(no subject)
I love being alive.
This past week has been a nice whirlwind of tears, laughs, questions, and understanding. So much has been going on in the Cool Hand Luke camp. So much has been going on with us understanding our place in the band and, more importantly, our place in the Kingdom. Is what America selling us more important than the commandments of our Lord? Is our wordly status worth more than our connection with Holy Spirit? I say no to both of these questions. I say "no" because I have seen what God has done in my own life and how He answers me. I say "no" because God is showing me His worth.
Two nights ago we had the opportunity to play in Oklahoma. But, the only problem is, we wouldn't have a drummer for the show. So, after much thinking, we decided that Mark would get behind the drum set again. If you don't know, Mark doesn't play drums and sing anymore, he plays piano and sings. And, while much of the new stuff has important piano parts, we decided to improvise without those parts.
The town we played in, Cameron, is the meth capital of Oklahoma. 80% of the girls who graduate from Cameron High School are already mothers or are pregnant. The average income of Cameron is $9,000 per household. If you drove by Cameron, you would think, "Hmmm, just another small town in America." But, there is so much more. There are hurting people who have been told that they are worth almost nothing. They've been led to believe that nobody cares about them, and I think sometimes I agree with them. No one does care about them. Not our Government. Not the Church. It's hard to walk through the streets and believe that even God cares about them. But, I know in my heart that God cares for them so much. There's a guy by the name of Dan who lives in northeast Arkansas, and God pretty much laid it on this guy's heart to send a message of value in the lives of the people of Cameron.
Before we played the three of us (Mark, Casey, and I) walked along a street and prayed out loud. Mark made the comment, "I still don't know what God wants me to say tonight." Earlier that day, I was laying in the grass praying, and God kept telling me how much he loves the world. So, after Mark said that, something in my heart said, "Tell him that I (God) am showing you about how loved and valuable you are." I thought about how stupid that that was, but decided to just go ahead and say, "I think something God is showing me today is how valuable these people are, even though they think otherwise." Mark replied, "God keeps popping the word 'value' in my heart, too." I love moments like that.
Now I am about to go to sleep. We worked on a lot of new songs today, and I'm stoked about them. Things seem to be going nicely. I still need money and a lot of other things, but I know God will provide for my needs.
I just quickly want to encourage you and tell you, the reader, that though your spiritual life and flesh life may be so contradicting, God is not dissapointed by you. He loves you.. He doesn't need you... He wants you. You.
This past week has been a nice whirlwind of tears, laughs, questions, and understanding. So much has been going on in the Cool Hand Luke camp. So much has been going on with us understanding our place in the band and, more importantly, our place in the Kingdom. Is what America selling us more important than the commandments of our Lord? Is our wordly status worth more than our connection with Holy Spirit? I say no to both of these questions. I say "no" because I have seen what God has done in my own life and how He answers me. I say "no" because God is showing me His worth.
Two nights ago we had the opportunity to play in Oklahoma. But, the only problem is, we wouldn't have a drummer for the show. So, after much thinking, we decided that Mark would get behind the drum set again. If you don't know, Mark doesn't play drums and sing anymore, he plays piano and sings. And, while much of the new stuff has important piano parts, we decided to improvise without those parts.
The town we played in, Cameron, is the meth capital of Oklahoma. 80% of the girls who graduate from Cameron High School are already mothers or are pregnant. The average income of Cameron is $9,000 per household. If you drove by Cameron, you would think, "Hmmm, just another small town in America." But, there is so much more. There are hurting people who have been told that they are worth almost nothing. They've been led to believe that nobody cares about them, and I think sometimes I agree with them. No one does care about them. Not our Government. Not the Church. It's hard to walk through the streets and believe that even God cares about them. But, I know in my heart that God cares for them so much. There's a guy by the name of Dan who lives in northeast Arkansas, and God pretty much laid it on this guy's heart to send a message of value in the lives of the people of Cameron.
Before we played the three of us (Mark, Casey, and I) walked along a street and prayed out loud. Mark made the comment, "I still don't know what God wants me to say tonight." Earlier that day, I was laying in the grass praying, and God kept telling me how much he loves the world. So, after Mark said that, something in my heart said, "Tell him that I (God) am showing you about how loved and valuable you are." I thought about how stupid that that was, but decided to just go ahead and say, "I think something God is showing me today is how valuable these people are, even though they think otherwise." Mark replied, "God keeps popping the word 'value' in my heart, too." I love moments like that.
Now I am about to go to sleep. We worked on a lot of new songs today, and I'm stoked about them. Things seem to be going nicely. I still need money and a lot of other things, but I know God will provide for my needs.
I just quickly want to encourage you and tell you, the reader, that though your spiritual life and flesh life may be so contradicting, God is not dissapointed by you. He loves you.. He doesn't need you... He wants you. You.