A Humility Check (Is This Thing On?)

The past three weeks have been crazy. Two weekends ago, Hannah had her first birthday party. Last week, I practiced and sang with the worship team at our church. Then, this past week, we had two band rehearsals and a concert Friday night. I have to admit I’ve been a little uptight, specifically over the last couple weeks, as I’ve prepared for the show on Friday. I’ve been gone or busy practicing several nights a week, and haven’t had much time to spend with Crystal or the kids. It is especially difficult for Joshua when he doesn’t get to see his daddy all day because of work and most of the night because of music commitments.

I’ve been worried about concerts in the past, but the event on Friday had me especially on edge. Initially, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to pull a band together. Two of my regular electric guitar players would be out of town the night of the event. The prospect of having a new guitarist learn and memorize thirteen songs over the course of several weeks was a bit unnerving. Nevertheless, I began to look to see if any other guitarists were interested and available, especially as half of my songs are guitar driven and I am primarily a keyboardist. Thankfully, I found a guitarist who was willing to jump in. However, about a week after he committed, he bailed on me, leaving me less than two weeks to find another guitarist.

Taking The Guitar By Its Strings
Desperately, I began to consider other possibilities. A good friend of mine was already playing acoustic guitar, but I still thought a second guitarist would be beneficial. Seeing no other options, I decided to attempt to play acoustic guitar for the first time in front of a live audience. I have casually played acoustic guitar here and there over the last ten years, but haven’t ever felt comfortable playing guitar at a concert. I have been taking lessons over the last several months and in the back of my mind, I was considering the idea of playing guitar for shows starting next year. Funny how life can throw you a curve ball when you least expect it.

So here I was – feverously trying to brush up on my guitar skills two weeks before the concert. In addition to practicing multiple nights, I had to create capo versions of charts that had been used by more seasoned players. It was a lot of music to learn, both for me and the other musicians. We had been asked to play two forty-five minute sets – the length of a typical headliner show. To add to the excitement was an unpromising weather report. There was a possibility of rain and a potential blistering heat index of 101. To top it off, my acoustic guitar player was starting to feel sick and was running a fever the day before the show.

Friday afternoon as I was stressing about the concert, I randomly came across Proverbs 11:2 which says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.“ The verse hit me square between the eyes. I realized that I was less concerned about blessing the people that would come to the concert and was more concerned that I would make mistakes and embarrass myself. In that moment, I was reminded how many times God has used my weaknesses to show His strength. So often, He has used challenges in life to teach me life-changing lessons. Suddenly, the possibility of messing up at the concert lost its edge. Funny how pride and humility see life through two completely different lenses. Pride says, “No matter what it takes, I want to look perfect, and I want people to like me.” Humility says, “No matter what it takes, I want to be a servant, even if it damages my ego.”

The Fretless Life
It turns out that the concert went great. It was actually cooler than we thought and the rain came early in the day. The band did amazing and few mistakes were made. I even learned a lesson - it is much more difficult to play guitar when your hands are sweaty. Throughout the evening, we met some really awesome people and had a lot of fun. Joshua got to play in a bounce house and ride a pony and Hannah got to go to her first concert!

On Saturday, I was talking to Joshua and apologized for a being a little short with him over the last couple weeks. I said, “Daddy was a little stressed about the concert and a couple weeks ago, mommy was stressed about Hannah’s birthday party. However, God worked everything out.” He responded, “Well, I was worried about getting a haircut and it went ok.” Guess we’re all learning how to leave things in God’s hands.

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How To Identify a Bad Person

Children can be oblivious to so many dangers. Busy streets. Hot stoves. Electrical outlets. Stairs. And they are blind to dangerous people. For many children, every person is a nice person. And if people are different, they’re just different, not bad. Our kids usually learn that certain people are bad from us, the parents. Sometimes, this is good (in the case of their protection) and sometimes, it’s not so good. Our biases can be easily and unintentionally transferred to our kids. They quickly discover what we think about people of different races, different interests, different appearances or people with different belief systems. We tell our children they should love others like Jesus did and then we show them that we don’t like certain people. We gossip in front of our children and point out the flaws of others while medicating our own.

I’ve learned that stereotypes can be dangerous. Assuming can get one in a lot of trouble. It can keep us from better relationships and new relationships. People are not always who we think they are. And even when they are who we think they are, they are still loved by God.

Jesus associated with all sorts of people. He talked to the woman at the well even though that went against cultural norms. What if we just simply learned to get to know the stories of others? What if we entered into relationships with a blank sheet paper and an open heart? God may have put you or me in another person’s life to be a blessing, but that blessing can’t come if we are clinging to criticism. We may not agree with another person, but we can almost always learn something from someone else. And we may be Jesus along the way.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:12-15

Five Excuses That Keep Me From Praying

I recently came across a thought-provoking quote by Carrie Ten Boom, a Christian woman who helped Jews during the Nazi era. She wrote, “Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.” This simple idea about prayer made me reflect on my own prayer life and my tendency towards worrying. I couldn’t help but think about some of the excuses I make for not praying.

1. God Doesn’t Care
Even though The Bible clearly says God is a loving Father (Psalm 68:5-6, Matthew 7:11), I sometimes doubt that He cares about the details of my life. The things that keep me up at night are obviously important to me, but I wonder if they are significant to God. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 55:22 which reads, "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” Another encouraging verse is I Peter 5:7 which says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” So what does “care” mean? If I think about my relationship with my wife and kids, I care about their big hurts (injuries and emotional losses) and little hurts (missing stuffed animals and scuffed knees). If I love my family like this, and if God is the author of love, doesn’t He love me that much more?

2. I’m Too Busy
I grew up with parents who had devotions every morning and sometimes several times a day. As I look back, I wonder how they made the time to read their Bibles and pray so frequently. As good as it is to have a dedicated quiet time, it feels like it is next to impossible to find the time to meditate with small children and a non-stop schedule. Sometimes, I wonder if God is keeping track of my devotions or is it more important to Him that I cultivate a moment-by-moment relationship? Ephesians 6:18 says to “…pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” A vibrant prayer life demands an ongoing conversation with God. It's great to have daily devotions, but it needs to go beyond that. With this being said, I try to listen to scripture and good sermons whenever I get a chance, pray when I’m driving, and I attempt to fill my day with talking to God about everything.

3. It Feels Like I’m Saying The Same Things Over And Over
If my prayer life were a recording, it would be a bad hip-hop song – one drumbeat on continuous repeat. 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-17 is a good reminder to “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” There is nothing wrong with repetitive requests as long as I am praying within God’s will. Daniel is a good example. Daniel 6:10 says “Three times a day (Daniel) got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” Daniel had developed a persistent prayer life. The Bible reminds me that God's ways are higher than mine and His timeline uses measurements that are foreign to my finite mind (Isaiah 55:8-9). There are also times when prayer involves lengthy battles in the spiritual realm (Daniel 10:13). I think about the disciples who fell asleep while praying with Jesus at Gethsemane before His crucifixion. Jesus exhorted them for not watching “for one hour.” He then told them to pray that they wouldn’t fall into temptation. So often, I forget that prayer is critical correspondence in a war field, not an exchange at a McDonald's drive-thru. Is it possible that my lack of fervent prayer reveals my lack of trust in God and an underestimation of prayer's power?

