brian Green. Never a dull moment!

Ahhh...life on the road! Keep praying and I'll keep playing!

Ok, that was bad...I promise...no more puns!

God bless!

GV

Chattanooga Summit

2006-06-21T22:39:00.000-05:00

Hello from Lookout Mountain! What a great month...the beach a few weeks ago and now the mountains. Well, specifically the aforementioned Lookout Mountain. I'm here in the Chattanooga, TN area playing electric guitar with my friend Kellee McCoy (the worship leader at the Chapel Service at Dawson Baptist in Birmingham). The camp we're playing up here at Covenant College is appropriately called "Summit", which has been meeting each summer for 19 years now!

I've been up here since Sunday, but updates have been few and far between, as we have to drive down the mountain to the local Krystal and their free WiFi (and Krystal Chicks...but we have to pay for those!). But I do have some thoughts to share with you...as always, these are free!

Monday, I was listening to a local radio station and heard that June 19th is widely held as the offical day for the Emancipation of the slaves here in America. Slavery seems to be a recurring theme in what God is showing me these days through my travels. My trips to Ireland and the story of "Amazing Grace" (written by former slave trader John Newton, who later became one of the leaders in the Abolishionist movement in England) reminded me how important June 19th is to African-Americans. But thinking about all this reminded me of when I was in slavery...slavery to my sin. My 'emancipation day' was March 9, 1975. That was the day when I surrendered my heart and life to Jesus Christ. While I struggle daily with the scars of my former servitude, God is still working in my life to make me into a devoted follower of Christ. Thank God for His endless mercy...I guess I could quote one of my own songs and say that "Love Never Fails".

We've been leading these students each morning and evening, and we've experienced some incredible times of worship. One of the key things I've learned is from a statement made by our guest speaker, John Hickman. He remarked how God has been meeting us in a 'mountain-top experience', but we never seem to ask why this happens in this environment. He said it's because we have been 'fasting from the world, and feasting on the Word'. Wow...what truth! God has been leading our home group back in Spring Hill in this same manner, so it's no coincidence that He's continuing this theme in my life this week.

The more I travel and the more people I meet, I have found a great commonality in how God is working and doing. How exciting to be a part of such a work. Stay open to what He wants to do in your life and 'spheres of influence'.

Love you guys! Keep praying for us!

GV

On the road...again!

2006-06-19T12:02:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the delay in this update, but it's been crazy (in a good way). The last time you heard from me, I was in Florida at the student retreat for my friends at ClearBranch UMC (Argo, AL). The camp went well, but there was a frightening accident on Tuesday night. One of their 8th grade students, a beautiful young lady named Faith, was struck by a car while she was crossing the road to the beach. It looked really bad at the time, but thankfully God stepped in! While Faith has some extensive surgery on her leg (the main point of impact), thankfully she HAS a road to recovery.

The rest of the camp went well, and it was wonderful working with all the gang from ClearBranch. I'm hoping that I can be part of their retreat for years to come.

After the camp, I had a rare occurance...some time at home (got to do chores, mow the lawn, etc). I did get to play guitar down at the new satellite campus for the People's Church, down at the Spring Hill high school. Chad Jarnagin led worship and we had an incredible time. God is truly doing a great work down in our neck of the woods (and I'm glad to be a small part of it).

Ok, my next update will fill you in on the camp I'm doing THIS week. Later, kids!

GV

Creature from the Black Laguna...

2006-06-06T12:19:00.000-05:00

Hello from the beach!

Do you hate those kinds of greetings as much as I do? Even though summer is in full swing, most of us still go to work everyday, and to hear from someone at a beach or on an exotic trip can be a bummer. So, please forgive me for such an annoying intro...lol.

It's Tuesday and my great friend and long-time sound man Jesse Reagan and I are sitting outside the retreat center office, taking advantage of the wireless internet access. We've been here since late Sunday night, and the student camp with the folks from ClearBranch UMC in Argo, Alabama is going well.

Monday was taken up with the load-in and set up of all the gear, with a band rehearsal right before dinner. We then we all packed into Classroom #1 (all 150 of us! Yikes!) for a time of worship and teaching. I'm playing with some young guns from the music ministry at ClearBranch, along with rock veteran Steven 'Hamie" Hayman. Yes, Hamie is the 'Scottish dude' who played in a band with Damon Johnson a few years back. Hamie is a great singer and is fun to work with. We're having some great times of woship (with some bluesy rock jams thrown in for fun). The guys in the band are doing great too; Jordan Harnach (son of my friend and mentor Charles Harnach) is covering bass, and another Jordan (I don't know his last name) is playing drums, and Stevie Ray Vaughn worshipper (lol) Roddy Barrett is playing guitar. It's a jammin' bunch for sure. Our friend Stephanie Sparks is adding some great BGVs, too.

We actually have the rest of the day off, so we plan on attempting to pigment our albino-esque skin via exposure to the sun's rays...lol (without doing a great lobster impression).

Some great things are happening back home, too. Our small group hosted our first 'outreach' this past Sunday, a block party at the home of P150 drummer Jim and Pam Pollard. They gave away over 100 hot dogs and many folks from their nieghborhood signed the guest book. But the best story came today via Pam. One of her neighbors knocked on her door yestersday and shared how she wanted to come over Sunday, but her husband was out of town. She then began to share with Pam about a recent family loss and how deeply it has affected her. Pam was able to bring some Spirit-led comfort, all because of a block party.

