Making Demos

I’ve been busy recently working on demos for a new album! I have eleven songs written and am creating MIDI mock-ups of the songs (fake drums, bass, guitar, etc.). The fake instruments will eventually be replaced with real ones. I’m pretty stoked about these songs! Stay tuned for more updates.

Strategies of Song Writing (Part 1)

I recently had coffee with a friend who works as an independent film writer and producer. During our conversation, we shared about some of the projects we’re working on and discussed the creative processes we each go through as we develop a new film or song.

It’s always interesting to me to hear how other creative people think, as everyone has his/her own way of doing things. As an example, my friend mentioned that he is often most creative after a long day on the golf course. I told him that I’m sometimes inspired by a great sermon, a life challenge, or an eye-opening interaction with a friend or family member. I then went on to explain that as a young father, I’ve had to learn to write on demand as free time comes infrequently and in short doses. I typically write late at night or while our almost two year old son, Joshua, is napping. I even occasionally record song ideas while I am driving to work in the mornings.

Recently, I’ve been trying to focus much of my creative energy on writing new songs. To date, I’ve written four new tunes, and I believe more ideas are on their way. I always enjoy the process of songwriting. However, the journey is often filled with challenges.

Selecting a Song
One of the first songs I ever wrote was a rap called “Prehistoric Skater.” The song was about a caveman who liked to skateboard. I wrote the song in eighth grade, and it debuted in 1991 on my first cassette album called “Initial Cut.” I didn’t have much life experience at the time so many of my songs were birthed through sheer imagination. If I needed a song, I would just make something up.

I'm now more particular when selecting song topics. To begin, I try to write about subjects I am passionate about. If a topic turns me into an emotional mess and/or gets my blood boiling, I mark it as an idea worth exploring. Next, I begin fleshing out the song using a rough outline. I categorize thoughts and potential lines into song sections. Some thoughts may fit better in the first verse while others may work better in the chorus, second verse or bridge. I usually try to identify a single line or set of lines that sum up the entire message I’m trying to communicate. I then attempt to create the chorus of the song while singing and playing chords on the piano. Sometimes, I already know the title of the song and try to build the chorus around the name of the song. Other times, I decide on a title after I have created the chorus.

If I can’t come up with a compelling chorus, I usually scrap the song altogether or put it on the backburner and start working on another song. If I find that I don’t have enough content to write a complete song, I either toss the song out or work some of the song ideas into part of another song. There have also been times when I’ve written something that needs to be toned down as the ideas expressed are too harsh, too direct or too controversial. At times, I’ve softened the emphasis of the message by rewording questionable lines and/or moving them from the chorus to a verse or bridge of the same song or another song.

Sitting With a Song
I am by no means a patient person. I can’t stand traffic, I get anxious when someone doesn’t return my email within twenty-four hours, and I don’t like waiting for song ideas. There have been times when I’ve written 95% of a song within a couple hours, only to then wait for days or months for the remaining 5%. The lyrics might sound perfect with the exception of one line or even one word. Through the years, I’ve learned not to rush the creative process (unless I’m up against a hard deadline). I’ve often found that stepping away from a song actually helps in the creative process. It’s usually more beneficial to get some good sleep compared to staying up all night in attempt to nail down that one missing line. The anticipation is uncomfortable, but a good song is worth the wait.

Structuring a Song
I am a creature of habit. I usually get Ravioli Di Portobello when we go to the Olive Garden and I often wear blue, grey or black. Sometimes, I just do things a certain way because I’ve always done them that way. The same goes for song writing. Often, I start melodies on the same beat or I place the bridge right after the second chorus. I continue to learn the importance of breaking my own creative habits.

Predictability can be uninteresting, but too much fluctuation can leave the listener longing for something familiar. A song that changes key, tempo and time signature every measure may be a bit overwhelming, but occasional and tasteful variation can bring freshness to otherwise boring music. A forward-thinking musician should avoid the coast of autopilot. He/she should always be aware of his/her surroundings and his/her creative go-tos. Breaking one’s habits takes knowing one’s habits.

Synchronizing Songs
Most of my albums have begun with a single compelling song. This one song usually inspires me to write more songs. After two to three songs, I usually start to see connecting themes between the songs, and from there on out, I try to further separate songs through specific themes, all the way attempting to draw parallels between song ideas. For me, it’s a creative connect-the-dots where the picture is an over-arching lesson God is trying to teach me and the dots (songs) are specific areas in which I’m learning those lessons.

Up Next… “Spiritualizing Songs – Is it necessary for the Christian musician to write songs with spiritual principles?

