Faithware Passages

One of my favorite singer/songwriters is Patty Griffin, who just released a new CD. Straying for the first time from her folk/rock/blues side she just released, for the first time, a Gospel CD entitled “Downtown Church.” This is just am amazing CD which features a few guest artists including, Emmy Lou Harris, Shawn Colvin, Buddy & Julie Miller and more. Although Downtown Church covers old hymns she did write two new songs for this CD.  This is another must have CD.

If your not familiar with Patty Griffin, you also need to check out some of her past CD’s especially “Children Running Through” and “1000 Kisses”. She writes and performs with an amazing amount of soul and has a beautiful, haunting voice. I think one of the most unappreciated artists out there.

Tags: Music

I have posted about this website in the past, but it has been quite awhile and there has been many new additions, so please check them out again by clicking here.

This also leads into a theme that I have been thinking about posting about. Real testimonies by real people with real struggles. If there has been one consistent theme in my posts, it’s that I try and stress good news.  I have been reading more and more about familiar names who are publicly discussing their relationship with Jesus Christ and seeing many unheralded stories. So you may see some posts on these in the future.

Tags: Stories, Websites

The nominations for the 41st Dove Awards have been announced, you can see a complete list here.

Here are the Major Categories;

Artist of the Year
Francesca Battistelli
Casting Crowns
Jason Crabb
Jars of Clay
TobyMac
Mary Mary
Skillet

New Artist of the Year
Jonny Diaz
Kari Jobe
Revive
Sidewalk Prophets
Bluetree
Crystal Akin
Brian Courtney Wilson

Group of the Year
Casting Crowns
Gaither Vocal Band
Jars of Clay
NEEDTOBREATHE
Tenth Avenue North
Hezekiah Walker & LFC
Skillet

Female Vocalist of the Year
Francesca Battistelli
Natalie Grant
Mandisa
Dawn Michele
Laura Story
Karen Peck Gooch
Heather Headley

Male Vocalist of the Year
Jeremy Camp
Jason Crabb
Michael English
Brandon Heath
Bebo Norman
Mark Schultz
Donnie McClurkin
Smokie Norful

Song of the Year
“Born To Climb” by Jeff & Sherri Easter, Wayne Haun and Joel Lindsey
“By Your Side” by Tenth Avenue North
“Free To Be Me” by Francesca Battistelli
“God Is There” by Diamond Rio
“I Will Rise” by Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio
“Let the Waters Rise” by MIKESCHAIR
“Revelation Song” by Jennie Lee Riddle
“Somebody Like Me” by Neil Thrasher, Michael Boggs
“Two Hands” by Jars of Clay
“Why Can’t All God’s Children Get Along” by Karen Peck & New River

The 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards will be shown only on the Gospel Music Channel on Sunday, April 25 at 8 pm et.

Tags: Current Events, Music

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, the 40 days before Easter. I forget that this is not an event that all Christian religions celebrate.  Click here to read a good explanation of what it is all about.

By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return. - Genesis 3:19

Tags: Current Events, Verses

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” - St. Thomas Aquinas

Tags: Faith, Quotes

Guardian Village is asking for prayer request on several Issues.

Please pray with us that:
1. Mr. and Mrs. B will have a change of heart In asking GV to leave one of their current facilities.
2. They will not require GV to vacate the building.
3. That GV can locate a wonderful flat or home that the B family will be happy to move into.

also

GV has been looking for a parcel of land for a center where they can drill a well and construct a filtration system that will provide clean, healthy water for their children, women’s shelter, staff families, and the local community. Please pray that:
1. They can make contact with land owners and that we will have their favor and the the resources
necessary to make a reasonable offer to buy their land contiguous to ours and the main road.
2.That the land that is to be theirs will be protected and released into their hands at the right time.

also

On health issues please pray that:
1. The GV family will once again enjoy health and wholeness.
2.The distractions of the Enemy will be stopped
3. Those who have been afflicted will experience complete healing.

I wish I could give more information, but as mentioned earlier, they are in a place where it is better to be anonymous, but your prayers will be heard and understood.

Tags: Guardian Village, Prayer Requests

When we travel with Faithware to do festivals and shows, we always keep a box by the cash register where many people drop the change they just received back from their purchases. Some give generously more!  We do give this entire amount to Guardian Village which they use for scholarships for the children.  We did not do as many shows this year for various reasons, we did only 7 last year. But, I thought I would pass on that we did collect $80.53 for 2009 which was all passed on to Guardian Village. They do appreciate it and more than you know! Thank you all!

Tags: Guardian Village

If your not familiar with Andy Stanley, you need to be. He is the Senior Pastor at North Point Community Church in Atlanta Church. He help start up Northpoint Ministries in 1995 which now includes 3 churches in the Metro Atlanta area and 20 strategic partner churches.

I have been listening to his pod casts for quite awhile now and he has an amazing talent of bringing the bible to life and then relating it to current everyday living. He usually spreads a theme out over several weeks and tackles it from several angles. Fresh, thought provoking, funny and is a gifted speaker. The good news is he has free podcasts on I-tunes here.

Check him out, you’ll be glad you did.

Tags: Other Blogs, Websites

I have been down for a bit due to a nasty virus my computer happened to pickup. It took me some time to, find it, then figure it out and scrub it off my system. I actually got it from a spam comment to this blog. Anyway, I really didn’t want to do anything on my system until I knew I had it removed. By the time it was removed it took me a total of about 8 - 10 hours between research and loading and unloading various programs.

Now I know I am being extremely naive, but I just don’t understand how some can knowingly install these viruses understanding exactly what damage it can do and what it will cost people in time and money in repairing the problems created. Some viruses are benign enough, which is what this worm I picked up happened to be, but no matter what, it is is still vandalism and it’s purpose is theft.  Through out this entire process I just keep shaking me head trying to understand someone behind this. Then I happened to see this article. They helped train 180,000 hackers! this is just one website! I guess this is just something we will always be dealing with. It just reminds me of what the real world can be like.

Tags: Miscellaneous, Random

I was first extremely shocked, then saddened, then angry after reading this story.

Quoting this Fox news story, Rebecca Garland, the chief academic officer for North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, told Fox News “We are certainly not trying to go away from American history, What we are trying to do is figure out a way to teach it where students are connected to it, where they see the big idea, where they are able to make connections and draw relationships between parts of our history and the present day.”

How can the students be connected to American history when they start in the middle of the time-line?  They state that they will have been taught North Carolina and US History in middle school, but you know it will not be as in depth or with a comprehension that will only come with age. If anything they should be concentrating on the birth of this great country with special emphasize on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

As Thomas Jefferson stated “I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion.” But I guess if you go to school in North Carolina, after reading this statement, you might instead be asking who is Thomas Jefferson?

Tags: Current Events