Wow! Talk about a mission field! How many of us know what's happening in the lives of the people who live all around us? I know that Carol and I need work in that area. We do have those 'yard chats' while outside cutting grass (pulling weeds, more like it), but I know God would have us do more. I am encouraged that we are part of a Faith Family (the People's Church) with vision to empower groups like the people that make up our home group to find ways to reach out into the community, without waiting for the church to host an event. We plan on making this a regular happening this summer, with a block party held at each of our respective neighborhoods. Please pray that we can be salt, light, and water to the people around us.

Heck...we may even play some music...what a novel idea!

More from the retreat in a day or so. Keep praying for us, especially as I travel. While these camps and trips are helping to pay the bills, we most definitely need your support financially for the various P150 projects we have in the works, as well as helping to feed the family.

God bless!

GV

Artist Gathering...now I know I'm not crazy!

2006-05-25T12:40:00.000-05:00

Hi guys!

I know what you're thinking...two posts in one week and he's not on tour...what's the deal? The 'deal' was a gathering of artists from all disciplines and genres, held this past Tuesday night at the Chapel of the People's Church in Franklin, TN (where we've plugged in as a family), and hosted by Randy Elrod and Ken Davis. Randy is another one of us crazy folks who've stepped away from their career to follow God's call. For the past years Randy has been the Worship Arts Pastor at TPC, and has been a great influence to me in the short time we've been here, both on and off stage.

Several folks shared their vision and callings, and you can follow the link above to hear Randy's new mission (to develop a facility in the Nashville area to equip and encourage artists). But the underlying message was that God is raising up artists in every area to a new work and style of ministry. I'm not talking artistic style...but the realization that God is NOT calling us to 'business as usual'.

As I sat in this room with about 50 other artists (many 'names' that you'd instantly recognize; and many other 'unknowns' like me), I was overwhelmed by the comfort of Holy Spirit as He once again confirmed in my heart and spirit the 'rightness' of where we've been called. I can't tell you just how many times I've questioned everything about this move and this call. I'm almost ashamed to admit my distrust, as God has done some incredible things just to get us here...and He has been faithful to provide in many miraculous ways in the past nine months.

I was so moved by this gathering, I went up to Randy afterward to express my thanks. But all I could get out of my mouth was the phrase "now I know I'm not crazy"! I know that he knew exactly what I meant. I mean...it's crazy to leave a great job and risk your family and life in such adventures. Project Onefifty is a few years old now and I'm still trying to figure it all out!

But thank God I know someone who does have it all figured out. He knows full well 'the plan' and our place. Thank you, thank you, thank you for continuing to support us. Continue to pray that we will faithfully follow the Call.

Love you guys!

GV

Weekend in Review

2006-05-23T00:26:00.000-05:00

Ok...sounds like a Sunday morning talk show! Just trying to be consistent in this whole 'blog thing'. I have to have faith that someone out there may actually read these posts in order to keep up with me and Project Onefifty, so here goes!

I was once again back in Birmingham, Alabama for a few days. Thursday night I played the 'big room' in town...the Civic Center Coliseum. Along with home boys Barry Page on bass, Steve Sample on drums, horn players Mart Avant and Rich Davison (and Chad the unknown T-bone guy), and Michael Addler and company from Shades Mt. BC on BGVs, we played for Birmingham alum Charles Billingsley. He has been in groups like Newsong and is currently the music leader for the David Jeremiah Crusade ministry. It was just such a crusade that brought us all together at the Coliseum for a great night of music and preaching. It should appear on TV at some point, so I'll try to get you the info in a timely manner.

The rest of the weekend found me playing with my friends out at ClearBranch United Methodist Church in Argo, AL. Their student ministry presented an original musical called "Fifteen For A Moment". The premise was a recently departed lady looking back on her 9th grade year and all the trials and turmoil that led to her accepting Christ. My role was that of bass player, which led me full circle to my early days at Erwin High School playing bass in the pit for shows like "Bye Bye Birdie". I keep waiting for my Tony Award...maybe they don't have my new address in Tennessee!

Anyway, it was a fun week and a fantastic way to help pay the bills. I have asked many of you to pray that work would head my way, and I do believe your prayers and mine are being answered. As always, keep Project Onefifty on your list.

I actually have about 10 days or so off before heading back on the road. School ends this Thursday, and Justin (recently turned 19, and Brandon, 22!) will be heading to Chicago for the summer playing at a LifeWay Centrifuge camp. I'm hoping we can use this down time to do some fun family stuff around town (lots to do and see here).

I'm also hoping to use this time to do more work on songs and demos for a follow-up to my "Spheres of Influence" CD. I actually have 2 complete projects I want to do...but first things first, as they say.

Finally, my good buddy Glenn Garrett has finally completed his long-awaited CD titled "Mysteries and Dreams" (keep checking www.glenngarrett.com for more info). I am so excited about this...I ended up playing all the bass parts (with the exception of 2 tunes with synth bass) and alot of guitar parts as well. I am humbled to be on these tracks along with Glenn and session heavyweights Dave Cleveland on guitars, Tony Morra, Chester Thompson (yes, THE Chester Thompson!) on drums, as well as Lisa Bevill on BGVs. Heck, even my buddies Tom Lane and Jamie Rogan got to help on a few tracks (on guitars and percussion, respectively).