Flashback - My Almamater

I released "My Almamater" in 1996 while I was a student at Liberty University. The song was played extensively on the campus radio station, C-91. It's hard to believe it's almost been eighteen years!

Video produced by Mark Nunnally. Vocals and keyboard/drum programming: Marc Andre. Guitars: Jeff Farner. Trumpet: Bob Bechtel. Mix: Doug McLaughlin.

And Today’s Features Are…

I once worked along side a music producer who had lived in Nashville for some time. He still kept in touch with people in music city and even had the opportunity to be involved in a traveling production that featured a number of well-known Christian musicians. I remember asking him once what all the “big guys” did when they weren’t making money traveling or selling music. He told me that a number of Nashville artists worked “normal” jobs during the off-season to try to make ends meet.

I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be a signed and well-distributed artist. I’m sure there are a number of musicians who make their living off music alone, but I’m curious how many lesser-known artists struggle to feed their families and pay their mortgages. I’m guessing some of these musicians wouldn’t want to admit that they have to do side-work to keep the financial boat afloat.

I wish I was one of those folks who could make his living solely from music, but the reality is, I earn most of our income from non-music work. Over the years, the amount of freelance music jobs has increased, and it certainly supplements our families’ income. However, I also work about thirty-five hours a week as a server at a New Mexican restaurant. Surprisingly, I’m actually doing better than I was doing as a production assistant at a television station (I’m getting a lot more sleep too).

I’ve never worked as a server, but I feel like I’m getting the hang of it. Honestly, I enjoy what I’m doing. My managers and co-workers are great, and many of them are Christians. My boss even recently began a morning Bible study that meets at the restaurant. After four years of college and nearly twenty years of “career” jobs, I’ve found the most peace serving people delicious fajitas and quesadillas. For the first time in a long time, I believe in what I’m selling. It’s good food (I’ve been eating it for three months and I’m still not tired of it). In addition, I enjoy making someone else’s day a little brighter – whether that person is a customer or a co-worker. I usually leave work feeling like I’ve done something positive.

I’m certain God has been trying to teach me some lessons in perspective over the last several years. For one, I’ve learned to appreciate a good job when I see one. I went to college thinking I would only be happy doing production work, but I’m learning that the culture of a workplace is often much more valuable than the duties the actual job entails.

I’m always itching for more music work, and I keep pressing forward. I’m writing new songs and new jingles. I’m knocking on new doors. We’ll see what the future holds. In the meantime, I’m trying to keep an open mind and watchful eye, knowing that God often reveals His blessings in the least likely places.

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17

The Story of Crystal and Marc

Six years ago today, I met my wife, Crystal, for the first time. Here is a chapter from my book, detailing our story.

"The story of how Crystal and I found each other is quite an amazing tale, and I can only attribute our meeting to the Lord.

At the ripe age of thirty-two, I had pretty much resolved I was preordained to be single for the rest of my life. In my mind, there was simply no way that I was going to meet a lady to whom I was attracted, a lady with whom I clicked, and a lady as enthusiastic about me as I was for her. It had become too much of a burden to hope any longer.

I dated during college (at Word of Life and Liberty University), but nothing ever worked out. By May of 1998, I was discouraged. I had earned a communications degree, but like many Christian college seniors, my expectations of finding a mate in the university singles’ pool had been drowned.

After college, I entered the strange world of the church singles’ group. What better place to find a mate than at church? Sadly, the first church I attended out of college hardly had a singles’ group, and the few girls I met in this group didn’t fall within the parameters of what I thought God would have me look for.

Then, in 2001, I began dating a girl rather seriously for four months, but our differences led us to break off our relationship. It was an especially sad time in my life, a period which inspired many emotions and several songs, including Hurricane and After Everything.

Worth the Wait
Looking back, I can see how God was orchestrating those years of trials and lonely nights for good. It’s easy to say now, but those valleys were tough, and even now, I feel for my single friends who haven’t yet found that special someone. This world can be a lonely place, and I think everyone needs a companion, a tangible friend of flesh and bone who can connect at the deepest heart level. It is only by providence that I found the love of my life. I often pray for my single friends that God will do the same for them. The story of Crystal and me is a testament that miracles do happen.

Around 2001, my parents told me about an older friend of theirs in his sixties who had met his second wife through a Christian web site, eHarmony.com. Mom and Dad kindly suggested I give the service a whirl. Honestly, I was suspicious at first, but having given up on the gambles of the church singles’ group scene, I decided that I didn’t have much to lose.

