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Pat Barrett’s got a fire! He encourages the LifeSongs family with a Zoom into the LifeSongs Morning Show. Learn about his dad Marty – touring with Brandon Lake – and what the fire of the Holy Spirit is doing in younger generations seeking a true faith-filled life!
(Transcribed by UniScribe (https://www.uniscribe.co). )
– Your favorite musicians, exclusive interviews, local artists, all on the LifeSongs podcast. – It’s the LifeSongs morning show. I have Josh and I’m very excited to welcome via Zoom, Pat Barrett. Pat, how you doing? – Hey, doing great. Good morning. – Is Pat short for Patrick Patagonia Tree? – Yes.
Yes, it’s short for Pat with more T’s. No, I was, my actual name is Joseph. Joseph Patrick Martin Barrett. And my dad, I was like, “Dad, why didn’t you call me Joseph?” And his response was always like, “Well, I just didn’t really get around to it.” I was like, “Wait, what?” So I became, I was Patrick. And then when I was in fifth grade, there was another Patrick in our class. And my teacher was like, “I can’t do this. One of y’all has to be named something different.”
So she says, “Who’s going to be Pat?” And I just raised my hand. And then it became Pat from then on out. Your teacher couldn’t handle two Patricks in the class? See? And that’s why I’m like, did I remember that correctly? But I think I did because she was unwilling to do like the Patrick B or Patrick G thing. She wanted no last names. I don’t know why.
different time. I don’t know. Yeah, that’s just lazy. I’m 45, so, like, in every class of school, it was, there were 14 Joshes. Like, we were all Josh. Oh, yeah. Yeah. See, and that’s why I was a little surprised, because Patrick, we’re out there, but we’re not, we’re not a Josh or Steven or anything.
Ryan, you know, like we can do this. But she was like she didn’t she wanted none of that. Let’s talk about I’ve Got a Fire. The song and the album great for so many reasons. The song is is so great. The saxophone solo. Come on. Why can’t every song have a saxophone solo?
I know. I know. I’ve asked myself and I’m doing my part, okay? You are. Let the record show I’m doing my part. Your dad in the music video is the sweetest thing ever. The first time I saw the video, I immediately emailed a link to my dad so that he could watch it. It was like Field of Dreams. I just wanted to play catch. It was great. Yeah. Oh my gosh. That’s the feeling I had when we were filming it because it started off like, oh, this will be so fun and funny and joyful. And then also…
while we were filming it, I was like caught off guard by how emotional I was kind of getting. So I was like, I’m having a forever memory moment with my dad and I recognize that in real time. I also think like my kids seeing a video of their dad dancing in a fountain with his dad is such a, it’s just such a beautiful picture. And one day I hope if my kids ever asked me to do it, I’ll return the favor because
how much joy it’s brought me. So I just– Dad has also, since the music video, he’s jumped in on tour dates as well. Oh, I saw one of the live performances of him, like, working his way through the crowd. That was so great. He did that– he did that, like, four or five times during the Brandon Lake tour that we just wrapped up. It’s not only was that– was the music video such a sweet memory, it’s had this continuing fun father-son, like, experience for us. So it’s been really sweet.
I’m sure Brandon Lake was very cool with that idea because he brings his kids up on stage all the time. Oh yeah, oh yeah. Like I have video of Lake dancing with my dad while my dad’s got a cowbell. Oh my goodness. I mean, come on. There’s footage. Yeah, I mean, so it was not only like, oh, allowed. It was welcomed and encouraged and just, I mean, so wild.
I’ll tell you like every night, every night was different but definitely on that second leg like once you’ve done the tour, you’ve gone through the set that many times, you lean more into moments like that that make it that night so specific and special and different and we felt like kids out there. And I’m in my, again, I’m in my 40s so like
Getting to feel that way and to, at this point in my life, I’m still saying yes to Jesus. I’m saying yes to leaning in to the Holy Spirit and His leading and purpose and plan in my life. Like, the “I’ve got a fire” thing is just funny because Dad was such a picture of that for me growing up.
and something to model like kind of one of those like Paul like follow me as I follow Christ type things like gosh this was modeled for me like how the older I get I can still grow younger in faith and have faith like a child and grow in wisdom but never grow out of childlike faith
That’s what’s been really, really fun. And just a reminder, I felt like a kid again, you know, past six months. And I want to keep it. I want to keep that flame burning.
I’m so glad that you got to do that with your dad and that he’s been a part of this amazing season in your career, which is really cool. And how you got to feel that childlike wonder and to express yourself in that way, which for just a second, it clicked in my brain why I love the whole Sons of Sunday thing that you’re in. It’s like if the kids from the Sandlot started a worship band. Yes, yes, that feeling is…
I mean, it was like, my only regret is that we didn’t do it sooner. You know? Yeah. Because that has been…
What a great picture. I love the Sandlot. I mean, that was like my childhood. The feeling of doing something you love with people you love. When you’re doing your own thing and writing your own individual record, that’s got another joy all of its own. But when you get to do something like that and share it with guys and something that feels unique, it’s a new thing. It’s like, oh, you bring your peace. You bring your peace, your personality, the way you write, the way you see the world. And we’ve already had so many of those moments that we haven’t shared before.
behind the scenes writing song. So to kind of like let people in on that and continue, it’s the best. Is there a new Sons of Sunday project coming out? One More Day is being pushed on the radio things right now, but we’re still writing. We still write a ton and I would not be surprised. It hasn’t been recorded if that’s what you’re asking, but it’s always in the chat.
I don’t know if this song has been released for radio or not, but I was watching your performance in My Father’s Business the other day, and there’s a line that you sing a lot in the song that has just… It caught me off guard. It’s, God forgive us for times we called it praise, but it was show business. This is the heart behind the commandment of not using God’s name in vain. Our industry, the music industry, is so guilty of this all the time. Yeah.
How do you merge these two? This identity of, like, my job is to be on stage and to sing songs and to entertain, but also to lead worship and to be truly present with God. Yeah, I mean, that’s literally why I wrote the song is because I feel calling it attention is a polite word for it. It’s actually, it’s one of the things that Jesus warned the most about, and it was religious showmanship, right?
was a big deal to Jesus. Giving people the appearance of righteousness without the deep formation that happens in discipleship and walking with Jesus, which is why, I mean, when you read the Sermon on the Mount, so many of those things that he talks about have to do with no one else seeing them. So when you give,
Don’t let your one hand know what the other hand is doing. Don’t give to be seen by other people. Don’t fast to be seen. Don’t pray long, lengthy prayers and wear long, flowing robes of people. Especially in our world is a constant reality check. Why are we doing the things that we’re doing? Are you writing a song because you want to be famous? Or are you sharing a song because of the way it’s helped you in your life?
And I think that doing the internal work of like, okay, this is kind of what David prayed in the Psalms, Lord, search me and know me. You know, when I wake and when I rise, if there’d be any wicked way in me, lead me in the path everlasting. Like there’s a,
There’s a prayerfulness that, a deep prayerfulness and accountability for people who do public religious work. I think a really great way in practical terms would be for every one public moment that’s like you being the leader and sharing your spiritual songs and worship, for every one public moment,
there should be nine private ones. That’s good. So then the totality of your leaning into God and even leadership is not in front of other people. It’s behind closed doors. So then you never assume that position is more than what it really is. Because does God care about you more when the camera’s on or when the song’s out? No, He cares about you the same.
And sometimes we mix that up. And then it can get even deeper. I can open up my journal. As a songwriter, when you’re, oh, I need to write a song, I’m going to open the scriptures and I’m going to not read because I care about it, read because I need some content. Yeah, you’re mining content. Yeah. And so I think there’s that song. I’m so glad no one’s talked to me about that song, by the way. I love it. I love it. I think that’s a very abrasive…
check to myself. I don’t want to lead worship or say I’m leading worship when deep down I’m the one who wants the praise and I’m the one who wants the attention and I’m the one who wants the eyes on me. And that song is, it’s a prayer of mine. It makes me sad for the times that that’s been true. And then it’s also created a path to honesty of when I’m like, oh God, like I just, my guard was down back there and I was
I kind of lost sight of the goal. And I think there’s such mercy and grace that’s found there in repenting. And I think that’s one of the, in the song too, it’s not just about like, here’s a critique of what we’re doing. It’s like, no, here’s an invitation back to repent and to continually not take the high position to take the low one. I think when those practices are part of your life, it absolutely levels the playing field. You don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought to. And you stop
trying to get attention that actually belongs to somebody else. And I think it’s a daily walk, but I think it’s really important. The world is on fire. You got wars all over, viruses, the Met Gala, it’s all awful. The Met Gala! You just threw out the Met Gala! Yeah, I mean Zendaya didn’t even show up, so what’s the point? But every night on your tour, you get to see a very different kind of fire. You see young generations pouring their hearts out in worship.
What are you seeing that would bring hope to us? Oh, wow. Where do I even start? I am seeing a desire for authenticity that, especially in younger people, that will make you a little nervous. People are growing very disinterested in the pageantry of cultural, I want to say cultural Christianity, but I just mean like the showmanship without the deep, honest,
conversations revolving around it or people opening up their lives and sharing in real terms, not broad, how God is impacting and helping them. And some of it, I mean, I’m a songwriter, so like I care a lot about the word choice. I think oftentimes we are not practiced enough in saying the thing we actually feel. And so we end up saying things like, “Hey guys, pray for me. It’s just been a tough season,” which is true. But the Falcons had a tough season.
We can do better with how honest we are about our life. And when we’re honest about it, we can let God into it. When we’re explicit about the things that we feel, the good, the bad, and the ugly. And what I’ve found to be encouraging is when you lean into that, all of a sudden, you realize that God wants to be a part of every single area of your life.
not the showy ones. It’s funny that show business line, it’s a different, yeah, pageantry is the word. Like we’re not interested in playing church. Sure. I don’t want my kids, when my kids think about discipleship, I don’t want them to think about a building. I want them to think about a conversation with somebody who loves them and is helping share Jesus with them in their life in a way that makes an impact first. And then I also want them to think about church and all that stuff. But not only that.
So I think there’s even a more growing, there’s a hunger for that type of, there’s a leaning into that type of faith that I think really pleases the heart of God. And it makes the fire burn bright because it’s not dependent on all the other stuff. Thinking about the younger generations that bring this desire for something truly real, not something packaged, but something a little jagged, a little raw. They are probably the most
They know all the vocabulary when it comes to emotional health and mental health. They’ve been in counseling since they were two. But they bring that to the world of following Jesus and find
the truth is Jesus is God of that. He’s big enough to handle all these intense emotions and all these things. It’s not just you have to be in this box in order to experience Jesus. It’s He’s there with you. I’ve got teenagers at home, so I’m grateful that they’re entering into young adulthood in the next few years with that world present.