The new CD has been released to 240 radio stations and Glenn has already started booking concerts. Glenn and I go way back (he's also a Birmingham guy from about 20 years ago). I used in play in his road band back toward the end of his CCM career, and I actually helped he and Kathy move to Franklin. It was one of those 'God moments' that put Glenn and I back together again last year, leading ultimately to our move to the area (Kathy was also our realtor...lol!).

Alrighty, then...enough review! Have a great week and I hope to see you soon!

GV

Project Onefifty

2006-05-17T20:55:00.000-05:00

I was sitting and thinking about the incredible journey that I've been on the past several years, and I realized that many of you may not know how this whole Project Onefifty thing got started. And while you can go to the P150 website and get the 'Cliff Notes' version, I thought it'd be fun to reminsce.

It was about this time of year back in 2002 that I went on a music/missions trip to Italy and Switzerland led by my buddy Dan Moran. Joining me were Barry & Jill Page, Josh Cooper, David Gaines, Steve Wingo, and Deb and Seth Moran (Dan's wife and son). Our local ministry contact was Scott Steelman of the Italy for Christ ministry.

Our mission was simple; play music and let Dan preach. And play and preach we did. But the amazing thing to me was when we were simply playing music...and seeing people respond to a move of Holy Spirit, just from us jamming!

God had been tapping on my shoulder about doing this sort of ministry for several years. But in Paul's prison in Rome, he stopped tapping and pretty much slammed me! The next few days found me examining my motives, dreams and desires, and running all this by Carol back in the States.

After an incredible 10 days or so, I arrived back home in Birmingham after a long flight. But during that 12 hours or so, the entire concept for P150 dropped in my lap...name and all. Even down to the details of how we partner with other ministries, finances, etc.

To develop this ministry, we decided to go slow, determined to be obedient in every step. The process led to my first solo CD "Spheres of Influence", the actual creation of the business entity of Project Onefifty, finding a board of directors, etc. It would not be until July 2004 that we debuted Project Onefifty at our CD release event at the Church at Brook Hills.

Jumping back to today, May 17 2006...we now find ourselves living in a new city (Thompson's Station, TN, about 30 minutes south of Nashville), with new friends and opportunities for music and ministry. The People's Church in Franklin, TN has opened their arms to us in a huge way, even allowing us to host an event there this coming July to introduce P150 to more folks in our area. There have been great times and times of struggle...but God has been faithful in every step along the way.

Thank you for the way many of you support us each month, through finances, encouragement, and most of all prayer. Since that trip to Italy and Switzerland back in '02, I've been able to use my music in Ireland, Japan, the Middle East, and all over the Southeast. My music is being heard literally all over the world through online outlets such as iTunes, Napster, CD Baby, and about 30 others.

And so it goes. Tomorrow I head down to Birmingham to play for CCM artist Charles Billingsly at a big rally with David Jeremiah, and then to finish the weekend helping my friends at ClearBranch with a student musical. I am thankful that I'm allowed to use these skills in His service.

Ok...thanks for indulging my little stroll down Memory Lane. Glad I had you along...

Later!

GV

Vulcan Classic

2006-05-15T17:14:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday I played at the Vulcan Classic at the Alys Stephens Center in Birmingham. No, I'm not talking about the motorcycle...this Vulcan Classic is a body-building championship. Yes, I know what you're thinking...what the heck was I doing there? My friends Brian Taunton and the God's House Band played the intermission of the show and they asked me to come play with them (I had worked on their recording project at Kevin Derryberry's Ark Studio).

And while the gig went very well, I think I know how it would feel be on an alien planet. We were surrounded all evening by men and women who looked like Greek gods and goddesses...needless to say I went around all night with my stomach pulled in as tight as I could...lol.

This whole event was Brian's brainchild (he is into that whole body-building world), and his dream was to have a time during the night where the Gospel would be clearly presented. God's House Band has great songs filled with truth, and toward the end of our set, Brian gave a powerful message of how Christ can change a life. He closed with a simple invitation to accept this message...over 5 people asked Christ into their life for the first time, and 6 others re-dedicated their lives!

God is challenging people all around the world to find new ways to present His love. For me and Project Onefifty, it's music. For Brian Taunton...it's reaching out to body-builders. But the fact remains that we need to go beyond the walls of the Church to "be Christ" to the people who won't come to us.

I'm proud to be part of this type of cutting-edge ministry. Brian tells me that next years Classic will be bigger and better than ever...

I'd better start working out now!

GV

The long and winding road...

2006-04-30T23:59:00.000-05:00

Well, April is almost over...and I’m off the road for a bit. And what a road it was! 25 out of 30 days found me on the road (or in the air) for a total of just over 11,000 miles!! Looking back, it’s hard to believe that we were able to go so many places in such a short time.

What’s even more incredible is what transpired during these journeys. It’s not ‘evangelistic exaggeration’ to say that literally hundreds of people heard about Christ...through word, song, and actions. From playing in pubs and venues in Ireland, storm ravaged schools and churches on the Gulf Coast, to helping other ministries with recording projects and events here close to home, the Good News was made clear. Many of the folks we met are now great friends...others we saw made important decisions about their spiritual condition. In any event, we were able to be an influence through our music. Me and the band were also able to help a Birmingham mental health agency raise over $10,000 in support for their programs...all through this gift of music!