Internet dating was slow going at first. I received a good number of matches, but many of the people seemed uninteresting and at times, scary. To add to the equation, many of the profiles didn’t have pictures. To make a long story short, I tried eHarmony on and off for almost six years. In fact, I even traveled all the way to Florida and to Mississippi to meet a couple girls. In both cases, the chemistry was not there. I spent a bunch of money over that time, and often, I felt like I was throwing dollar bills to the wind. After a number of disappointments and seasons of searching, I decided to give online dating a rest. I finally faced the possibility that God might not want me to get married, and I think I was ok with that.

Then, in the winter of 2007, for some reason, I was inspired to give Neil Clark Warren’s baby another go. I was surprised to discover that there were a number of interesting matches, many more than I had seen when I had tried eHarmony in the past. Apparently, the pool of girls on eHarmony had grown. Some mornings, I’d open up my email to discover two or three new female matches who wanted to correspond.

Unfortunately, most of these girls didn’t interest me. However, there was a handful of girls I was curious to know more about. In many cases, however, these were the women who either blocked me or ignored my requests to communicate. It always baffled me how this worked almost as a pattern. If a girl was good looking, she was either in the bar scene, or she ignored me. I was surprised to find what seemed to be a lot of ladies getting out of the bar scene and searching for a nice “religious guy” with no preference of his doctrine. Appearance aside, I really wanted to spend the rest of my life with a lady who loved Jesus Christ — not just a woman who followed a generic “God” or lived a “moral life.” The pool at eHarmony had grown, but now I felt like I just had too many choices of nothing I wanted.

In January, 2008, I was alerted that I had been matched with a girl named Crystal from Ashland, OH (and she was also notified that she had been matched with me). I initiated the online conversation by selecting and sending her five multiple-choice questions (the first stage of communication on eHarmony). She responded by sending me five multiple-choice questions, and, liking her answers, I replied. The next stages of communication included five open-ended questions, an exchange of one’s “must haves and can’t stands,” and, finally, open communication where two people can freely email one another through eHarmony’s secure email system.

Within a week or two, Crystal and I were exchanging personal email addresses, and eventually, we began speaking on the phone a couple times a week. However, the more I talked to Crystal, the more I realized that our backgrounds and convictions were quite different, and after several weeks of correspondence, I began to wonder if I honestly wanted to communicate any further. This is where the story gets a bit strange.

Crystal Clear and Clearly Crystal
One morning as I was sipping a cappuccino at the Mean Bean, I checked my email only to discover a message that read, “Crystal from Ashland would like to begin communicating with you.” Needless to say, I was confused. Wasn’t I already corresponding with Crystal from Ashland? Turns out, there was another Crystal in Ashland, OH, on eHarmony, and even more interesting, like me, she attended a Grace Brethren Church. Like me, she also grew up as a missionary kid! Wacky and ironic stuff! It’s also crazy that I was Crystal’s first match on eHarmony, and she literally had to be match number 2000 or so for me! Wilder still, she had casually signed up on a whim after receiving a junk email from Neil Clark Warren! We still joke that God can even work through spam!

To make a long story short, I tapered off my communication with the first Crystal and spent more and more time talking to the second Crystal through email. The second Crystal was such a contrast to the first Crystal, and I think it is this drastic difference that God used to initially draw me to the second Crystal.

About two weeks into our correspondence, Crystal mentioned that her family was coming to Columbus to celebrate her sister’s birthday, and they were eating at a restaurant directly across from the production house where I worked! “Hmmm,” I thought to myself, “It might be a bit quick, but maybe we should meet up in person so I can see if this girl and I have any chemistry.” So, putting thought to action, I emailed Crystal and asked her if she wanted to get together while she was in Columbus. (We hadn’t even talked on the phone yet!) She enthusiastically agreed and actually invited me to dinner with her sister and her parents. Talk about a high pressure first date!

It was a Wednesday evening slightly before seven, and I was watching out our office window for a cute girl and her family to walk into the entrance of the Cheesecake Factory. I was slightly nervous but surprisingly calm given the circumstances. After a few minutes of spying (and not seeing any family of these specifications), I decided to make my way down to the restaurant where Crystal and I, and her family, would have our first rendezvous.

As I walked through the doors of the Cheesecake Factory, I noticed a pretty young lady waiting on a bench seat. Looking at me, she rose, said, “Hi, I’m Crystal!” and she proceeded to shake my hand (She now tells me she had no idea what to do except to shake my hand). “Hi!” I exclaimed, “and, of course, I’m Marc.” She smiled and led me back to a booth seat where her parents, her sister and a friend of her sister were waiting.

