I’ve been thinking about love today, and I haven’t gotten anywhere. This past week has been really dramatic and even terrifying for me, as I gave my heart—once again—too quickly to a girl. The problem is that she didn’t love me back, maybe because at times I neglected the “game” this world plays and chose to show her how I truly felt instead. So cast your stone if I’m wrong in this, but I still want to believe that it is better to love unconditionally and lose like a fool than to be a fake in your character and win the girl in the end. Maybe I’m just a romantic, or maybe it’s God’s nature in me. Whatever else I’ve learned about love over the years, I’ve realized that when it comes down to it, only two things remain that should leave you without regrets:

1)      Walking with God

2)      Following your heart

Obviously, you can’t only follow your heart, because your heart can be foolish and unwise at times. So if we must guard our hearts as well, then we also need someone to make the path for our hearts. You see, I didn’t fail in loving the girl; I failed in asking God exactly how he wanted me to handle the situation. Love is never the mistake, readers. Following your heart is a good thing. It is the only thing that is true for us to do, and it is the only thing that will satisfy us. Another question immediately comes into play, however: “How do I know if the person even deserves my love, or when do I stop?”

That’s where walking with God is highly necessary.

God can tell you to fight for that person’s heart, or to move on, or anything else he thinks is best. It sort of goes hand-in-hand, because that deep confirmation from God will somehow alter the desires of your heart and you’ll know more clearly what is right to do.

I don’t know a lot about love, it is way too complex of a thing to understand fully. One thing I know for certain, though, is that loving someone never promises they’ll love you in return, and if it is to be authentic—as it is your choice—you keep your Teacher close and love them unconditionally anyway, seeking nothing—Nothing—in return.. And God will leave the choice to you, the same way he left the choice to Adam and Eve in the garden, because real love, in its brilliance, must be left untamed.

Long have I been dreading the day.  The day when I would discover a new trend and think, "Kids these days!"  Methinks this day has come.

Now, look, I'm only 25.  25 = not old.  I realize that.  But I just can't help but feel that way sometimes.  or at least feel like I'm gradually stumbling my way there.

I caught wind of this new Family Force 5 single that was releasing exclusively through Target called "Keep The Party Alive."  So I went to Target and sought it out.  I was dismayed (and irritated) that it was an EP of six FF5 songs for $5.99, three of which are on Dance or Die and two of which are on Dance or Die With A Vengeance.  So basically, since I already have BOTH of these albums, buying that EP would be a waste of six bucks (as it most likely also would be for anyone who likes Family Force 5 enough to care about one new song).  Needless to say, I put it back on the shelf and bought a bag of chips instead.

Some of that is irrelevant to the point I'm trying to make.  Possibly all of it.  Sorry.  But in case you're wondering, it's this new brand called PopChips.  They're delicious.

I wondered why they had a single releasing already.  John Reuben is releasing a new single per month for four months, but that's because he has a new album coming out.  But FF5 is still on the heels of a remix album, and they have a Christmas album coming out soon.  I like FF5, but I don't think I can handle this much of them.  But come to find out, "Keep The Party Alive" is all part of this big Halloween ad campaign for Target and these things called Skelanimals.

Now I had heard the name "Skelanimals" before in association with FF5, but never put any research into it to see what it was.  Well, JfH had a News Short with the promo video in it, so I watched it.  And, unless I'm missing something, Skelanimals are just little cartoon animals that have all black bodies except for the skeleton of the animal.  That's it.  Don't get me wrong, they're freakin' adorable.  But yeah, that's all they are.  And they've somehow become a sensation with emo kids, young kids (two ten-year-old-looking girls passed me by at Target wearing Skelanimal apparel while talking about their Skelanimal clothing and frantically searching for the Skelanimal section...no exaggeration) and they even have Skelanimal bands on their website.  FF5 is included in that section, along with bands like Meg & Dia, Silverstein, Chiodos, and even As I Lay Dying (which may be the weirdest one to me.  I mean, why would a metal band be all about some cutesy little animals?)

I'm not trying to sound angry, or be a jerk or anything.  If you like these guys, that's perfectly okay.  I just would like someone to explain to me if there's some validity in this, or if it's just another passing fad like Trolls, Pogs and slap bracelets?

Or am I just getting old?

This Spring, one of CCM's staple acts, Jars Of Clay, released one of their strongest albums yet, the epicly titled The Long Fall Back To Earth. Over this past weekend, I caught the band's live performance at Disney's "Night Of Joy" festival and the foursome put on a great mix of old and new favorites. Their alternative/pop blend reaches different heights for the guys on The Long Fall... and even as we reach the Fall season, it still remains to be one of the highlight album releases of this year. As the guys get ready to embark on the Creation Festival Tour with TFK, FM Static, and Mark & Will from Audio Adrenaline (as "AA Talks"), we can't be more thrilled about the upcoming event. 15 years into their career, I cannot wait to see what the Jars boys have up their proverbial musical sleeves next! ~ John DiBiase

Jars Of Clay
The Long Fall Back To Earth (2009)

Click here for a JFH Staff Review.

Our synopsis: "This 2009 highlight is a catchy but deep look at relationships - human and spiritual alike. One of Jars Of Clay's best!" (Recommended by JFH's John DiBiase)
Perfect For: Relationships, Love
Song Highlights: "Heaven," "Don't Stop," "The Long Fall," "There Might Be A Light," "Heart"... pretty much the whole thing.

So, what are your thoughts on and experiences with the album The Long Fall Back To Earth? Do you recommend it? If so, why?

It just occurred to me recently about how centered my life is on music. If everyone sat down and thought about it, I'm sure a lot of people would feel the same way. I mean, I have a song to play for every mood or emotion that I deal with.  A few days ago I was going through a lonely period, and the first songs that came to mind were "All Around" by The Glorious Unseen and "By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North. So I played them, and something just connected. It's kind of funny how it works.

In a way, playing songs that relate to how we're feeling can really help put things in perspective. With all the distractions in the world (Twitter, Facebook, obsessive BlackBerry use, etc.), it's a daily struggle for me to find God time, but I can always fix this problem with a really deep worship song ("How He Loves" from the upcoming David Crowder Band release has been doing the trick recently).

Then there's my nightly ritual of listening to music before I go to sleep. Jon Foreman and The Fray have really been my heroes in this category. Raw and real music like that really helps end the day on a good note.

Music and emotions can go a lot further than just speaking to how we feel though. There have been more than enough times where I've turned on a song in relativity to my mood and have found the lyrics not only addressing my situation, but really saying something to me. I've found that music is one of the best ways that God can really communicate with us. So many times I find myself wondering "what is God trying to tell me through these lyrics?"

Just dwelling on such a trivial topic like this and really giving it some thought have really brought things to light - and all in all, I've learned that music isn't something to be taken for granted. It's there for a reason. We just have to listen.   ~ Logan

It's kind of funny. As I sit here reading over staff reviews for the latest  EP releases, it reminds me just how many dang EP's are being released these days (Roger's going to eat this blog up!)! I know that the music industry is in a weird state right now - and the economy isn't helping! - but as the labels try not to lose their shirt on debuting new artists, the safest way it seems to go may be to release an EP. However, I've often had mixed feelings about EP's myself.

I remember the mid-90's or so, when labels would take a chance on new artists and release a full-length debut album. It gives artists a chance to really show listeners what they can do. Imagine, for example, if Jars Of Clay's debut album was an EP. What would their self-titled record be without "Worlds Apart" or "Boy On A String?" I suppose you can try that little exercise with any of your favorite bands -- If Thousand Foot Krutch's Phenomenon was just 6 songs or Hawk Nelson's Letters To The President ? Or if Third Day's self-titled album was without "Thief" or "Blackbird?" However, on the other hand, a debut EP does give us the listener less of a financial risk. "Well, I only had to shell out 4 or 5 bucks on this EP and it's just 'OK.'" ... but that proposes yet another thought... does a full album place more stress on an artist or label to make it a solid debut? Does an EP leave room for error? ("We'll save some of the best tracks for when our full-length comes out"... what if that was their thought process?). In this day and age when a lot of new artists are putting EP's out first -- do you the consumer and music fan prefer that? Does it leave you wanting more? Or do you feel a little cheated afterwards?

I do like the EP when an artist I already enjoy decides to put out something new to tide us over with. Rock N Roll Worship Circus' The Listening EP is one of my favorite EP's of all-time and a solid collection of songs from start to finish. Would it have been a stronger release with 4 more songs? I don't really know. But it was certainly a satisfying EP at six songs. I enjoyed last year's Closer EP from Jars of Clay. It gave a glimpse at their upcoming release plus added two redone classics and a rare song - three tracks you could only get on that EP. That kind of an approach seems like an ideal EP format. But what about how Forefront Records handled new artists Abandon and Philmont? They both released digital EP's last Summer, then both of those EPs released in CD form this year with 1 bonus track on each one. On the same day as the release of Abandon's EP on CD this past April, they released a SECOND digital EP, this time of all new tracks. Then, selections from both EP's made it onto Abandon's recently released full-length album Searchlights, with the addition of about 3 or 4 new songs. Is this kind of approach to debuting a new artist a little goofy, or something you think makes sense?

One last thought I wanted to add... in the 90's, with some of these aforementioned debut full-length albums, there was no way to buy tracks by themselves... now there is a way -- between AmazonMP3 and iTunes especially, we can just download single songs instead of the full album. So isn't there less stress on the consumer already if they just want to buy half the full-length album instead of the full thing. So why bother with an EP as a debut if listeners don't want to commit to a full album? They can just buy the tracks off the full-length that they want!

Just some 4am musings here. What do you guys think of the notorious debut-album-EP and the way labels are releasing them at an increased frequency these days (or not even the debut EP's but the more frequent release of multiple EP's from your favorite artists in place of a full-length album?, like the Future Of Forestry Travel EP's, for example)?

OK, so this won't be the conventional blog you normally see here, but it's one I'm curious what you old school CCM fans would say about. While at Purple Door Festival over the weekend, some friends and I got into a late night diner discussion over which dc Talk album was truly better -- 1995's Jesus Freak or 1998's Supernatural. (For the new kids -- DC Talk is TobyMac's original band. Good stuff! Check 'em out) Now, while some might assume that I hold Jesus Freak as the best record ever created due to this site's very name, I definitely wouldn't say that's the case. While I think it's a very important record for Christian rock music and still a very solid album, I don't think it's my favorite album -- however, I do think it's my favorite dc Talk album of all of their releases. As far as an album as a whole, I think it's stronger and flows better than Supernatural. It seems Supernatural tried too hard to be a big follow-up to Jesus Freak. There were one too many quirky songs (and by that I mean... not quite the caliber and quality you'd expect from dc Talk even if they are decent pop songs in their own right) - like "My Friend So Long" and "Since I Met You" (which was kind of pop-punk-ish in the process), and you even had the song "Jesus Freak" referenced in "My Friend So Long," which just seemed to make the record feel too much like it was riding the cotails of such an iconic record. But at the same time, you have killer tracks like "Supernatural," "Dive," "It's Killing Me," and even the uber-catchy although debatably corny "Into Jesus." So it's still a great album. I guess it just has a couple missteps on it in my eyes (yes, Jesus Freak could have done without "Mrs. Morgan" or especially "Jesus Freak (Reprise)" to give it a more serious tone overall).