And I have to thank many of you for all this. Your support through prayer and giving made this possible. From keeping us in eats and diapers on the home-front to covering travel costs to far-flung lands (and parts of Mississippi, too!), all of it mattered greatly in this effort. Thank you...thank you, thank you, thank you!!

But we’re not stopping here. Plans are already underway to return (with the band) to Ireland next April. We’re also working on doing some events down on the Gulf Coast. I saw firsthand how powerful and encouraging music can be in the lives of people dealing with disaster. And this year we hope to return to the studio for a follow-up to “Spheres of Influence” (many of you have already helped us determine what this project should look and sound like). Lastly, we want to help local churches too. We love leading worship and are planning a series of ‘house concerts’...if you want to host one of these, let me know!

Let me close by asking you to once again pray for us. I have been challenged greatly of late to go even farther beyond the walls of the church than ever before. I’m praying that God will open the right doors at the right time to take our music into places we as a ministry have never been. I honestly don’t know or understand exactly what this means...that’s why I need your prayers, so that our path will be made absolutely clear!

And please remember Project Onefifty in your financial giving. More than ever we need your help to help us continue to have months like this past April. I can honestly say that we don’t care where we go...we simply want to be used to help spread the Good News. By the grace of God, we will...

God bless you!!

GV

Gulf Coast Tour wrap-up

2006-04-23T22:48:00.000-05:00

It’s Sunday night around 11:15pm Eastern time and I just checked into my hotel for the next two nights in beautiful Asheville, NC. And while the Gulf Coast tour with Reveal, the student choir of the Biltmore Baptist Church was over for me on Friday night, my work with Biltmore is not quite finished. The next two days will find me playing guitar on a recording project for their worship ministry.

Let me get you up to speed on the tour. Wednesday night we played to a packed house at the First Baptist Church of Biloxi, MS, where five different youth groups came together for an incredible event. Kevin and I and the band started the evening off with worship...the energy and excitement in the room was palpable.

Reveal came up and continued to lead us, and our speaker Gary Permenter tied all the lyrical threads together and delivered a powerful message. There were several decisions to follow Christ...to be honest, the room was so packed that it was difficult to see all that was taking place. But to say that God showed up and showed off would be an accurate statement.

The next two days were pretty much the same (school event in the morning for the band, work projects for the choir, and an evening concert for the entire group). I don’t want to overlook what God did in these events, but I don’t want this message to stretch into novel length either...lol. Our final concert on Friday took place in Bogalusa, Louisiana (about 2 hours north of the coast). Our contact there, John, told us some pretty hair-raising stories about his contact with Katrina. But it was a comment he made to Kevin afterward that I’d like to share. John said that the last 6 months or so have been the most depressing period in his life...and not only for him, but the entire community. This small town is virtually abandoned due to the devastation caused by the storm. But our concert that night brought new life and energy to the people there...dare I say that our music and vibrant relationships with Christ as expressed in our music has literally inspired the people to have hope.

That pretty much sums up the entire tour. It has also confirmed to me that my desire to bring the Project Onefifty band down to the coast is not just something that would be nice, but would be a huge benefit. I’ll be sharing more in the weeks and months to come about these plans.

For now, let me sign off. My day starts early tomorrow and I’m pretty wiped from all the recent travel. On a personal note, thank you for praying for Audra; she had her CAT scan this past Friday and Carol is meeting with the doctors tomorrow for the results. Please continue to pray...

Love you guys!

Midweek 'mystery'...

2006-04-19T17:23:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

Sorry for no update yesterday, but boy...it was a busy day! Call was at 6:00am and we hit the ground running! We played 3 events yesterday (yes...at different venues). Two of them were for Christian clubs at two different schools (one in the morning before classes and the other after school). The last was our evening concert featuring Kevin and the band, the choir, and our speaker Gary Permenter. I must say that David Gaines knows how to keep folks busy!

Today we played another school event and then I had the day 'off'. I'm sitting in the student auditorium of FBC Biloxi where tonight's event is happening. It's the usual story of 'hurry up and wait' while the crew gets everything ready. But I know it's going to be a great concert, as we are expecting not only the usual crowd at this church, but all the folks we've invited from the various school events. We are praying that it's an SRO crowd...not for the sake of numbers, but for as many people to have the chance to hear the Good News about the difference Christ has made in our lives.

During my free time today, I drove into Mobile and then around the area, just observing the damage, the clean-up efforts, etc. To be honest, I was very pre-occupied about some personal issues...Audra is having some tests done Friday; while that is nerve-wracking enough, the fact that I can't be there is hard. But I know that God has both Audra and my fears and concerns well in hand. I can go ahead and thank you for praying, because I know you will!

But even with my thoughts of family and home, I couldn't help but be affected by the sights of the area. Everywhere you turn, you see evidence of a storm long past...blue tarps are everywhere. Some places are simply empty lots...you can tell that some home or other structure used to be there, but now is simply gone.

But even with the devastation, you see signs of hope. Relief teams are in plain sight, working hard and selflessly to repair homes and to bring normalcy to the lives of the people in this region. The students from Biltmore are working no less hard than any of the other teams and it makes you proud that students (grades 6-12) are doing their part to be Christ in such a physical way. I'm proud to have even a small part in this trip.

Ok...the crew is done and the band is jamming...the choir is about to sound check and soon the doors will open. In a few hours, we'll reveal in a variety of ways the love of Christ, and the mystery that is the work of Holy Spirit will be evident as people will be drawn to make eternal decisions.