4. I’m Afraid God Won’t Bless My Requests
Often, I don’t pray because I don’t want to hear the answer no. Contrary to popular health and wealth teachings, God doesn’t want me to have a comfortable life, but I am constantly fighting a desire to have one. James 4:3 says, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Maybe I need to be more open to what God wants for my life even if His will infringes on my plans.

5. I’m Focusing on the Wrong Things
Quite frequently, my heart is in the wrong place. I'm embarrassed to admit that I often don't care that much about what God cares about. Today I am praying for eyes that see what matters to God and a heart that breaks for the things that matter to God. Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

Love in 140 Characters

We live in a high paced world. We eat fast food. We drive on highways in fast lanes. We check our calendars and our email at stoplights. We are constantly trying to figure out how to streamline our lives, and as we do, we cram even more into our schedules. We work all day and spend our evenings in front of our televisions and on our smart devices searching for anything to distract us from the troubles of this life.

In the midst of all our busyness, we all are looking for one thing – love. What if we slowed down, backed away from our devices and our agendas, and showed each other the love we all so desperately desire? What if we took a walk with our spouses, played with our kids, met a friend for coffee or invited the family next door over for dinner? What if we picked up the phone and called a family member or a friend just to say hi?

Sometimes, the simplest act of kindness can make someone’s day or even change a person’s life forever. If we have time to babysit our electronics, we have time to impact one soul each day. Love can’t be squeezed into 140 characters, but it begins small. We just have to choose to take small steps towards the things that matter the most. What can you do today to change your world?

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Heb 10:24-25

Swimming on Sunday

With the onset of four, Joshua has become increasingly curious about spiritual matters. Recently, he’s been trying to grasp the concept of faith. Often, when I put him to bed, he’ll say, “Daddy, what should we talk about tonight? I know, let’s talk about Jesus!” He then asks me why he can’t see Jesus. I explain to him that Jesus is real even though we can’t see Him, much like our breath is not visible. Sometimes, I do this while blowing air in his face. He then returns the favor by blowing air back in my face!

We’ve also explained to Joshua that there are people in other countries who are not supposed to talk to Jesus or about Jesus. We’ve been praying for a couple in a country where Christians are persecuted for their faith and we have their picture on our refrigerator. Joshua understands that not everyone likes Jesus and he knows some people don’t even believe in God. We’ve also explained that people need to hear about Jesus because He is the best friend anyone could ever have.

One day as we were leaving for church, Joshua saw people at the swimming pool and remarked that they should go to church. He added that they probably didn’t like Jesus. As we were eating lunch at a restaurant after church, he looked at the people in the booth next to us and asked, “Do they like Jesus?” I responded, “Why don’t you ask them?” Suddenly, he leaned towards me and whispered, “You ask them.” Feeling a hesitation, I realized that my four-year son had unwittingly exposed my own reluctancy towards sharing my faith.

So often, I go through my daily routines and other people get pushed into my peripheral. I wonder how many opportunities I miss because I am too consumed with where I’m going and what I’ve got to do. Today, I’m praying God will help me to see the needs around me. I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with swimming on Sunday. However, as a Christian, I’m just reminded that no matter where I go, whether it be the pool or elsewhere, I need to keep a fishing pole handy.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes...” Romans 1:16

What Happened To My America?

When I was a kid, I rarely paid attention to the news unless something monumental was taking place. With this being said, there are a few situations over the years that I can vividly remember. I recall watching a live video feed of the Challenger exploding as I sat in a fourth grade classroom in 1986. I remember when Bill Clinton was accused of a scandal in 1998. I will never forget the day I pulled into work and my boss looked at me and said, “Did you hear about the bombings?” I went inside only to find my fellow employees watching the TV in shock as the Twin Towers fell in New York City.

Our country has always had tragedies and problems, but as I watch the news these days, I wonder if things have gotten worse. Who could have predicted that our flag would become a symbol of disgrace and discrimination in our own nation? Who would have thought that a government once founded on religious freedom would force churches and private schools to violate their beliefs and conscience? Who would have imagined that our own president would publicly mock Christianity?

In this election season, the search for the right leader has become a heated and central issue. Certainly a strong and morally centered president could reroute a nation headed for derailment? The problem isn’t the American people, right? We just haven’t had a leader who “knows what Americans want.” So goes the political ads and debate rhetoric. But maybe the issues in our nation are more deeply rooted? Maybe the solution won’t come from having the ideal leader in Washington?

As a Whale Through a Net
I am convinced that most of our issues in America stem from a cultural shift away from God, and no one leader can change a swelling army of human hearts set against their Creator. Founding father John Adams wrote, “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” I am amazed how our leaders are now overriding systems that used to keep our freedoms intact. The Constitution, which used to be our nation’s key road map, has become a suggestive visitor’s guide. Our government and our courts use the Bible as a symbol of truth, but ignore truth contained within. The Home of the Brave and Free is filled with cowards who refuse to stand for the truth, and tyrants who honor power above freedom.

Like many Christians, I am bothered by the current cultural climate. I am upset at the injustice I see in our world and in our government. I am angered by the immorality that is redefining the very fabric of our society. I am worried about our kids, and I wonder what kind of moral storm they will face growing up. I pray that the Holy Spirit will be their lighthouse in a world following the all-consuming compass of self.

Nevertheless, I am reminded that this is not our home. I often wrestle with a desire to make this world a better place. I keep hoping that a garden will miraculously appear in a weed patch and frankly, I’ve wasted a lot of energy trying to pick weeds out of a plot of land filled with rocks. I’ve noticed that I’m not alone. I’ve seen some Christians who seem to have one goal in life of letting everyone on Facebook and beyond know that “this world is a bad place.” I wonder sometimes if we are barking up the wrong tree.

Love and the Truth
America may have changed since I was a kid. What used to be done in secret is celebrated on prime-time television and in the pulpits of some churches. It’s not what some of us are used to. We want the old America back. We want the America where all the sinners kept their sins quiet. We want to live in the allusion that we are in the majority.

As uncomfortable as it may be, I wonder if God is using our country’s moral erosion to separate the true Christian from the masquerading Christian, or as the Bible puts it, the “sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:32). Churches and private schools are being forced to stand with culture or stand against it. Christian businesses are being fined and even shut down for supporting traditional marriage. Students are being disciplined for believing in the existence of God. Terrorists are targeting people who follow Jesus, even here in America. Every individual, from the atheist to the pedophile, is welcomed to have a voice, except for the Christian, who is being pressured to keep quiet and even celebrate what violates the teachings of the Bible.

America may have been founded on Christian principles, but it is in no way a Christian nation. The United States is a melting pot of many ethnicities and religions and Biblical Christianity is becoming less prevalent and less accepted every day. We shouldn’t be surprised if things only get worse. Jesus didn’t say, “In this world, you will be comfortable and will get pats on the back for living a moral life.” And He certainly didn’t say, “Go into all the world and make everyone a conservative.”

I do see some benefit in defending our personal and religious freedoms, especially as I am now a father of two young children. I want our kids to be safe and I want them to have the Christian education I had. I want them to be free to worship God and obey the Bible without being harassed or imprisoned. However, I wrestle with this dichotomy of being a light in a dark world and fighting for my freedoms as an American. If I stand publicly for Biblical truth, the world calls me “unloving” and “bigoted.” Regardless, there may be times when I need to refuse to bow down to the idols of this world just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the statue of the king (Daniel 3:12).

