from the Carefree desert to "the shire" of America - aka - Phoenix to wilmore Kentucky

This has been an interesting week folks (or folk - whoever's reading this) - started out in Phoenix with Life Teen and their annual June Convention. It's just like hanging with family - we've all been in ministry together for so long. This year, we invited Walt Mueller, a well known non denomin and Marc Ostreicher from Youth Specialties ( http://www.ysmarko.com ) - he gave a talk Tuesday night that was amazing - and is the main subject of a new book coming out soon, that you're gonna wanna get if you're in Youth Ministry.
Since yesterday, I've been hanging out in Kentucky - home of horse racing, mint juleps, Thomas Merton, and amongst other things, great people in Lexington and Wilmore. Bishop Gaynor in Lexington is a wonderful man with a great vision of community - not only for Catholics in Lex, but for all believers - the relationship here between denominations has been so encouraging....it's been wonderful to see and be a part of. I was first brought here by a good friend, John David Walt. John David is the dean of chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY, and a great lyricist and poet. He has wonderful insights about the nature of who we are as believers and how does that get expressed in our lives. He has a great blog you can find at http://farmstrong.blogspot.com
- yesterday we were part of a brainstorming session with folks from different organizations and denominations to talk about how Asbury Seminary could help emerging church leaders; we drove around on a tour bus - good times. We ended yesterday with watching Brenton Brown lead worship at Ichthus (Christian Festival). Brenton has written so many wonderful songs for the church (everlasting God, Lord Reign in Me, Hosanna, and Halleluiah (Your Love Is Amazing) to name a few. He has a new CD coming out soon. We'll give you more details as they come.
- Today is a good day of chilling out. But it is sad - because it is raining in wilmore, and the folks at Ichthus had to cancel the night. Robbie Seay and his band are in town - but they aren't playing. Neither is Toby Mac, or Kutless, or Stellar Kart. Sadness. But we did have a great meal courtesy of the Walts with my band and Robbie's band. Great meal and conversation. good times :)

- more reports from the Icthus festival to come (oh yeah - that's why we're here - we're playing tomorrow night at .
p.s - Brenton Brown has a new CD coming out soon with some great new songs for the church.
p.p.s - go buy Robbie Seay Band's album, "Give Yourself Away"
p.p.p.s - pray for no rain tomorrow at ichthus.

songwriting, the state of iowa, and corn.

It was a good week - I started out in Houma, Lousiana with a few days off to pray and recharge; then to Nashville for two days of songwriting with some great people. Good times.
Tonight i got back to Phoenix; watched a documentary about the corn industry in america. It's called "King Corn", and it is a somewhat slow at first, and then mildly shocking. If you care about agriculture in America (and in particular, the biggest crop in America), you should watch it.
(fyi- there's a couple of times that some mildly "colorful" language is used, so be aware."

http://www.kingcorn.net/

"been a long time since i rocked and rolled"

one year later
im not sure im wiser
some things are better
like the sky seems to go higher

So i'll periodically take a look upward and inward and give a report of sorts of what i find (on the outside and the in)
pax