Thanks for praying and for helping me be here this week. God bless!

GV

New week...new adventure!

2006-04-18T00:26:00.000-05:00

The wonderful thing about being a musician (or one that gets to travel) is getting to go to interesting places. So far this month, I've logged trips to Asheville, NC, Ireland (both the Republic Of and the Northern one), Birmingham, AL, and now this week's tour on the Gulf Coast.

I'm down in Gulfport, MS working with some of my best friends in the world. David Gaines (keyboard wiz) is on staff with the Biltmore Baptist Church in Asheville, NC, and his student choir is touring down here. Another great friend and great player down here with us is my longtime partner in musical crime, Kevin Williams. Kevin and I go way back...I played on his 2 recording projects, have served together on a church staff, and I play guitar in his road band. Kevin and I have been tasked with fronting the choir's student band (some decent players, too).

Our mission this week is multi-faceted. This entire region is still dealing with the effects of Hurricane Katrina (seven months after the fact), and the students will be helping in various relief projects (building, painting, cleaning, etc). The choir will be playing in area churches at night, and we'll be opening and closing the concerts. Our good friend Gary Permenter will be speaking...he is hilarious! But he really drives home the message of truth in a way unlike any other youth speaker (and I've heard a bunch of 'em!).

During the day, the band will be playing in school assemblies as a teaser for our nighttime concerts. Tonight we all rolled into town around 7pm, checked into our hotel and then went to a local church for a rehearsal. Tomorrow we hit the ground running at 6am for our first event; an assembly before school for a Christian club. Then it's off to another school where we'll do basically the same deal. Somewhere in between those two events will be a radio interview, hopefully some lunch and some rest before our evening concert.

So welcome to the Biltmore Student Choir Tour! Be praying that we can positively affect the lives of the people in this area and be Christ in a multitude of ways. Rest assured that while we'll lending our hands in a physical fashion, we'll do all this in the spirit of Christ and be looking for ways to share truth wherever we can.

Oh yeah...we'll play some music too!

Be praying! Love you guys!

GV

Easter and beyond

2006-04-14T14:16:00.000-05:00

Ok...I think my body knows what day and time it’s supposed to be since my Irish tour. Our church in Franklin, TN has a Saturday night service which my family and I will be attending (as I’m helping my friend Kellee McCoy down at Dawson in Birmingham, AL on Easter Sunday).

After that, it’s back home for the night and then I head out for a weeks’ tour in Gulfport, MS. My friend Kevin Williams and I will be helping the Biltmore Baptist Church (Asheville, NC) student choir with their tour down there. It’s gonna be a blast!

Please remember Christ’s sacrifice and especially the difference between Him and all other ‘paths’ to God...He’s the only one who predicted He’d rise from the dead (and then did so!).

What a savior!!

GV

Last night in Ireland

2006-04-10T23:32:00.000-05:00

Well, its hard to believe it, but our Ireland trip is drawing to a close. Jason and I are at our lodging for the night in Blackrock, a suburb of Dublin...its around 11:30pm and call time in the morning is 6am!

Im not sure where to begin! We had a pretty early call this morning, as Mike Mullins drove us down from Buncrana to Derry in order to catch the bus to Dublin. I didnt realize it, but Derry is right across the border in Northern Ireland and was the sight of the Bloody Sunday massacre. Most of us think of this as just a U2 song, but Mike took us through town to the actual site where the Catholic protesters were marching. History tells us that a shot rang out, and then the British troops opened fire on the marchers. Derry reminded me of Belfast, with slogans and murals decorating the various buildings. Even the curbs are marked with colors denoting the different neighborhoods (and factions). While the peace is thankfully still in effect (even with the recent assassination of a former British agent in the IRA), there are reminders everywhere of the Troubles that have plagued this country for so long. Both Mike Mullins and my friend up in Belfast, Fr. Martin Curley agree that the only thing that will ever bring peace to this island is the love of Jesus Christ.

Let me tell you about our final gig here. We played in the Irish Cultural Center (I cannot even begin to spell the Irish name for it!); this is a beautiful building in a grand old neighborhood, and this facility is a treasure trove of Irish music. If you want to learn about the history of this incredible music (and learn how to play it), then this is the place! And boy...I got a crash course, too! At the end of the night, our host, Cormac Shaw and a friend (also named Cormac) invited me to play along with them on a couple of traditional Irish melodies (these guys play the fiddle and the flute). I got thrown to the wolves! The two Cormacs are great players and I was struggling to keep up...I had never heard these jigs before, but it was a blast to play. What an incredible honor!

Tonight was another of our songwriting seminars. After playing a few opening songs, we launched into our session, with some great interaction with the participants. We played a few more of our tunes and then we turned the evening into an open mic night. There is a friend of Laura Robinson (Durand's 17 year old daughter who is on the tour with us)...a girl named Lisa who played and sang one of her songs...wow! This place is teeming with incredible talent.

We took a quick break to talk to the folks in the crowd, who were so very gracious to us. When we came back, we played a few more tunes, and ended (as always) with Amazing Grace. I had the opportunity to introduce the song, where I shared with the crowd (a mix of believers and non-believers alike) how the grace of this hymn/folk song has been so very real and important in my own life. It was a small seed we planted, but a seed nonetheless that our contacts here will cultivate.