On the other hand, I may choose to remain silent in some situations for the purpose of showing the love and grace of Christ. Paul was everything to every person. He didn’t condone or participate in their sin, but he built relationships with people and met them where they were (I Corinthians 9: 19-23). Jesus spent much of his time hanging out with tax collectors and prostitutes. He broke cultural norms by speaking to the woman at the well and focused on her need for living water instead of on her sin (John 4:1-26). Jesus was at times angered by sin, but his anger was aimed towards the Pharisees and other religious people who claimed to know God, but lived in pride and idolatry (Matthew 23).

Living in the Real World
So often, Christians can hyper-focus on the sin of the world and miss the desperate needs of the world. Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) and that should be our goal as well. However, finding a balance between loving the world and holding to the truth can be a challenge. There will always be people who make Christianity look bad and the unbelieving world will do all it can to capitalize on such misrepresentations as to give Christianity a black eye.

The other day, I read an article about a Christian rock musician who recently announced that he was gay. Part of the headline divisively inquired, “Will The Christian World Embrace Him?” The implication seemed to be that Christians are unloving people and don’t accept others with different views or lifestyles. This is a tough stereotype to break because many people equate disagreeing with non-acceptance. This, however, is an absolutely ridiculous argument. I don’t always agree with my kids and I don’t appreciate everything they do, but I love my kids. I don’t agree with every member of my family, but I accept and love my family.

If we are to show Christ’s love to a lost world, we must begin at a grassroots level. It’s critical to build relationships with people we don’t agree with - in our neighborhoods, in our schools and in our churches. Did Jesus agree with the lifestyles of the “sinners” he hung out with? No, but He was somehow able to show them that He loved them. As Christians, we need to pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit. We need God’s help to know how to walk the line between love and truth.

A Few Good Men
Frankly, at the end of the day, politics are a waste of time and our country is no better than any other country on this planet. I’m not suggesting that we should let America waste away. I’m not implying that Christians shouldn’t be involved in politics or run for public office. However, we need to strike a balance between caring for our country and setting our eyes on a higher country. Ultimately, God’s Kingdom is what matters most. Our purpose as Christians isn’t to spend all of our energy pulling weeds in a rock patch. Jesus didn’t call us to reform America and push everyone into a single file line so that everyone looks like he or she is walking the straight and narrow. First, it likely won’t happen and even if it did, God isn’t searching for good Americans. He’s looking for humble men and women who are honest about their own sinful condition and open to their need of a Savior.

This country is a needy place. People are hopeless and lost and are trying to fill the void in their lives. They are searching for peace. They are longing for love. True peace and perfect love won’t come through a new president or new policies. The only solution to our problems as a country and as individuals is a relationship with Jesus.

Forever Remembered
We have been called to be salt and light, but sometimes we need help knowing how to use the saltshaker and where to place the lamps. Will the world see a difference? Will they be drawn to us as crowds were drawn to Jesus? Will we have compassion on the world as Jesus did and see them as sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36)?

As I reflect on news stories of the past, there are some events that I will never forget. These moments made such a lasting impact that I still remember exactly where I was when I first heard the news. What if Christians embraced a dying world as Jesus did? What if we left an unforgettable positive legacy? What if we made such substantial marks in history and in relationships that people could only stop and say but one thing - “That was love.”

Come On, Brain!

The brain is an amazing tool. It can multitask. It can compensate for injuries and disabilities. It works while the body is sleeping and keeps the heart beating and the lungs breathing, all the while re-organizing thoughts. It can make decisions based on logic, despite opposing emotions. It can follow emotions regardless of logic. It can learn from mistakes. It can think abstractly. It can imagine possibilities, and it can create.

Nevertheless, there are times when the brain will not cooperate. A person’s will desires one thing while the brain refuses to work, much like an over-exerted muscle or an engine that won’t turn over because of a dead battery. This is especially true for the creative brain searching for new ideas.

Through the years, I’ve gone through phases when I’ve felt exceptionally creative and periods where I’ve felt mentally famished. There have been times when I couldn’t wait to get to the piano or guitar to capture a new song possibility and there have also been moments when I’ve wanted to do nothing but watch movies and eat frozen Snickers bars.

So, what does it take to jump-start a tired and unmotivated creative brain? I’m certainly no expert, but I have discovered some methods that have helped to get my lazy brain off the metaphorical couch.

1. Get the Blood Flowing
A change of scenery often helps to reset my brain or free it from what seems to be a creative dead end. Even a brief trip to the Keurig machine or a short walk outside can provide a missing word or solidify an uncertain musical direction. Some of the most profound thoughts have showed up in the most unlikely places.

2. Be Drastic
Often, the only way to fix a creative idea that isn’t working is to give it a complete overhaul. As an example, I struggled for almost a year with a guitar intro for one of the songs on the new album. Recently, I decided to completely remove the guitar and begin the song with a synth sound and some crazy sound effects. This took the song to a whole new level and I can’t stop listening to that intro!

3. Get Inspired
Over the last couple weeks, I’ve been listening to some great Christian podcasts, particularly one from Ravi Zacharias. Crystal and I also recently watched an eye-opening movie about the life of Christian musician, Rich Mullins. Even though free time is scarce with kids, I am trying to find time to feed my spirit and my brain, both for spiritual nourishment and creative inspiration. It’s no surprise that a well-nourished brain is more focused and productive!

4. Take Advantage of Your Mood
I’ve discovered that there are always things that can be accomplished regardless of my mood. Saturday night, I may feel like plunging headfirst into writing a new song or blog. However, on Monday morning, I may not feel as ambitious, but I may have random thoughts that are worth jotting down. These may very well become part of the content of better-formed ideas down the road. Sometimes, I may simply copy and paste verses into a document for future use or I may just fiddle around with a new sample library to see what kind of sounds I can make. At the bare minimum, brainstorming is a good way to stretch the mind muscle. Life rarely provides the perfect creative environment so it’s good to train the brain to drive on any terrain!

5. Try On Someone Else’s Sneakers
For years, I wrote songs that were solely from my own perspective. Eventually, I decided to experiment with putting others’ feelings to music. This opened up a world of possibilities, especially when I was dry or disoriented emotionally. It also gave me a deeper sensitivity to the world around me and allowed me to bless others by voicing what they were feeling.

6. Be Patient
There is no such thing as a creative fast track. Occasionally, neatly wrapped songs will conveniently fall from the creative vending machine, but usually, great art needs time to marinade in the crockpot for days, weeks or even years. It requires practice, passion and persistence. I’ve learned to never throw in the towel assuming that I am forever out of ideas. A creative person is always a creative person. Typically, I’ve found that creative drought comes when I am unfocused or tired or when I don’t have enough time to dedicate to creating.

7. Let It Go
Not all songs are equal. Some songs are good, some are duds, and occasionally, a song is great. I’m always frustrated when I write a dud song. No matter how much I dress that song up, it still looks like a dud. If it didn’t start out well, it is likely that it will never finish well. If the melody is weak, it’s challenging to force a strong melody into a particular chord progression and tempo. If I’m not passionate about a subject or if I don’t have enough content, it’s hard to come up with something that doesn’t exist (at least in my own mind and heart). Letting one song go may be the first step to writing the song I was hoping to write all along.