So anyway... let's carry on the diner conversation my friends and I had that night. Let's hear your honest casual opinions (no mud-slinging, we're all friends here, right?). Give me your opinion and WHY.

                       

Which is better: DC Talk's Jesus Freak or Supernatural? Discuss!

 

 

Let's rewind to late 2008/early 2009.  I lived in Topeka, KS.  My girlfriend, Sharie (pronounced Shawr-ee, not Share-ee) lived in Cuero, TX.  I wanted to be with Sharie.  She wanted to be with me.  We prayed a lot, and I ended up moving to Texas to be with her.  As of now, I've been in Texas for about four and a half months.  Recently, her and I came into a tight situation where we needed to depend on God's provision in a way we never had to before.  Saying that it's an easy thing to do would be a lie.  It's hard.  It's freaking hard.  So we've been praying and having our friends and members of the body of Christ pray for us, and we've come to what seems to be the conclusion: I'm moving back to Topeka, and she's coming with me.  Though it's obvious that I'm excited about getting to go back home and see my friends and family again, I'm also a little torn.  1) I've grown attached to Sharie's friends, and it's hard to leave them.  2) I know what it's like to leave everything behind and move 700-something miles away, and I'm afraid for her to feel the effects of that.  Sometimes I feel bad about doing it, like I'm being selfish, but my pastor told me that's just Satan trying to make me feel bad about listening to God and doing what He wants me to do.  3) I don't understand it.  Why would God tell me that it's okay if I move down here, only to send me back after five months (it'll be almost five by the time we roll out of here).  I just don't get it.  It makes me realize that I don't know everything, and that I don't have to know everything, and that, really, I wasn't designed to know everything.  If I did, faith would be an impossibility for me.  I'm only human.  But still, I wish I did understand what God's doing.  I guess I'll just wait for Him to reveal what He wants to reveal to me, and try to be content with that.

Hey all! Just got back from Creation East in Middle-of-nowheresville, PA! After my one hundreth cup of coffee this week, I'm ready to write you guys a quick little update on how this year transpired for us! As with past years, a full review of our personal experience of this year's Creation Festival East will be posted, but unlike previous years, I have 6,000+ photos to weed through, so it will take a bit longer to get the review and photo gallery up. However, here are some quick thoughts to tide you over...

First off, Creation 2009 got off to an insane start with great performances from Remedy Drive and then total stage domination from Skillet. They were unbelievable this year, and this is from someone who's seen them live many years since their start. Amazing show! I suppose the pyro helped, but they just really have nailed it (and they played two new songs from their upcoming album Awake). On Thursday, our highlight was finally getting to see AA Talks -- an intimate session involving original Audio Adrenaline members Mark Stuart and Will McGinniss as they share about the late band's triumphs and failures, mixing in some classic AudioA tunes in the process. Fantastic stuff -- for AA fans and non alike. Friday featured incredible performances from House Of Heroes, TFK, John Reuben (one of the most underrated entertainers), David Crowder, and Third Day, and Saturday featured an absolutely fantastic show from Family Force 5 (completely donned in football gear), and the delicious NEEDTOBREATHE. Some great performances this year indeed, even if the overall line-up wasn't their strongest I've seen. We missed Creation Fest last year, so coming back felt much like a family reunion (a good one!).

Now, for us -- who also live in Eastern Pennsylvania -- Creation Fest still serves as a mini-road trip... and every good road trip needs great music to ride along to, correct? So some tunes you would have heard blaring from my beloved ride were:  Project 86's Picket Fence Cartel, a homemade Project mix disc, House Of Heroes' The End Is Not The End, All Star United's The Good Album, Hawk Nelson's Summer EP, NEEDTOBREATHE's The Heat, Remedy Drive's Daylight Is Coming, Audio Adrenaline's Until My Heart Caves In and bloOm albums, The Listening's Transmission #1 EP and The Listening EP, Grammatrain's Kneeling Between Shields EP, Dead Poetic's Vices, and Guardian's House Of Guardian.

So, until the full rundown is done..... it's good to be home, but some great memories were made this year, so I guess it's a little bittersweet for it to be over. We hope to be back again next year!

~ John

Ever hear (or use?) the phrase "I don't listen to the words, just the music" when defending listening to music with less than admirable lyrics? It's a proven fact that what we watch, hear, and do really does affect us. The Scriptures even encourage us to guard our hearts and minds in Philippians 4:7-9 -- "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

I realize, to a degree, some people's minds and hearts are more impressionable than others. But take a moment to realize how much your friends affect your decision-making, your entertainment, even your humor. We pass around catch-phrases, word choice, favorite movies and music. We like to share our interests and personalities with others, but that does affect us, and more deeply than we like to acknowledge.

The thing that hit me with this subject was actually something that happened today. I was working at my desk, deeply involved in the task at hand, with my iTunes music library on shuffle playing as background music. I got the hunger itch and reasoned that it was a good time to get some coffee from the kitchen as well and I instinctively paused my iTunes and went downstairs. The entire time I brewed my coffee and readied a toasted bagel, the song "I Have Nothing" by Plumb repeated over and over in my head. I love Plumb and think her music's great, so that's not the issue... but when I went upstairs to my desk, sat down, and went to press play on my iTunes, I saw that the song was only THREE SECONDS into it. Somehow three seconds of a song was enough to trigger it for repeat play in my mind? It's kind of a scary thought... how much what we ingest really affects us - good AND bad.

So just a little food for thought for you guys. I know I myself still need to be more selective about how much time I spend absorbing entertainment versus time learning about and getting to know God. If you're struggling with that too a bit, try starting up a personal Bible study that goes through a book a little bit each day. A Bible study I attend just recently went through John Piper's "Don't Waste Your Life." Fantastic book and study. So check that out if you need a suggestion to help you to dig a little deeper.

Love you guys! -- John

Hey everybody! It's that time again. The 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards are tonight! We're reporting live from the press room at the Grand Ole Opry to give you moment by moment coverage of the GMA Dove Awards!

 

4:45 EST -- John DiBiase here! Getting settled in the press room. The ceremony's going thru some dress rehearsals and such. Artists and press are still arriving, so it'll be awhile before the festivities really get going. But we'll keep you posted!

5:33 EST - Just talked to Chris Sligh. He has an idea for some articles to write for JFH about the state of CCM. Hmmm... looks to be some really good stuff too... Anyway, grabbed some munchies and going to chill at the table for a bit...

5:46 EST - Starting off awards with the Childrens projects. The emcee for the pre-show is kinda painful to listen to -- bad, bad, bad jokes), but for this non-televised portion, it's not a huge deal.... And "An Island Christmas" wins the award.

5:48 EST - Children Music Album of the Year is next... "Absolute Modern Worship For Kids 4" wins it! Chance Scoggins came up to accept the award and thanked everyone he HOPES to work with instead of those he has. Pretty dang funny, actually.

5:51 EST - Musical of the Year is next... And the Dove Award goes to "God bless the USA"

5:54 EST - Instrumental Project is up now. (Presenters made a waldrobe malfunction joke about pants. Hopefully it's the only reference to that...). The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian score gets it! (That was a good score, too-- better than the first)

5:55 EST - Music Packagin is up!  "Hawk Nelson is My Friend" deserves it.... and the Dove Award goes to?..... Third Day's "Revelation" wins it! Not bad, not bad.

5:58 EST - "I'll Say Yes" by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir just won for Choral Collection. One of the Word Music guys is up to accept the award. Kind of funny none of the Disney people were here to accept for Prince Caspian...

5:59 EST - Children 18:3 and Paul Williams are presenting the next award. Wow. This is hilarious! Award is for Bluegrass Recorded Song: And the Dove Award goes to "They're Holding Up the Ladder" by Jeff & Sheri Easter.

6:01 EST - Rock Album of the Year is up now! Go Remedy Drive! Winner is....... "Never Going Back To OK" by The Afters! Don't worry, we love you TOO, guys! A lot of great albums in that category.

6:05 EST - Rock Record Song now.... Phillip LaRue is up as one of the presenters. Here's hoping for "The Hunger" by Fireflight. But the winner is?? ... "Lost" by RED! Why such an old song?! (So far I'm off on each one I hope for, ha! ;) )

6:07 EST - Phil's now actually announcing "Inspirational Song"... Dove Award goes to "A New Hallelujah" by Michael W. Smith! Integrity Music came up to accept the award for him.

6:08 EST - The Afters are now back here to talk about winning their Dove. They just dedicated it to their manager who recently passed away from cancer. We love these guys!

6:11 EST - As The Afters are back here talking to us, Meredith Andrews is performing "You're Not Alone" on the stage...

6:16 EST - After Edmund and Living Waters Trio are announcing together now. Worship Song Of the Year is being presented. And the Dove Award goes to.... (I'm gonna guess Tomlin, eh?) Ha! It's "Mighty To Save" by Hillsong! Wow. Tomlin's been upset by the Aussies! :)

6:18 EST - Traditional Gospel Song Of The Year... Blind Boys of Alabama's "Free At Last" takes it!

6:21 EST - Traditional Gospel Album Of The Year...  Blind Boys of Alabama's Down In New Orleans! These guys are SO cute!

6:24 EST - Hillsong just came back here and is talking about their new album Faith Hope and Love coming out this July... Rock Album is up on the screen! It's tough competition this year! The Winner is DECEMERADIO with "Satisfied!" Congrats, brothers!

6:26 EST - Inspiration Album of the Year... Great God Who Saves by Laura Story wins it!

6:28 EST - Brandon Heath's "Give Me Your Eyes" just one Pop/Contemporary Record Song of the Year -- beating SCC, Natalie Grant, Switchfoot and Francesca...

6:30 EST - NOT COOL! The pre-show's lame emcee just made a joke about it being a major upset against "heavyweight" Steven Curtis Chapman. If he only knew what "Cinderella" means to him... This may sound harmless, but you'd have to hear how it was delivered. Poor, poor taste.

6:31 EST - Blind Boys are back here! Christmas Album is up now. Praise & Worship Album just was announced but the winner wasn't here and we have no sound, so we're not sure who scored that one. For the Christmas album... the win was obvious. Casting Crowns just won it for Peace On Earth. I knew they won it when they announced they were recording one last year... Would have liked to have seen Sara Groves or the Barlow sisters get it, to be honest.

6:34 EST - Aline Barlos just won an International Award (the monitor sound just kicked back in as they announced her)

6:37 EST - J.R. is now performing... wearing one white glove in true Michael Jackson fashion, too...

6:39 EST - DecembeRadio just came back here to talk to the press. Congrats, guys! They're talking with us about their award-winning album, Satisfied... J.R. is still performing on the monitor.