And that is pretty much our mission; to use our music to help the local church reach into their communities and cultivate friendships with seekers. And while this was really a scouting trip for a future tour with the whole band, it was far more successful in that ministries in Newbridge, Buncrana, and Dublin were able to meet new friends and to minister to people who would never come to just another church service.

Jason is fast asleep as I type this, and Im trying not to weep aloud as I think about the people just this week weve met and ministered to; Sinead at the restaurant in Newbridge, and the wedding party at the pub...Seamus and Mary at the Drift Inn at Buncrana...some lads who chatted with us on the street in Buncrana after our first pub date up north (I gave them a CD)...and the many faces of the people I talked to tonight. The names are running together, but God knows each and every one of them and I pray that our friends here will be able to be Christ to them in the days and months ahead.

I just cant believe that God would use me and this music in such a way, but I am so thankful He has. Thank you for making this trip possible and especially for all your prayers. You are all special people in my life and Im glad to be in this journey with you.

Ok...to bed and then to the airport! Until our next trip, keep praying!

God bless you all...

GV

Buncrana (part 3) final night

2006-04-09T22:50:00.000-05:00

Whew...our time in Buncrana is almost over (its been a whirlwind day or two). We definitely ramped up into the events for our final weekend on the Emerald Isle. Tonight we played a concert for all the folks who heard us in the various places around town. As always with a tour like this, by the time you finish you are tight and ready to go on the road...lol! It was really amazing seeing how the three of us from completely differing musical backgrounds worked so well together. There literally was something for everyone! We did record the event and Jason's "Love Song For The Curse" was simply fantastic! Tony and I had talked earlier in the week about getting some of Jasons songs recorded so the rest of you can learn what a talented artist he is.

Before the concert, Mike Mullins drove us around the area and took us to the place on Loch Swilley where Amazing Grace author John Newton made landfall and gave his heart to Christ after being heavily involved in the African slave trade. This is an amazing story (pun intended) that needs to be told. I encourage you to pick up a book by Rolling Stone writer Steve Turner called Amazing Grace. Its written in two sections, the first of which is Newtons biography; the second half is a biography of sorts of the hymn itself, which has been recorded by literally thousands of artists (including yours truly).

Next year will be the 200th anniversary of the writing of the hymn, and the town council of Buncrana is planning to open a visitors center, as well as commissioning a status commemorating Newton and the hymn and Buncranas role in the story. I am praying about what Project Onefifty can do to be part of this event. People dont know that Newton was integral in the abolition of slavery in England...and Gods grace was at the heart of Newtons transformation from slaver to hymn writer. And when you think of how many of us have adopted his hymn as our song of testimony to Gods grace in our lives...it really is amazing!

Tomorrow morning is an early call as we travel by bus down to Dublin for our final event, a mini-concert and song writing workshop at the Irish Cultural Center. And then...home!

Its been an interesting trip and not without a few bumps...but I know that God has had us well in hand, and that you were all praying for us. Thank you again for joining me in this journey of guitars and grace!

Love you guys!

GV

Buncrana (part 2)

2006-04-09T18:07:00.000-05:00

Ok...where did I leave off? What a great day (so far). This morning,
Durand and I helped lead worship
at the church here. I gave an oh-so-brief version of my testimony.
After the music, we shared
communion and Durand challenged us to find new ways for the church to
be good neighbors to the community.

After a great Irish lunch of fish and chips, we played at the Drift
Inn. Another beautiful pub/restaurant
(it was the old train station). Arsenal was playing Manchester, so as
to not offend the fans, we played
with the telly left on (but the sound down). Manchester did win, but we
had a great time. Jason's song
"Love Song For The Curse" went down very well.

The bartender (Paul) loved us and wants to know when we'll be back.
There was a great couple
(Seamus and Mary) that I had a wonderful conversation with. Seems that Seamus is
a bit of a guitarist himself
and he bought my CD (as did Paul); they both asked me to sign their copies. Very
sweet folks; It's difficult not to
fall in love with these people and this island.

Ok...this update will be in three parts, as it's time for a traditional
dinner of spaghetti (traditional at the
Vinson home anyway...lol). Tonight we have a concert and we hope that
many of the folks we've met
at the two pubs will be there.

Love you gang!!

GV

First night in Buncrana (part 1)

2006-04-09T08:02:00.000-05:00

Good morning!!

Well, the first half of our journey is over and now we get busy! Yesterday we said our tearful farewells to our new friends in Newbridge and headed into Dublin. Our contact up north, Mike Mullin, was in town for a meeting so we larked about town until he finished.

There is an old saying in Ireland...if you dont like the weather, just wait a few moments. And this couldnt have been closer to the truth! We were hanging in the really cool Temple Bar area and after a great lunch, we continued our sightseeing. It was a bit cold, but very sunny. While we were eating, a hard rain blew in and out as fast as that. Durand and I were visiting the Irish Film Institute when out of nowhere, hail starting falling hard and fast; yes, hail! After about 10 minutes, they came Fat Old Sun acting as if nothing had happened. Way cool!

We had a grand journey traveling up to Buncrana. If you ever get the chance to come to this beautiful island, you simply must! I dont have the vocabulary to describe the glory of it...Ill just say its grand!

Mike Mullen heads a ministry up here called Operation Mobilization (OM), and he lined up another pub for us to play. And if I thought the Newbridge pub was cool, then Roddens was incredible! Its the kind of place where you stepped back in time...very quaint. I fully expected to see Frodo and Sam at a table, and Strider lurking in the corner...lol!