8. Rest
A good night sleep can do wonders for the creative brain. There have been times when I’ve wasted hours late at night trying to wrestle a song or lyric idea into submission. In the end, I go to bed frustrated feeling like I wasted my time, only to wake up exhausted the next morning. I’ve learned it’s not worth wandering into the woods if there aren’t any footprints leading you on an adventure.

9. Stay Positive
Creative people can be extremely particular about their art and often their art is tied to their self-esteem. When they are creating, they feel good about themselves. When the creative pool dries up, they can feel unproductive, discouraged and even depressed. For years, I’ve been working to separate my self worth from what I accomplish. At times, it’s felt like I am attempting to cut an avocado in half with my bare hands, but I do feel like I am making progress. I’ve watched many creative and driven people lose their identity and even their will to live after they lose their ability or will to pursue their passion. I don’t want to be one of these people. I’m learning the importance of looking at the big picture. My art may encourage and benefit some people, but at the end of the day, everything I create will be destroyed and forgotten. Keeping an eternal perspective allows me to enjoy things in this life without clinging to them for meaning. It helps me to see that what I do is simply an avenue to relationships and people are what matter the most. The opportunity and ability to create are simply extra blessings that come and go. My ultimate source of joy needs to come from knowing Christ and blessing the people He has put in my life, whether that is through art, words, actions or time.

10. Ask for Help
I’ve certainly been guilty of jumping right into a project without asking God for ideas and direction. I really should be praying before I ever pick up an instrument or boot up my Mac. I do believe that God can inspire the artist as he or she creates, especially if the artist is creating for God’s glory, but that won’t necessarily happen if the artist isn’t seeking God’s guidance. Exodus 31:3-4 reads, “And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.” God was specifically leading the artists as they worked in the tabernacle. How cool is that! As a Christian, prayer needs to be central to everything I do. God is the one who invented music and language and He is the One who gave man the ability to think, reason and imagine. Who better to ask for the help than the Creator of all things?

The Propulsion of Hope

I often wonder what makes people tick. What pushes the athlete to exercise relentlessly to the point that his or her body gives out from exhaustion? How do some individuals wake up at 4:00 am every morning only to a tackle a 15-hour day and then repeat the cycle the next morning? What keeps a pastor going with the ups and downs of ministry, the spiritual attacks and the persistent people problems? What pushes a parent to carry on after weeks, months or even years of sleepless nights, dirty diapers and temper tantrums? I find myself looking at different people with various hurdles in their lives, all the while wondering, “How do they do it?”

For every person who keeps going, there is a source of strength - an inner fire similar to that of coal in the heart of a locomotive. For some, it is a push to outdo themselves or to outdo others. For some, it is a love for money or popularity. For some, it is an insecurity that they are trying to compensate for or life frustrations that they are trying to run from. Some are simply after another adrenaline rush. Some are sustained by a genuine love for people and/or God. For every driven person, there is a goal that is worth the push.

Running on Empty
Like many, I am a driven person, but recently, I’ve been feeling burned out. I find that no matter how good life is, something isn’t the way I want it to be. When there’s more money, there’s less time and ironically, more bills. When there’s more time, there isn’t enough money. When there’s time, there isn’t always motivation (sleepless nights with sick kids don’t help). When there is finally free time, there isn’t enough free time. With every one thing I accomplish, there are a hundred other things to do.

This dissatisfaction has caused me to re-evaluate the source of my strength and even the direction of my life, and the Bible is certainly a good place to look for inspiration. It’s comforting to know that my predicament is nothing new. In fact, it mirrors the experience of Solomon. In Ecclesiastes 2:22, he wrote, “What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.”

Often, when I come to this place of restlessness, I can sense God telling me that I am searching for fulfillment in the wrong places. It’s in these moments that I am pushed to refocus on Jesus, the One who provides living water that will never leave me thirsty (John 4:14).

It’s All In Perspective
As a Christian, what should my ultimate goal be? Maybe I wouldn’t become burned out if I had my eyes on the right trophy? What if I set my striving for comfort aside and I found peace in knowing that God is refining me and making me more like Christ through the uphill expeditions of this life? What if I took joy in the reality that God is using my life story, struggles and all, to benefit others? What if I asked the question, “What can I learn from this situation?” instead of “Why am in the situation?”

Recently, Joshua was given a kid’s worship CD and one of the songs is taken from Romans 5:3-4. It’s fun to hear him to sing his own interpretation of the lyrics. The verse reads, “… but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” It is an awesome reminder that every battle and every holding pattern has a purpose.

Ultimately, the best thing we can have in this life (besides love) is hope. Hope that God has a bigger plan. Hope that God has a future for each of us. Hope that we are moving even when we feel stuck. Hope that each surrender of faith is a step closer to His heart and that is the best place we could ever hope to be.

I may never brave a marathon. I’ll probably never have the energy to wake up at 4:00 am every morning. I doubt I could handle the pressures of being a pastor, and parenting is a work in progress. What I do know is God won’t give me anything I can’t handle (I Corinthians 10:13) and He will finish the work He has called me to complete (Philippians 1:6), regardless of how ill equipped or unmotivated I feel. It’s with this hope that I press forward. It’s with this perspective that I approach the desert or the mountain with confidence, knowing that I am being carried by the God who never grows weary.

Whose Dreams Are We Behind?

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about dreams. I wonder what God thinks about our hopes and aspirations. Is it wrong if we desire to be in a “better place” in life? Can we be both content and ambitious at the same time?

From a young age, most of us are taught to “make something of ourselves.” We’re pushed externally and internally to take risks and follow our dreams. Some of us prefer a safe and predictable existence while some of us abandon everything we know in hopes of finding a more desirable life. Some of us grow up longing to be doctors or teachers and others feel drawn to the mission field or to ministry work at a church. The risks of less pay, financial debt or separation from family are worth the fight. We keep telling ourselves that we are pursuing a greater good. It will pay off in the end, or so we hope.

Sometimes, it can be hard to tell if this push to do more with our lives is from God or fueled by our own selfish desires. So how can we distinguish if we are following God’s path for our lives or our own path? If we are listening to the Holy Spirit and attempting to obey God in all areas of our lives, can we really make a wrong turn? Does God care if one of His children chooses to be a doctor or missionary? Will He bless either choice if that person is living in obedience to His truth?

Nehemiah had a dream to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. His desire to rebuild the wall was all consuming and he spent a lot of time praying that God would “remember him with favor” (5:19) and grant him success. Despite much opposition (Nehemiah 4), Nehemiah carried his dream through until its completion.

Are our dreams as relevant and important to the Kingdom of God as Nehemiah’s dream and if so, how do we know if God is behind our dreams? Maybe a better question might be, are we behind God’s dreams and how do we find those dreams?

Album Update - April 2016

I'm still cranking away on the new album, Right Where You Want Me. Life as a father has kept me busy! However, I'm squeezing creative time in during naps, early in the morning or late at night. I'm hoping the album can debut this fall (2016). At this point, its a time and money issue. God has a plan and is teaching me patience. This waiting period has allowed me to even further sculpt the the lyrics and the arrangements, which is a good thing. Can't wait to release some new music!