I’m more hopeful for them and their church experience than some of the stuff that I’ve experienced. Yeah, yeah. And I am often reminded, I mean, I’m the same way, but it’s even different for them. They have been marketed to their entire life. Right. Digitally, commercially. When Jesus and faith and spirituality feel like a marketing ploy or a means to
build some business or some brand or some other thing like that’s like you’re not going to trick them yeah so if it’s not real to you don’t think it’s going to come across as real to them and their ability to sniff that out is uncanny so and it should be a challenge to any other leader that has myself included where you’re like well if I just present it the right way then it’s going to feel like no
The invitation is to embody the things, the life that Jesus has invited us into, and not just talk about it. And you can tell, if we’re all honest, when you get around somebody and you’re like, you live this. So I think that’s the encouragement. It’s…
There’s too much on the line. Life is too precious. The invitation of God is too miraculous. There is a kingdom to participate in and talking about it and dressing it up really nicely in our Sunday’s best is not…
That’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about living a life of the life that Jesus came to show us and died and rose to display and give us like that. Like this is this is real. And that makes me really hopeful. I mean, when I say hopeful as a dad, I’m like, that’s that’s the right that’s the right conversation to be having.
Your favorite musicians, exclusive interviews, local artists, all on the LifeSongs Podcast.
(Transcribed by UniScribe (https://www.uniscribe.co). )
Some New Years celebrations arrive with fireworks and high hopes: this is gonna be THE year! Other times, New Years arrives and we find ourselves looking around, hesitant to declare any sort of triumph because, honestly, we’ve been burned.
We’ve purchased gym memberships that went unused.
We made spiritual goals that went un-met.
We prayed prayers that felt unanswered.
Can I offer some New Years’ advice? Don’t be afraid to declare your goals. Don’t let a hard fought past decide your hope-filled future. One of the great gifts of God is changing seasons and celebrations (the Bible is FILLED with them). We can go from wandering in the desert to living in the Promised Land at any moment!
Every new year/week/day is an opportunity to live for God’s Kingdom – to become who He is shaping us to be and experience God’s great Mercy. So make those plans and goals and hopes and dreams! Trust that no matter what happens, God has a plan, and that plan includes YOU in His Kingdom.
And thank you so much for living that faithful, hopeful life with LifeSongs. Together we can bring encouragement and hope to countless lives, yours and mine included
Happy New Year!
I’m so thankful for the friendship and partnership we have with Global Maritime Ministries!
On Giving BACK Tuesday (The National Day of Giving #givingtuesday) we teamed up with the Port Ministry to give out Christmas treats and goodies to the truckers working the Port of New Orleans and it was such a joyful experience! We danced to Christmas music on LifeSongs to keep warm as we shared hot chocolate and coffee and cookies and presents with the hard working truck drivers.
It was the most Christmassy thing I can remember doing in recent years. I hope and pray you get to experience that real joy of Christmas this year – through giving and serving and loving well. And while Christmas music only lasts through December 25th, that spirit of love is alive and well all year long on LifeSongs! That’s because of your generous giving.
And we are so very thankful.
We got to shake hands, fist bump and hug nearly a hundred truck drivers and share stories while chugging lots of hot cocoa. The men and women who keep goods flowing in and out of the Port of New Orleans literally make our modern lives possible. And they were so kind and excited to celebrate Christmas with us on a blustery December Tuesday.
Our friends at Global Maritime Ministries work all year long with Port workers, and the men and women who serve aboard the ships that flow in and out of New Orleans and other locations in Southeast Louisiana. They share the Gospel and the love of Jesus every day to folks who are far from home – folks who then take the seed of the Gospel with them around the world! Be in prayer for those efforts and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram to see how the Good News is changing lives at sea!
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Josh got to meet/chat with Patrick Mayberry on the LifeSongs Morning Show. This Tennessee native is an incredible and humble worship leader with some exceptional new music! Give the podcast a listen to be super encouraged… and wowed by Patrick’s ability to lie directly to Josh’s face. #maybeitsMayberry
An annual tradition as old as stuffing – Josh chats with the turkey experts from the Butterball Talkline! Are you already defrosting your big centerpiece? It might be a little too early for that actually. But if you want the official PANTS of Thanksgiving then you need to give this a listen!
Visit Butterball.com
Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL
Text 844-877-3456
To chat with a bonafide turkey expert!
Transcription
Josh: It’s the Life Songs Morning Show. Hey, I’m Josh and I’m very excited to have a professional that we all need to know and love. Michael Maddox, the Turkey Talk line expert from Butterball is with us this morning. Michael, welcome to Life Songs.
Michael Maddox: Good morning, Josh. Thank you for having me, and I’m, I’m very happy to be here and talking about Butterball Turkey.
What, what a wonderful.
Josh: Now down here in southeast Louisiana, Michael, when we prepare a Turkey, it is, it is 50 50 between smoking it and deep frying at a lot of Cajun deep fried turkeys. But are there any new Turkey trends this year that we should know about?
Michael Maddox: We see a lot of, you know, a lot of different techniques and things and you know, for us we say the open pan method is the recommended method, but.
My father likes to deep fry his as well, and we see cooking in the bag. So we do, we actually have Butterball University that we have our 50 experts that we do every year like that. And just kinda looking at new trends, but also looking at people who have those electric roasters and kind of looking at different ways just to try to accommodate everyone who was kind of cook the cookie different ways.
Josh: So we should not shove a whole frozen butterball Turkey into the air fryer and expect it to be ready in half an hour.
Michael Maddox: Correct? Yeah. That would be, that’s called not having butterball Turkey for lunch that day because it’s, yeah, not a, not a good idea.
Josh: Awesome. Michael. Um, what is the deal? I sound like Seinfeld there.
What’s the deal with Thanksgiving hosting pants? This is popping up all over the internet right now. Where did this idea come from and how do I get me some.
Michael Maddox: Yeah, great question. Yeah, this year we’re helping holiday hosts get a leg up, uh, by partnering with Hedley and Bennett to create Thanksgiving hosting pants.
And these are just fun pants and giving confidence to the seasoned veterans, but also to the new host, right, because they’re getting kind of nervous about hosting. And so, you know, we dress for success and confidence and those kind of things. And so if you visit thanksgiving hosting pants.com. And they’re gonna be available the first three Mondays of November while supplies last.
And you can get these wonderful hosting pants by Butterball and a Headley and Bennett, and they’re blue and yellow. Let our Butterball colors, and it was kind of fun. They have a place for a thermometer, a place to hold your towel, a place from other gadgets, even has a bottle of openers. Hydration’s important this time of year.
And then also a um, 1-800-BUTTERBALL little sticker on there, a emblem on there in case you need to sneak into the closet and give us a call and help you out.
Josh: I hope they have some stretch to them, right, because if I’m eating Turkey, I’m gonna correct. Yeah. All right. Michael. Social media presents a lot of creative ways to rere prepare Thanksgiving leftovers.
I’ve seen stuffing waffles, which looks cool, wraps and all kinds of stuff. Do you have a favorite way of eating leftover?
Michael Maddox: You know what’s kind of funny and it, it’s, it’s, it’s kind of a unique one is, is making a, like a Thanksgiving day sandwich, but you put everything on it, right? You have a nice baguette or a nice, uh, like a submarine bowl, uh, bread like that.
Josh: And we call it a Poe Boy down here.
Michael Maddox: Oh yeah. Po Yeah. I, I love New Orleans. I’ve been there quite a few times and, and myself, I brush it with some garlic oil, and then you put the cranberries, like the cranberry chutney on there. You put the stuffing on there, the Turkey on there. I’m a spicy person. I like a little bit of like jalapeno, uh, cheddar cheese or jack cheese on that, and it’s just wonderful way to have that sandwich and kinda all the best of all worlds and an easy hand ready bite.
Josh: Yeah, Michael has won me over to the leftover sandwich. That sounds like a phenomenal recipe. So Michael, what are the ways that the Life science family can get in touch with Butterball? If we need some help, if we need some tips, if we need some recipes, where do we go? Who do we call? What do we do?
Michael Maddox: Sure.
Great question. butterball.com would be their website and it has great recipes on there. It has some how to videos. It has a product locator, so in case you’re trying to get a certain one. If you’re trying to figure out how much you need per person or how big a Turkey to get, that’s on there as well. You can also do text and chat.
You can also call 1-800-BUTTERBALL and we are here available to help you from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM uh, central standard time. And on Thanksgiving we have extended hours because we start early in the morning and we go into the evening like that, trying to help, uh, help the host with their butterball turkeys.
And also we can help with side dishes and sauces and all those kind of things too, which is fun.
Josh: Yeah, can we just give a round of applause to the Butterball team members that literally take their Thanksgiving and give in an active service to care for all of us? Trying desperately to impress our in-laws like that is a ton of work, a lot of stressed out people, and we are grateful for all that you guys do at Butterball.
Michael Maddox: Well, thank you so much. ’cause it’s our 44th year of the Butterball Turkey talk line. And what’s fun is we have over 50 culinary experts, so chefs, teachers, food sciences, registered dieticians. So for us it’s, it’s a good, great group of people together. And we, we have a wonderful time because we’re passing the love on and having fun talking and texting and chatting with, uh, the hosts.
Josh: Well, just because the Thanksgiving meal is mostly beige doesn’t mean it can’t be packed full of flavor. Thank you so much, Michael for. Spending some time talking with us and um, we’ll have all the links and stuff up for butterball on life songs.com and I’ve gotta go order those pants now, those Thanksgiving hosting pants.
Michael Maddox: Thank you Joshua, my pleasure to be with you and your listeners today.
Vance Hughes is not only the Underwriting Director at LifeSongs, but a proud Veteran. Each year he hangs with Josh and they talk about service life, resources for our Veterans and offer our thanks.
To all the service men and women in the LifeSongs family: Thank you.
MercyMe’s guitarist Barry Graul hangs with Josh on the LifeSongs Morning Show to get pumped about the upcoming MEGA concert with MercyMe, TobyMac & Matthew West! Tickets are still available HERE. MercyMe has a new record, a new movie and like 4 tours they are juggling – so lots to chat about!
Barry Graul (MercyMe) | LifeSongs Morning Show (edited for clarity)Josh: Thank you so much for choosing Uplifting LifeSongs, and I’m thrilled to introduce Barry Graul to the LifeSongs family. Barry, you play guitar with MercyMe and we’re gonna see you very soon at the Smoothie King Center, September 27th.
Barry Graul: Nice. Looking forward to that.
Josh: How long have you been writing songs professionally in Christian music?
Barry Graul: Oh, maybe pushing about 30 years.
Josh: That’s an incredible run.
Barry Graul: Yeah, that’s pretty good.