As I sat down, I already felt quite comfortable around her family. They were quite easy to talk to, and the continued gorgeous gaze and smile of Crystal across the table further put me at ease. The server brought us some bread and butter and ice water, and, only moments into our conversation, I reached for a piece of bread and inadvertently spilled a glass of water all over Crystal’s lap! “Now that’s the way to make a first impression,” I exclaimed with a nonchalant chuckle. Crystal and her family graciously excused the blunder, and we continued our small talk about siblings, hobbies and employment. Even after the water incident, I felt unusually relaxed.

I remember people telling me over the years, “When you meet the right one, you will know.” I swore I had “known” on numerous occasions, but this time, something was different. Even my initial interactions with Crystal lacked the awkwardness and doubts I felt with so many prior dates. This first meeting was just the beginning of what would prove to be an unusual and divinely designed encounter.

We concluded the evening with a tour of the production house where I worked, and after this, Crystal and her family returned home to Ashland with each of us feeling a sense of “Wow, what just happened?”

Crystal and I continued dating throughout the spring and summer of 2008, mostly alternating travel destinations on weekends (Columbus or Ashland). I would also often make the hour and fifteen-minute drive to Ashland on either a Tuesday or Wednesday night, returning to work by 10am the next morning. It worked out great as she could stay at my parents’ home in Columbus (only fifteen minutes away from my apartment), and I could stay at her parents’ home in Ashland (only ten minutes from her house). Ah, yes, her house. This brings me to yet another sign of God’s foresight and planning.

A Future and a Hope
Like me, Crystal had concluded that she would probably be single for the rest of her life. She decided to settle down in Ashland and purchased a nice two-story, three-bedroom home about a month before she received my profile via. eHarmony. This is interesting as her dad had told her that she would probably be married within a year of buying the home. He may have the gift of prophecy!

The purchase of the home was rather unusual. First, Crystal actually sold her own home to herself and was paid commission (She was a real estate agent at the time). Next, she was able to sell the home after living in it for four months. She never even had to put it on the market, and she again made more money on it! Speaking of junk mail, the previous owners (who had foreclosed on the home) contacted Crystal via email and asked if she would be interested in selling the house back to them. How often does that happen? If Crystal had not checked her junk folder, she would have again missed a golden opportunity (As I mentioned previously, she had signed up for eHarmony because of a junk email).

As it turned out, the original owners of the home were unable to get a loan, and two other people contacted Crystal directly about the house (Again, it was never on the market). The third person made an offer and bought the home one day after Crystal and I were engaged. Amazing how God works!

I don’t necessarily consider the following a “fleece,” but I think it does illustrate God’s attention to detail and may contain some sprinklings of His humor. As a birthday gift, my artist dad decided to design a beautiful calligraphy of Crystal’s favorite verse Jeremiah 29:11, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper, not to harm, plans to give you a future and a hope.”

At the time, Crystal was still living in her new house, and her bedroom was decorated with bluish purple paint and a queen-sized bed with a beautiful dark wood bed frame and intricately carved bed posts. I remember my dad asking me, “What colors does Crystal like?” I told him that her favorite shade was purple, as was the color of her bedroom walls. He then asked me to pray that God would give him wisdom in choosing colors, and I did.

At the end of March, my parents came up to Ashland to surprise Crystal on her birthday. They were already at one of her favorite restaurants and appeared just as we stepped up to put our name in for a table. Crystal was wide-eyed with surprise. After dinner, we went back to Crystal’s house for ice cream cake, and soon thereafter, my dad revealed his carefully wrapped birthday present. Crystal opened the gift and was thrilled with his calligraphy, especially since it included both her favorite verse and her favorite colors. Crystal immediately took the framed artwork to her room to see how it looked. My parents, Crystal’s parents, Crystal’s sister, and I all followed.

As she held the calligraphy up to the wall, we were all amazed. The purple of the artwork matched the purple on the wall precisely! And even more astounding, the frame of the calligraphy had the same wood and carved design as Crystal’s bed headboard and bedposts! None of us really knew what to say, except for Crystal’s mom who quickly whispered to me as we left the room, “Marc, we believe you are Crystal’s future and hope.” If that wasn’t a hint of in-law blessing, I don’t know what is!

I’ll Go There Too
The Lord’s hand was so evident in the ways He brought Crystal and me together, and He continues to show His faithfulness and direction in our marriage today. Wherever Love Would Go was written as a promise to Crystal and to the Lord. Regardless of what comes our way, I have committed to fight for our relationship while keeping Christ central in our marriage. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 paints a beautiful word picture of Biblical love — “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Read more in my book, Snapshots of the Shattered Soul: The Stories Behind the Songs. The book is available as a paperback through my web site, www.marcandremusic.com, and is available as an eBook on the iBookstore and Amazon.com.