New Marc Andre Christmas Single!

Playing at Eddie's Run

We had a great time playing at Eddie's Run in Washington Courthouse, OH today. Thanks to Ed Hartshorn for inviting us to be a part of an awesome event!

Pictured from left to right on the stage are Eric Rice (acoustic guitar), Steve Hansen (bass), Marc Andre (vocals and keys), Andrew Simms (drums) and Eric Smith (electric guitar).

Pictured from left to right in the lower picture are Eric Rice (acoustic guitar), Andrew Simms (drums), Eddie Hartshorn Jr., Marc Andre (vocals and keys), Eric Smith (electric guitar) and Steve Hansen. (bass)

Here is more information about Eddie's Run:

"Eddie's Run is about making a way for people to come together for a great cause and have fun while helping the Special Needs! Eddie's Run is made up of 100% Volunteers and created to help Special Needs children and adults in many areas of their lives. The funds raised from this event are going to be funded to Fayette Progressive Industries Developmental Disabilities of Fayette County, Ohio. Eddie's Run is named after an autistic Special Needs child Eddie Hartshorn who is now an adult. Who did not know how to run until he was a teenager.

With help from his Dad he began to run. Eddie has gone on to win many Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals as a Special Olympics Athlete. You can learn more about Eddie on our Eddie's Story page. We invite you to come get involved because Eddie's Run Non-Profit is here to help many other Special Needs like Eddie to reach their dreams, their goals, and to never give up. To bring awareness to communities of the special needs who live among them. Proceeds from this event will raise funds to help provide uniforms, food and other assistance needed for events like Special Olympics, basketball, Prom, trips and other social activities, art supplies and classes. It will also help provide wheelchair accessible buses, fuel, food, workshop equipment and more. The Special Olympics give these amazing people, both children, and adults, self-worth and the opportunity to participate as athletes."

Learn more about Eddie's Run here: http://www.eddiesrun.org

A God of Miracles

I am amazed and thankful as I look back over the last week. On Tuesday, we welcomed our precious daughter Hannah into the world. Crystal and I faced many fears as we anticipated the day of Hannah’s birth, especially as our son Joshua (who is now three) was taken from us in the delivery room and was rushed to Children’s Hospital where he spent eight days fighting for his life.

For those who have not heard the story, Crystal’s placenta abrupted during Joshua’s birth and Joshua was ripped from the womb as he was quickly losing blood and oxygen. He underwent two blood transfusions, had two MRIs, was strapped to a cooling blanket for eight days and was connected to an EEG to monitor for potential seizures.

I can’t forget that first day I visited Joshua alone at Children’s Hospital. I remember watching his little arms and legs shiver as he lay on the cooling blanket. The sound of his helpless, whimpering cry is forever etched in my mind. I just wanted to pick him up, hold him close and comfort him, but I wasn’t allowed to remove him from the miniature hospital table. Meanwhile, Crystal was forced to stay at St. Ann’s for forty-eight hours and wasn’t allowed to see her own son.

Over the next week, we visited Joshua every day - we knew God was in control, but we also felt completely helpless. I remember whispering to Joshua, “Keep fighting, buddy. You’re going to make it. God is going to help you through this. We love you little man.” Incredibly, Joshua was released a day before Easter of 2012 and as we celebrated the resurrection of our Savior, we thanked Him for resurrecting our son. Today, Joshua is a little miracle - healthy, quirky, energetic and beyond his years.

Reliving a Nightmare
As we look back, Joshua’s birth seems like a distant bad dream - vivid, yet surreal. However, this past Tuesday, one step into the delivery room awoke memories and emotions that we had buried for years. I’ve been married to Crystal for nearly seven years and I’ve never seen her as afraid as she was this past Tuesday. I kept telling her, “It’s not going to happen again. It rarely happens twice, and God is in control. He will not give you something you can’t handle.”

Within three and a half hours, we were holding our little girl. In fact, Hannah came into this world as Crystal was laughing. I don’t think it is a coincidence that Hannah’s name means “favor” and “grace.” Like so many times in our lives, we have once again felt God’s fatherly favor and His immeasurable grace.

There have been moments in my life when it feels like only a few things really matter - times when day-to-day seemingly pressing concerns blur into the unnoticed peripheral of importance. This week, I have watched Joshua kiss and comfort his little sister. I have watched my amazing wife care for our children. I have stopped to admire the setting sun as my son laughs while swinging at the playground. I have witnessed God’s love poured out through friends and family - visits while we were at the hospital, delicious meals brought to our home, kind words reminding us that we are being prayed for.

The New Normal: From Three to Four
Life is definitely different now. We are taking it a day at a time. Crystal is dealing with some nasty headaches (possibly spinal headaches) and nursing brings its own set of challenges. In addition, Hannah still has her nights and days mixed up, but we are hoping this will change soon. Nevertheless, we are grateful and realize that this stage is temporary.

In conclusion, I just want to thank God for His goodness and I want to thank Him for reminding me of what is most important. I have always been a doer and I don’t like sitting idle for very long. I will always have songs to finish, concerts to schedule, a new week of work to anticipate. However, these moments with my children and my wife are precious beyond comparison. I am reminded that above everything, people are what matter the most.

Baby Hannah is Here!

Baby Hannah is Here! Mom and baby are doing great. Thanks to the staff at St. Ann's for the amazing care and thanks to the Lord for a smooth delivery! Joshua is a proud big brother!

Kitamu Coffee - June 26th, 2015

Playing at Kitamu Coffee in Hilliard, OH on June 26th with special guest, Clay!

Upcoming Show - Friday, July 26th

The band and I will be playing at Kitamu Coffee in Hilliard, OH on Friday, July 26th at 7:30pm! We'll be joined by the band, Clay.

Click here to visit Kitamu Coffee's facebook page.

Adventures in Nashville (Guitars & Strings 2015)

I can’t forget my first trip to Nashville. It was in 2003 that I first traveled down south to Music City with my friend Dave Bechtel. Dave was working on a project for Columbus musician Lara Gifford and wanted to record at a “real studio” with studio musicians and he and Lara invited me to come along and watch it all happen.

A little over a year later, I was down in Nashville again recording my first rock album, Backstage Pass. I learned very quickly the difference it makes to record music in a great room with top-notch players and engineers. I’ve since been to Nashville five times. (The picture above was taken at Darkhorse Recording on October 14th, 2003)

Why Nashville?
I’ve been asked on many occasions why I travel to Nashville to record my albums. Certainly, there are a lot of great musicians and studios in Columbus, right? Couldn’t I just record everything locally to avoid the cost of travel, food and lodging? The answer is “Yes!” There are incredible musicians and good studios in Columbus! Nevertheless, I’d still prefer to record in Nashville. Why? For one, I’ve developed a working relationship with certain engineers and players in Nashville and I can trust that they will do incredible work. Usually I can only afford to pay for one day in a studio at a time and I want to have players who can work quickly and creatively, all the while varying their tones and their playing styles for individual songs.