6:43 EST - KJ, Stephanie Smith, and Ayiesha just announced Country Recorded Song and handed it out to Point Of Grace and Cindy Morgan for "I Wish"

6:45 EST - Rap/Hip Hop Album is up. Go Group 1 Crew!! Ayiesha is announcing.... Dove Award goes to Ordinary Dreamers by Group 1 Crew!!! (Our pick finally wins! Ha) Congrats, guys!

6:47 EST - Bluegrass Album is up now (who orders these categories?!?!). The Dove Award goes to... We Are Family by Jeff & Sheri Easter! KJ just joke-accepted it. Fantastic. :) Now he is announcing Long Form Video -- GO TOBY!!!! And the Dove Award goes to... TOBYMAC!! Congrats, brother!!

6:49 EST - There were going to skip someone accepting the awards but those behind the production just came up at the last moment... Now the next three presenters are Producers: Bernie Herms, Ian Eskelin, and Ed Cash. Group 1 Crew just got back here. The Producers are announcing the Spanish Language Album on the monitor.

6:53 EST - And Rescatme by Seventh Day Slumber just one for their Spanish record!

6:54 EST - Moving along swiftly... Urban Album of the Year is up. Ed Cash is announcing... The Fight Of My Life by Kirk Franklin wins!

6:55 EST - Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song is up now. Group1 is even nominated! Tough competition. NEEDTOBREATHE, BABY!!! "Washed By The Water" is an amazing song. Congrats, guys!

6:59 EST - Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song is on stage now... G1C is still here, talking about their next project, and turning dreams into reality... No sound on the monitor, but I think it was LaRue Howard for her cover of "How Great Is God." Dove for Country Album is Around the Bend by Randy Travis.

7:03 EST - Revive and Laura Story are now presenting. They're busting on each other (albeit scripted), which is pretty funny... Rap/Hip Hop Recorded song is next. And the Dove Award goes to our boy KJ-52 for "Do Yo Thang!" Congrats bro! Haha he just took video of the audience saying "Hi Jacob" for his son. :) Classy

7:06 EST - Contemporary Gospel Album is next. And the Dove Award goes to Martha Munizzi for Change The World.

7:11 EST - Downhere is performing right now on stage... no sound back here of course.

7:14 EST - Songwriters are presenting now... Cindy Morgan is reading off Songwriter of the Year... (GO STEVEN CURTIS!!...) And the Dove Award goes to?...... Steven Curtis Chapman!! We love you buddy! ...That's so awesome! VERY emotional speech from Steven... reeeally hard not to cry along...

7:18EST - Seventh Day Slumber just came back here as they're announcing Producer of the Year. We're guessing it's Bernie Herms... since we don't recognize him. :)

7:20 EST - Special Event Album is up now... no surprise, but Passion: God Of This City takes it! Martha Munizzi is on her way back here to talk to us...

7:30 EST - Pre-show is over. It's half-time. Artists are filtering through here faster. LaRue Howard was back here, now Laura Story...

7:37 EST - Aline Barlos is back here... complete with translator! The International Award looks pretty sharp, too! Never saw one before...

7:38 EST - If you're curious at all why I have this all in EST while we're in Nashville which is an hour earlier... The simple and silly reason is that we're from EST, my laptop is on PA time and I don't feel like messing with even just the hour time difference, ha. Lazy, probably, but I rather focus on what's going on here instead of the time. :)

7:41 EST - Two of the Downhere guys are back here and the monitor is rudely showing a woman being suited up for the show. Yikes...

7:47 EST - Producer of the Year Bernie Herms is back here now... and that woman I mentioned who's a victim of backstage camerwork was Rebecca St. James (poor girl!)... prepping for the live broadcast tonight. Point Of Grace is coming back here next... Amy just asked them about their new Daddy song, "King of the World". :o)

7:50 EST - Amy just asked Cindy Morgan about the inspiration for it. Cindy says she wrote it to her husband as a birthday gift! Sweet! ..... RE:Blog comment-- Paul, basically, we have a live feed for the event in here, even when it's not broadcast on TV. So there was a camera showing someone adjusting the back of RSJ's warddrobe and it was just REALLY weird and awkward. Nothing bad was seen, but it was just like... why are you showing this on the camera????.... back to the press room:  Point Of Grace's Denise Jones just said she got into a car accident on the way to the Doves and missed accepting the award! That stinks....

8:04 EST - Back from a potty break. Ha. Mary Mary is kicking off the actual Dove broadcast! I swear this song reminds me of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough"

8:08 EST - They just announced the performers -- long list! Now the Munizzi sisters are announcing Male Vocalist of the Year... GO JON FOREMAN! But I think Tomlin will get it (perhaps MAYBE... Heath or Camp might have it).... Dove goes to Brandon Heath! Congrats man.

8:10 EST - RSJ and former Out of Eden member Lisa Kimmey are the backstage hosts. Now they're talking to Mr. Toby McKeehan (aka TobyMac)

8:12 EST - Yeah baby! Third Day's now performing the song "Revelation." This song's freakin' awesome.

8:19 EST - Our boy TobyMac is back here talking to us about his Dove win.

8:22 EST - I just asked Toby about his upcoming record and he kept it kind of vague, but just said the label's been cooperative with letting him take his time with it. Group of the Year is up on the monitor. GO SKILLET or THIRD DAY! :)  ... please? .... Oh come on!! Casting Crowns? Sad, sad, sad....It's their fifth year in a row! Skillet and Third Day had banner years last year and 3D made an impact with the Music Builds Tour. Would love to see more variety for this award, people. CC only released a Christmas album last year and will have a new album this October. Just would like to see things get changed up a bit. Give rock a chance, GMA!

8:25 EST - To make matters WORSE we're missing Remedy Drive's performance of "Daylight Is Coming"!!! Ugh  Looks cool at least...

8:26 EST - And now we can't hear the lovely Francesca Battistelli play :(

8:28 EST - We just caught the tail end of Chris Sligh's performance and now we have the audio as Jonathan Nelson plays.

8:29 EST - Tenth Avenue North is now up. We would love to see Remedy Drive, Francesca or Chris win this one especially!

8:36 EST - And now Casting Crowns is back here after winning for their Christmas album and for winning Group of the Year for the fifth time in a row. On the monitor, Fireflight is announcing Urban Recorded Song.

8:38 EST - And Mary Mary wins for "Get Up."

8:41 EST - Crowns just left. Chris Tomlin's been performing on stage....

8:48 EST - Lisa Kimmey and Rebecca St. James just talked to Mary Mary and now just announced Canton Jones, Tye Tribbett, and DecembeRadio are presenting Female Vocalist of the Year... go Francesca!

8:51 EST - And the Dove goes to.... NATALIE GRANT! Congrats, Natalie!

8:52 EST - Marty and Mark from 4Him and Wayne Watson are announcing the Angel Award and recognizing Jars Of Clay for Blood:Water Mission! Congratulations, brothers! We love you!

8:54 EST - Marty Magehee just announced an honor to Pop Winans after his recent passing.

8:55 EST - The guys are now announcing Sandi Patty for her performance, and gave her a standing ovation!

8:59 EST - They're now honoring Dottie Rambo, who also has passed, with a string of tribute performances.

9:08 EST - Very nice Southern Gospel tribute to Dottie. Mary Mary are back here now. Commercial break for the broadcast...

9:15 EST - Brandon Heath is rocking "Give Me Your Eyes" on the stage now.

9:16 EST - Whoa! He's got dancers too? Hahaha.  The Dottie Rambo tribute singers are back here in the press room now.

9:19 EST - No sound again here, but they're announcing Song Of The Year! ... And the Dove Award goes to....BRANDON HEATH for "Give Me Your Eyes!" Man, Heath is cleaning up!

9:27 EST - New Artist of the Year, folks!! And the winner is........... Tenth Avenue North. Dang it!  ...I called it though. :) Sorry, 10th, but Remedy and Francesca.... yeah. Sorry! I guess it does say something that these guys were the top selling new artist of 2008, though, huh?

9:31 EST - Jars of Clay just announced Natalie Grant to perform. It opened with her sitting on a park bench. Now she's singing with Group 1 Crew dancing beside her. Manwell's slick!

9:33 EST - And now Brandon Heath's about to step back here, carrying his three Dove Awards won tonight, including Male Vocalist and Song of the Year!

9:35 EST - Commercial break. They're going to announce Short Form Video soon. Brandon's not back here just yet...

9:41 EST - Grits is one of the presenters right now. The category is Short Form Video! Go Remedy Drive and House of Heroes! But I fear the worst......... OH COME ON!!!! Casting Crowns for "Slow Fade"??? Shouldn't this award go to an artist for the video itself not for just the artist? Why even bother nominating artists based on their videos then? But, alas, that is probably another blog topic altogether...

9:45 EST - Aww... Amy just complimented Brandon Heath on his song for "Give Me Your Eyes." He was greatly encouraged by it. Heath just insisted he wished he thanked Dan Muckala. his producer. for working with him and helping him. ... MercyMe is peforming on stage right now... and I'm still upset about the Short Form Video debacle. It shouldn't be a popularity contest, folks... but it is. That House of Heroes video is fantastic.

9:50 EST - Commercial Break. Brandon's still back here. Thanks for all the feedback comments, folks!

9:52 EST - And Natalie Grant is now back here -- the Female Vocalist of the Year

9:54 EST - Comedian Sinbad's on the show now... announcing Radio Show of the Year I believe. Natalie's still back here so we have no sound. RE: Blog Comment: Darren, we didn't have audio for GRITS' comment. What did they say??

9:57 EST - Smitty's up now talking... announcing Steven Curtis Chapman's performance of "Cinderella"...

9:59 EST - Miss California is now in here. Fox News Radio is asking her about the controversy about.... what happened this week. I don't want to get into it here, but we agree wholeheartedly with her and are proud of her.

10:00 EST - This girl's got integrity. God bless her!!

10:02 EST - SCC's getting a much deserved standing ovation. Wish we were there. We decided earlier he's getting one from us when he comes back here :) Amy asked Miss California about music she grew up listening to and she cited RSJ, MercyMe, Chris Tomlin and many others as her favorites. Sounds like a healthy musical diet for the soul.

10:05 EST - Commercial break. Tenth Avenue North's back here now.

10:08 EST - Now Kirk Franklin and one of the Baldwins (not Stephen or Alec, ha) are presenting now. No sound as Tenth Ave is still here. Artist of the Year is up now...

10:10 EST - Artist of the Year is STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN!!! Thank God! We love you, Steven!!!

10:12 EST - Steven's giving a great speech. Jars of Clay is coming back here now....

10:14 EST - RE: Blog Comment: It IS a happy ending!

10:16 EST - Blind Boys of Alabama and Mac Powell are peforming on stage.

10:21 EST - Show is officially over. Press will continue back here for awhile. Jars is still here talking about Blood:Water Mission

10:29 EST - Comedian Sinbad and his daughter Paige, who's in the group Press Play, are back here with us now. The monitor is off (went black) now for the ceremony.

