When You're Blessed, You Are Blessed!

Tonight I was blessed at a worship service where a concert broke out! Mercy Me is not just a great studio band, their live show is incredible. Anything that motivates me to be more than the lazy channel surfing slob I am inside is so good it is just short of miraculous. I was so lucky to see them perform at Crossroads Church in Corona, CA along with Aaron Shust and a duet called Monk & Neagle - a couple of young men with acoustic guitars and dynamic harmonies and amazingly insightful lyrics. The night was special as we shared it with friends; a couple that we know from my wife's work. I have heard the phrase "Keep Jesus the focus" a million times in my life, but tonight all of the groups that led the audience in worship truly were in the backseat and were very comfortable there.

Musically the concert was tight, with good mix of vocal and instruments. In this sanctuary that seats approx 1000 people in stadium seats with a pro stage, I was tremendously impressed. Loving the band Mercy Me as I do I was disappointed they only sang for an hour and a half, doing just a few songs from each CD, including the not-yet-released CD. I was so jazzed to hear that mix of vocals and instruments from the band - Bart has an amazing gift, his pipes are very powerful and have such a rich sound - even when in his highest register!

Enough critique - if you have the opportunity to hear them live, take it! And, as was said many times by all the bands, whatever you do, choose to give God glory, and wait for the end to see it all work out! This message really struck home to me as we have experienced our share of trials, and God's reward has always been evident. Some things we (my life partner, wife, sweetheart, lover all in one) are still trusting on some things, but Joshua, Gideon, Elijah, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Daniel, Simon Peter, and many others stand as our examples of God's faithfulness and His ability to be glorified through the stupidity and frailty of mankind. Be blessed in your daily routines - give it all you have, for God promised to give you all He has!