This past January, we recorded ten songs for the new album in about six hours at Sound Emporium in Nashville. Miles McPherson (drums), Joeie Canaday (bass), Mike Payne (guitar) and Jerry McPherson (guitar) did an amazing job following and building upon my MIDI demos. They learned and played each song in about fifteen minutes or less. Typically, another fifteen minutes was spent layering the first pass with additional guitar parts. Of course, we’d be dead in the water if it wasn’t for engineer Todd Robbins and assistant engineer Mike Stankiewicz who captured the performances.

Going Inside Nashville
A couple weeks ago, Crystal and I traveled down to Nashville for the second time this year to record strings with David Davidson and guitar overdubs with Mike Payne. This time, we decided to bring our three-year old, Joshua, with us. The plan was to make it a mini family vacation complete with a stop at Great Wolf Lodge in Cincinnati on the way home.

We left Columbus on Sunday, May 17th at around 9:45am. It was a smooth trip with little traffic and nice weather. However, we did stop every two hours so that Crystal, being pregnant, could get out and walk and Joshua, being three, could get out and run his little legs tired. Joshua actually did great riding in the car for eight hours, although he was getting a little antsy towards the end of the trip. He must have asked us, “Are we there yet?” hundreds of times. At one point, we pulled into a strip mall to look for a place to eat. There weren’t any restaurants we were interested in, so we continued driving south toward an Olive Garden. As we pulled away from the strip mall, Joshua started to get upset and yelled, “I wanted to go INSIDE Nashville!!!” Apparently, he thought Nashville was a place inside the strip mall.

After eating at Olive Garden and listening to our waiter’s lengthy speech on real estate, we headed to the house of our friends Dave and Emily Bechtel where we would spend the night. This was the first time Dave and his family had met Joshua. We all had a great time roasting marshmallows and catching up and Joshua had a blast pouring sand in the sandbox, jumping on the neighbor's trampoline and playing with Stella’s toy kitchen. With no nap all day, Joshua finally fell asleep around 11:30pm (Columbus time). The grown-ups finished the night with some tasty caramel and cookies ‘n cream ice cream and a hilarious story involving Dave and an angry football coach. (Basically, Dave made a comment about a bad play and the coach came up and confronted Dave while the game was still happening.)

The String Session
I woke up Monday morning excited and slightly nervous about the long and ambitious day of recording ahead. We scarfed down some Honey Nut Cheerios and as we walked out the door, Joshua shouted, “We’re going! Bye Dave Bechtel!” As we were driving, Joshua kept saying, “It’ll be fun to go to Daddy’s concert!”

We arrived at violinist David Davidson’s around 9:30am and were greeted by engineer Bobby Shin. (The last time we had been to David’s was in 2011 when we had recorded strings for Snapshots of the Shattered Soul.) Violinist David Angell, violist Kris Wilkinson and cellist Sari Reist arrived around 9:45. My second cousin Ryan Payne (who lives in Nashville) and a composer named Alex also joined us. There was a possibility that Columbus-based composer Rich Barrett would also show up, but we were unsure if that would happen.

We started recording at 9:55. The goal was to record strings for four and a half original songs — three and a half songs with the quartet and one song with a solo cello part. We had two hours with the full group and an extra half-hour with Sari, the cellist. All of the songs were songs which I had written for the new album, with the exception of a Christmas song that I hope to re-release later this year.

We recorded anywhere from three to four passes for each of the full-group songs — these passes will later be layered with sampled strings for a large orchestra sound. We started with an arrangement composed by Robert Nugent. As we were finishing up the last take of the first song, we heard the door squeak and up the stairs came composer Rich Barrett. He had left Columbus at 5:00am and had made it just in time to hear his arrangement being recorded.

After recording Rich’s piece, we moved onto two string arrangements I had composed — one for the Christmas song and one for the bridge of a song on the new album. At one point, my second cousin Ryan had to leave and after he walked down the squeaky stairs and out the door, David Davidson asked, “How many people are up there anyway?” Engineer Bobby joked that there were around fifty-five.

We finished recording with the quartet just before noon and spent the next half-hour tracking a solo cello part that Rich had arranged. The sessions went incredibly smoothly and the string parts sounded great. It’s crazy how big of a sound you can get with just four players!

It’s also amazing how well Joshua did sitting still during the recording session. Originally, Crystal was simply going to drop me off at David’s and head out for some errands with Joshua, but she and Joshua ended up sticking around for an hour or so because Joshua was behaving so well (and was pre-occupied playing with Ryan’s iPhone). However, they did leave for an hour or so in search of a Chick-Fil-A. Sadly, MapQuest led them to an abandoned mall and they returned without any food (According to David Davidson, the mall had been shut down for fifteen years).

A Stomach Ache and the Perfect Guitar Sound
Bobby copied all the files to my hard drive and we left David’s around 1:00pm. Determined to eat chicken, we began heading southeast toward another Chick-Fil-A in Franklin. Rich Barrett followed us. The original plan was to begin recording guitar overdubs with Mike Payne at 1:00, but we re-scheduled for 2:00 as we were running behind and Mike had a project he was wrapping up. After we went through the drive-thru, Crystal drove as I devoured a chicken sandwich and a side salad.

It was about 2:05 when we made it to Mike’s. He had just finished some overdubs for Switchfoot and Building 429. Crystal and Joshua dropped me off and headed back to Dave and Emily’s for a fun afternoon at the neighborhood pool. Rich followed them to Dave’s.

The overdubs went very smoothly. Most songs only needed an extra track or two of guitars — an added layer of distortion guitar in the choruses, a solo guitar part in a bridge, a chunky rhythm part in the verses, etc. These sounds weren’t meant to define the songs; they were simply meant to strengthen the parts that were already there. Mike used some sweet pedals and unique guitars, including a baritone guitar and a Jaguar guitar (made famous by Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain — he added larger humbuckers for a rockier sound).

Mike recorded guitar parts for twelve songs and finished in less time than I had expected. I originally had planned to record from 1:00-7:00, but we started at 2:00 and finished at 6:30. After recording, we had a few extra minutes to chat about life and Mike was able to play me a few things he had been working on. Unfortunately, my stomach was killing me the entire time I was at Mike’s — probably because I ate my lunch so fast! Otherwise, I couldn’t have asked for a better day of recording. The strings sounded remarkable and Mike’s additional guitar layers filled out the songs and added some unique touches that couldn’t be achieved at the hurried rhythm session back in January.

Seriously, Are We There Yet?
Crystal and Joshua picked me up around 7:00pm. I thought I would introduce Joshua to Mike, but our little guy had fallen asleep in the car after a long day splashing in the neighborhood pool. He opened his eyes for a minute when I opened the door of the van, but his head quickly drooped over in his car seat and he was out again.

We thought Joshua would sleep for a while, but about thirty minutes into our trip, his toy laptop fell and woke him up. Of course, he started crying so we took a break, stopped at Kroger, got gas and then went inside so he could play with the phones (his favorite thing to do at Kroger). We then continued driving and arrived at Great Wolf Lodge around 1:30am. Joshua was awake for a long time, but finally fell asleep at midnight. This was the second day he had gone without a nap.

