I had a goal to break into the top 50 album sales on the release of my record OVERWHELMED!  Thanks to all of you! We did it.  It might be a small victory to some but it was big victory to me!

Thanks for buying it, tweeting about it, posting stuff on your Facebook wall…it was a fun first day!!

It has been an amazing process and a long journey but my first solo CD “Overwhelmed” released nationally today!!! That means that it will be available in many Christian stores as well as all digital stores like iTunes and Amazon.

It is also listed under NEW and NOTEWORTHY on the front page of the Christian and Gospel section of iTunes. Here is the link to OVERWHELMED on iTunes: http://bit.ly/9T8noI

I am asking for all your help!  So here is how you can help me??

1. SPREAD THE WORD: Facebook, Twitter, Text, Blog, email and talk about it!! Let people know about it!! Tell people about it and encourage them to go check it out

2. GO BUY IT : Go to iTunes and purchase it or gift it to a friend!!

3. REVIEW IT: Go to iTunes and leave a review!! The more reviews the better!!

Thanks you so much!! I’m really excited to see how God uses these songs for His Glory!!

Every day I wake up to four faces.  These four people look to me for guidance, direction, comfort, love, leadership and so many other things.  I get up, take a shower, get dressed, head downstairs, kiss them and head out the door to work.

As I walk out of our front door I see this picture hanging on our wall

We had these pictures done by a good friend about 8 months ago.  I love this picture.  It is one of my favorite of all time…why??

I head out the door ready to talk to people, meet people, minister to people, love people, be there for them…all the while leaving the four most important people behind.  Every morning, or time I walk by this image, I think of my beautiful wife and kids that want to follow me, long to follow me, desire to walk in my footsteps….and it makes me ask the question:

DO I HAVE THINGS BACKWARDS? Am I losing time and influence with those that I care for most because I am trying to gain influence in other areas?

I want to be a great Dad and husband…sometimes I just suck at it!! Sometimes I am so selfish and going after the things that will fulfill me that I miss out on the things that truly fulfill the desires of my heart.  But that’s not my intention it just IS sometimes.

THEY FOLLOW ME…and I pray that I will lead them well and to the heart of Jesus

What things often times get backwards in your life??

I have decided I don’t want the American Dream
I don’t care about working up the corporate ladder for my gain
Bigger and better are words that I hope never lead me in my consumption

I am reading a book called RADICAL by David Platt that is resonating so deep within me.  My worldview in the past could be summed up in one word CONSUMERISM. It was all about me, my stuff, my way, my job, my fame, my whatever. Basically the “American Dream”. The tag line of RADICAL is “Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream”.

…in the American dream, where self reigns as king (or queen), we have a dangerous tendency to misunderstand, minimize, and even manipulate the gospel in order to accommodate our assumptions and our desires

Consider the cost when Christians ignore Jesus’ commands to sell their possessions and give to the poor and instead choose to spend their resources on better comforts, larger homes, nicer cars, and more stuff. Consider the cost when these Christians gather in churches and choose to spend millions of dollars on nice buildings to drive up to, cushioned chairs to sit in, and endless programs to enjoy for themselves. Consider the cost for the starving multitudes who sit outside the gate of contemporary affluence

I WANT TO LIVE DIFFERENTLY…What about you?? I want to see the church live, move, and strategically plan differently. I am just more and more convinced that the majority of decisions we make in our lives and in the church are not based on the leading of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God but on a consumerist “American Dream” worldview… WHAT ABOUT YOU?  What do you think??

Buy the book, read it and be ready for your life to be changed

This is Benjamin.

I met Benjamin for the first time in 2005 in Rwanda.  I took this picture of him

Since then I have seen him on most occasions when I’ve gone back.

I have talked with him, laughed with him, played with him and have given him many hugs but, BENJAMIN’s HEART IS FAILING!!

A great organization named Ten Talents rescued Benjamin from the streets of Rwanda and have brought him into one of their homes. Benjamin wants to live a life of hope and value.

He needs HOPE…He needs
HEART SURGERY.

Will you help us make this happen.  You can donate here and read more of the story.

The doctor who examined him at the hospital found that Benjamin has a serious heart condition and it requires surgery immediately. Literally, his life is in danger. The surgery is a heart valve replacement and is not available in Rwanda. We are looking at other countries for surgery, possibly India or the US, or even Sudan since we may be able to get him there sooner. We have added an option to our giving page if you would like to give towards Benjamin’s heart surgery.

This is Benjamin in the hospital in Rwanda and Benjamin with his mother (Agnes)

You can help SAVE A LIFE…join me!!