10:34 EST - RE: Blog Comment: My pleasure, John H! And I'm really, really glad SCC won too. Just the reception he got and his speech was well, well worth it! He's a hero of the faith for a lot of us.

10:36 EST - Newly signed to Reunion Records, Phil Stacey is now back here. He presented tonight. His new album releases August 25, 2009. It's titled Into The Light

10:42 EST - The legendary Steven Curtis Chapman is back here. Humbly talking about the awards. He's very thankful.

10:55 EST - Whew. Chapmans just left. Great moment back here with them in the press room! (Got some great pics too)

11:05 EST - And that's a wrap! Thanks for all who followed along with us! See you next year at the 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards! We love you guys! God bless!

It's easy to let the true meaning of Easter (much like with Christmas) get lost in the midst of family dinner planning, school time off, images of bunnies, baskets of candy, and eggs. I was reading my daily devotional today -- written by Charles Stanley of InTouch Ministries -- and he chose Mark 15:26-32 to drive home his message about "The Power Of The Cross." Part of the story especially struck me. Particulary the imagery in Mark 15:29-30 NIV:

²⁹Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
³⁰save Yourself, and come down from the cross!"

Can you imagine being there? The very people Jesus was dying for were making fun of Him to save Himself? If they only knew that saving Himself would be the most selfish act any person could ever do as it would rob mankind of the very Freedom that Christ was sent to give! A Bible study I attend shared a list of questions recently to go through when reading a story or teaching in the Bible to dig deeper into the Scriptures. As I went through them, the question, "What would you have done in this situation?" struck me. I really don't know? I supposed if it's the 2009 me in that situation... and perhaps I was one of Jesus' disciples... would I have been like Peter and rejected Him out of fear of what man might do to me, saying "I do not know the man!" I shudder at the thought of it. But if I was not who I am today and was just a common man in Jesus' time... would I have followed Him and have been there by His side until the end? Or would I have mocked Him as I passed by the cross. They're humbling thoughts to consider. And to even go as far as considering all Jesus had to endure to save a bunch of people who just mocked Him and spit on Him, and made fun of Him -- people who would widely use His name in vain as profanity centuries later... I know I could never do what He did. And I think God for Jesus' sacrifice.

Just some thoughts I was thinking today that I thought I might share given the holiday weekend and Good Friday being tomorrow (it seems so odd to call the day that celebrates the events of the cross as "Good Friday"... but it truly is!). Let's not forget His sacrifice... and that He is risen!

So... how would you guys answer those questions?

 

I know with a music site like this one, it's crucial to keep up with what's new each week when things hit retail and online music stores, etc. But the truth is, there is already lots of fantastic music that can be "new" to you that has been out for years -- even decades! Sometimes it can be tough to find new music that really sparks something in your heart and spirit, but then there are those classics... records you've listened to for five, ten, fifteen years - or more even - that are old faithfuls. Sometimes it's nice just to revisit those.

I fairly regularly keep my iTunes Library on shuffle, so I don't usually listen to full records in one shot unless it's for review purposes. I said in a recent "We Recommend" blog that I had had a day where an Audio Adrenaline song from their 1996 record bloOm came on and it really sounded so good, so I took my iTunes off shuffle and just listened to AudioA record after AudioA record. It was one of the best days I'd had in a long time! There's just something about those records that really hit me in a deeper spot than a lot of current music. It could be the songs, perhaps just because I first listened to them when I was 14 (in 1994... yeah, I'm really dating myself here), or maybe the songs just had a special anointing on them. Or all of the above? Whatever it is, the "oldies" still hit home.

So this week I've been jamming to some "oldies." I think I started with Hoi Polloi's 1995 album Happy Ever After, then I listened to Holy Soldier's 1995 album Promise Man, and just yesterday I picked out Hokus Pick's Brothers From a Different Mother and then their later records Snappy and Super Duper. Oh, and Dakoda Motor Co's Into The Son album. Classic. Speaking of classic, I also jumped to PFR's Great Lengths, then their self-titled and the "new" tracks from Late Great PFR. Then I hopped over to Eric Champion's 1996 rock album Transformation and now? Hahaha. The FIRST Christian band I ever listened to -- yup. Idle Cure! As I'm typing, I'm totally listening to Idle Cure's 1991 album Inside Out. Where will I go from here? Probably another one of their records (yup, as I'm finishing this up, it's their 1988 album Tough Love!).

There's just something about that time in Christian music... maybe it was just the time in MY life?? I don't know. But in some cases, it seemed like the lyrics were deeper and bolder... the spiritual lyrics weren't limited only to worship artists. Rock bands weren't afraid to say "Jesus" in a song. ... Any thoughts on this, guys? I don't know... Just writing this makes me want to go listen to stuff like Poor Old Lu's A Picture Of The Eighth Wonder... Guardian's Buzz... All Star United's self-titled... Common Children's Skywire... Steve Taylor's Squint... Imagine This... Good times.

Any one else got some thoughts on this? Any older records that stir your soul? Think it's just music from a time in your life? Or really the music itself?

I'm not a parent, so when it comes to learning some of the lessons that parents learn, it's usually through being a pet owner. For those who don't know, my wife and I are the proud caretakers of a little guinea pig named Chewie who's three and a half years old. He's a spunky little spoiled furrball, but more loveable than any pet I've ever had or known before him. My most recent lesson was experienced during the revisitation of a favorite activity of little Chewie's...

I believe it was earlier this year when we began occasionally letting the little guy run around on our carpeted office floor. It's good exercise for him, he has a blast, and it's ridiculously cute to watch him running and skipping around joyfully, all the while chattering to himself about only God knows what. But to keep him out of trouble, we have a small little fence that we use to keep him away from small spaces and wires he could nibble on. The funny thing is, early on in this new world exploration of his, he managed to get behind my desk to where a wealth of random, unorganized wires were well out in the open and free for the chewing. I caught him just in time before he could do any damage to himself or the appliances and returned him to his safe caged-in area. Since this incident, however, Chewie has become completely fascinated with this area of the room -- often trying desperately to find a way outside of his little pen to get back there. Perhaps he thinks it's some kind of magical haven - a guinea pig eutopia (haha!), but he has no idea that it's not the best place for him to venture to. Sadly, it's often the same way with us and God.

Many times in life, we'll be told -- whether by parents, God, superiors, etc -- where we should not go or what we should not do in attempts to keep us out of trouble and/or out of harm's way. However, we either don't believe the intentions are pure, or we just become so fixated by what we cannot have -- this forbidden fruit, so to speak -- that we want it simply because we want to know why we can't have it.  It's a problem that has plagued mankind since the dawn of time.

It's unfortunate, really. God calls us to be holy -- not just because sin goes against everything God IS... hence the reason for His Son dying in our place for our sins so we can commune with Him and eventually each spend eternity with Him -- but because it's for our own good and we were created in His likeness! Just as a parent wants the best for their child and to protect them by asking them to wear a coat in cold or rainy weather, drive safely, buckle up, not run with scissors, eat healthy food (or for a pet owner not to allow a little furrball to run into an area where it could be harmed), God wants to keep us safe... and righteous. He calls us to be obedient first and foremost to His will and instruction (and He's given us an entire book to go on). So... have you been trying desperately to venture into territories God is trying to keep you from for your own good?

Ever hear a new band, only to dismiss it for sounding like another band that you oh-so-badly do not enjoy in the slightest?

I must have been in a bad mood the day I first heard Capital Lights.  It was either that, or I only listened to "Outrage", which is the worst song on This Is An Outrage!.  (Maybe even knowing that they cover Hannah Montana in concert, which is just insulting to me).  I don't really know what it was that made me not like them.  But last weekend, my girlfriend was in town, and she knows I didn't like them (except their Christmas song that I told her about and she liked), but she had the entire album on her iPod, and she asked me to at least listen to their song "Mile Away".  So I did, and I thought, "Well, it's not terrible".  Then it got stuck in my head so I eventually bought the song on iTunes and fell in love with it.  Then I decided to listen to the rest of the album, and decided that, with the exception of "Outrage", it was a very good album.

Before: I hated Capital Lights.
Now: This Is An Outrage! is on my JfH Staff Picks of 2008.

Haha, I feel like an idiot.

This week, the JFH staff announced their personal Top 15 Christian market releases of all time (key word is "favorite" -- some seem to have missed that important part. ). So with our sharing of our top 15 lists, it seems only fair for you all to get a chance to list your Top 15 Favorite Christian albums of all time too! Without explanations for each one, feel free to list your Top 15 in the comment field below and share with everyone which records YOU would pick as your Top 15! Just list them as Artist, Album and (year). Like this:

1. DC Talk - "Jesus Freak" (1995)

Cool? Happy listing!

~ JFH

Ever since I had to sell my Wii (I needed money.....sigh), I've been missing playing video games.  I'm not a huge gamer, but I do enjoy them.  I've always loved many of the games that have been released through Nintendo.  So a week or two ago, I went to my parents' house, and I pulled out our old Nintendo 64, and some of the games (I left the South Park games alone haha), and I brought them back to my apartment.  Unfortunately, some of our games had been lost or stolen, classics like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

But I did pull out some Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie, as well as a couple of my all-time favorites from the console, WWF Wrestlemania 2000 and Star Fox 64.  Great games.  Now I just need to get ahold of WWF No Mercy (I found a place where I can get a copy for like eight bucks!) and the original Super Smash Bros.  How about all you guys?  Favorite games from the Nintendo 64.....GO!

It's a sad fact, but it's true: 75% of the time, my local Christian radio station never plays anything I consider "good". In a way, it's a bit of a breath of fresh air when they spin Switchfoot or Sanctus Real, but most of the time it's the same old mediocre pop or hip-hop, which is about when I lose intrest.

I've noticed that this malady isn't limited to CCM radio, but is also prevelant in many mainstream stations as well. Mediocre pop, rap, hip-hop, and R&B, with the occasional gem of a song thrown in for good measure. And in the end it begs the question: why? Because it sells, and if it sells, it makes money, and if it makes money, record labels want more of it. So in the end the world's music trends are governed by a group of corporate entities, whose main focus is making money; not a very healthy situation, musically.

Much of the talent exists among the independents, unsigned bands who don't care for impressing the execs at their record label.  Some kudos has to be given to Tooth & Nail for signing on many of these bands (especially just this year), and not trying to fit them into a mold that would destroy who they were. Many other small Christian record labels seem to be catching on over the last three or four years, and good for them.

Now, if only the radio stations would follow suit with their playlists...

Have you ever been driving down the road, your thoughts being neither here nor there, and then it hits you. Instantly you're reminded that you're hungry and what you're hungry for. That's right... It's McDonald's french fries. As you see the golden arches just up ahead you know that those french fries are just what you need, but one look at the clock tells you that you don't have time to consider this little endeavor any further.. and you cruise past. Ten minutes later, you still have that rumble in your stomach but the thought of those fries is gone.