Anticipations of a New Year

I rarely make New Year’s resolutions. Like many people, I’m inspired by the idea of starting fresh, but I fear the prospect of failing.

For Crystal and me, 2013 was filled with change. As we look back, we can see how God was slowly tweaking and re-directing our steps. Some doors swung wide open while others refused to move despite our prayerful and fervent knocking. We learned how to live with less income, we figured out how to survive with less space and we managed to do more with less time. We took a hard look at what was most important to us and we chiseled away everything we felt we could do without.

In July, we re-located to a more affordable area of town. Soon after, Crystal moved from four days of work to two days so that she could spend more time with Joshua. In November, I quit my early morning job at the television station and began working as a server at a New Mexican restaurant so that I could do more freelance music and audio work at home. With each change, we could see the faithfulness of God. We never went hungry. We never missed a bill. The Lord continued to meet our needs regardless of the situation.

I believe our faith is stronger than it was a year ago. God has proven Himself to us time and time again. I know great things are going to happen in 2014. Sure, I have some well-meaning intentions. I’d like to write new songs and play a bunch of cool shows. We’d like to save enough money to buy a house. Crystal would be elated to have a larger kitchen and bathroom and I’d be overjoyed to have a room dedicated to music making (right now, all my studio gear is crammed in one corner of our bedroom). However, we realize that God may have different plans. Whatever happens, we are confident that He will take care of us and we believe that He has our best in mind.

I’m looking forward to 2014. The New Year is filled with potential. There is nothing wrong with making resolutions. I’m certainly not opposed to the idea of “trying to do better.” However, I’ve discovered the most exhilarating moments come with seeing God do the unexpected. The greatest joy arrives when God blows our expectations out of the water and enables us to do things we could never do on our own. To say, “Look at what I did!” accomplishes little, but the opportunity to say, “Look at what God did!” can create a ripple effect that shapes eternity.

"What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him." I Corinthians 2:9

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

Playing LIVE on Good Day Columbus this morning!

WATCH A VIDEO OF THE SONG HERE.

This morning, the band and I had the opportunity to play a song live on the air to wrap up a week-long talent show. The song is called GDC Has Talent. Pictured is: Jim Davis (drums), Steven Hansen (bass), Dustin Poole (guitar), Tim Crowe (guitar) and Marc Andre (vocals).

Custom Music

I've been busy making custom music recently. Check out the latest here:

https://soundcloud.com/10x12productions

I hope to write in the blog again sometime soon!

Concert in Plain City, OH on 8/10!

The Wings of Eagles

I miss making music. Life has been so hectic recently that it’s been difficult to find time to sit down and work on new songs. However, I have some rough ideas which I’d like to flesh out when I have the chance. Eventually, I hope to carve out some time to focus on the next musical creation.

I haven’t played a show since last summer, but I do have some potential gigs coming up in July. In addition, I continue to look for custom music work. I have several new jingle possibilities...I’m hoping these opportunities will pan out!

In other news, our son, Joshua, is almost fifteen months old. He is so much fun! He’s walking now and he loves to eat. He eats just about everything we eat...from spicy Mexican food to quiche! He also really enjoys music. He often walks into my studio in hopes that he can play daddy’s keyboards. In fact, he is drawn to anything with buttons, knobs or sliders — remotes, radios, thermostats, microwaves — you name it. We are thinking of nicknaming him “buttons.”

Joshua is also quite dramatic. We’re wondering if he may be an actor someday. He likes to point at things he wants while saying “mmmm! mmmm! mmmm!” He also has a number of funny mannerisms...cheesy smiles, frowns...and his little laugh is contagious! Sometimes, he just starts laughing because we are laughing. We are so thankful that he is a healthy and happy little boy, and we feel so blessed to be his parents.