Josh: When you write a guitar lick, do you immediately think Bart’s gonna turn this into a song about heaven again?
Barry Graul: I have thousands of guitar licks, I think saved and for one to be used is pretty, pretty awesome. So I don’t care what he uses it for.
We never pay the bills. It doesn’t matter.
Josh: All right, so this tour with Toby Mack and Matthew West, this is like the biggest Christian music concert of the Fall across the country. I think between the three of y’all, the different acts, you’ve provided most of the hits for the last three decades.
Barry Graul: We’ve actually done two tours previously in the past two years with Toby. And it’s a pretty good time. We don’t hardly do festivals anymore. We pretty much take the summers off, which is when most festivals happen. And so we don’t get to play music with our friends or people that we know and love.
And so to be able to put a tour together where we can all be of one mind, you know, and get out there and do what we do, in different ways, you know, it’s, uh, yeah, we’re looking forward to it. A lot.
Josh: You guys really are in a place of mentorship when it comes to, to CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) today because you’ve been a part of so many groups and been a part of so many other groups’ stories – like you played in Whitecross, which is awesome.
You played some with DC Talk, right? I saw PFR on your Wikipedia page. They were my first love in Christian music.
Barry Graul: You know, they’re coming out with a new record, right?
Josh: No way – for real?
Barry Graul: Yeah. Yes. They’ve been working on it at our studio.
Josh: I’m thrilled that they’re all alive.
Barry Graul: Yeah,
Josh: because this was a long time ago.
Barry Graul: I’ll be sure to tell Joel that.
Josh: My first interaction with Christian Radio… They were doing an interview on WAY-FM in Nashville. (Yeah.) This was back in the early nineties and they had just released Goldie’s Last Day, which I was obsessed with.
And I called them, I asked them about their dog. They thought I was a little girl ’cause my voice had not dropped yet. And yeah. So I’m thrilled to hear that they’re still good.
Barry Graul: Yeah, man. Yeah, it’s gonna be good.
Josh: I remember when they came out it was, it was like, this is the second coming of the Beatles.
Barry Graul: Okay. Right. Yeah. You’re gonna love it. You’re gonna love it.
Josh: We’re talking with Barry Graul of MercyMe right now, and Barry, I Can Only Imagine 2 comes out in theaters in February of next year.
Barry Graul: Yes. Yes.
Josh: So is this like also a biographical film or are we going into uncharted fantasy sci-fi territory?
Like is it mercy me in space? Is this actually the third Dune movie?
Barry Graul: Man if only that were true. Oh, I still want to use a lights saber.
Josh: How involved are you guys in the band with the film production and the movies?
Barry Graul: I mean, our likeness is being used. We have actors…
Josh: You don’t have someone shadowing you, learning how to really get into the mind of Barry?
Barry Graul: You know, I had to send out a couple videos of how I played a couple things. That’s about it. And it’s gonna be great. We actually saw the very latest cut about two weeks ago, and man, it was really good. Really good. And it’s, it’s got some really funny moments too. So there’s emotional on both sides, you know?
And so, yeah, I think it’s, I think it’s gonna resonate.
Josh: Let’s play a little game. I like to call: Why Not? And this is actually based on the new music video you guys just released for. Why not now? Why not me? (Oh my goodness.) Looked like you guys had a lot of fun filming that.
Barry Graul: I can’t believe we actually did it in one day.
That’s what I can’t believe.
Josh: Was that filmed on like one of y’all’s properties?
Barry Graul: That’s in our studio. On our studio property, yeah.
Josh: You can check out the video by the way, on lifesongs.com. So first let’s start with why not now? What have you been putting off in your life that you should probably take care of?
Barry Graul: Whew. Hmm. I’m sure it’s fixing something that my wife wants me to fix.
Josh: Yeah, same. My, my car desperately needs an alignment.
Barry Graul: Yeah. Yeah, that’s about it. I’m actually pretty organized guy, so yeah.
Josh: Nice. Are you a a spreadsheet guy?
Barry Graul: Oh, no, no, no, no. A list guy. Definitely a list guy. Yes. Yes.
Josh: Lot of lists. Yes. I think that’s probably my most used app on my phone is my My Note app.
Barry Graul: Oh yeah. It just has so many notes. I love my notes.
Josh: Next question. Why not me? What do you get picked for last? And you kind of resent that?
Barry Graul: Hmm. Basketball, although it’s not one of my favorite sports to play after I rolled my ankle.
Josh: I was gonna say a relay race for me. Like, you know, they have the person who’s the anchor in a race?
I am just like outright an anchor. So the the song, Why Not Now? Why Not Me? talks about believing what Jesus thinks about us. What would Jesus tell you this morning that you need to hear and have a hard time believing?
Barry Graul: Hmm. He would say, and I know this, but he would say that I am forgiven for everything because sometimes I don’t really believe it. (Mm-hmm.) Grace is a hard thing to really grab a hold of sometimes because sometimes there’s so many reminders and your memory and it’s Satan just, you know, trying to steal you away from relationship. Thank goodness for forgiveness and mercy.
Josh: That’s a really good answer. Extend an invitation to the city of New Orleans to join you in concert September 27th.
Barry Graul: We love New Orleans and that’s why we’re coming to play there. Come out and see Toby and Matthew West. It’s gonna be a great time and we’re gonna worship together. It’s gonna be great. So come on out!
Josh & Libby talk about the last 20 years in a post-Katrina New Orleans – share stories – dream about the future! Including excerpts from local pastors and LifeSongs listeners.
We look back at what GOD HAS DONE in the past two decades. What good came from tragedy? What changes did He make in you and your life that you can now look back and say “I see Jesus in the storm”?
Thank you for being part of the LifeSongs family! We’re so grateful we get to share God’s love together through hope & encouragement.
If God has used this ministry to have a positive impact in your life, used a song to encourage you when you needed it most, we want to hear about it! Everyone has a story to share, and when you share what God is doing in your life, you encourage others!
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Josh had the privilege of spending some time on the phone with Chris Llewellyn of Rend Collective. The conversation goes all over the place – from the shores of Northern Ireland to Christmas tree traditions and the need for good therapy. You can listen to the entire podcast here – or read the transcript below.
Josh: Hey, good morning. It’s Josh on the LifeSongs Morning Show, and I’m thrilled to welcome Chris Llewellyn of Rend Collective to the show. Chris, thank you so much for, for calling in.
Chris Llewellyn: Oh, I appreciate you having me. Thank you.
Josh: I’m so in love with the album Folk and the new song Fight of My Life, and we’re gonna get to that in just a minute.
But first, a little history about Rend Collective. You guys started out as a youth group band,
Chris Llewellyn: That’s exactly right. Yeah. Um, it’s essentially, it’s a Bible study that’s got wildly outta control at this point. Yeah, we didn’t actually make music together at all for about the first five years. We were kind of late teens trying to do some things, trying to work out faith and life and God and everything else.
And so we just opened up the Bible together and, and try to work out how to, how to apply that to our own lives and then bring it to everybody who was in our little coastal town of banger. Uh, I guess it was a very local scale back then. We, we went to the pubs and the clubs and. We’d stand outside and we would, we’d preach the gospel as best we understood it, and it was a, a really, really sweet time. After a while of doing that kind of ministry, you know, people were starting to move away and it didn’t make sense for us really to start meeting together anymore. So we thought before we would kind of disband that we would use our gifts and, and try to make a little memento of this time and that memento was really our, our first album that turned out to be. Mm-hmm. We thought it was just for sharing with our own community. Um, my mom still has probably 200 copies of that ep, yet it found its way into the hands of Martin Smith who passed it on to Chris Tomlin, who made the mistake of believing we were a real band and invited us on.
Josh: That’s awesome.
Chris Llewellyn: Invited us on. Yeah. One of his biggest tours up to that point, the And If Our God, is For Us Tour. The craziest story: It’s a Bible study who got invited onto tour with Chris Tomlin, who were like. Yeah, we can be a band and here we are.
Josh: Well, as, as someone who lives like 6,000 miles away from Bangor, Ireland, I am super glad that there was this comedy of errors that that led to, I guess the Rend collective experiment was a success.
Chris Llewellyn: I’m glad for that review. Uh, not everyone reviews it that way.
Josh: When I was a teenager, I was also in a youth praise and worship band. This is back in the nineties, and it’s really wild how 30 years can fly, but. I, I’ve noticed a lot of my friends from back in that day, they’re no longer really walking their faith out, and that breaks my heart.
Have you guys seen that or have you seen just like a, a tremendous growth.
Chris Llewellyn: Hmm. That’s interesting. It’s probably about 50/50 is the truth. And the people who, the people who are still walking out their faith are, are walking it out in increased strength. And I think the other 50% kind of did fizzle away and, uh, and do their own thing.
And I’m always thinking about that, that parable of the sewer. Mm-hmm. You know, we, we spread the gospel, we throw out that seed, but ultimately it’s the Holy Spirit that makes it take hold or take root. It’s interesting and sad to, to see the ways that it gets snatched up or, or ignored or, or choked out.
But also it’s really inspiring to see whenever a, a big sequoia grows up out of the ground. Mm-hmm. You know, big, it’s a special thing. Life of faith isn’t as easy as it seems.
Josh: No, no. It’s pretty brutal sometimes.
Chris Llewellyn: Yeah. Jesus asks us to carry our cross. Um, I think that that means that at times it can feel really heavy.
He also says that his burden is easy in his yolk is light, and I think that both of those things are weirdly true if you’re willing to enter into that little bit of complexity of understanding that grace is light, but life is heavy.
Josh: The new album Folk is great, by the way, Chris, it feels kind of a, like a return to form to like the, my Lighthouse era a little bit.
Chris Llewellyn: That’s kind for us. It felt like putting on, you know, you know that sweater that you keep at home and uh, it’s the one that you wear when. I don’t know when the kids are in bed and it’s time to watch your own show.
Josh: Yeah.
Chris Llewellyn: It’s like that’s what it feels like to put on folk music for me. We can wear other clothes, don’t mind dressing up, but uh, the old sweater was calling to us again.
Josh: So speaking of wearing other clothes, by the way, like, and I mean this in the most positive way possible, the last album before this one, the one with Hallelujah Anyway on it, that album. Yeah. It felt to me in the best way imaginable like a dive bar band, like you guys had like done a circuit of saloons around Nashville and just like, kind of adopted a little bit of that edge sound to it.
And I loved it. I thought it was great.
Chris Llewellyn: That’s really kind. Yeah. I, I think, I think that was true. It’s a little bit more, that’s literally our experience. I’m glad it, I’m glad it came through. We were spending more time because of the pandemic we had. We had spent so much more time in Nashville.
Josh: Mm-hmm.
