I have been thinking about those times in my life when I have felt the presence of God in a powerful way.  I don’t know about you, but I have been asked over the years how I can know there is a God.  My answer would be too long to include in this entry, but it made think:  What are the times in my life I knew, without a doubt, that I was in the presence of God or something from the heavenly realm?  I feel His presence everyday, but there have been times the feeling was so intense that it felt like the veil had been removed.

I’m going to share some of these experiences here over the next few months, but thinking about them reminded me of something that happened when I was in the 1^st grade.  I don’t think I have shared this with anyone (which may still be the case since no one may be reading this :)), mainly because it is a strange story.

I was on the playground one day, and there was a new girl there I had not seen before.  She followed me around, doing what I was doing, and we ended up talking on the bleachers by the baseball field.  I remember feeling really happy around her.  There was something familiar and comfortable about her.  It was probably one of my earliest existential moments (yes, even at age six), but I was very aware of being in the world, and being with someone special.  When it was time to go inside, she told me she would be leaving, and that it would be a long time before I saw her again, but to remember that we would always be together, even if I couldn’t see her.  I remember not understanding why she was leaving since she was new that day, but sure enough, she was not around even later that same day.

To be continued…

In Luke 6:27-28, Jesus says “But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you.”  I have never thought of myself as having enemies, or being an enemy to anyone, so I have not felt the magnitude of this passage.  Yet over the past few months, I have had a series of challenges with people who ended up stealing from me. These included a dishonest music promoter, wrecker service (after my car broke down on the interstate), and a bona fide thief.  Since these encounters happened back to back and I always look for the meaning and reasons for things, it was hard for me to make sense of it, and even harder to feel anything remotely related to love for these people.

I have heard several pastors over the years say that we really don’t understand God’s love. We love the people who love us in return. This is the exact opposite of what these verses from Luke are saying. So these situations have given me an opportunity to explore the idea of loving seemingly unlovable people and seeing them the way God does. He really wants us to love when we feel hatred, and show kindness when it is the last thing we want to do.  I think about the people who use others, and the three who used me, and how it must feel to be them.  If they have the capacity to feel (which some people do not), they must feel much desperation and insecurity to live in a reality where the highlight of the day is how much they took from someone else.  Imagine being a person like this, and how freeing it would be to experience God’s love and healing.

Jesus continues in verse 29 and says that if someone takes your cloak (or coat), give him your tunic (or shirt) as well. Verse 30 says from him who takes away your goods, do not ask for them back. Verses 31-36 say that if you love those who love you…, and do good to those who do good to you…, and lend hoping to get it back…, what credit is this to you? Love your enemies, do good and lend, hoping for nothing in return, and your reward will be great. “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”

Imagine really feeling this way for someone who has hurt you, and this is just a glimpse of God’s love.

Over the last several months, “Abby May” and “Little Child” have been added to approximately 27 radio stations. “Glorious Savior” continues to be added and played, and one radio network of 500 stations in Australia added “Straight N Narrow”. I am so grateful to these station managers for taking the time to listen to the songs and play them for their listeners!

Thank you for sharing in my good news! More updates will follow soon…

The idea of sowing and reaping has been on my mind lately. I once heard a speaker tell the story of a man who had been given a pot of dirt by a farmer with specific instructions for its care. The man made sure it received the right amount of water, light, and fertilizer according to instructions. After months of this routine and no signs of growth, the man told the farmer that he must be doing something wrong because nothing had happened after so many months. He was told to continue the routine. Months turned into years, and the man again sought advice from the farmer, and again was told to continue caring for the pot of dirt. One morning after three years of diligent care, the man saw that the plant had grown three feet overnight.  This continued day after day until it became a 40-foot tree. What the man could not see was that all of his work was creating a thriving root system that had been developing over the long three years. 

There are times we may be working for something or praying for someone without seeing results, but we need to remember that things are happening that we cannot see.  Our own “pots of dirt” will one day turn into something incredible if we remain faithful. That same truth holds during those times when we may see people being dishonest or hurting and cheating others.  We don’t see the damage to themselves that is taking place. It may look like they already have pots of gold, but weakness and decay lie beneath. It says in Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: For whatsoever a man sows, that will he also reap.” I’m thankful we can hold onto this promise!

I was checking my email a few nights ago, and when I opened the message, a picture of my dad appeared. A student who knew Dad when he was a coach had posted a picture of him on Facebook as a memorial. Dad passed away several years ago, and I was with him when he died. His death was unexpected. We had read I Corinthians 13 as our devotional that night, not knowing he would die only a few hours later. We talked about the sections of the chapter that say “for now we see though a glass darkly, but then face to face,” and where it later says “but then shall I know even as also I am known”, and whether or not this meant we would all know each other when we are reunited in Heaven.

Some people believe we will not know each other, because this means we will remember any bad that may have happened along with the good, and this cannot be a part of Heaven since there will be no more tears there. Some believe we will know each other, but those bad memories will be gone. Others believe that knowing each other will be universal–that we will all feel that we have always known each other, and it will be so great that whether or not we knew each other on earth won’t matter. Dad and I decided that night that whatever the answer, it is much better than anything we could ever design.