God has been teaching me a lot. Given our current circumstances, I’ve been challenged to deepen my trust in the Lord. It feels as if we are going through a never-ending drought, but we know God has a plan for us. Both Crystal and I continue to work part-time jobs and money is tight. Nevertheless, the Lord is providing for us in surprising and amazing ways. As I mentioned in the last blog entry, it’s funny how almost every sermon we hear these days seems to be written for us. Whether we are listening to the radio or sitting in church, God’s message to us remains the same - “trust Me and wait on Me.” We know that God’s timeline is not our own, but we believe that His ways are perfect. Even in difficulty, we can trust that He has our best in mind.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Read a sample of Marc's new book on iTunes.com
Read a sample of Marc's new book on Amazon.com

The Spectacles of Perspective

We were running late. I knew Crystal’s parents were going to arrive at 8:15, but for some reason, I didn’t know we were supposed to leave at 8:15. When they walked in the door, I was shoveling my mouth with Cinnamon Toast Crunch and was sipping my cappuccino. We were headed to a wedding shower in Indiana. We still needed to pack the car. After finishing my breakfast, Crystal’s dad and I started carrying out Joshua’s toys and his Pack N’ Play. I think we finally got on the road around 8:30. As we were leaving the parking lot of our apartment complex, I hit a speed bump and Crystal’s cup of coffee nearly spilled in her lap. “This is going to be a great trip,” I uttered sarcastically.

About ten minutes into our travels, I realized I needed an attitude adjustment. Here I was, spending a Saturday with my wonderful family, I wasn’t at work, I had had a good night of sleep, our little boy was happy, it was a beautiful day…I had a lot to be thankful for. Surprisingly, we arrived at our destination early, and we ended up having a great day together.

Life is a lot like a road trip. The journey often turns out to be much different than we might expect, and so often, our perspective affects everything. With the proper lenses, hope can be spotted in the most draining and seemingly hopeless situations.

God has been teaching me a lot about attitude recently. For some reason, it seems like He doesn’t want me to have a full-time job. It’s been two years since I lost my full-time job as a worship pastor at a church. I thought there was an opportunity to go full-time at my current job. After weeks of training for a director position, somebody else was hired — somebody from another state, somebody with more experience. When I first heard the news, I was shocked and frustrated. However, after a few days of self-pity, I decided I was going to get back up and keep trying. I will keep training, but I have no idea when I’ll have another opportunity like the one I thought I was going to have. I feel like I’m chasing an oiled pig in a field of Slip ‘N Slides. One of these days, we’ll have a barbeque.

I am a planner. I envision successful projected trajectories. I like to see it, track it and get it. Unfortunately, life isn’t that simple. It seems that I get a brutal butting to the face whenever I attempt to grab life by the horns. However, these are the injuries that often force me to re-evaluate my goals, my game plan, and most importantly, my priorities.

I’ve learned a lot of lessons over the last couple of years. For example, I’ve discovered that the big pie-in-the-sky opportunities rarely happen. Even if a person has the skills, most employers don’t want to take a chance on someone they don’t know. It’s best to bloom where we’re planted. A lot of energy can be wasted on daydreaming. I’ve found that most great opportunities show up when you least expect them, often in the most unusual circumstances. God gets the most glory when people can only say, “That was a God thing.”

I’ve also been challenged to be thankful for what I have. I’ve noticed that focusing on the negative only breeds more negative feelings. Nobody benefits when I see the glass as half-empty. I bring everyone down with me when I sulk and whine and complain. Often when I am down, Crystal starts to feel discouraged, and believe it or not, our one-year old often acts unusually moody when mommy and daddy are having a rough day.

It’s funny how every sermon we hear these days seems to be dedicated to us. This morning, our pastor made the point that “we can only IMPROVE on things while God can do the IMPOSSIPLE.” These days, Crystal and I feel like we are trying to fix the huge gashes in the side of a sinking boat. I don’t know what God has planned, but I’m thinking He may be in the process of building us a new boat...or He may be taking us to a new unknown land, all while showing the world how He can make a broken boat float. Whatever the destination, we are trying to hold on to His promises while we seek to shine where He has placed us.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, bcause you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.“ James 1:1

TV Jingles & Book Reviews

TWO NEW TELEVISION JINGLES
Within the last couple months, I’ve written two jingles for ABC-6/FOX-28 in Columbus...click here to read more and to hear some samples.

Staying the Course

I was recently re-reading some old Art of Singlehood blogs and I came across an entry posted on July 15th, 2007. Looking back at these old blogs, I see some significant growth in my life, but at the same time, it seems as if I am still learning many of the same lessons God was trying to teach me six and a half years ago. I continue to feel frustration over things that don’t work out the way I want them to (music, career, etc.). Nevertheless, the Lord continues to be faithful, and He continues to work all things together for good.

As I was reading the following paragraphs, there is one sentence that grabbed my attention. It is a sentence about my future son. Here is an excerpt from my blog posted on July 15th, 2007.

