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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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?