Chris Llewellyn: ’cause we had to make a call basically of, are we gonna be Ireland side or Nashville side? And we, we were in Nashville, so I think finally a little bit of the Tennessee did, did creep in. A little bit of Broadway is in there. So that’s gotta be sense.
Josh: So hard to be so far away from your people in the midst of that pandemic.
Chris Llewellyn: Yeah, it really, it really was. I mean, I, I don’t think anybody really gives 2020, uh, a five star review, but Yeah. Right. Uh, I’m, uh, I’m grateful for where it’s led us and, you know, we were just so fortunate the way that that spun out. It didn’t really, I’m so sad for the people that it, that it impacted really closely, but that, that wasn’t our story.
It. It didn’t really come that close to me and my family and I, I suppose I’m, I’m grateful for that at the same time as I, I’m heavy for the people that it costs a lot.
Josh: Yeah. I think some of us definitely fight off some of that survivor’s guilt.
Chris Llewellyn: Yeah. That, that’s exactly the right terminology.
Josh: We’re talking about Chris from Rend Collective this morning.
Fight of my Life. When you guys decided to publish this song, I imagine you did not take into account how many times you were gonna have to share your story of struggle when talking about the single, because that’s gotta be so emotionally exhausting.
Chris Llewellyn: Yeah. Um, this is a song I thought was always gonna be for myself.
There’s always a certain portion of songs that I have that I write for me, and that’s okay. They, they just live and, and they’re for me. They’re, they’re for me to work through a, a moment in my life. And then they never see the light of day. ’cause I don’t think they’re gonna connect with anyone else. And that, that was the bucket I had fighting my life in.
It was kind of, it was a bit of a diary overshare, and I, I thought it would come across as an, as an overshare. And I thought that it would come across as maybe like, it would make people feel hopeless, not hopeful. Um, and yet I, I played it for my wife and some of my close friends and they just say, you know, honestly, that this is one of the most resonant songs that you’ve ever written.
It feels like you’re. Like you’re talking about an actual human experience and not just talking about theology. Yeah. Um, and it was at that point that my ears started to perk up and I was like, I wonder if I take the risk of. Of talking about this journey, if, if it’ll bring people on board and it only be, give people a little bit of language to talk about their own struggles and it, it’s been amazing to see the response just, it is just, it’s beautiful when people say drop into our dm’s and had a few people say that, that this has been the nudge that they needed to go and actually seek therapy.
And I always feel like God and therapy is a nearly unbeatable combo in the face of depression. So that’s a good word. That means a lot to me, you know?
Josh: I’m so grateful that, that your story told through this song, Fight of My Life is able to give people that vocabulary, to give people that reminder that they’re not going through this alone.
That this is a, actually a very common experience.
Chris Llewellyn: Well, that’s right. And it’s not even a hopeless experience. I think that’s what I love, that the song kind of communicates and even communicates it just by the, the style of the song is almost at odds with the content. It’s like the sweet song that you’ve ever heard about depression.
Josh: You’ve got this manic ness in the, the lyrics and this, this edge to it. But the song is all joyful and happy and folky.
Chris Llewellyn: Yeah, exactly. And I really like that. I think that reflects something about what it is to walk through depression as a person of faith. Mm-hmm. Uh, as a person of faith, a person who believes that Jesus walks through it with you.
There, there is a sense in which even in those really, really dark moments, there’s still joy present with you. It’s a fruit of the Spirit and the Spirit’s with us and those brokenhearted moments. So. You know, we talk a lot about this piece that passes understanding. You know, that’s a scripture verse, not, not of me, quote.
Uh, but I also think there’s a joy that passes understanding that comes with us whenever we, we, we walk with Jesus. You know, it’s just the age we’re living in honestly, that, that 95% of people are, are carrying hard things.
Josh: And maybe it’s middle aged too, man.
Chris Llewellyn: Could be. I mean, middle, it’s not great.
Josh: No, it’s really not like it’s really, really hard.
But you know what that, I think in those moments, and you talk about this in the song, like the hope we have in Jesus of when everything is made right. It’s, it’s worth holding onto that hope, and this will have been worth it. This valley will have been worth it because there is such joy that we’re gonna have, and it’s gonna be no more tears someday.
And that’s not that far away anymore.
Chris Llewellyn: Yeah. I’m, I’m always, I’m always hardened by the fact that in the end it’s all gonna wind up with a wedding feast, I, I can cope with that.
Josh: Yeah. BT Dubs, this is just an aside. Um, I didn’t realize you were from Banger Ireland. I need you guys Oh yeah. To do a cover album and call it Bangers for Banger and Oh, that’s perfect actually.
Honestly, I just, all Irish songs like, you know, limit it to just a couple U2 songs, but like
Chris Llewellyn: it would be great. Goodness mate, you’ve got my head spinning. ’cause I mean, bangers from Banger contains the entire catalog of Van Morrison. The entire catalog is Snow Patrol. A decent amount of U2 too.
Josh: I’m already saving up to spend all the money on the vinyl when you make it.
Chris Llewellyn: yeah. All right. Uh, obviously I can’t give you any credit because, you know, I, I have to come up with all the ideas, but Yeah,
Josh: yeah, yeah.
Chris Llewellyn: Take it,
Josh: take it,
Chris Llewellyn: take it as you need it. You’ll, you’ll see it and you’ll, you’ll know what you did.
Josh: I do. And I’ll be very proud. I will. And I’ll tell everyone and they’ll be like, “sure, Josh, whatever.”
Um, now here in New Orleans, Chris, we are celebrating full on Christmas in July on Life songs. And I have to tell you that the simple fact that you included Billy Mac’s Christmas Is All Around on one of your Christmas projects, has brought me and my wife so much joy, like you can’t even know. And I really hope someone has played it for Bill Nighy.
Chris Llewellyn: I hope so too. You know, um, I, I, I think for us that that moment in that, in that movie is just, it’s iconic Yes. For so many reasons, but, uh. It’s hard to imagine Christmas without it. So, uh, it’s just, it’s a little reference to what actually goes on in our families and how we actually celebrate Christmas.
You know,
Josh: it, it literally, it is an instant smile for my family. Like, it’s so good. It’s so ridiculous. I mean, the song itself, it’s terrible itself and the way
Chris Llewellyn: it’s rewritten is so poor. It, it just, it makes it perfect.
Josh: But your cover of it. Makes it an actual song. Like in the movie it’s garbage, but you guys make it such a joyful, wonderful Christmas song.
Chris Llewellyn: Thank you. I think, I think that’s, uh. Joy. Yes. I, I totally agree. I, I still, uh, as a songwriter, I look at it and go, that is a nightmare. That’s a nightmare. The
Josh: if, if you ever like, this is just like one of those secret things. It’s like when third day would throw in a kid’s choir to like get it on the radio.
If you start spelling words in a song, it’s gonna be an instant hit. Like you spell Christmas. We’re in,
Chris Llewellyn: we’re good. Do you know? Yeah, I, because kids love it. Yeah. In particular, they’re like, especially if it’s a word they can spell, it’s like you’ve got an instant kids Classic. Yeah.
Josh: You guys at this point have had many Irish Christmases and probably some American ones too.
What are the big differences and the best of each?
Chris Llewellyn: Oh my goodness. Yeah, I have had a few, so I’ll say American Christmas has met my expectations of being exactly like Home Alone house energy. Yeah. Yeah. Like we always have all the relatives and it’s absolute chaos and pizza boxes everywhere. And, and there’s something that, that chaos is special.
Uh, I, I really love it. I, I love, um. In America, you tie your Christmas tree to the top of your your car. That’s not something you’re allowed to do at home. So that always feels like a really nice little throwback to like watching National Lampoon’s Christmas and watch them to do that.
Josh: So you don’t wanna go out and dig your own tree up.
Chris Llewellyn: Yeah. Maybe not have the full experience that he had, but the part with the trees. Okay. And, and then I think what, what’s special about Northern Ireland Christmas is just the intimacy. I think particularly about like candlelight midnight services on Christmas Eve, uh, in these little Parish churches. And then, you know, pubs that stay open a little bit late on that, on that Christmas Eve, they accommodate it and there’s just something so cozy and like Shire energy.
Yeah.
Josh: That happens. Yeah. There’s such dramatically different, almost opposing forces, and yet both of them are a hundred percent Christmas.
Chris Llewellyn: Agreed. Yeah. Uh, yeah. I’m glad I got to experience ’em both justly,
Josh: or maybe sometime soon you’ll get to go experience like an Australian Christmas or a Fiji Christmas or a Hawaiian Christmas and just get away for a little while.
Chris Llewellyn: Yeah, I think I need to do that for sure. Um, yeah, we actually, we’re working on a Christmas album right now, which in the heat of July in Tennessee. It takes a little bit of imagination, but, um, yeah, we’re, we’re, we’re actually in film Christmas mode right now.
Josh: Chris, thank you so much for, for talking, for sharing your heart, for the music that you guys are bringing to the table.
It’s always a joy and we love you here in New Orleans. Anytime you guys want to come, even not just to play a concert, if you just want to go out to dinner, we’ll take you out. Okay.
Chris Llewellyn: Alright, I’ll, I’ll take you up on that dinner in New Orleans. Yeah, come on. We do it right? Yeah, you do.
I love Summertime. It’s not my favorite season – that’s Fall – but the relaxed attitude, the delicious watermelon and the sunshine are all calling my name! That also means I need to add an extra 10-15 minutes to the beginning of any plans we make in order to put on sunscreen.
I’m very fair skinned – but even if you soak up the sun and spit out a rich tan – you need sunscreen. I’m not a doctor, but I have a long list of them in my MyChart App – including a dermatologist (they don’t like it when you call them “skin doctors”). My dermatologist has hounded me to up the Sun Protection Factor as much as possible and so I’m passing along this plea as a public service announcement.
God painted you – wrote on your very DNA – and when we don’t care for our bodies as best as we can, it’s like we’re smudging His GOOD work. You might not feel like a masterpiece, but you are. Fearfully and wonderfully made is how the Bible describes you (Psalm 139)!
Stay hydrated – wear sunscreen (don’t forget to reapply) and live, laugh, love your way through what will be an amazing Summer of Fun!
Now, if you’ll excuse me – I need to cover myself in white goop so I can take my son to the pool with his friends, while I read a book and try not to turn into human bacon.
There’s a very blurry line between caring for the needs of the people God puts in your life – and taking care of yourself. And honestly, it is something I struggle with. I’m the type to give all I have to give and then collapse and fall apart – and I’m convinced that is neither healthy, nor Holy.
Maybe it was how I was raised – maybe it is a misunderstanding of masculinity – maybe I’m just busted in the head, but for as long as I can remember I’ve been a hard worker. Not that hard work – or working hard is bad. In fact it is really good. Until a point. My problem is I never can tell what that point is until I’m well past it.