Often it's like that for me and having a clear vision. I can talk about my vision for my ministry in broad, sweeping strokes. However, the nuts and bolts of that vision are fleeting. They'll gently waft into my head (like the smell of french fries), but when the time comes to start putting it down and working it out those specific concepts, dreams, and ideas (the french fries) just aren't there.

It's something that I need to get better at. It's something I'm trying to get better at. It's something a lot of Christians need to get better at. We talk about seeing people come to Christ. We talk about changing culture. We talk about making the world a better place, but how do we do that? Our instincts usually come up with something like "Pray more and try harder."  How... ineffective.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking prayer, but God doesn't want us to just have a seat and pray for Him to take care of it. He wants us to pray for a vision, for a plan, and then go get it. He's a God who has asked us to join Him in His mission.

One of my favorite quotes comes from a video for a book called "The Vision & The Vow." It says "They work as if it all depended on them, and pray because it all depends on God."

... but it's all for not without clear vision and a clear plan. Maybe it's time for us (me) to stop throwing our prayers at lofty abstract dreams and rather pray for God to give us a clear vision and a clear plan... with a side of fries.

It's kind of a mind-blowing concept to realize the God who created the earth and every thing and everyone on it wants to spend time with us... even me?!

As a married man (with no children) who spends a lot of his time alone at a desk, one little guy keeps me company more than any other earthly being -- a little guinea pig named Chewie. My wife and I picked him out and took him home in the Spring of 2005, and he's been wreaking havoc and spreading love from his tiny little caged world ever since. This year, Chewie seems to have developed even more of a personality and even more unique habits than I've ever seen in a small pet, let alone from a guinea pig. Now, when I sit at my desk for the first time each day, he'll often be eating or sleeping (ah, the life!), but after a short while, he will run to a side door of his cage that faces my side of the desk, stand up against it, and wait there for a few moments to see if I'll notice him. I usually do, and when I open the door, he remains standing at it, waiting for some attention and affection from me (photo of Chewie at the open door). Recently, when I opened the door one day to pet the little guy (who purred like a kitten with great contentment), another simple Biblical life lesson slapped me across the face (figuratively, of course) and reminded me -- HE just wants to spend time with me (and... you!).

A devotional by Charles Stanley that I just read on Sunday brought to mind the scripture in Revelation 3:20 where Jesus says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Stanley points out in his writings that in no other religion/belief system does God seek us out. It made me feel rather ashamed that I tend to take that for granted. And sure, a cute furry little guinea pig has grown attached to me enough to stand at his green wire-framed door and wait for me to stop widdling away at JFH responsibilities and show him a little attention... but the God of all creation is doing the same thing? Waiting for us to drop what we're doing, sit at Daddy's feet, and just spend time with Him? Wow.

Even as I've worked harder at spending more time with Him in a little quiet time every day, the amount of time does tend to vary by circumstance and day, and it can be discouraging to feel like I fall short and put Him on the back burner some days when I get too busy or the routine shifts or whatever the case may be. Recently, a dear friend brought up a similar concern to a mentor of ours at Bible study, who kindly reassured her that God will always be there -- will always welcome us back. Like the story of the prodigal son, and in really any real life situation where you have a spouse or friend or child who is too busy for you one day, you'll still welcome their company if and when they try to give it the next day. Rest assured: Jesus will always welcome your time and attention... but we can't take this for granted. We need to make time for Him. Whatever the cost.

Hopefully that will encourage some of you. Go sit at His feet today!

Okay. So I guess I took a little longer than expected to write another blog, and for this I apologize. I'm sure you are all familiar with the concept of change. Sometimes change is good and other times it can be the worst experience ever. I experienced a lot of changeand growththis summer and even now during the start of the school year. A lot of the change dealt with family issues (for instance, my aunt and uncle are finalizing their divorce soon) and even friend issues (I am now unable tosee...

Read More "Change And Growth: Two Of My Most Recent Life Experiences"

Amazing how easy it is to pass judgment on the fallen.  I thought that was something the world was enthralled with?  Celebrity's fall from the spotlight, public gaffes, embarrassment, divorce, infidelity, public intoxication...  The world consumes failure like it's chocolate.

And then I thought about the church as a whole.  And I think we're actually worse about it.  Fans of celebrity in the world actually seem to wish their idols would get themselves back on track.  Christians wish their exalted leaders would just go ahead and die or fade into permanent obscurity the moment their humanity becomes visible.  The veneer drops, and suddenly the image of Christian cool we invest ourselves into is gone like a vapor.

Someone tells you that Christian band you like actually smoked pot on the road.  A popular Christian author believes something politically different than you.  A pastor you used to listen to on the internet teaches something theologically you disagree with.  A champion of abstinence marries someone who isn't a virgin.  They become too popular.  They become too passe'.  One way or another, the people we root for fail us.  And we self-righteously declare their betrayal with reckless abandon- ending our little fit of disappointment with the phrase, "I guess all we can do is just pray for them".

Which brings me to Michael Guglielmucci.

This Australian pastor and musician has been involved with Planetshakers and later, Hillsong.  He wrote a song called "Healer" that appeared on Hillsong's "This is Our God" album.  The song is a truly inspiring, and in my opinion, Spirit-filled worship tune.  Purportedly written in response to Guglielmucci's cancer diagnosis, thousands have been touched by the message of it, coupled with his own story.  A few weeks ago, he came clean.  He never had cancer.  In an interview, he basically stated that the fabricated illness was a diversion, an attempt to hide his rampant pornography addiction behind something bigger.  Thousands around the globe love(d) that song.  Thousands were touched by it.  And now, thousands feel very betrayed.

I can't speak to the man's heart, nor would I even consider trying such a thing.  He and God have a lot of things to work out.  He and his wife and family have a lot of things to work through.  He's come clean, apologized, and is making certain any money he's made off the song doesn't end up in his wallet.  We applaud the confession, sense relief that he's not dying, and tear him to pieces with our ostracizing.  Hillsong has removed the song from the album and DVD it appeared on.  His bank accounts are being audited.  Thousands have written in distant support, and thousands in personal hurt and anger.  I wonder if either approach lines up with Jesus much... not to judge the hurt or the patronizing, just for my own heart.

See, many many many years ago (I'm old!), I was a liar.  You know those people who just make up impossible stuff for no reason?  Perhaps for attention, or maybe to seem cooler than they think they are?  Yeah.  I was that guy.  I remember telling kids in elementary school that I owned a copy of Super Mario Bros. 3 a full 2 years before the game even existed.  I remember telling friends I had played in a Japanese rock band.  I remember telling a family I lived with that I had "ganglio-glioma", a made-up form of nerve cancer.  Yeah.  I was that guy.  Eventually, every lie will trap us.  We will be diminished for it, not exalted.  And if we ever get more popular, or cooler, or get the attention we want- the fall once the truth comes out takes us much lower than we were to start with.  Always.  Guaranteed.  I have no idea why I lied about such random stuff.  I don't see the motivation for it now, years later.  If I was hiding something else in the lie... both have come to light now.  If I was looking for value in being looked at as 'better' than I was... I was looked at worse afterward.  And the big lies cost me big.  It's been almost ten years since, and my closest friends and family from back then still won't talk to me.  It hurts, being a completely different person now, and not being able to reconcile with them.

So I understand a little of what Mr. Guglielmucci has gone through.  The lengths he's gone to protect his lie.  And the long, hard road he'll have to take to be restored from here.  But I can't judge him so harshly.  I can't be angry with his human mistake.  I can't hold him to a higher standard than I am.  That higher standard is the cross, and every single one of us is unworthy of it.  Thank God for His grace- the only thing that will ever measure up.  I'm not speaking for JFH in this- this is only my own opinion- but after the hurt has settled, I think all this will make "Healer" an even more appropriate and anointed song.  One that's meaning has deepened because of this.  One that now speaks to the long-haul, heart-restoration power of God, instead of just the physical.  One that can still be used by the Holy Spirit to touch our lives.  One I still plan to sing.

It's interesting to me how sometimes God can seem to remain so silent through times of adversity, and then just kind of hit you with a simple yet effective revelation that not only reminds you just how dense you can be, but it also tends to make you feel embarrassed that you forget His simple truths.

I'm no stranger to hard times or seasons of spiritual droughts or even times of doubting. And the older I get, I realize it's part of the Christian walk -- part of growing up as a believer and maturing in that process.

For Valentine's Day in 2007, I ventured out on a snowy day to a local grocery store to get my wife a gift. I found a potted bush of baby roses and figured a lasting plant she could enjoy maintaining (she has a green thumb for this kind of stuff), would be a much more worthwhile and meaningful gift than a batch of regular roses that would wilt and die within a couple of days. Over the past year and a half or so, my wife has cared for this plant regularly, even when I forget it's even around. She's been keeping it outside on our back deck this summer so it can enjoy the elements, always worrying about it when a storm comes, quickly jumping to pull it in from bouts of hail or hard rain when the time comes.

Yesterday when I got up, I went downstairs to the kitchen to find her beloved potted plant sitting on the counter, all dried up and wilted. I exclaimed something along the lines of, "Omigosh! You killed the plant!!" in my usual sarcastic sort of way... only this time, I meant it half-jokingly until it suddenly clicked that my statement was erroneous. She assured me that it wasn't dead and that it only needed some pruning and TLC to get it back in tip-top, budding shape again. It was at that moment I felt like God smacked me lovingly upside the head with a brutally obvious and simple illustration to remind me that we all go through these seasons where we feel spiritually dead, but oftentimes God is just working on us... pruning out the junk in our lives, rescuing us from the hail storms and pushing us on to greater things. Our Father lovingly trims off the dead branches in our life, forcing us to give up things that aren't healthy for us; forcing us to grow in our faith. We might feel like we're left out in the rain... we might feel the pain of getting something taken away or being asked to let go of something we desperately want to hold on to or just feel comfortable with but need to give up... but in the end it's all part of His plan for us... and we just need to trust Him cause, well, Father knows best!

Check out John 15:1-17. Below are verses 15:1-11. Hopefully this has brought a little encouragement to you guys today... as God finally penetrates my dense mind - for a few days, at least - as to what it is He's doing in me.

 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

I don’t rightly know how it happened.

For as long as I can remember, there has been a singular desire- one thing above and beyond all others to which I have devoted my prayer and attention.

Purpose.
Calling.
Function.
Pursuit.
Mission.

Whatever you’d call it.  A vague picture in my mind of the person I’m supposed to be.  More than what I’m meant to do for a job, who I should marry, what my existence should be about… but a full, framed picture of who and what I was created to be in my entirety.  Oh, I may have placed emphasis on one aspect of the picture more than another (during one season of life or the next), sure.  But at it’s essential point- it’s foundation and undercurrent- I’ve sought the same resolution to the same question all of mankind has desired.  I know my searching isn’t a unique pursuit, of course.  Even if I’m looking for the grander purpose- at the basest of levels- it’s the same quest for calling everyone eventually goes through.