When I opened the email the other day, my dad’s picture just suddenly appeared, and there was a split second when I didn’t remember he was gone. It was an “all is normal in the world” feeling–Dad is here, we’ll probably watch a game and eat hot dogs later tonight. The feeling I had reminded me of those times when we go through periods of grief and wake up in the mornings, and for a brief moment, everything is peaceful, and there is no trace that anything was ever wrong. From my earthly eyes, I kinda think it will be that way when we see each other on the other side. One key to I Corinthians 13 is when Paul says “for now I know in part,” which really sums up so much of the walk of faith.

Today is the day we celebrated Dad’s birthday. I thought this would be a nice way to remember him.

Next Tuesday, February 7 will be the official release date for “Abby May” and “Little Child”, the latest singles from Leap. You can check out the links to see the video here and the feature box at All Access here. Though the songs were written at different times over the six years it took to make the album, both deal with the taking of innocence. “Abby May” was written about a girl who never felt she belonged.  In the video for the song, she finds herself the merchandise for human traffickers. For reasons she does not understand, she becomes drawn to a church and wonders what would happen if she were to go inside. The song and video address the power of prayer, God’s redemption, and how the church family can impact people like Abby May who feel like outsiders.

“Little Child” is based on Matthew 19:14, where the people were trying to keep the children away from Jesus, and He told them to let them come to Him, “for such is the kingdom of God”. The song is set in the present day, with the narrator finding himself in a world where childlike faith is gone.

I hope the songs remind us that no matter what we may be going through, God sees us as His children (Romans 8:17) even though there may be many factors that try to keep us from this truth. It’s when we start seeing ourselves though His eyes that we can truly know and experience the life He has made for us…

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. (Ephesians 1:4-5, NLT)

Some of the first words I heard this year were “Jesus loves you”.  It was early in the morning, and we needed to pick up a card at the grocery store.  As I was looking at the cards, a man walked over to me and said, “I usually don’t do this, but I wanted to tell you that Jesus loves you.” I replied, “I really appreciate you telling me that, and Jesus loves you, too.”

This was not the usual grocery store exchange. And since part of my personality is to analyze why things happen (some call it paranoia), I had various, interfering thoughts (“Do I look like someone who doesn’t know Jesus loves him? Maybe not shaving this morning was a bad idea.”) I then thought about what it says in Mark 16:15. One translation of it reads, “Then Jesus said to them, ‘So wherever you go in the world, tell everyone the Good News’.”

This is what the man was doing. Even though I have known that Jesus loves me for as long as I can remember, unexpectedly hearing it that day seemed to cut to the heart of what really matters. It was like John 8:32 says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” That is how it felt to really experience those words. It felt like someone had just told me the answer to life, the universe, and everything. And that is exactly what had happened.

Merry Christmas from Mama’s Hippopotamus Music!

The song “Abby May” from Leap is going to be released in a few weeks. A sneak peek of the video is now available at the link below. Hope you enjoy it!

\”Abby May Sneak Peek\”

I thought I was looking at myself...

It’s that time when people start reflecting on the year that is about to end and thinking about the new year.  I hate to admit it, but I have never been a big fan of doing this.  I’m usually an “in the moment” kind of guy.  I count my blessings as they come, and try to make the best of everything God provides without looking too far behind or ahead.

For some reason, though, I can’t help but look back at the great things that happened for my music this past year.  If you have read my blog, you already know all about them, so I won’t list them again.  But I will mention the pre-release party at The Clubhouse in Villa Rica. It remains one of the best experiences I have had.  It never occurred to me as we stood there performing, surrounded by the most supportive people I know, that almost a year to the day later, we would be playing in New York City.  The great experiences that occurred between those two dates are amazing.  It’s evidence of how God knows the plan.  I would have never known to even ask for the opportunities that came our way.  Yes, God does exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

A view from Central Park

About the trip to NYC–I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the big city, but I really enjoyed it. The people were nice, and many went overboard in making us feel comfortable.  If we had questions, we would ask people on the street or subway, and everyone seemed happy to help.  We got a great deal at a place called The Flatiron Hotel, [thanks to a secret (travel) agent we know named Sonya].  I have never been shown such hospitality at a hotel. One night, the concierge spent 20 minutes in the middle of the street, in the rain, trying to get us a taxi to take us to the show.

When I almost lost two buttons on my jacket (maybe I ate too much), the seamstress at a place called John Glory sewed them back, on the spot, for $2 a button.  We enjoyed great breakfasts at a place down the street called My Taste, and wore out the subway going anywhere we wanted to visit.  Central Park and The Metropolitan Museum of Art were highlights.

Sunset in Central Park

The Living Room where we played was really comfortable, as the name suggests. The people there and from the Independent Music Awards showed us such hospitality. I felt blessed to be with the best band in the world–Brian Preston on drums, Cody Preston on lead guitar, Wayne Jay Wilson on bass, Carson Ray on vocals and tambourine, and Swaff, my awesome producer, on electric guitar. It was also nice to see my sister and Swaff’s mom in the audience. For pics from the showcase, click here.