Do you also take on more than you can handle because it has to get done and no one else seems to be stepping up? That could be in family relationships – household chores – tasks at work – serving at Church – any number of ways and places. For me – I tend to throw myself at tasks to keep from being still – because in the stillness I have to wrestle with my own need for grace and patience and forgiveness.
The world has put a tremendous focus on self-care in recent years, to a fault. We are not called to live a self-centered life, but rather a servant’s life for Christ. That said, Jesus modeled getting away from the crowd – even from his friends and family – to rest in the Father. For some of us, that is even more uncomfortable than doubling down on serving, working or doing anything to keep from stopping.
Especially now, during this season of Lent, building up to the celebration of Resurrection Sunday, can I encourage you – and me – to be intentional about doing the hard work of not working.
Stop. Sit still. Confess. Cry.
Let the God who loves you so much He sent His only Son for you hold you close and fill you with His Spirit.
“This is a dream. This can’t be real life!?” my son Ben exclaimed over and over as we walked in half a foot of snow. And it was still coming down in near white-out conditions! This would have been perfectly reasonable if we lived in Ohio or Michigan, or really any state north of the Mason-Dixon Line. It was January. Snow is normal in those places in January.
But we live in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Perhaps your family had a similar experience when that once-in-many-generations snowfall coated Southeast Louisiana. I’ve lived most of my life in New Orleans, and I’ve seen snow here a few times – a few flurries, an inch of snow or maybe a bit of ice on the grass – but this was something completely different and wholly magical! I count it as a gift from God. Our whole world stopped for DAYS as the snow stuck. Schools were canceled, roads were shut down and only essential services could move about.
I hope you got to play in the snow. I know there were inconveniences and dangers too, but what a wonderland to simply play in! We had snowball fights, went for long walks and chatted with neighbors. We built a snowman (and snow-dog), tried our hand at snow-cream (not a fan) and made several batches of hot chocolate. We also had to do an enormous amount of laundry because everything got soaked.
A snow covered NOLA was not in my forecast for 2025. And that has me thinking – what other incredible, unheard of, spectacular things might God have in store for us? Never in my wildest dreams could I have dreamt up our #SneauxDays. I’m far too practical to even hope for something like that … and yet, God did it. What other impractical – SUPERNATURAL things is He going to do?
I can’t wait to find out.
Ah, Christmas. The twinkling lights, the smell of fresh-baked cookies, the heartwarming carols wafting through the air. And then… the burnt cookies, the tangled lights, and the desperate Amazon Prime order placed on December 22nd. If you’ve ever felt the sting of holiday stress or found yourself yelling at a roll of wrapping paper, you’re not alone. But here’s a little secret: it’s the mess, not the perfection, that makes Christmas so special.
Somewhere along the way, we bought into the idea that Christmas needs to look like a Hallmark movie—spotless homes, pristine gingerbread houses, perfectly coordinated outfits. But let’s be honest: that level of perfection is exhausting. If you’ve ever stood in the middle of a chaotic holiday kitchen with flour in your hair and a smoke detector blaring, you know that Christmas rarely goes as planned.
So, consider this your official permission slip to let go of the pressure. You don’t have to have a Pinterest-worthy tree or bake the cookies from scratch to create joy. In fact, it’s the little mishaps that often bring the biggest laughs.
Every family has its traditions—some intentional, and others… not so much. In our family, one of those “traditions” was my grandfather burning the bread. Every single year. It didn’t matter if we tried timers, reminders, or even appointing someone else as the bread-watcher—somehow, the rolls always came out resembling charcoal. But it became a running joke, and the smell of burnt bread became as much a part of Christmas as the scent of pine.
Then there was the year everything felt different. My mom was in the middle of her battle with cancer, and for a while, it seemed like Christmas would be overshadowed by fear and exhaustion. But instead, the family rallied. Everyone pitched in—My aunt cooked the turkey, my brother and I decorated the tree, and everyone made sure the bread came out just right. We laughed, sang carols, and shared our favorite family memories. It wasn’t the prettiest or most picture-perfect Christmas, but it became one of the most memorable—because we were together.
Even the very first Christmas was far from perfect. The birth of Jesus didn’t happen in a pristine palace or under perfectly controlled conditions. It happened in a stable, surrounded by animals, in the most humble and unexpected of settings. Yet from that messy moment came perfection—a story of hope, love, and salvation that still resonates today. It’s a beautiful reminder that even the messiest beginnings can bring about the most profound joy.
So this year, let’s rewrite the holiday script. Burn the cookies? Laugh about it. Have to wrap a gift in yesterday’s newspaper? Call it creative. Let the kids decorate the tree, even if it’s lopsided. The truth is, the best memories are the ones where everything doesn’t go according to plan.
Now, here’s a challenge: think about your own “messy and merry” holiday moments. What’s a time when things didn’t go as planned but ended up becoming a cherished memory? Share it with your family, write it down, or post it online. You may be surprised how much joy those imperfect moments bring to others.
At the end of the day, Christmas isn’t about having it all together—it’s about being together. So go ahead, embrace the chaos. Celebrate the imperfections. Let the messy moments create the merriest memories.
Here’s to a Christmas season that’s gloriously messy, wonderfully merry, and uniquely yours.
Before leading worship alongside Maverick City Music – Stephen McWhirter shared his incredible story and goofed off Josh & Libby on Friday’s Morning Show!
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Josh called the Turkey-Hotline at Butterball to get the 4-1-1 from Jan about #NationalThawDay and some helpful tips on cooking the perfect Butterball Turkey this Thanksgiving!
Visit BUTTERBALL.com, call 1-800-BUTTERBALL or text 844-877-3456 for all you Thanksgiving cooking needs!
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Good morning on the LifeSongs Morning Show. Today is a very special day, one week till Thanksgiving, and that makes it National Thaw Day. And who better to talk about thawing a turkey than the experts at Butterball. Jan, thank you so much for joining us on the morning show.
My pleasure, I’m happy to be here.
So break it down for me, what is National Thaw Day?
It’s the day that you should start thinking about that turkey if you haven’t done so already. If you have it in your freezer, take it from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator. If you haven’t purchased the turkey, you might want to think about getting to the store, because it takes a long time to thaw it, and it needs to be thawed in a cold method. The easiest way to thaw it is in the refrigerator. Leave the turkey in the original wrapper, put it on a tray, and allow one day in the refrigerator for every four pounds of turkey. So a 20-pound turkey, for instance, would take you five days to thaw.
And after it’s thawed, it needs to be cooked within four days. So you’ve got a little leeway there. And if you don’t even have time to thaw, you can get a fresh turkey, which requires no thawing at all. And that’s very tasty as well.
Yeah, but then you have to pluck the feathers and all that. It’s going to be a bit of a mess.
No. Our fresh turkeys have no feathers.
So if you missed it, the official Butterball mathematical equation for thawing a turkey is one day per four pounds of turkey.
That’s correct.
Awesome. Now I heard this – this actually I have a request from my program director to ask this question. She heard that you guys at Butterball now have a bake from frozen turkey. Is that actually a thing or is that an urban tiktok legend?
That is a new product that we’re rolling out this year. And it is cooked from frozen. So you just take it out of the package and put it right in the oven. So by next year it should be in all states. Bbut this year it’s not. But I don’t know if people would find it in your area or not. But you can check our product locator on our website, Butterball.com.
Okay, limited edition. If you’re listening to LifeSsongs and you come across the Butterball Cook from Frozen Turkey, take a picture, send it to us, because I want to see. That sounds pretty awesome. My mom says her mother, back in the 1960s cooked their Thanksgiving turkey in the microwave. Is that something you recommend at Butterball?
Yes, you can do that. I’ve done a number of them because I used to do microwave cooking schools and demos and so I’ve done it quite often. First of all, you have to have a turkey that’s going to fit in the microwave. When the microwaves first came out in the late 60s and 70s, they were pretty big so you could get do like a 12 pound turkey, but nowadays the microwaves are pretty small in a lot of cases so you can still do it but you’re going to have to have a pretty small one. So it can be done and it does cook faster, but it’s a lot more work.
I think I’ll stick with the oven or the deep fryer or the smoker. Do you actually, Jan, have a favorite method for cooking your turkey?
I would say my favorite method is probably the grill. I love the nice charcoal grill.
Nice. Well, Jan, where can LifeSongs’ listeners go to get all of their turkey questions answered this Thanksgiving?
Well, they can call us at 1-800-Butterball. We have people here waiting to talk to them and answer their questions. They can also text us at 844-877-3456, or they can reach us at Butterball.com, which is a wonderful website with all kinds of information. And we’re also available on all the social channels, so we’re very easy to find.
Well thank you so much, Jan, for taking a moment to share with us about National Thaw Day, and I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.
I wish you the same. Thank you.
We’ve brined, injected, marinated, spatchcocked, roasted, smoked and fried turkeys over the year and we still haven’t found the PERFECT Thanksgiving turkey recipe. (*Later this week I’ll get to talk with a Butterball representative on National Thaw Day, so maybe we’ll get some helpful tips!) My wife and I have hosted many Thanksgivings – for family, friends and sometimes just our little nuclear four. Preparing the big meal can be stressful – always takes several days – but is such a joy!
We put music on in the house – the whole family gets involved (especially when it is time to make pies). No one enjoys it more than our dog Rose who is guaranteed to get some dropped goodies on the floor. Even though I look back at Holidays-past with rose colored glasses, there are plenty of fights that happen during this time of year too. With so much going on – cooking, cleaning, parties, responsibilities, work, school … it’s not hard to blow up at one another.
Can you avoid hurting feelings by being intentional with one another – making lists – sticking to a schedule … maybe. Sometimes it is inevitable to come into conflict with the people you love most in this world … and I think that’s ok.
I remember when Jesus visited his friends Lazarus and Mary and Martha in the town of Bethany. It was a huge gathering because Jesus travelled with quite the entourage and Martha was busy trying to please everyone. Meanwhile Lazarus was probably hanging with the boys and Mary was simply sitting and listening to Jesus. When Martha blew up at her sister for not helping, Jesus actually told Martha to stop and be with the family.
I’m very much a Martha – this story always rubs me the wrong way because Martha was working so hard to make everyone happy and SHE is the one who get’s chastised? That seems so unfair. Jesus was right, of course. And I have to dwell on this story during the holidays as a reminder that time with Jesus – and our family – is more important than a spotless bathroom or a well brined turkey.
*If you need some help with your turkey – brined or otherwise prepared – I got to chat with an official Butterball Turkey representative on #NationalThawDay!
Vance & Josh went for a drive (#BROadtrip) to chat about Vance’s time in the Navy, encouraging our Veterans and their families – and where Vance is going for his free dinner tonight!