The odd and amazing thing recently isn’t a revelation or an epiphany.  No heaven-piercing shaft of light.  No scattered crack of electricity colliding with my soul.  Just a simple, ploddingly slow shift- somewhere deep within.  See, I’m realizing my focal point isn’t the painting on the wall anymore.  That imaginary piece of 'art' which depicts my truest, most complete persona- the 'aspired image'...  Somewhere while growing up, some of us change- the simple Grace given at the cross becomes a starting point, and no longer the home base.  We say (internally, perhaps):  "Thank you, Jesus, for my salvation.  Even though I once simply relished it, simply enjoyed You there... well, Lord...  I think we need to move on, now- let's get cracking on that whole 'perfecting me' thing You do.  Let's work on making me 'better'." 

I’ve always been the sort to receive a task or idea or desire or relationship and run with it at a hundred and twnety-six miles per hour until I make my face 'one' with the metaphorical wall.  And this from someone who used to thrive upon spontaneity... sigh.  My mother always reminds me “Nothing in this world is static. Everything moves. Everything changes.”

My focus change hasn’t been my own doing, though. Somewhere along the last few years, the frustrations I have wrestled with have exhausted me.  As I have walked around my neighborhood at three in the morning for nights on end, frustrated with God, whining at Him, yelling at Him, irritated and annoyed and completely worn down...  God has done something in me.  My attention has left a little more of the ephemeral behind, in favor of the eternal.  My focus isn’t so wholly devoted to that picture or purpose.  Instead, I’m finding myself putting Jesus Himself in that frame.  And all the temporal, human needs and wants and desired callings have been reduced to moments.  Tiny slivers of time and connection.  The mundane, day-to-day which has for so long felt like an undue plague has become the platform upon which I build a truer relationship with Him.  It’s hard to explain… but that’s about the best I can do.

Instead of looking to God for my purpose, He has Himself become my purpose.  And the fierce fights of my heart have moved from the sweeping valleys of change and the crags of impatience- and have become one step to take.  One wall to climb.  One moment to inhabit.  It’s not easy- making yourself avoid eye contact with that imaginary artwork and instead looking into the eyes of the Savior.  That patient Savior our selfish childishness has long assumed wasn’t there at all.

But it’s so much more worthwhile.

Well, I anticipated doing another blog long before now, but this appears to be a busy Summer for me. After getting home from Creation I've been running. A whole month has passed already! That's crazy. Last weekend I went to a local music fest that featured Seventh Day Slumber and Disciple. Probably like three months from now I'll get around to doing a blog about that, haha. Starting tomorrow night I'm playing bass for our conference's family camp. Ten straight nights can get grueling after awhile, but I'm ready to go.

Enough with the chit=chat, the real purpose of this blog is to discuss something that happened the very first official night (we were there the night before) of Creation. That night featured Flyleaf, Skillet, and Switchfoot. I left Switchfoot desiring a little something more. I don't know what that something was, but it was missing. Skillet were pretty amazing. Tight is the word that we kept using to describe their show. Musically, emotionally, lighting, pyro, etc. were all just very tight. I tell ya, you haven't lived until you've been in a crowd so big that you could pick your feet off the ground and you wouldn't fall because you're stuck in all the people!

However, Flyleaf opened the night. I've got their record and have been enjoying it. I was excited to see what their live show was like, but I guess I wasn't really expecting a lot. For those of you who are unfamilar with Flyleaf, get out from under your rock! Haha, Serously though they're not a band who typically tours with other Christian bands. I know what you're thinking, "Oh... one of those."

"Those" are happening more and more in Christian music. Cries of "sell out" and jeers of "they're just in it for the money now" have been hurled in their direction. Often times when asked in interviews, they seem to skirt around quesitons of faith (or at least in the interviews that everyone seem to gravitate to). Unlike their counterparts, Flyleaf can't claim that they found big success in the Christian market and then jumped over, but I've heard them accused more than one time of using their "so-called faith" to help boost their album sales to a gullible Christian market. Harsh, but I've heard it.

About halfway through their set at Creation, Lacey of Flyleaf started to talk about how awesome this event was because they don't get to play for "you guys" (meaning the Christian market) very much. She then started to share about how their call was to be a light in a dark place, so that's what they're doing. I got to admit, it brought a tear to my eye! There it was. How can you argue with that?

I know that some bands  most likely do it just for their careers. Maybe I'm just not reading the right interviews or the right questions aren't being asked, but it would seem to this humble JfH staffer that if more bands who opted to go the secular route and  felt called to do so would just be open about that fact, there'd be a lot less questions.

Regardless, how about some straight answers. If this helps your career and that's your motivation, that's cool with me. This is what you do for a living. All the same if you're doing it because you feel God has called you to share your message with an audience of people who don't know Him, why not be open about it? Personally, I'm more apt to support a Christian band in the secular market who shares their purpose.

Now let me say this, I know some bands are open about their intentions and purposes. That's cool, but for those who don't... I'm tired of shifty answers that skirt the real issue. I'm tired of reading of a band saying something that completely contradicts something else they said.

Why can't they all just give a straight answer?

It's no secret that living the Christian life is difficult. Most of us experience dry spells and "why God?" moments in our lives -- some more frequently than others -- and we often find those times where God seems distant or altogether silent.

I was thinking this afternoon about how God speaks differently to everyone -- even how He might use a song to touch my heart when I need it most, but use a completely different song to reach someone else in a similar way. Like, for me, being a guy who got into Christian music as a young teen in the early 90's and was touched greatly by a band's ministry like Audio Adrenaline's, I have often been reached on a different level by their music. So, for me, God's often reached my heart through a song like "Tremble" (from their 2001 album "Lift") in a much deeper way than - quite honestly - anything I've heard from your usual worship leader artists (I don't necessarily fully grasp why that is). So here's the point of this blog -- I enjoy reading every comment made on here and I was wondering today what is a song that you really feel God uses to move your heart and spirit? If you can pick one song and jot it down here with maybe an example of a situation of how God's used it (if you're up for that), I'd love to hear it and I'm sure others would to.

...And if you get a chance, check out "Tremble" by AudioA (although the punks on iTunes made it an "Album Only" track... which is lame. But most of the rest of that record is pretty excellent too if you want to spring for it. "Glory" is probably one of my all-time favorite upbeat worship songs.)

As a guy who tends to need direction when it comes to venturing into the scriptures, I often default to laid-out devotionals for my quiet times with God (I'm a pretty indecisive person). However, the daily devotionals I use are rather lazy... lumping Saturday and Sunday into one thing known as "The Weekend"... cause apparently we only have quiet time with God one of those days (Saturday? Or would it be Sunday... cause that's our "fun day"?). Anyway, all joking aside - in reality, I've been finding a lot of my time from day to day lately -- sitting at a desk, lying in bed trying to fall asleep, driving, blah blah blah -- has involved  relentless ponderings where I've felt  a bit restless with such musings. I've been feeling a lack of clarity in my thoughts.

So on Saturday, I defaulted to opening up the scriptures to a "random" place to just read and soak it in (a point is coming, I promise!). And I have to admit that one of my favorite books in the Bible is James. It's one of those meat n' potatoes books where you're bound to get some real good instruction and thoughts to chew on -- and a good, needed slap in the face from time to time.

I opened to James chapter 1 where I'd previously highlighted verses 2 through... something... but I'd continued reading past the yellow scribbles to verse 8. The whole passage is as follows:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. - James 1:2-8 (NIV)

I love it. The thing that hit me this time, specifically, was "the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault" - and man, I just always feel at "fault" for something. But the fact that I need to pursue petitioning for wisdom in asking perhaps why He's letting my mind be a bit overloaded lately, struck me. I'm not seeking Him enough. He may just be trying to get my attention... or patiently waiting for me to stop trying to figure things out on my own and come to Him for wisdom and guidance. To ask Him not "why" but "what" - what does He want me to learn? Or maybe he's seeing how much I can take before I truly learn to heed his call to "Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." It's not easy to do... especially in such a GO - GO - GO society.

Sorry if there isn't a lot of coherence in these thoughts. After all, I am praying for clarity. :o) But I was jazzed by the passage in James and I hope some of you maybe can be encouraged -- if not by my ramblings exactly, but maybe in just the thought of knowing you're not the only one who may be feeling a little lost in the wilderness for a short time. :o)

Well, I leave with my youth group for Creation on Tuesday. I just got done packing yesterday. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, "Wow! Packed already?! He must be really excited." I am pretty excited, but there's a lot more to it than just that. You see, I'm packed, but the group? Not so much. The next couple of days for me will be filled with grocery shopping, calling teens to make sure they know what they need to know (because that handy packet I gave them was most likely used as a paper towel substitute in a moment of desparation and haste), finalizing some of the riding arrangements, fretting, counting... everything, making lists, checking things off those lists, making sure all the bases are covered for me at the church while I'm gone, and losing the rest of my hair.

For the youth worker, it's A LOT of work. Why do we do it all? Wouldn't it be much easier if we just went with our own friends? Sure, it would, but we do it because we believe in how God can move in your life at an event like this. We believe that every day God is reaching out his hand to you, waiting to lead you into a deeper relationship with Him and an event like this can be the springboard into this. Above all, we do this because love God and we love YOU.

So if you're going to Creation with your youth group, make sure you say thank you to your youth pastor & leaders. You honestly can't thank them enough. ;) And feel free to look me up if you're there. I'll be the guy looking relieved because the hard part is over!

This past couple years has included a lot of changes for my life. From starting at Lancaster Bible College in January 2006, spending the last two years there, and now coming home to figure out God's next step for my life, He's been there through everything.

LBC has been my life for the past couple years, and now coming home is a definite change for me. I've always loved music, and for the past year I've been planning on going into the music industry, working for and with the bands we here at JfH love. It's always been a dream of mine. But is it a worthwhile goal? Is it something that is worth putting time, effort, money, and ultimately, your whole life into? These are some of the questions that have plagued my mind in the past few weeks and months. While music and the industry is definitely rewarding, it's also very demanding. It's not like you can get a degree in something and go right up to working with bands like Relient K or someone else famous. It takes hard work. 

It's things like this that make me go back to the younger days of my life and wonder, how could things be if...say, this happened? If I had taken a few extra classes in high school. If I had dated a certain person for longer. If I hadn't been a Christian, even. I'm sure we all wonder these things. But what we need to remember is that Christ has been there through it all, and even before it all. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a cop. Somewhere along the line I gave up on that, and moved on to an astronaut, or moved on to wanting to be a teacher. Through time, I went to LBC and felt God calling me to youth ministry, but my professors saw that it was an impulsive thought, just wanting to be like someone else, to make them happy. As my time ended at LBC this year, I felt my love for music grow stronger, and it pulled me in, as if God's will had changed, saying that my passion was something to build my life upon. But recently, I've felt like if I go into the industry, I'll be working with something I love, and one day that love will turn to hate. I'll get sucked into the wrong side of the industry, and maybe lose my love for music altogether. I know it may sound absurd, but I don't want to take that chance, at times. It's things like this that go through my mind, making me think that maybe I should look into criminal justice, something I really am interested in, and have been since I was a kid.