The three of us played about 2 hours to a packed room. They were great! Today we lead worship at Mikes church, this afternoon we play a restaurant, with a full concert at a local venue tonight. I think they were going easy on us down south, as we are slamming up here!

Well, Ill have to finish this update later, as we have to head to the service. By the way, wish Carol a happy birthday...yes, today is her birthday!!

Later, my friends!!

GV

Final night in Newbridge

2006-04-08T21:57:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

We literally just finished our final concert in Newbridge just moments before. As I type, a crowd of about 60 folks are milling about in the main room of the Open Arms Community Church. It was a different night than we had planned, as Tony had to unexpectedly fly home this morning. And while we missed him greatly (Tony has won many fans here...no surprise there!), Durand, Jason, and I turned the night into more of a group effort. I had the wonderful privilege of playing on songs by both guys...and what great songs! Jason has one called Porcelain that talks about how breakable we all are. And Durand ended the night with a song of his called Only Plea which runs from one chorus that says ...were guilty, to the final chorus that declares that were ...forgiven.

And that sums up our lives...we are born guilty, but thanks to Christ's sacrifice, we can be forgiven. I had the chance to play one of my favorite hymns called The Fountain, which talk about His sacrifice and how we can be washed clean.

All in all, a great end to a great week! Tomorrow we travel up to Buncrana. Keep praying and youll hear from us again (and soon!).

Love you guys!

GV

Bridging the gap in Newbridge

2006-04-07T23:50:00.000-05:00

Great news!!

I forgot to mention that the two ladies we played our 'private' concert for at Ross Morgans were at the concert tonight!

The mission of Project Onefifty is to use music as a tool to reach people outside the walls of the church. That's a great goal in and of itself, but unless the local church is involved, then it's all for naught. P150 works as the musical extention of the local ministry, and it's a wonderful answer to prayer to see that we've helped bridge the gap in Newbridge.

It was only two people...but worth every moment! Again, none of this could have been possible without the prayers and support of you (the folks who make this ministry happen). Open Arms Community Church thanks you...and I thank you!

It's not over yet! Keep praying...

GV

My Big Green Irish Wedding

2006-04-07T18:41:00.000-05:00

Well...it's never a dull moment on this trip! Tonight we had a great session at the Open Arms Community Church. Not only did we have a songwriting 'mini-workshop', but we tweaked the church sound system, and helped their worship band work through a number. These are really great folks who are making a difference in their community. As you can see, I'm a fan!

Afterwards, Tony and I (joined by Jason, Durand, and his daughter Laura) went to a couple of pubs until we found one that would let us play. And boy...what a pub! Imagine your quintessential Irish pub, crowded to the rafters...it was great! We went to a little nook in the place and I grabbed my acoustic and Tony started singing.

Little did we know, but we were playing to a big wedding party right in front of us! They loved our music and I remarked that we were the cheapest band they ever hired...lol! We did get free chips and sausages (and Diet Coke too!).

Tony sang until he could sing no more. I don't how we got there, but we ended up doing the last 3 songs in the big medley on the Beatles 'Abbey Road' album. Tony 'played' Ringo's drum solo on his legs and we even sang all the guitar solos...hilarious!

We had a couple of guys come up when we finished and asked what we were about, so you never know how God will use all this.

Tomorrow we go into Dublin for the day and finish up here in Newbridge tomorrow night. After that we head north to Buncrana.

More to come!

GV

Ireland Day Two...Newbridge

2006-04-06T23:31:00.000-05:00

Top of the morning!

Ok...Im in Ireland...Im entitled to one cliche, right? We just got home from hanging with our Irish host Shawn after our first concert event. This was held at Open Arms Community Church here in Newbridge. This is a small, store-front church, but is a dynamic body of believers with a great home group outreach. We were gathered in their upstairs coffee shop area, the musicians set up against a huge plate glass window where we saw a beautiful sunset over the town.

And what a varied mix of music. The idea was to give the folks at Open Arms a taste of what were trying to do this week in our outreach events. Tonight was based loosely on a songwriters night. They served tea and coffee, along with biscuits (what wed call crackers). We started the night by hearing a few songs from a young guy named Jason Howell. Wow! What a talent...and hes barely 17! I know he has a website so Ill get the link for you. His music is introspective but with highly charged and thought-provoking lyrics. I know well all be hearing more from Jason in the years to come.

After a quick break for folks to chat and get more tea, our Greater Europe Mission contact, Durand Robinson took the stage. He is more of a James Taylor singer-songwriter guy; his songs are wonderfully melodic and you find yourself really relating to characters he sings about. By songs end, youre left with a great image of Gods truth and how it applies to your life.

Then Tony and I got a chance to have some fun. We opened with U2s When Love Came To Town (pretty cheeky as they say over here). Tony was rippin it up! He is such an amazing singer and had the audience (and me!) cheering along. We plowed straight into People Get Ready which the small but enthusiastic crowd enjoyed.

You know me; next up...a song by the Beatles! In this case it was Things We Said Today. This was a last minute change on my part, I feel led by Holy Spirit to tie into the next song, I Will Trust In You. I spoke about the idea in the Fab Four song about how powerful an emotion regret can be. What do you do or say when youve lost a loved one with whom you had unfinished business? How do you deal with this? Where is the trust that you can move on and allow forgiveness to take hold and healing to begin? We then moved into I Will Trust and shared briefly how this song was a gift from God at a time when I needed His comfort; this song was our gift to them. Man, it was powerful to see the tears in the eyes of Irish brothers and sisters.