It took a long time to get settled into our room and I think we finally fell asleep around 3:00am. Crystal took Joshua to the room and I unloaded the van. Somehow I managed to forget our room number and I had both of our phones in Crystal’s purse so I couldn’t call Crystal to find out what room we were in. To add to the confusion, I was actually on the wrong floor for a while! I was walking up and down the halls with our bags trying my key wristband on multiple doors. I finally used Crystal’s phone to call the front desk to find out our room number (not sure why I didn't think of this sooner). I was probably wandering up and down the halls for a good half hour or so (Great Wolf is a huge place). Oh, the situations I get myself into.

Water Slides, Young Waitresses and Night Terrors
Tuesday morning, we woke up around 9:45 and just made it down to the cafeteria for breakfast, which closed at 10:30. We had a fun day playing in the water and going down waterslides. Joshua even went down a couple of the big slides — one of which he ended up going down facing backward (He was crying, "Daddy!" when he got to the bottom). The other was a large inner tube ride which he and I rode on together. He really enjoyed this slide...however, my legs were killing me after carrying him up five stories of steps multiple times (He refused to walk). Meanwhile, Crystal was jealous, as she couldn’t ride the waterslides because she is pregnant. However, I promised her we’d come back soon after baby girl is born!

We skipped lunch, ate a few snacks and then had an early dinner around 4:00 at the Lodge Wood Fire Grill. The food was pricey, but tasty. Joshua had a fun time flirting with the young waitresses.

We went back out to the water slides for several hours and then went back to our room, hoping we could get Joshua to bed a little earlier than the night before. His bedroom was pretty neat. It actually looked like a log cabin — complete with bunk beds, a TV and paintings of animals on the wall.

We did get to bed a little earlier this time…maybe around 11:30. Joshua slept in his “big boy bed” the night before and had done fine. However, this night, around midnight, he started crying. I ran into his little “cabin” room to find him lying on the floor. He was having a night terror and had fallen out of the bed! We had to hold him and console him for a about a half hour before he stopped crying. We were probably driving the neighbors crazy. We put him in his Pack ‘N Play for the rest of the night, and he slept well.

Drying Off Your Shorts And Going Home
We woke up a little earlier on Wednesday, as we wanted to squeeze in as much water slide time before we had to check out. We had planned on checking out at 11:00, but decided to pay a little extra for a later 2:00pm check out.

Minus a few hiccups, we had an awesome trip and returned to Columbus on Wednesday afternoon. However, we had to stop at a production house to convert the Pro Tools sessions I recorded at Mike Payne’s to Pro Tools version 9 (we had recorded them in version 11 at Mike’s). This is something I could have done at Mike’s, but I was so distracted by my aching stomach and the excitement of the day, I forgot this simple step!

Hurry Up And Wait
Many people ask me, “So are you almost finished with the album?” My answer is, “Yes and no.” At this point, about 95% of the instruments have been recorded. I may add a few additional keyboard/synth elements to several songs, but these can be recorded at my home studio.

The next step is to record the final lead and background vocals. Again, I can record the vocals at home. However, there are many costs that lie ahead. Last time around, I rented a compressor from a friend (necessary for recording vocals), but he sold it…so I may need to buy my own. After the vocals are recorded, the album will need to be mixed and mastered. This is a huge expense — about half of the total album budget. So, the album is somewhat on hold until I get some more freelance work.

Currently, I’m taking a break from working on the album to focus on playing concerts and finding freelance work — and of course, we have a baby girl coming in mid-July! Life is definitely going to change for us! In summary, I plan to focus on recording vocals in the later summer/early fall and I hope the album can be mixed and mastered early next year… or maybe sooner if God wills.

I'm just thankful that we could once again go INSIDE Nashville.

LoveWorks 5K in Gahanna

Playing at the LoveWorks 5K in Gahanna, OH yesterday. - with Matthew Wooten and Eric Smith.

Interview with Producer Dave Bechtel

I always enjoy learning how other creative people tick. This being said, I thought I’d start a series of interviews with some of my creative friends detailing their work and creative process.

One of my good friends, Dave Bechtel, is a music producer in Nashville, TN. He’s been working in Nashville for about ten years now and has produced nearly 150 albums. Dave and I grew up together in Columbus, OH and have known each other since kindergarten. He and his family have had a huge influence on me musically and otherwise. In particular, Dave’s dad, Bob Bechtel, was my middle school and high school band teacher. Bob reached out and encouraged me as a young musician. In addition, throughout the years, Dave and I have worked on several music projects together, and I owe much of my recording knowledge to him. I feel honored to have Dave as my first interviewee.

How did your interest in music begin?
“My interest in music began simply by being born into a family that had a great deal of involvement in music. My mother actually went into labor while playing the organ at the church Christmas Eve musical that my dad was directing. My father was the oldest of six children all of whom were school band or choir directors at some point. The whole music thing has just been an everyday part of my life as long as I can remember.”

Who has been the biggest inspiration to you musically?
“By far my biggest inspiration in music would be my dad. He had a collection of thousands of LPs and then later CDs. I was exposed to an extremely large variety of music on a daily basis in our home.”

Describe your work as a producer. What exactly do you do?
“What exactly do I do as a producer? That's the second most asked question I get asked from people when talking about work (the first being "What famous people have you worked with"?). It really varies from day to day. Some days are filled with nothing but phone calls, emails and text messages trying to juggle schedules and come up with a plan that accommodates all the various talent that is involved in making a record. Other days, I'll have my nose buried in a computer monitor preparing for a recording session or editing the recordings that we have made. Occasionally, I help an artist with their song writing. Everyday seems to present a different challenge that requires a broad skill set. The whole "jack of all trades, master of none" could certainly apply to me.”

What do you enjoy the most about producing artists?
“Probably the most rewarding aspect about working with an artist is to bring his/her vision and frankly, his/her dreams to life. There is nothing better in my work life than seeing an artist cry when playing back a recording in the control room.”

What inspires you musically?
“I really have very little appreciation for music that doesn't create an emotional impact when I'm listening to it. I absolutely cannot stand "background music." I would MUCH rather listen to the beautiful sound of silence than listen to a homogenized, uninspired noise that is designed and created to blend into the background. A song doesn't have to be "BIG" to create a meaningful emotional reaction...sometimes it's the simplicity that is the driving force behind the song.”

Describe your creative process. What are some of the key stages you go through while producing an album for an artist?
“Every project is different so there are different approaches for each project. Some projects require an extensive amount of planning and preparation to execute — songs to be selected, charts to write, orchestrations to be arranged, players to be scheduled, studios to be booked…the list goes on…and of course there are other projects where I have folks call up and say "I'm coming up to Nashville in three weeks. Get the crew together…we're going to cut six songs" and the first time I will hear the songs is when the artist shows up at the studio. Overall, I'd say that planning stage of making a record might seem like something that is very "un-creative" but, it's with the structure and parameters that are installed that make the creative process really flourish. Boundaries are actually are very good thing in the creative world as it allows an artist to focus their energies on a vision and task and then execute it. That's one of the main things that I try to help with.”

What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned working as a producer?
“I think the biggest lesson I've learned in working with artists is learning how to listen to them. It's critical that I work on achieving their vision for the project and not mine. If there are creative choices I'm making that don't fit into what the artist has in mind, I need to step back and be able to put my pride aside and work harder to capture the artist’s vision or gently explain why some of the choices I am making could perhaps be in the best interest of the artist and their project.”