“As Christians, we have to believe that God is in control. He knew that my parents would marry, He knew that I would be their child, and He knew I would be writing this blog you are reading right now. He knew you before time began, He watched you as you were woven together in the secret place of your mother’s womb. He knows who my children will be (if they will be). He can see me playing catch with my five year old son ten years from now. He knows who my son’s sons and daughters will be. He also knows if I won’t ever marry.”

When I wrote this blog, I had no idea who I would marry. However, God knew Crystal and I would meet through eHarmony six months later. He also knew that our son Joshua would be born in 2012 and would be five years old in 2017, ten years from when I wrote this Art of Singlehood blog! I had no idea I would even have a son, but God did! I also had no idea our son would be five years old ten years from when I wrote this blog! Amazing! Now if the blog is truly prophetic, I expect Joshua to someday have at least a couple sons and daughters!

It’s also crazy how the words in this blog entry mimic many of the themes expressed in my latest album, Snapshots of the Shattered Soul. Even in 2007, I was chewing on this idea that God is an artist who is transforming our broken lives into masterpieces for His glory (ie. Portrait of Me). The blog continues...

“Right now, I’m sitting on the front porch of our family’s cabin in Upper Peninsula Michigan. The trees are rustling with a cool breeze and there is a light ripple on the lake down by our dock. I have really felt God working on my heart the last couple days. How we struggle with surrendering our lives to the Lord. How often we complain about what we don’t have, and whine about what we think we should have. How quickly we want to turn the current page and read the next chapter. Despite these tendencies, I’m finding more and more that God isn’t found in the huge drama or in the surprise endings, but in the suspense and uneasiness of the page turn itself. I’ve had a lot of questions about my own faith recently, and I’ve seriously struggled with the reality that God loves me and is truly at the back of this thread cacophony, weaving together a beautiful colorful work of art.

We have to remember that God is not only an artist, but a skilled writer weaving our multiple unseemingly disconnected stories into a triumphant and breath-taking ending. He is constantly working and intersecting our lives, whether we are aware of it or not. The search for a mate can be overwhelming and discouraging (and probably potentially insignificant in the light of eternity), but His plans are not our own. We never know what a day may bring. We serve a God full of surprises. You may consider your singlehood fate, but chemistry and the will of God are not always predictable. As the ad says, “Life comes at you fast.” One average morning, cupid may find you startled with shattered beakers of scepticism on the floor, and a heart shaped scalpel in your rear end.”

I’m not sure what God is going to do next. Right now, Crystal and I feel exhausted. Money is tight and our schedule is wearing us thin. We keep waiting for a positive change, but as hard as we try, we can’t find a way to get out of our current situation. Nevertheless, we are trying to focus our eyes on the Lord. We know He can do more than we could ever ask or imagine. We continue to pray and hope. Someday, we may look back and see how these uncomfortable days were preparing us for a miracle. For the moment, we are asking the Lord for His perspective and we are trying to count our many blessings.

THE E-BOOK IS HERE!

The new book is now available as an e-Book at the iBookstore and on Amazon.com!

Click here to visit the iBookstore.
Click here to visit Amazon.com.

Here is an excerpt from the book:

"It’s been said that we don't remember days. We only remember moments.

I don't have many memories of my grandfather on my mother's side, but I do have a few that will be forever etched in my mind. I can't forget how he would give me a stick of Wrigley's gum every time I sat in the leather back seat of his Oldsmobile Cutlass. I also recall watching wide-eyed as model trains rumbled through small towns and under bridges along a long, metal and plastic track which stretched around every corner of my grandparents’ basement. My grandpa loved trains. So did I. I was so excited when I was given a blue and white conductor's hat one birthday. I wore it proudly.

My grandfather Nelson, also known as "Cressy," was an eclectic and gifted man. Not only did he enjoy collecting trains, he was fond of classic cars and was fascinated by film and photography..." (Read more at the iBookstore / Read more at Amazon.com)

You can read the book on any device (PC, Mac, Kindle, iPad, Android, etc. Simply click here to download a free app for your device.

If you would like to order a paperback version of the book, click here for more info.

Us Against the World

It’s tough being a Christian. Life is unfair, and many people including other Christians are unkind. Circumstances often don’t make sense, and so many prayers seem to go unanswered. As a believer, I sometimes wonder where God is and I wonder if the storm will ever pass.