We ended with Amazing Grace and it simply was! Before the song, I shared how Project Onefiftys mission is to reach beyond the walls of the church, to plant lines of hope in the lives of spiritual seekers, trusting Holy Spirit to lead in His timing. I told the audience about an idea that I had seen lately, a bumper sticker that said all roads lead to Truth. I took that to mean all roads lead to God. I may have shocked them when I said that I agreed with this idea. All our religions do lead to the same truth...the truth that on our own, we cant reach Him!! So what can leap the chasm between us and God? Only Gods amazing grace!

So let me end this update by once again thanking you for praying for us. Tomorrow we play a lunchtime set at a local restaurant, after which were heading into Dublin to see the sights. I hope to send some pics on my next update.

Love you all!!

Lunch concert...sorted!

2006-04-05T23:28:00.000-05:00

Just a quick update about today's event. It was supposed to be playing some music for the lunch crowd at a very posh place...but somehow things got a bit out of sorts (basically good old-fashion communication mix up). But we ended up playing (very softly) for 2 ladies who wanted to hear more. Come to find out, the folks at Open Arms have been talking separately with these 2 ladies...and they both showed up today completely unaware that we were playing (or had anything to do with Open Arms, for that matter!). They sat and talked with us, and Jason played a couple of songs for them (I couldn't resist and had to join in).

Tonight, Tony and I were out and about and gave an impromptu performance at a local venue...well, Tony sang and I listened, since my guitar was back at our lodging. The long and short of it is that we're playing at set at this place tomorrow night after our workshop event at the church.

I guess I'd better bring my guitar!

Love and prayers,

GV

We made it!

2006-04-04T10:24:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

Well...we made it! Tony Wachter and I arrived in Dublin a couple of hours
ago, and we're unpacking
and getting ready for our first event tonight. I'll try not to drive you
crazy with e-mail, but I will be
sending some updates (hopefully with some pics, too). We're six hours ahead
of most of you, so you
are blissfully sleeping while I'm typing (I'm envious!).

Before I go, I do need to share a prayer request with you. This past
weekend I was up in Asheville,
NC, doing some work with David Gaines (one of my best friends on this
planet!). Friday night we did
some recording work for their upcoming student choir tour; Saturday we
(Kevin Williams and David
and I) did a workshop with their student band, and Sunday found me playing
'The Fountain' as the
opener in all three of their worship services. All that stuff went very
well.

But something strange happened Friday night. When I got to town, I
immediately went to David's and
bagn recording. We got finished pretty late, so it was close to midnight
when I finally made it to the
hotel. When I was checking in, the girl behind the counter (her name is
Deborah) engaged me in one
of the strangest conversations I've ever had. I'm not really sure how it all
happened, but she began
telling me about some strange dreams and visions she's been having.

You must know that for whatever reason, Asheville seems to be the center
for a lot of 'New Age'
activity. When the Bible says that we are in 'spiritual warfare', I believe
it, especially after talking with
Deborah.

She is having recurring dreams about some strange figure that is attacking
her; her very words is
that she feels 'very oppressed'.

When Deborah asked me if all that meant anything to me, I responded that
if it were me, I'd be
praying for the Lord to either take away these dreams or at least give some
kind of insight as to their
meaning. She gave me the strangest look...she then said that '...I believe
in the Lord Jesus', but my
sense was that her belief was not that of a commited follower.

I told Deborah that I would pray specifically to the Lord for her (which I
have been doing). All the next
day I kept thinking about her and what I could do (if anything) to encourage
her. David found a small
New Testament and a document about spiritual warfare and what Scriptures to
read concerning all
this. I was delighted and determined to take these to her that evening when
she came to work (3rd
shift...11pm-7am).

I went to the lobby around 11:30pm...but no Deborah. I was wondering if
she was ok, etc., and
determined to somehow get these materials to her. I was also going to give
her a CD, but had told me
that she has no way to play CDs.

I had to be at the church by 7am Sunday morning, so I went to check
out...and there she was! There
were several people checking out as well, so all I could was to give her the
New Testament and the
pamphlet and commit to her that I would to continue to pray. David said that
he and his church would
follow up on her as well.

So, can I ask to add Deborah in Asheville, NC to the growing list of
people who need our prayers?
How many other 'Deborahs' are out there, spiritually seeking and oppressed
by our enemy?

Thank you for helping me to be on the road where the Lord is putting
people in my path. Please pray
for Tony and I this week especially as we use our music to plant seeds, and
to help local ministries
reach out to their communities. I literally could not be here without you!!

Sorry for the long message but I really wanted you to hear this story so
you can know how to pray!

Love you, guys!!

GV

Big Spring Jam

2005-09-25T00:10:00.000-05:00

Friday night I worked with my old buddy Mike Shaw at the Big Spring Jam festival in Huntsville, AL, playing cuts from his "New Songs and Hymn Reconstruction" CD project. We kicked off the entire festival at 6pm on the First Baptist stage. Don't let the title fool ya...it rocked!

Mike's music is very modern and alternative, but reworks some timeless songs and hymns in a very creative way. He also has some original tunes that are excellent. Check out his site at www.mikeshaw.net.

After playing our set, we checked out a few more bands and then I headed the vehicle north for Nashville and home!