For all of our Veterans – and everyone who needs prayer – share your needs and we’ll pray for you.
Visit our PrayerWorks page to learn more!
Roughly 85% of my wardrobe is flannel plaid shirts. Did I set out to look like a lumberjack? Of course not. But I think deep down my yearning for Autumn finds a way to express itself. I dream of cool mornings, pumpkin spiced coffee and a roaring fire pit on the weekends. Have you ever roasted the perfect marshmallow to a golden brown and then squished it between some graham crackers and Hershey’s chocolate – and thought to yourself: This is it. This is the Promised Land.
Fall is the best season. And it is not just because of s’mores and firewood and well-worn hoodies – it’s because this season is tempered by thankfulness. We’ll all celebrate Thanksgiving in just a couple of months – but at LifeSongs Radio, we find ourselves overwhelmed with thanksgiving here and now because of your incredible and generous support!
Thank you so much for giving out of your blessings to share hope with Southeast Louisiana and the world on LifeSongs Radio! God is using your generosity to shape hearts and pull us all closer to Him.
Happy Fall Y’all!
Hope Darst joins the LifeSongs Morning Show to chat with Josh about her new Live Worship album, sending her girls back to school and to encourage the LifeSongs family in this new season!
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Hope Darst (@hopedarst)
FULL TRANSCRIPTION:
Welcome to the LifeSongs Morning Show. Hey, I’m Josh, and I’m so excited to introduce you to worship leader and LifeSongs artist, Hope Darst. Hope, welcome to LifeSongs.
Hello. Thank you for having me.
So glad that you got to join us, especially with your brand new worship project, Hands of the Healer.
Let’s jump right into it. Okay. Where did, where did Hands of the Healer come from? The project, the song, all of it. Well, a couple of years ago, which is funny enough, uh, before my last project. So if anybody’s kind of followed, I had an EP that came out in 2022 called If The Lord Builds a House. And I actually wrote this song for that project.
When it came time to release it or to get ready to put it out, all of us just had like a, kind of a pause in our spirit. And we, we weren’t exactly sure why, but I’ve learned over the years that when there’s a pause to like not ignore it. Cause at the time I’d written this song really just reflecting on all the ways that God had been a healer in my life.
My story is long and has lots of twists and turns, but mostly, you know, God has set me free from years of battling with depression and anxiety. And he has just been a faithful healer in that area. And then also my husband and I were told that we could not have children and we have two miracle daughters that are 15 and 13.
So, you know, I have experienced God be a healer in just so many different ways. In my heart, obviously from salvation, but my father and I were estranged for a lot of years and I had a lot of unforgiveness in my heart. You know, God set me free from that. Those are all these different ways, right? God is a healer of mind, body, spirit, and soul.
So I wrote it just to encourage people that, you know, we’re walking through a season that needed to be reminded like, Hey, God is a healer and you can trust him with your circumstance. I had no idea that that pause that I felt was going to be because ultimately my daughter would end up in a three year long journey of us believing for healing for her.
We still are in that journey. We’ve still not seen the healing that we are believing for. She’s had issue after issue with her knee, led to surgeries. She’s been in physical therapy. You imagine it. She has, we have done it. We have tried it. She ultimately had a surgery. That the doctor thought would fix it.
And instead, what has happened is that she’s lived with chronic pain for the last almost two years. And we’ve tried everything that we know to try in the natural and there just haven’t been solutions. And so it’s probably been of all the journeys that I’ve been in. It’s the hardest because as a mom, like you just want to fix it.
You don’t want your kid to be in pain. I mean, I will tell you, this has revealed the father’s heart to me so differently that like, I’m like, wow, if I don’t want my kid to be in pain, how much more does God not want us to be in pain? And yet I also can see where pain and suffering, it really does develop and strengthen something in us that no other circumstance can.
I mean, it tests your faith like nothing else. And you figure out what you believe in, what you’re made of in seasons of hardship and seasons of things, not turning around the way that you wanted. And so it’s kind of an eye, you know, an ironic. Series of events that here we are three years later and I’ve released this song and I’m right now, I’m the person that I was writing the song for.
Like I’m right in the middle with everyone else. When the song says in the doubting, in the waiting, when my faith feels like it’s running out, I am choosing to still pour my praises out and to put all of it, my body, my strength, my mind, my soul, my fears, my worries, my circumstances into the hands of the Lord.
That the scripture say, bear the stripes and wounds that heal us. You know, I love that God paints that picture that he’s like, I have taken on the wounds for sickness and in death. And. I just have to trust that his hands are the ones that ultimately can heal my daughter. And I believe that for your listeners.
And, you know, I have a history that says he can, we have an empty grave that says he can. And so I have to choose to believe if you’ve done it, then you can do it again. And I just have to keep trusting you and believing. And so hopefully when people hear this song, they’ll feel encouraged to do the same.
We’re talking with Hope Darst this morning on the LifeSongs Morning Show. Hope, you answered every question that I had written out for Hands of the Healer in one fail swoop. I mean, you covered not just the testimony of God healing and bringing healing emotionally and relationally and physically, but also how do you handle the, the doubt that creeps in when you have been praying for so long.
And it’s real. Yeah. So real. And I’ll, I’ll be honest as someone who has always struggled with fear and worry, I want everything to be okay. I want everything to feel okay because that makes me not then worry and not fear like just in real life practical. And I think most people are like that, right? We want all of our relationships to be in good order.
We want our finances to be in good order. We want all of our kids to be healthy and safe and we want to be healthy and safe. And then it’s like, okay, everything’s good. I don’t, I don’t have anything to worry about or be scared about. But that is not the reality of life And god’s really clear about that in his word He says literally in this life, you will have trials of many kinds but take heart I’ve overcome the world And I already knew that scripture a lot of people know that scripture But that scriptures had to become very real to me And I will say on a personal level What this journey with my daughter has really forced me to have to deal with and to allow the lord to work out is going But what are you going to do when it doesn’t get resolved?
What do you do when I can’t fix it? I can’t go to a friend and apologize and restore that relationship. I can’t go take a certain medicine and it fixes the health issue. I can’t take my daughter and do a specific thing and it’s all gone. What do you do when it lingers? Can I figure out how to be in relationship with the Lord and allow him to help me to have peace, literal peace in the midst of something that just still feels unresolved and unchanged.
And it is not an easy journey. And there have been many days where I have cried out to the Lord, why, why won’t you just heal her right now? God, like, I know you can, I know you will. I can tell you every single time I’ve had it out with the Lord, I do walk away from that moment with a sense of assurance and peace that He does care and He does see it.
And I don’t understand His timing, but I have to trust it.
LifeSongs is so happy to have Hope Darst with us this morning on the LifeSongs Morning Show. Hope, you mentioned earlier you have two teenage daughters. Will they both be in, in high school this year?
So I have an eighth grader and I have a sophomore, they start next week.
So my sophomore has her permit. Um, so that’s a whole new feeling of like a kid driving, which she’s a great driver. She took driver’s ed like two weeks ago. And the instructor was like, I don’t know why you’re in this class. You’re a really good driver. She’s like, you should thank your parents. And I said, not me.
I didn’t teach you how to drive. I’m a terrible driver. That’s all your dad. Are they excited for school? My oldest, I think says it well, she’s like, I’m ready for just to have like a rhythm and a schedule. She loves having consistency and schedule, but no, she’s not ready for school. She’s also my overachiever who took a summer course.
The firstborn is always that way. Yeah.
And she took an AP course for this year that had like a ton of summer work. So she was just, it’s like, okay, most of the kids around here are, are fine with just getting free air conditioning because it’s been a really hot summer in new Orleans. You know, my family’s from Louisiana.
Really? Where?
So my mom’s from New Orleans and then my dad lives in Baton Rouge. My family lived in Baton Rouge for several years. I went to LSU for the Tigers. Go Tigers. Um, my youngest brother graduated from there. My other brother graduated from Louisiana college and my dad still lives there.
And my youngest brother married a good old Denham Springs girl. So we are Louisiana through and through.
All right. Well, the next time you’re visiting family, you need to come by and hang out with us.
True, I do!
Hope, thank you so much for hanging out with us, for goofing off with me, but also for sharing your heart about worship, about being faithful in a time of the unknown, of the waiting.
That is so deeply personal, and you don’t have to give that to people, and yet you so willingly do with your entire being, and that means so much. Oh, thank you. You know, my, my daughter and I clearly have had lots of conversations in the last couple of years. And there was this one moment we were in the car and we’d left a doctor’s appointment and it was hard.
It was just a hard day. And I looked at her and her eyes were just kind of filling up with tears. And I just said something along the lines of like, I know today was really, really hard. You know, the only difference between us and someone else That doesn’t know God as we just have hope there are people that don’t know God that are walking through this exact same situation and much worse.
They don’t have hope. And I said, think about all the moments that we’ve set in doctor’s offices and we’ve not had good reports or we’ve walked through really hard things. And yet there was a sense of like, I, I do know I can find hope and peace. In the midst of this, because of God, it doesn’t mean that the situation changes, but like, I’m not sentenced to just being hopeless in this.
And I just, if nothing else, I want people to know that this is the difference is that with Jesus, we have hope. We have hope in this life. We have hope in the next life. I have hope that not only is God with me, but God can actually change this. God can heal you. God wants to heal you. I don’t know what it’ll look like.
I don’t know when, but he will. And I just, if nothing else, I just want people to hear that God, he is worth trusting. He’s worth putting your life in his hands. And he’s the reason we have hope.
Josh and Nancy missed the good ole days when they were the dynamic duo of the LifeSongs Morning Show – so they put on some sunscreen, kicked the kids in the pool and had a little chat covering everything from Summer to the Olympics to competitive hog dog eating and even the bravest little donkey in the world!
Enjoy some time with your besties by the pool!
Leanna Crawford is a sweet, sweet singer/songwriter who you first met with her break-out single I Know A Place. Leanna joined Josh on the LifeSongs Morning Show to share about her writing process, what she loves about New Orleans and to face the LifeSongs Lightning Round!
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Leanna Crawford (@leannacrawfordmusic)
I do not have an extensive wardrobe. I rotate the same shirts and pants each week. Most days I wear the same shoes (a pair of black New Balance sneakers) because they are comfortable and don’t attract attention. But I was feeling feisty a few weeks ago, preparing to go to Miramar Beach for the Lauren Daigle Kaleidoscope Weekend. I wanted some sock-free slip-on shoes and saw
Josh & Elena at Kaleidoscope Beach Weekend
that Van’s had released a wide cut of their classic checkerboard slip-ons. After a little deal searching, I ordered the new kicks and have enjoyed having a little variety in my footwear.