What are some of the challenges you've faced as a producer?
“Budgets.”

In your opinion, what is the difference between a good album and a great album?
“I really think it comes down to the songs. A great song can overcome a poor recording or an uninspiring mix.”

What do you think makes an album over-produced?
“I don’t think there is such a thing as an "over-produced" project. However, I believe that an album can be poorly produced and sometimes, such a project can be mislabeled as an “over-produced” album. A song isn’t necessarily “over produced” if there are a lot of elements in the mix. However, a song is poorly produced if layers and layers of sounds are stacked on top of each other simply because a person cannot make a decision about which elements are critical to the song.”

What projects are you currently working on?
“By the time this interview is read, I'm sure I'll have a completely different set of projects I'll be working on but right now...I just finished up a Country pop EP, am mixing a Christian pop rock album and will be finishing the mixes on a traditional Irish folk album and I have lots of preparations to be made for a large scale Christmas project.”

How does your faith impact what you do as producer?
“My faith is or at least should be intertwined with everything that I do. There are times when I work with artists that have opposing world views and different moral standards and it's not really my place to tell them how I think they are wrong about any given hot topic issue but rather to be salt and light and let the love of Christ shine through. There can be a lot of shady folks in the music business and I'm grateful for parents and mentors that drilled into me the importance of living out my faith and standing by my convictions.”

To learn more about Dave Bechtel and his work, visit his web site at www.davebechtel.com

Lessons I’ve Learned as a Server

It’s always interesting to me how others respond when I tell them I work as a server. I am often met with a concerned look and the question, “Is that going ok for you?” Sometimes well-meaning people will begin mentioning other jobs I could be doing as if to assume I want to run away from serving as quick as possible. A couple times, new acquaintances have asked, “Oh, so you’re one of those starving artists?” In the eyes of some folks, serving jobs are mostly reserved for kids trying to get through college or for people who couldn’t make it or never had the motivation to make it in the career world.

Who Would Have Thought
Serving is relatively new to me. I began working as a server for the first time at a New Mexican restaurant about a year and a half ago. It was amazing how I even found the job. At the time, I was working as a production assistant at a television station. I was waking up five days a week at 2:45 am and was making very little money for a whole lot of work. At one point, I mentioned on Facebook that I was looking for a better job. I didn’t think my post would yield any results, and in fact, I regretted that I expressed my job dissatisfaction so publicly (Facebook is for baby pictures and happy thoughts, right?). Surprisingly, a few days later, we were eating at Chick-Fil-A and ran into a friend’s wife who said her husband was hiring at his restaurant. To make a long story short, I left the television job about ten months later after multiple frustrations and roadblocks and began a new career as a server at my friend's restaurant.

My friend and new boss at the restaurant gave me a chance to do something I had no experience in. Anyone who has left the career world knows how difficult it is to get a job where you are over-qualified. It’s ironic that a college grad will probably find it next to impossible to get a job at McDonald’s.

Working at the restaurant has been a good thing for me. My boss and co-workers are great. In fact, on many levels, this is probably the best job I have ever had and unless God changes my course, I plan to stick with the job for a while and for a variety of reasons. For one, I need to build a steady employment record. Last year, Crystal and I applied for a mortgage loan and discovered that my income won’t count until I’ve worked as a server for two years. So, I’m locked in for that reason. In addition, I really don’t know what else I could do at this point in Columbus, OH. I am qualified to work as an audio technician in a production house, but full-time jobs in that field are about as rare as an albino squirrel. As a side note, I did once work as a worship pastor at a church, but discovered that a passion for music doesn’t always equate to a passion for church music ministry. Some folks are made for that sort of thing. I totally want to serve in a church, but the thought of leading a worship ministry actually drains my fuel tank.

Welcome to the Serving Industry
I’ve learned a lot working as a server. For one, serving is hard work. There are days when I am on my feet 10-12 hours straight. In fact, I’ve lost 10 lbs. or more since I started working at the restaurant. I had to buy new jeans because my old ones were falling off. No joke.

I’ve also been happy to learn that servers can make really good money. I’m actually making almost twice as much as I was making as a television production assistant and I am working the same number of hours. Most people are surprised when I tell them that some of the rookie reporters I was working with were literally on food stamps.

Working as a server has challenged me to keep my cool when I want to fly off the handle. Things can get pretty intense when you are working in a tiny space with 7-8 other servers who are all trying to make money just like you. Sometimes, you may get a smaller section (less tables) than another server. Sometimes, another server will get to go home earlier than you, and for some reason, you’re the one stuck deck brushing the floor at 11:30pm. Sometimes, you will hate sports because of what they do to the restaurant business. Sometimes, you will get a bad tip. Sometimes, you will have a night of bad tips…or a week.

Tips for Tippers
Wow, I could talk for a while about bad tippers. It’s easy to stereotype certain types of people, and for good reason. Even though I am a Christian, I cringe when I see a group of people praying before a meal or when I see someone wearing a cross around his/her neck. He/she may say kind things and speak Christianese, but in the back of my mind, I’m wondering what I’m going to find when I open that black server book buried underneath a pile of napkins, crayons, salsa bowls, and queso drizzle. Will I be tipped the outstanding 20%, the moderate 15%, the disappointing 10% or the insulting round-up-to-the-nearest-dollar-above-the-total or here’s-the-change-I-had-in-my-pocket tip?

Last week, I had a table of six foreign young adults who cumulatively tipped me about $1.50 on a $60 bill. They all shared 4-5 entries and then evenly split the bill between themselves. Each person ended up with a bill of about $9.86. One person rewarded me with $1.00. Another person didn’t give me anything. The other four gave me .14 each, and one girl actually added a smiley face next to her signature to let me know that they enjoyed my service.

I have to be honest — it’s tough to have a good attitude when people are that rude. I am a Christian. I’m supposed to serve people out of the goodness of my heart, right? I just have to keep remembering that I have a chance to be Christ to everyone I meet every day even when people don’t treat me fairly.

I’ve also discovered that stereotypes aren’t always true. One day, I served food to two middle-school boys who must have gone out for lunch with their parents’ credit card. I wasn’t even expecting a tip, but they actually tipped me 20%! I’ve stereotyped older people and certain nationalities…but I’ve been proved wrong again and again. It’s a good lesson to never say “always.” People aren’t always who you think they are. On the flip side, when people are insensitive, it’s good to remember that God loves them, and we should too.

Like my job at the restaurant, I’m thankful for opportunities that stretch me. I’m grateful that seemingly mundane things can be life altering, and I’m amazed how God can use the most ordinary experiences to bring us closer to Him. I’m not sure if I’ll work as a server for the rest of my life, but I pray that I’ll continue to learn what it means to be a servant as long as I have breath to serve.

Using the Salt in the Shaker
In conclusion, I would say be thoughtful of servers. Most servers make $4.00 an hour and your tip may be what is paying for their rent or their babies’ diapers. Especially, as Christians, we need to remember that we have a bad reputation when it comes to tipping. Saying thanks with your mouth and giving a 10% or 15% tip doesn’t look good to a server who is used to getting 20%. I’ve heard of Christian customers asking servers how they can be prayed for, praying for them, and then backing it up with a good tip. You never know how you may change someone’s day or life course.