While this all sounds so empty and like I'm losing my mind (I hope not), it reminds me more and more that wherever He leads, I will follow. For a while that was LBC, now it's coming home and figuring out what step is next. This is just a reminder to all of you, whenever it seems like God's will is far, far from what you can ever imagine, He's still there, willing to take you there, one step at a time. Knowing God's will is never easy, and we need to constantly pray, meditating in His presence, giving Him our lives, and He'll be there. I hope you're encouraged by this, I know it's something I needed to be reminded of, especially recently.

Justin

Hey guys, this is J. M. Farro, JFH's resident devotional author, for those of you who don't know me.  I'm a wife and mother to two (sometimes) grown-up kids, who have since flown the coop.  I can't quite say that my husband, Joe, and I are empty-nesters, though, since we have our hands full raising two very large and active domestic ducks. Right now, our female duck, Lily, is sitting on her nest of eggs.  What she and her mate, Larry, don't realize is that those poor eggs will never hatch.  As soon as they begin to look "ripe," I remove them from her nest and discard them.  Some people think this is cruel, but I've got good reasons for doing things this way.  My husband and I can't provide for a whole family of ducks, but we still want Lily to go through the sitting process.  If we don't allow her to do this, she will continue to lay eggs year 'round, and she'll most likely develop some serious nutritional deficiencies and die.  We know this is so, because we lost our first two female ducks this way.

The weather has been hot, and it's been difficult for me to watch Lily confine herself to her stuffy little house, and go without food or water for many hours at a time--all for nothing.  When I'm tempted to put a halt to this seemingly pointless routine, I force myself to picture our females, Daisy and Katie, and how they died.  I tell myself often, "This is for Lily's own good," and in my heart, I know it's true.  Still, sometimes it hurts to see all the tender care and handling that she gives her beloved eggs.

I can't help thinking about how many times the Lord must watch us struggle with things that cause us hurt and heartache, knowing that in the long run, we will reap some benefit from them.  I have often cried out to God in my confusion and pain and heard Him speak to my heart--"In the days to come you will understand all this." (Jeremiah 30:24 NLT)  The longer I walk with the Lord, the more I realize how true this is.  Perhaps you are in a difficult place today, and you have questions of your own.  Let me encourage you to put your trust in God--believing His precious promise to cause all things to work for your good!  (Romans 8:28)

Hey what's up? I wrote a blog about Tooth and Nail a few weeks ago, but it never went through. Apparently it's because something was wrong with the blog system. Anyway, I just thought about it and realized I hadn't shown the blog any love since then (and that doesn't really count anyway) so I thought I'd hit it up. Basically what I was trying to say in the awesome post that nobody read was that Tooth and Nail is still awesome. Yeah some of their recent signings haven't been all that impressive, but they've improved significantly under the influence of T&N. I won't name any names (not to pick fights or anything), but some of the bands I felt really needed it. Once their CDs came out I liked them more. Maybe not go out on the first day and buy ten copies of their album love them, but I wasn't mad at T&N anymore. I think those guys over there know what they're doing. Now if they would actually get a new website for the first time in 5 years like they promised on the newest podcast; that would be awesome. But whatever.

I think sometimes when people think of the forefront of Christian music they think of Tooth and Nail. That's alright because I think that they are publicizing some of the best stuff in the industry today; Christian AND secular. But does the Tooth really stand alone? Is the Tooth the label to end all labels? They've always been my favorite, but I don't think that they're the only label making waves with Christian music. Here's why:

Just look at The Militia Group. Over the years they've been home to The Rocket Summer, Copeland, We Shot the Moon (w/Jonathan Jones of former T&N band Waking Ashland), Lakes (w/Seth Roberts of former T&N band Watashi Wa), Man Alive, and Acceptance. Probably more. And currently, some of the guys from former Floodgate band Transition are rocking it over in The Morning Light on Fearless Records. Tyler Read, another awesome group of guys, were over at Immortal Records until it recently folded. Rise Records even has their own showcase stage at Cornerstone 2008 with bands like Here I Come Falling and Before their Eyes (also the label home to The Devil Wears Prada). Akissforjersey is on Tragic Hero in my hometown Raleigh, The Reign of Kindo is on OneEleven Records, and This Providence is on Fueled by Ramen. While not on the Nail, all of these bands have had an opportunity to reach out to different groups of people that even Tooth and Nail bands may not have come in contact with. They are on different tours, have different managers and different bosses at the end of the day. And they may have even toured with a Tooth and Nail band once or twice before.

Shouldn't we just be excited that there are bands out there still willing to make a stand for Jesus Christ, whether through positive lyrics, lifestyle witnessing, or a clear message? I mean it's easy to talk about T&N all day, but let's give some other labels some cred. Kick back and enjoy the music.

 

So one of my favorite things about summer is driving down the interstate, windows down, andhaving areally great CD playing in the stereo and pouringout the windows for all the transporting world to hear. There is nothing quite like that. I sometimes believe it is the epitome of freedom that we, as young adults, experience. These are some soundtracks that have defined numerous summers for me. Maybe they have for you as well. Regardless, I'd love for you all to share some of your summer soundtracks....

Read More "Summer Soundtracks"

I love to cook and I love to eat. I love trying different kinds of foods, I actually love shopping most of the time, and I definitely love preparing new and interesting dishes in the kitchen. However, sadly I have not been blessed with a husband who feels the same way about it. Granted, I wouldn't change a thing because this is the man God gave me for my life's partner... but his idea of cooking is flipping a few burgers onto the ol' BBQ.  Don't get me wrong, I love a mouth-watering BBQ'd steak with real, honest-to-goodness grill marks! But I find I am somewhat saddened by the fact that I have never had a man cook for me. That "department" is mine.  His is the lawn. You know the drill ;o)

Men.... please... have a few recipes in your repertoire that are easy and delicious; trust me, it melts a woman's heart if you cook for her. Even the effort is appreciated.

Ladies... appreciate the effort and praise him when he tries.

Boys... ask your parents to teach you how to cook when you are young and stay with it all through your life. The more you cook, the more you will probably enjoy it and you will become very good at it. Your girlfriend/wife later in life will love you for it.

Parents... welcome your children into the kitchen. It's the heartbeat of the home, a place where delicious meals and fond memories are created. When your toddler helps you with the chocolate cake batter and has it all over his face, don't grab the wash cloth, grab the camera and capture the precious moment. Trust me, it's a wonderful time in their lives, for all of you.

Husband.... make me a sandwich. :o)

Well, this is my first JfH blog post. I've been on staff here since sometime in 2004. I was at Creation and somewhere along the way picked up a sticker promoting this very website. The rest, as they say, is history. When I'm not expanding my musical mind, I'm the Youth Leader at the local Free Methodist Church. I'm going to school and working towards becoming an ordained pastor. It's pretty exciting times for me. I also play bass guitar and do some landscaping to really pay the bills.

I'm excited about this JfH blog. It'll give you guys an opportunity to get to know some of those people whose reviews you hate love! We're gearing up for a Summer of good tunes too. The bands are gearing up to start the festival circuit. I'll be attending Creation NE with my youth group in tow this year as well as this fest called Found Festival. It's in this little spit of a town called Spartansburg in Northwest PA. Spartansburg is probably more well-known for their amish than anything else, so it's pretty intriguing that a fest would crop up there. They last had it two years ago with primarily local talent, but they're bringing in Disciple and Seventh Day Slumber this go around... did I mention that it's free? Pretty amazing if you ask me.

If you happen to be attending either of those fests, look me up and give me a nod.

Catch ya next time, friends.

This fish my mom has...it looks like it's always dead.  It doesn't do anything.  Except float.  Stupid fish.

Issues.  Issues a-plenty.  Oh wait...sorry, I meant tissues.  Tissues a-plenty.  Allergy season is upon us. I mean, for me, allergy season is every season.  All the times.  (I'm not a good writer - more specifically, I'm not good at translating what I'm thinking/feeling into words/blogs, so just kinda bear with me, if you would be so kind, good sir/madam).

I hate when people hate a certain style of music because it "sounds like everything else".  It's really dumb.  For instance, I know people that listen to all kinds of music, from classic rock (The Doors, The Beatles, Stevie Ray Vaughn) to 90s alternative (Fastball, Harvey Danger, Semisonic), to old school heavy metal (Judas Priest and...whoever else falls into that category).  And even a lot of modern stuff (Death Cab For Cutie, James Blunt, etc.).  But when it comes to the modern punk rock/emo and modern hard/metalcore stuff, it all "sounds the same".  Anberlin and Taking Back Sunday "sound the same".  Underoath and Showbread "sound the same".  I could go on and on.

It bothers me because these people say that ignorantly.  I understand where they're coming from.  A lot of today's good bands are similar sounding.  But that's genres.  Those bands are divided into genres, and these genres have specifics.  Punk has specifics, so it's all gonna have similarities.  Emocore has specifics, so all bands that fall under that category are also gonna have similarities.  But if one takes the time to actually listen to each band, and not just write them off as the same thing they've already heard, when they get past the genre-specific similarities, they will hear differences.  Ska is one of the easiest genres to write off, but listen to The O.C. Supertones and Five Iron Frenzy and try to tell me they sound exactly alike.  It's kinda funny sometimes though, because I know if I heard some of the stuff they were listening to, without actually listening to it, there would be a lot of bands I couldn't tell apart.  I wouldn't be able to tell the Electric Light Orchestra apart from the Steve Miller Band.  Or Judas Priest from Ratt.  I'm just being honest.  (Be, be honest, be be be honest)

It also bothers me because they don't give the bands a chance, and therefore miss out on some truly great artists.  Sadly, some of these people will never give Emery and their musical beauty a chance.  And Secret & Whisper will just always take a back seat, because they've "heard it before".

I guess what I want to get across is this: a band doesn't have to create something new or play something different to be good.  I mean, creativity is key in writing truly good songs, but does creativity necessarily equal new or untouched?  Take for example, Children 18:3.  There's a lot of stuff on their debut that's been heard before.  Some punk rock, and a couple times they venture into ska-ish stuff, but it's basically all stuff that's been heard before.  Social Distortion and Sublime come to mind.  But it's still quite a fantastic CD, despite the inevitable sounds-likes.

Sigh.  That's my ranting.  I guess it's not really a rant.  I'm just over-opinionated.  Or I'm bothered by trivial matters?  Call it what you will, but give a band a chance before you go calling it "everything else".

(For the record, I DO believe there are a lot of bands that sound exactly alike.  I admit that I fall into my own area of accusation sometimes, having never actually given some bands a chance, but a lot I have, and they sound the same to me.  For the sake of not starting a riot, I will leave these bands unnamed, so take THAT!)