These days, we are just trying to survive. Crystal and I are both working just to keep our tiny family boat afloat. I get to work in the middle of the night at the news station and between this and other freelance work, I often find myself working 12 hours a day to make half of what I used to make at the church where I worked as worship pastor. Crystal is up all hours of the night feeding and consoling little Joshua (who is now almost 5 months old!). She then turns around and goes to work the next morning. I wish she didn’t have to work, but she is carrying the benefits for the family, and we have more medical bills and doctor’s visits than we can keep track of. We are trying to save for a house payment as we are quickly running out of room. In general, we feel land locked. Just as Joshua sometimes arches his back in an attempt to get out of his bouncy seat, it feels as if we are likewise squirming to get out of some uncomfortable and binding circumstances that feel as if they will never change for the better. The reality is the best we can do is to pray and wait.

The band has had its ups and downs as well. So many shows have been cancelled. One was cancelled because of a power outage. Another was cancelled because the promoters came down with a nasty virus. A third church show was recently cancelled because they decided to start tearing down the sound system about the time we arrived. Apparently, there had been some miscommunication about our start time. A long time friend looked me in the face and told me they didn’t want us to play anymore. That really hurt. We also recently lost our bass player (due to difficult life situations), but fortunately, God has provided a replacement.

Some days, I feel like I have more enemies than ever. The flip side is that I am that much more thankful for real friends whose lives show they are truly believers. So often, it feels like trying to do something good only brings pain. I guess often good things don’t come without a lot of work and persistence. I often get down at night and Crystal and I talk about all the questions we’ll never be able to answer. I am slowly learning that entertaining the whys and what ifs is a useless exercise.

Joshua is such a bright spot in our lives. I don’t know how many times I look at him and just start crying. I am just so thankful for him. He almost died in the birthing room, but almost five months later, he has more life and personality than we could ever imagine. He inspires me every day. Now that I am a father, I understand more than ever that this life is not about me. I look at Joshua and Crystal and I realize being the father and husband they need is the best thing I could ever aspire to accomplish.

ColdPlay has a song that states “it’s us against the world.” Sometimes it feels like we are in fact in a war of dark exploding skies and relentless landmines where few people are sincere and few people really care. So often we feel alone, but we believe God our Father is here. Somehow He is working all things together for good, and though we at times feel abandoned, He has never taken His eyes off of us.

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:1-8

Kitamu Coffee - 8/25/122

We had a fun time playing at Kitamu Coffee last night in Hilliard, OH. Thanks to owner Mo Muhidin for inviting us. Great job to Heather Evans who played before us. Pictured to the left of me is guitarist Matt Wooten. Read more about Kitamu here.

Acoustic Show @ Kitamu Coffee - 8/25/12

Westerville Christian Church 7/15/12

New Song & Opening Artist for July 15th!!

I'm excited to say I recently wrote a new song called Joshua, inspired by the little man himself! I will play the song in public for the first time at our show on July 15th at Westerville Christian Church (6:30pm).

In other cool news, Nashville-based (and Columbus, OH native) Richard Jordan (pictured here) will be opening for the band and I!

To hear a clip of Richard's music, click play on the audio player below.


It's going to be a great show! Hope to see you there! Here's the concert info:

Sunday, July 15th at 6:30 pm.
Westerville Christian Church
471 East College Avenue
Westerville, OH 43081
Doors open at 6pm. Tickets are $5. Purchase at the door or order in advance by calling the church office at (614) 891-6842.

Update on Joshua

This Friday, Joshua will be 11 weeks old! It’s hard to believe. He’s been doing great! He’s up to 11 lbs. 12 oz. - he was 7 lbs. 6 oz. when he was born. Several weeks ago, he was spitting up quite a bit and the pediatrician suggested we start mixing rice cereal in with Joshua’s regular feeds. Since doing so, the little guy has been doing much better at keeping his food down. He’s also been sleeping fairly well. The other night, he slept a whopping 7 1/2 hours! However, that was a rarity. Typically, he’ll sleep 3-5 hours at a time.

Crystal goes back to work next week – that will really mix up our schedule. Fortunately, we’ll both be able to take turns watching him, and we also have some family members who are anxious to watch buddy boy when we can’t.

Joshua is making some big steps! (Well, not literally… we’re not ready for that… we haven’t baby-proofed the apartment yet!) He just started smiling last week and it seems that he recognizes our voices. His noises are very cute, and he keeps adding new sounds. One of our favorites is his word “un-gy!” which sounds strikingly similar to “hungry!” He’s really an active baby. He likes to kick his legs and swing his arms… and boy, is he strong! He’ll pinch our fingers until they turn white, and he can stand up for quite a while if we help to balance him!

Despite the lack of sleep, we really enjoy being parents, and are so glad God brought Joshua into our lives. When life gets challenging, we look at those big dark eyes and are reminded of God’s love and goodness.

Next Blog: Behind the Songs: Portrait of Me