It’s hard to believe it’s been three and a half years since Rick White and The People’s Church (TPC) invited my family to come to Franklin and lead the worship ministry here.  It has been a wonderful journey.  We have made new friends, seen God do some powerful things, had our third little one, and cultivated songs to rise from our church worship family to touch the world.  I am very thankful for Rick’s belief in my leadership and the culture of creativity that has allowed us all to explore new horizons.

Life is full of seasons and this season is coming to a close.  We are stepping down from our full-time leadership role here but are thankful that relationships will continue.  Our next steps are very exciting.

Here’s the ‘New Chapter’:

• We are looking forward to being with many of our dearest friends in South Florida starting in October as I serve Christ Fellowship Church in Palm Beach Gardens in a part-time/interim role as Worship Leader.  Most of the time I will be at The Stuart Campus for next few months, but I’ll serve wherever I’m needed.  (Still based in Franklin, TN but looking forward to some beach time!)
• I will be working with my editor this fall to finalize my first fiction novel The River and I’ll be working on production development for a LIVE Experience in 2011 that will be based on the book. (You’ll hear much more about this in the days ahead)
• I will be continuing all of my songwriting efforts and composing for the soundtrack of The River Experience LIVE.

So…that’s the news!

We are very thankful for the many blessings in our lives.

I hope our paths cross soon.

“Security is an illusion.  Life is either a daring adventure or it is nothing at all.”

Michael

Click here to view the embedded video.

It was about 6 o’clock in the evening and it was time for Dalton to go home.  His dad Gregg and I noticed that his backpack was a bit more full than it should be.  Gregg looked at me and said quietly, “My son looks guilty, I sense a confession coming on”.  Then immediately Dalton looked up with an “uh oh” look that seemed to give away the internal conflict he was dealing with.  Then came the predicted confession. He opened his backpack and with one hand he pulled Snaps out of the backpack and hoisted him in the air.  “I have to take him home!”.  Gregg and I almost fell on the ground.  There’s some great spiritual truth here or life lesson that I will draw from for teaching or writing but for now, I’m just going to enjoy the purity of that moment.  God shows up in the most unique ways and surprises us with joy.  This moment came at such a great time.

I hope you have a fun moment today.

Steve Edwin a.k.a "Snaps"

- Practicing the Presence of People by MIKE MASON

I was taken by this quote.  Very convicting.  This book is a great read.  If you’ve read it, I’d be curious to get your thoughts.  I want to see the power of God at work in the way I interact with people today, even in the difficult situations (not that there are any ).  There’s a lot to be said about this subject…MN

Today was an interesting day.  My wallet was stolen out of my car.  I found a charge on my debit card at Kroger for several hundred dollars levied at 4 a.m. a couple of days ago.  Thankfully, I was able to cancel all of the other cards in there before too much damage had been done.  That was most of my day today, calling companies to have cards/accounts frozen or changed.

After I was so seething mad that I had to spend my day doing this, it occurred to me…”I actually have something to steal”.  I gave thanks for the provision in my life and said a prayer for the perpetrator.

Now, on to enjoying the gift of life!

The entire weekend was wonderful just spending some time with my oldest boy, but there was one thing that I’ll never, ever forget.  I was teaching the crowd a new song entitled Your Great Name.  It’s a song off of our SHINE OUT record here at TPC that God has really been using to touch a lot of people.  The lights in the auditorium were turned down.  People were beginning to sing along and worship.  About half way through the first chorus I looked back and saw a sight that will forever be etched in my heart.  Micah was standing at the back wall all by himself with his hands and face reaching toward the heavens singing to the top of his lungs.  It was one of the purest expressions of worship I’ve ever seen.  

I had many people tell me that Micah led them in worship that night.  For him to be expressing his love to God when he thought no one was looking, impacted those adults profoundly.  Never underestimate how God will use a child.  I was led to the feet of Jesus by my son last Saturday night.  I was wrecked…

 A couple of weeks ago I was staying on Palm Beach with my wife Leah.  I got up at daybreak to lead worship at Christ Fellowship for their morning services.  I walked out to the seawall and was greeted with this amazing sky God had painted.  I just sat there and drank it in.  Then…about 150 yards off shore a dolphin (Flipper style) began to leap several feet out of the water!  I couldn’t believe it.  It just made it’s way down the horizon for as far as a I could see.  I wanted to shout and tell someone.  I was too mesmerized to try to get a picture with my iPhone.  Sometimes I believe God meets us in unexpected ways and reminds us that He’s there, He’s involved, and He’s NOT aloof.  It’s like all that was just for me that Sunday morning.  Has something like this ever happened to you?  Where God met you in an unexpected way?  I’d love to hear about it.

Talk soon…