This post really has nothing to do with the fact that Amy made corn with dinner last night. See, I'm a corny guy, I'll admit it -- in fact, I embrace it. As I was lying in bed this morning, for some reason the thoughts of when I used to lie in bed alone as a teenager and listen to music before I fell asleep (and sometimes before I'd start a day of school... I miss PFR) popped into my head. iPods were a thing of the future so back then, I had graduated from my walkman tape player to a delightful Sony Discman (that was a good Christmas!), and I'd keep a couple CD's under my bed when it came time to turn in, for if I was in the mood for a couple different records... but I don't know if it was just the season in my life or what, but I feel like I had a few more albums that I just really loved to lay in bed and soak in back in the mid-to-late-90's.

Now, whether that means albums were more thematically, as a whole, applicable to how I felt at the time of listening than today, I don't know, but I do remember certain CD's that really hit home. Between Thieves' self-titled instantly comes to mind - particularly songs like "Despite The Rain," the prayerful "Kindle," or my (seemingly) life's anthem, "Privately." I remember in my post-college years, Audio Adrenaline's "Lift" had its moments for sure. "Tremble" was always an incredible moment. But there were always records from Bride, Grammatrain, Bleach, Dakoda Motor Co's "Into The Son" (huuuge in my teen years for me), Eric Champion's "Vertical Reality" and later "Transformation" records, Guardian's "Buzz," Church Of Rhythm's "Not Perfect," Code Of Ethics' "Arms Around The World" and "Soulbait"... Man...... Jars of Clay's debut. That was a big, big, big one for me in my freshman-into-sophomore Summer... Ha, I'm totally getting flashbacks while mulling this over.

So my question to you guys -- do any of you find yourselves listening to a specific record in those quiet moments in bed? Or is it more of a playlist these days? For me, when I do plug into a record in bed nowadays, it's probably just a playlist on my iPod - either slow for a lulling-to-sleep, or geared towards a mood I'm in. In some ways, for the purpose that a full album served for me when lying in bed - connecting with Jesus on a more intimate level, or just providing a soundtrack for my thoughts - it feels like CD's were better for that. *Shrug* Perhaps it's just my age.

Thoughts? Any other nighttime listeners out there? If so, which records do it for you?

My previous post posed an admittedly vague question concerning Tooth & Nail Records. Specifically, what has happened to them in recent days. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but hey, I was tired and I guess not thinking straight. So let me climb my way out of this hole I've dug for myself.

Let me start by saying that growing up, I was one of Tooth and Nail's biggest fans. I remember meeting Brandon Ebel the first year I went to Cornerstone, and being that starstruck little kid that had all these things he'd always planned on saying when he met his hero, and then forgetting them all in one brief moment. I think all I actually got out was "thank you." No joke. It was pretty awkward.

I grew up listening to bands like Stavesacre, MxPx, Further Seems Forever, OC Supertones, Slick Shoes, Dogwood, The Juliana Theory, Calibretto 13 (Gimme a high five!), Ace Troubleshooter, twothirtyeight, Too Bad Eugene, Watashia Wa, Bleach, Holland, Hangnail, Mae... all the classics. All the Tooth and Nail bands that occupied the label during their best years.

I'm fixing to be 20 (REAL old, right?), and I'm sure that other Tooth and Nail fans that are in their twenties now probably share similar sentiments. It's not really that I'm attacking my favorite label growing up, not at all! It's just...things are different now. You look at the roster of bands on their lineup, and, YES, there are standout bands for sure, but a lot of it just...I don't know.

But I've gotta look at it from both viewpoints, because if I was a 14..15..16 year old that was pumped about the music scene...  I'd bet good money that I'd be a lot more excited about a lot more of the bands on the current roster than I am now. That's a fact.

So maybe it is just that you get older, and sometimes you grow out of certain genres. Admittedly, I'm more into chill stuff as I head out of my teenage years. Ryan Adams, AA Bondy, Anathallo, Wilco... And I just picked up that Derek Webb/Sandra McCracken "Ampersand EP" and I'm digging it a lot! So maybe it's just me. It just kind of seems like back when I was just heading into my teenage years, Tooth and Nail was the alternative. Now, they're the norm. Is that neccessarily a bad thing? Absolutely not. It's just not how I remember it. And that's my own preogative.

So anyways, that's what I meant by "What happened to Tooth and Nail?" Agree? Disagree? Let's have a discussion about it. And a special thanks to The Watcher for having my back during my last post. Blessings to you kind sir.

Til next time!

-Josh

Reading Lindsay's blog got me thinking about some things.

I've always wondered why so many people use the term "sell-out" with Christian bands when they sign a big name record label. What's the point? Isn't it every band's dream to make it big? This also brings up a topic of how the mainstream can change bands. I've heard a lot of people saying that bands like Switchfoot, Relient K, and even Anberlin have all sold out because they signed with a major label and now they're dropping all the spiritual parts of their band for money. I'd like to set some things straight and let people know that many of the Christian bands that are out there have really kept their spiritual stance in tact.

Let's start with Relient K. So many people have been disappointed in Relient K because of how popular they've become and how they don't use God or Jesus in thier songs anymore, yet it's obvious that many of these people haven't taken the time to really listen to the band's heart and writing. Go out and listen to "Deathbed" from Five Score and Seven Years Ago, and you'll see they are blatant about their faith, using scripture to get the point across that only Jesus is the right person (and way) to follow.

I've worried about so many bands like Relient K and the others I've mentioned above because I don't want to see the mainstream life take them to a place where the love for money is stronger than their love for God. Yet every time, each one of these bands have gone on to prove me wrong. Relient K was the first, because after the huge success of Mmhmm, they got signed to Capitol Records, and they literally blew me out of the water with the spiritual content of Five Score.... What about Switchfoot, after The Beautiful Letdown? The album got them signed to a mainstream label and they released two very spiritual (and quite entertaining) records through them. But Switchfoot knew what was happening and they knew they couldn't work with Sony Records anymore, so they moved on to an independent level, and the new Switchfoot record at the end of this year is definitely one I'm looking forward to.

Also, let me just say that I have a whole lot of faith in Anberlin, through three records on Tooth and Nail records, the last of which garnered JfH's own Album of the Year. With a title like New Surrender, it seems they might be giving a jolt to the secular and Christian music industries.

I guess all in all, what I'm getting at here is that just because a Christian band gets signed to a mainstream label doesn't necessarily mean they will lose their faith. Bands upon bands have proved me wrong, and I think the future will show that this will continue to be a re-occuring thing.

To start off-I have to say, I'm quite excited about this JFH Blog. My personal blog actually is what got me working for JFH and writing reviews in the first place! So everything has come full circle in a way.

So it is the summer again! Or at least down in Florida it is full gear! And that means the annual summer festivals and tours are about to start up and make their way across the nation. If you have any chance to check out at least one of these events- I highly recommed you do so. In my opinion, there's not a better time to catch an amazing lineup of artists than in the middle of a stress-free, summer vacation!

Between Cornerstone, Alive, Creation, Purple Door, and the Warped Tour, the opportunities are endless. Just checking out some of the lineups for these shows has got me speechless. I, personally, am attending Warped Tour for the first time this year as a substitute for Cornerstone Florida, which saw its demise earlier this year. This event is huge and seems to get bigger each year! This year's lineup includes an impressive list of rock artists commonly found in the Christian scene (As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red, Between the Trees, Classic Crime, The Devil Wears Prada, Family Force 5, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Norma Jean, Paramore...). Anberlin is one of the headliners and with their new release in August, co-headling the Warped Tour is the most ideal way to promote their new songs and their talent to a new, yet familiar, audience. I'm extremely looking forward to hearing some of the new material (even though I'm not very hopeful for the new album as a whole. But more on that later...). Maybe it'll change my view on this new direction (and record label) they've taken?

Even though Warped tends to carry the whole 'mainstream punk' attitude, it really is a lot more than a punk-rock showcase tour. It is a host to many amazing non-profit organizations and is becoming an extremely active member in these hopeful and helpful communities, which is really encouraging to see brought together in such an atmosphere. It's a great way to enjoy some amazing live performances while playing an active role in your local and/or national community.

All in all, it's going to be a busy summer! I'm pulling out all of my summertime soundtracks, so I'll be sure to share those with you very soon!
Enjoy the rest of your week!
-Lindsay Wiseman

What's up guys? I told John we ought to do this years ago. He denies it. But you guys now know the truth. I'm kind of scatterbrained right now. But I thought I'd put a few thoughts out there since this blog is now up and running:

-KEEP THE CHAPMANS IN YOUR PRAYERS. I cannot even imagine it. Just..pray for them, man. =/

-I finished my summer class today Scooore. Three credit hours in two and a half weeks = well worth the...intensity.

-Though many of my friends are seeing Indy at midnight tonight, I'm seeing it tomorrow night after my sister's high school graduation. I think it'll be well worth the wait.

-I'm slighty bummed that Lovedrug canceled their show on the 31st here in Nashville. A lot.

-What happened to Tooth & Nail Records? I mean...really?

-I hope everyone has an excellent rest of the week. I'll write something more coherant sometime soon. God bless you all. Remember to pray for the Chapmans during this time.

-Josh

Hey guys!! Well here it is...my first blog post.  Not exactly sure what to write about yet but I'm sure lots of things will come to mind as the days go by.  Right now I'm just trying to finish up my junior year of high school (which by the way seems to be dragging on...and on...and on).  I was hoping actually to graduate early but some things have come up that we are looking into, so the plans may change.  I'll update more as decisions are made.  Well, that's all for now! Peace Out!

First JfH blog, huh? Bet you music fans are going to love getting to know us. Throughout the past four years being a part of this website, I've really felt disconnected from the readers, not being able to know what they're thinking about the music that I come to know and love.

Through this blog, we'll be sharing our loves for music especially, but also hit on the topics that really affect Christians (and non-Christians alike) every day. So it's mostly about music, but not quite 100%! Hope you guys all love that.

Feel free to drop any of us comments or questions you might have. I'll be talking mostly about music here, since not many people are as obsessed with music as I am! Got some reviews on the way... Look for Article One's new one next Monday.

Until next time, Justin

OK, so here I am.  Blogging.  Contributing to cyberspace.  Whatevs.  :) 

Ever contemplate the meaning of life on this big blue and green marble? Ever think, Why am I here?  Could it be to try and leave a mark, to make the world a better place than when we entered it? To find love, happiness, possibly marriage and family? I actually bet it's to savor the coffee bean in its intoxicating liquid form... mmm... coffee....

Having said that, I'm actually excited to be on staff here at JfH. It's a very important aspect of my life and I really enjoy administrating the forums, even on difficult days.  I feel the Lord, in His wisdom (certainly not my own!) has put me in a place where I was needed at a time when I was needed... to serve Him with every breath in my lungs, every thought in my head, every action of my body... to serve our great God while listening to the most awesomest Christian music at the same time! What a concept, and what a job! Woot!

I love Jesus. My daily prayer is that others will see Him before they see me.

Hello everybody! First staff blog right here -- we'll be taking this spot to talk about everything music-related... and even beyond. And hopefully the occasional artist will be blogging from the road as well. So keep an eye out for that! Until then, hope you enjoy hearing from us and interacting with us more. Love to all! ~ J