But I noticed a change in my swagger with the new shoes. When I wear the old school slip-ons (#nosockssaturday), I feel different. I feel a little more laid back – a little less stressed – a little more “come what may.”
Maybe that’s why the Apostle Paul told the Church in Ephesus to “put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians Chapter 6) … I mean if new shoes can make you feel like a new man or woman, how much more of a change should we experience when we intentionally clothe ourselves in the attitude of Christ!?
Pray with me as we clothe ourselves spiritually with the “Armor of God”:
Father, thank you for providing us the steps to take to prepare ourselves to live this life well, as sacrifices for Your Kingdom.
We put on the BELT OF TRUTH and BODY ARMOR OF (Your) GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS, knowing You declare what is Right from Wrong and we are protected from the enemy because your Righteousness is perfect and strong.
The SHOES OF PEACE help us walk in completeness with your Spirit inside of us, as we dwell on your Good News. And we hold the SHIELD OF FAITH which protects us from the devil’s attacks.
Our minds are protected by the HELMET OF SALVATION – You redeem our minds daily, replacing the darkness of our worries with the confidence of Your Love. And when we speak, we wield the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT – Your words, not ours, bringing hope to everyone in our lives.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Adam Agee might be the newest Newsboy – but he’s a veteran of Christian music. He’s been a pop-punk band front-man, worship leader and even did a stint as the lead singer of Audio Adrenaline before finding his forever-home with the Newsboys. We’ll get to see him on stage with Michael Tait and the rest of the Newsboys on May 10th – but you can hear his story now, because he Zoomed into the LifeSongs Morning Show with Josh!
View this post on InstagramA post shared by NEWSBOYS (@newsboys)
Coming to New Orleans, Friday, May 10th – more than a concert – a CELEBRATION with family and fans! Newsboys presents WORLDWIDE REVIVAL NIGHTS!
WHO: The Newsboys
WHEN: Friday, May 10, 2024 | 7 PM (Doors Open at 6 PM)
WHERE: Victory Church | 5708 Airline Dr. Metairie, LA
INFO: CLICK HERE for tickets. (Starting at under $30, with family rates, VIP and Artist Circle seats!)
Seph Schlueter joined the LifeSongs Morning Show where he crushed the LifeSongs Lightning Round, geeked out about Lord of the Rings and offers some lovely encouragement on trusting Jesus. Thanks Seph – for great songs – and a new friendship!
It’s the LifeSongs morning show, and if you have listened to LifeSongs any over the last several months, you have heard Counting My Blessings by Seth Schlueter. You’ve also heard me accidentally butcher Seph Schlueter’s last name multiple times, but I’m so excited to have Seph here on the LifeSongs Morning Show with us. How you doing, man?
I am so good, dude. And common, common problem. I, I did it to myself. The last name, man. It’s rough.
I love Counting my Blessings. I was looking at your website earlier. You’ve got another song you just did a video for. That song is even better. Like it’s so good, dude.
It is so funny because like, all of these songs were written like two years ago, so it’s funny that they come out and I’m like, oh yeah, I forgot, like, I like this one, you know? But also at the same time, like really excited because I’m like, I’ve been writing so much in those two years and I have new stuff that I’m even more excited. So it’s just funny how that all at all pans out.
You know, you’re a really great songwriter and it’s awesome to play you here on LifeSongs.
Thank you man I super appreciate it.
So tell us about the song that has introduced you to the LifeSongs family. Tell us about Counting My Blessings.
Yeah, man. Counting my Blessings. Like I said, I wrote it like two years ago. It was me and two friends, a guy named Jordan and a guy named Jonathan. We were talking about life, talking about just like all the things going on. And it was this really cool moment where like, for all three of us, the way we phrased it was kind of like we were living in the answer to prayers that we had prayed years ago. You know, like years ago, we had prayed for this to happen in our families, this to happen in our lives, this to happen in our careers. And it’s like, whoa, we’re living in that. And so often we’re so focused on like the next big dream, the next big goal, the next upcoming thing that we just forget to pause and just thank God for, like what he’s done. We wrote just from that place of wanting to give God gratitude and just fix our eyes on Him, because, you know, there’s going to be easy moments and there’s going to be tough moments. It’s like not everything is perfect. But in those moments, if you pause and look, you can always find a reason to be grateful.
I get messages all the time from LifeSongs listeners that are like, I was having a rotten day, and then you played that song from Seph and I started Counting My Blessings, started listing them out, and it completely changed my outlook on the day.
Oh praise God, that’s so cool. That’s what I love to hear. Like, that’s that’s the reason I do what I do. And I know why you do what you do. So, like, that’s so cool.
We’re talking with Seth Schlueter on the LifeSongs Morning Show. Seph, who are you? Like, give us a little insight into to. You know, you were born in Pennsylvania, grew up in Ohio, but, like, tell us about yourself. Let us, let us inside the mind of Seph Schlueter.
Scary place. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania. Moved to Ohio when I was 13. I’ve been here since. Worked as a missionary, grew up in an awesome Christian family my whole life, but really gave my life to the Lord as a as a sophomore in high school. Just it’s where I really encountered him. And it wasn’t in like a big, powerful moment. It was literally just coming to Him day to day in prayer. And just He became more and more real to me and I wanted to give my life to Him, wanted to serve him. Ministry and music is the way that He’s called me to do that. So I’m just so blessed that I get to do this, you know, full time that this gets to be what I love to do. I’m a nerd. I love superheroes. I love Lord of the Rings, I love Star Wars, I love reading I love exercising. I did a marathon and a half marathon last year. I did a triathlon. I just got married six months ago. That’s the most important thing. My wife’s amazing. Yeah, man. Life is beautiful. I’m so blessed.
That’s awesome. You look like a Lord of the Rings fan. Like you’ve got the Legolas hair.
I’m, like, trying to be like Aragorn or Legolas, you know, just like, give me a sword and, like, medieval garb, and I’m ready to go.
True story. I just saved this on my Instagram feed. It was a REEL of someone getting a tattoo of literally just the map that Tolkien had drawn of middle earth all. It was like a full sleeve up his arm, and I’m like, that’s the coolest tattoo I’ve ever seen.
That is epic. There are people who have, like, learned the whole Elvish language. Like, I’m not quite there, but I do respect it.
You said you were into running. You know that they have this running club that you can be a part of that tells you the distances and the topography to run, to go across Middle Earth.
That is crazy. It never ceases to amaze me. Like how far people will take like their their fandom. Yeah. Like that is that is next level. That’s so funny.
So let’s have a little fun with the Lightning Round. I’m just going to give you some quick yes or no. 1 or 2 options. You just fire off your answers as best you can. If we get sidetracked, that’s cool. Ready? All right. Lifesongs lightning round with Seph Schlueter. Coffee or tea?
Coffee.
Correct answer. Summer or winter?
Summer.
Okay. So you like the beach or mountains?
I like both of them a lot. The ideal is like, right in between. I can be on the beach, and then all of a sudden I turn around and I’m right there on the mountains. Yeah.
So like California.
Yeah, we we had our honeymoon in Costa Rica, and that was kind of like it too. Like there was like mountains right there. And then also like beach right there. It was crazy.
So you have grown up in the era of social media. Do you have a preferred social media that you use, or are you on the other side of that now? And just like I’m out.
I like have such a love hate relationship with social media, Instagram is the one I use the most. I don’t really do TikTok except to repost the things that I’m posting on Instagram. I actually find LinkedIn is kind of fun. I feel like LinkedIn provides the most value out of any social media that I’ve like, been a part of.
Is LinkedIn a social media thing? I thought it was just where you posted your resume?
No. People post things like, you know, business hacks, life hacks, whatever, all sorts of things. So that’s kind of fun. There’s so much negative things with it and it’s so draining, you know. So I think it’s like one of those things where I see it being used for so much good, but also you just have to have a lot of really good boundaries and discipline with it, because otherwise it can it can drain you in so many ways.
So very wise. All right. Dog or cat?
Dog.
Early bird or night owl?
Both actually, which is a dangerous place to be, but I typically try to order my schedule so that I’m more of an early bird and less of a night owl.
That’s hard to do, though, with your career. Like you perform mostly in the evenings, right?
I know, I know, and I’m intrigued to do it, to see how it all plays out because I’m about to go on tour, so it might shift a little bit, but typically I try to be up every morning by 540 and I try to go to sleep by like 1040. So it gives me like seven hours of sleep.
That’s that’s good. That’s really healthy. Very again, very wise. That’s very wise. Is your wife gonna get to go on tour with you or is she going to be working?
She’ll be able to come to some of the dates, but she’ll be she won’t be, like, on the bus with us, so.
That’ll be hard.
I know. Now, the nice thing is, it’s only like four day stints, so it’ll be like, I’m gone for four days, and then I’m back and then gone for four days, and then I’m back. So it’s not the worst.
Perfect spring day. Is it going to be rainy or is it going to be sunny?
That’s a great question. I think I would love like a little morning rain. So you could kind of get rain in the morning and it’s like just kind of this nice little drizzle, like kind of misty and then it gets really sunny and then by the time evening comes around, it’s thunderstorming and you can just get in and get cozy. I cheated.
I mean, it sounds like the perfect day, honestly. And finally, peanut butter, crunchy or smooth.
Ooh. I go back and forth I think in general smooth.
Yeah, I agree with you on that. I think people who always choose crunchy, there might be some like mental health issues that we have to contend with.
We may need to pray for them, but like it’s it’s all cool.
Well Seph, that is the end of the Lightning round. You did great. All correct answers. Toed the line a couple times.
I was close to failing.
Give LifeSongs family just one word of encouragement. What has God been teaching you lately that you would share?
I think just dependency. You read the Beatitudes, you pray with so much of what Jesus has spoken, and so much of it is like, blessed are the poor in spirit. Do not be anxious about anything. Just like learning to be dependent. I think in our world today you hear self-made man, self-made this – all me, me, me. And it’s like, no, I want to be a God made man, you know? Like I want to be that kind of person that just that is relying on the Lord, that’s able to lean back and trust in my God, you know, in my father to take care of me. So my word of encouragement is just trust God. You know, it doesn’t mean you just sit back and do nothing. I’ve heard said, God can’t drive a parked car. You got to at least get the car moving, but trust Him to take you to where he needs you to go and just trust Him to provide for you in every step of the journey.
Great word. Thank you, Seph Schlueter for hanging out with us. It’s awesome to get to meet you.
Yeah, such a pleasure.
Thank you.
I wish we all had personal cheerleaders. (Shout out to Logan Cain, of the band Cain, who is an actual cheerleading champion!)
Imagine having a team of folks whose sole purpose is to pump you up, encourage you when you are down, and, I guess, spell out simple words. (That seems to be a big part of cheerleading.)
