Last week, Marcy, Rachel and I had the chance to attend MVNU’s fall musical, “Same Old Story.” It was a great night full of laughter and another reminder that I am blessed to work with a very talented group of students on this campus. Kudos to Prof. Ryan Long, the cast and crew for a great run!
The night also provided a blessing I wasn’t expecting. I ran into one of our listeners at the show and as we greeted each other, he said, “I pray for you guys every day…and I mean that.”
I can’t tell you how much that simple comment motivated me for the rest of that night and into the weekend. I knew he wasn’t kidding or making small talk. It is incredibly humbling on so many levels. What we do at WNZR is truly a partnership between our staff and you. I can’t express how much we appreciate those prayers. I can’t express how much we need those prayers.
The last few weeks have been a typical roller coaster for our staff…between illnesses, family deaths, the challenges of class assignments, mentoring, grading, staying on top of events, and technical issues, your prayers ARE making a difference!
Today’s word of the day is inveterate
Pronounced in-VET-er-it, meaning having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change.
EXAMPLES:
He was an inveterate gambler.
He has an inveterate tendency to tell some very tall tales!
This video gives me chills. How incredibly beautiful. If you need something to turn your day around- THIS IS IT! Watch this live video of Kari Jobe’s new single “Forever”. At about 6:30 through the video, there is an AMAZING spoken word segment. I really hope you enjoy the new song, but be careful – it WILL get stuck in your head :]
Our very own Joe Rinehart recently had the opportunity to see the new film “Heaven Is For Real”, which tells the story of a 4-year-old boy who has a near-death experience and claims to see some impressive heavenly visions.
Over ten years after the near-death incident, Colton Burpo is still sharing his story and influencing people all over the world. In a recent interview with theblaze.com, Burpo shared some wise words for a 14-year-old: “Well, I’m not scared of death because I know where I’m going,” Burpo told theblaze.com, “And the funny thing is that the worst thing Satan can throw at you is death. So if I get death, I get heaven… If I don’t die I get to keep doing what I’m doing now and I get to help people out.” You can read the rest of the interview with Colton and his parents here: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/04/16/boy-who-says-he-nearly-died-and-met-jesus-in-heaven-responds-to-his-critics/
Here’s a great interview from Kevin Davis of newreleasetuesday.com with Mike Donehy of Tenth Avenue North. I shared a little bit about the story behind the song during the NZ Top 10. Check out the interview and DEFINITELY check out the music video, it’s awesome! -Josh
Please tell me the personal story behind writing this song.
Maybe this song won’t be a revolutionary thought for you, but it has been for me. Probably for the last two years or so, this is the thing I have felt that God has been teaching me. Or should I say, the thing that He has been beating me over the head with. Truth is a person. Jesus says in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by me.” The Gospel started as Good News. It has been passed on that Martin Luther used to preach the same sermon week after week to his congregation and when they asked him why he preached the Gospel every week, he answered, “because you forget it each week.” The Church needs to believe the Gospel. The “choices we make don’t reflect who we are.” Do you remember the scene in Batman Begins when Batman is standing by a window and Katie Holmes is looking at him and she asks him, “Who are you?” Do you remember what he says? With that icy blue stare he looks at her, and in that absurd gravely voice he bellows, “It’s not who I am, it’s what I do that defines me!” That is so sad…and so wrong.
Please tell me about any Bible verses that you used to write the song?
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come…
…For our sake he made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
What do you consider to be the takeaway message for listeners?
Not that the promises of God aren’t true all the time, they are. But the thing is, just because we have promises, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s answers. At least, not the way we’re looking for. And that’s why God tells me to feel it before I try to fix it. “Weep with those who weep. Rejoice with those who rejoice.” That’s what I’m called to do. Before I try to know everything and have a solution for everything and everyone, first I need to learn to sit down and weep with people. Before I try to put a band aid on their wounds, I need to actually feel the wound myself. I mean, isn’t that what Jesus did for us? He felt before He fixed. He hurt before He healed. He became flesh and dwelt among us. And so, this changes things. This means that it doesn’t matter how much Scripture and philosophy I know, what matters is what I do with it. Ironically, having a lot of information about Jesus can often be the very thing that keeps us from Him. We delude ourselves into thinking that Jesus is nothing more than a fact on a page. An idea to comprehend, a moral to ascribe to. And believe me, He’s much more than that. He is our life, our breath, and the pulse within our veins. He is before, behind, and all around. Over. Underneath. Inside. In between. We need to live big for God. That’s what the song is about.
Josh and Joe talked about a Jr. High student who saved his school over $21,000 with a simple science fair project. Simply changing the font that his school uses for all documents and handouts could save the school over 24% of their ink annually. Read more here: http://tinyurl.com/npu27jz
Driving Notes 