Honestly, this is a dream we can MAKE true, by being each other’s cheerleaders!
“..your morning show is the best part of my day, especially on the way to school where I am a middle school teacher. I often share your words/news/comments that I hear on the way into “work.” The Holy Spirit has given you a gift. Thank you for sharing it on air. You & Libby are amazing humans. I thank God for you both and the rest of your team at Lifesongs.”
-Sheila David
Sheila is an exceptional cheerleader! I feel ten feet tall and so grateful because of her encouragement. The truth is, the LifeSongs team isn’t anything but WILLING. Just like you! We’re willing to be a light. We’re willing to admit our shortcomings and how God more than makes up for them. And we’re willing to use whatever talents, skills and finances God has given us to share His Love with Southeast Louisiana and the world!
Because of your generous support of LifeSongs, I want to give you a T-H-A-N-K-S!
What’s that spell?
BTW… Here’s Logan Cain showing off his cheer-skills…
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Logan Cain (@logodash)
Josh got to spend time chatting with author, Dr. Ed Uszynski about the upcoming Weekend To Remember in Baton Rouge! This podcast features tons of stuff you didn’t hear this morning on The LifeSongs Morning Show! (Plus, all the charming stuff that aired on LifeSongs Radio)
And don’t miss FamilyLife’s Weekend To Remember!
Are you investing in your marriage? Speakers Tim & Joy Downs and Justin & Sharita Bilson will lead a Weekend to Remember. This FamilyLife event is all about putting your best foot forward in marriage, whether you are newly engaged or have been married for decades!
WHAT: Weekend to Remember with FamilyLife
WHEN: Friday, April 12 – Sunday April 14, 2023
WHERE: Baton Rouge Marriott | 5500 Hilton Ave. Baton Rouge, LA
INFO: Register HERE now!
There is a discounted room rate when you register for the Weekend to Remember.
Prices vary with military discounts and pastors and their spouses can attend for free!
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I was shooting some baskets with my kids (Kaylee and Ben) and, well … it had been a while. I was rusty. The ball clanged off the rim over and over until finally I settled down and found my follow through. That’s the secret to nailing your shot – not just the set up, but the follow through. And that got me thinking about other things in life that take a little warming up, before you are rewarded with a SWISH instead of a CLANG…
I’ve been so impressed and so grateful for the follow through of the LifeSongs family who committed to give during our Fall Shareathon. Faith in action! You didn’t speak empty words of support, you are stepping up to the line and trusting God to provide as you follow through on your promise. It’s amazing to see. It’s powerful to be a part of this ministry family, sharing God’s Love with Southeast Louisiana and the world!
What other ways can we follow through in life? What are the things in this walk with God that take a little extra effort, but are always worth the time? For me, I guess it starts with being more intentional in my prayer time and getting up a little earlier on Sunday for Bible Study before the worship service. How about you?
“Silenzio” is Italian for “Silence.” I chose to use the Italian version of the word to show just how romantic and exotic silence can be. It’s been said that the ...
Jordan St. Cyr spent some time hanging on the LifeSongs Morning Show and even gave us a mini-concert! Enjoy this live recording of “Rescue” from the LifeSongs Morning Show! ...
We are so excited for the new school year … and maybe a little nervous too. We encourage everyone to sign up their school to be an official LifeSongs Prayer ...
I love the sound of waves lapping against the sandy shore. It’s my favorite thing about any beach trip. It is one of the most peaceful sounds on planet earth, ...
When people find out I work in radio, often they ask me if I ever get nervous talking to crowds of thousands (or tens of thousands) of people every day. ...
“Let’s get together, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!” Hayley Mills performed as twins Sharon and Susan in the O.G. Parent Trap. I also love the Lindsay Lohan version, but I grew up watching the hijinks of Hayley Mills. I found myself humming that tune Friday night as we set up the LifeSongs table display at Raising Cane’s River Center.
It’s been a while since I went to a major concert like Friday’s Always Only Jesus Tour with MercyMe, Taya and (my boi) Micah Tyler. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a crowd of thousands anywhere, actually … a consequence of the global pandemic and my own natural inclination towards solitude. But there I was, with my wife Elena, plus JoJo and Jennifer, excited to experience a worshipful night together!
Being together is sort of essential for human beings. Our God-in-three-persons designed us for relationships. Our own messed up hearts try to pull away from that, thinking we are supposed to be self-sufficient, but it is truly not the blueprint for our hearts. In fact, the Bible warns us to not draw into isolation in Hebrews 10:25, “[Don’t give] up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
So I guess I just want to say “thank you” to everyone who got together with us over this blitzkrieg of concerts (three major tours in just 5 days!?). There’s going to be a lot of other fun things – other concerts, gatherings and whatnot – and I am beyond excited that we’ll do it all TOGETHER!
Darren Mulligan got up EARLY to hang out at the LifeSongs Studio and chat about The Healer Tour – TONIGHT – at the Pontchartrain Center!
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NEW DATE! NEW VENUE! AWESOME CONCERT!
Get ready for an amazing spring – Casting Crowns has extended The Healer Tour and are bringing the show to New Orleans!
Tickets are on sale now!
What: The Healer Tour featuring Casting Crowns, We Are Messengers & Ben Fuller
When: Monday, April 17th
Where: Pontchartrain Center | 4545 Williams Blvd. in Kenner
Tickets: On Sale NOW!
Mark Hall, front-man for Casting Crowns, chats with Josh about The Healer Tour on the LifeSongs Morning Show! Catch up with Mark and then see him TONIGHT at The Healer Tour at the Ponchartrain Center in Kenner!
NEW DATE! NEW VENUE! AWESOME CONCERT!
Get ready for an amazing spring – Casting Crowns has extended The Healer Tour and are bringing the show to New Orleans!
Tickets are on sale now!
What: The Healer Tour featuring Casting Crowns, We Are Messengers & Ben Fuller
When: Monday, April 17th
Where: Pontchartrain Center | 4545 Williams Blvd. in Kenner
Tickets: On Sale NOW!
It’s always great to hang with a Smallbone! Joel of FOR KING & COUNTRY Zoomed into the LifeSongs Morning Show to prep us for tomorrow night’s WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR Tour in Biloxi!
FOR KING & COUNTRY return to the Gulf South with the What Are We Waiting For Tour Part II! April 13th – Mississippi Coast Coliseum! Tickets are on sale now!
WHAT: What Are We Waiting For Tour Part II
WHO: FOR KING & COUNTRY
WHEN: Thursday, April 13, 2023 | 7:00 PM
WHERE: Mississippi Coast Coliseum | 2350 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39531
INFO: CLICK HERE for tickets today!
When the going gets tough, do you cut and run? My wife (Elena) and I joke about how if we won a billion dollars, we could just disappear. I think at one point she started planning our family bug-out bags. It’s a panic-reaction to stress; fight or flight.
Life can be hard and sad and frustrating. Responsibilities and bills and monotony and disappointments and middle age…
Here’s the thing about being a Christian… This life isn’t about us anymore. The very first sentence in Pastor Rick Warren’s bestseller The Purpose Driven Life is, “It’s not about you.” God called us to serve His Kingdom and we can trust Him to take care of us, no matter what problems we face in this world.
Being a Christian is hard sometimes. Jesus warned us in John 16, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” But we don’t always act like that is true – that Jesus has “overcome the world.”
When Christians bail (hey, that’s the name of this blog!) on our responsibilities (which include: to love and care for the broken, be a light in the darkness, the city on a hill and the salt of the Earth) it isn’t just our own lives we are diminishing, it’s us failing the Kingdom of God.
But faith isn’t about pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps – it’s about God’s Spirit enabling and equipping us to take on the challenges of the journey. There will be times when that journey feels exciting and fresh and then times when it feels like God has forgotten us.
But He hasn’t. Nothing can keep you from His Love (Romans 8:38-39). So don’t bail on The Calling when life gets hard. Shine brighter! Pray deeper. Worship honestly. Or like Anna of Arendelle says, “Do the next right thing.”
To all my brothers and sisters who daily take up their cross and keep doing the next right thing – THANK YOU. Thank you for your service to God’s Kingdom. Thank you for demonstrating to others how it’s done.
*Below is a picture of Christian Bale since I used his name as a pun.
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**Also, sorry for not writing about love or whatever since it is Valentine’s Day. I really don’t care for this holiday. Do you know when the last time I got flowers was? Never. Guys like flowers too. Stupid Valentine’s.
I don’t want to be warm, I want to be on fire. Let me explain…
Does your office or home get stupid cold in the Winter? I swear it feels like the AC is running in the LifeSongs office even when it’s 40 degrees outside. For that reason most of us wear sweatshirts every day or have blankets at our desks – and the boss (Julie) actually has a small heater that she keeps running under her computer desk.
If you enter Julie’s office it’s like walking into a vision quest hut in the desert. There are ambient lamps, essential oils float through the air and it is a good 15 degrees warmer than anywhere else in the building. It’s calming. It’s peaceful. And most of all, it is ALWAYS warm. It’s where we retreat to when we can’t feel our fingers – which is very frustrating to Julie because she is also extremely busy and doesn’t have time for us to visit her sweat lodge.
Being warmed up is a beautiful thing. A cup of hot chocolate during the Winter – the perfect blanket on the couch – heated seats in your car – a fireplace crackling… it all just feels luxurious and comfortable. But warm isn’t exactly a good thing for a follower of Jesus. In fact, Jesus used the metaphor of being hot, cold or lukewarm for God’s Kingdom and the most offensive to God was being warm. (Revelation 3:15-17)
A warm Christian is comfortable. They aren’t passionate or, on the other end of the spectrum, against the cause – they are simply taking up space. I think a Christian simmers down to a comfy warmth when their focus becomes safety and satisfaction instead of Loving and proving their Love through generous acts and compassion. (James 2)
I’m guilty of being a warm Christian. I crave comfort and safety and familiarity. So much of my lived-out faith becomes about me, me, me instead of Him, Him, HIM! Thankfully, there’s Grace. And the Holy Spirit pushing and gnawing at my heart to step up, out of the selfish, comfy warmth and into a Fire that is all consuming.
It’s the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving feast – a juicy, delicious Butterball turkey! That’s a lot of pressure for some poultry to carry, but thankfully the turkey experts are on hand to talk us through the great American tradition of roasting/frying/smoking the perfect turkey!
How to Reach the Butterball Turkey Experts
- CALL 1-800-BUTTERBALL for 24/7 help from the experts!
- CLICK on Butterball.com
- TEXT your questions to 844-877-3456
- ASK Alexa, who is connected with the Butterball experts!
- FOLLOW the experts of Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube & TikTok!
- DOWNLOAD THIS helpful timeline Thanksgiving Planner
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