Warren Promoted to Glory!

Well I want to thank everyone for prayers on behalf of Kay's brother, Warren. Warren went home to be with the Lord early this morning. I ask that you all remember the family in prayer as they deal with this situation. Thanks!

Houston, We Have Arrived!

Ok, so I had to to post on here and let you know that my tickets are here. They came in the mail today! Fourth row from the stage I can't believe it!

On a heavier note, I would like to ask for prayers of one of my MB family members. Her brother is in bad condition at an illinois hospital and she is traveling to see him. Just remember her in prayer!

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Paducah, KY

Alright, I just had to add this because I am so PUMPED about this! Tickets for the Signature Sound concert in Paducah, Kentucky went on sale this morning at 10 am and I was there at 9:59! I got tickets in the fourth row from the stage! We got the Artist Circle Tickets so we are so excited about going. I just had to let you all know because I am so excited! This is a solo concert that will be held at the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center in Paducah, Kentucky. If you are interested in purchasing tickets for this concert, I will place a link below where you can go and order them. Order now and get you some good seats!

Order Ernie Haase and Signature Sound Paducah Tickets Here!

Nearer, Oh God, To thee

Alright, so I have a little time off from school this week (4 days to be exact) and I thought I would be doing a little blogging. Be looking forward to a couple of new entries over the next couple of days as I begin to take an in depth look at the book of Psalms.

This section of Psalms really seemed to touch my heart this week. As some of you know, my church has been going through some trouble recently (which I won't get it to---just pray!) and it has really caused a lot of stress and discomfort in my life because church and God is my life--I mean really, what else is there? well, I have EHSS but you know, thats a given! LOL you know I love you guys!

Tonight I have been looking at Psalms 42. In my bible it is titled 'Wishing to be near to God'. I have prayed this week that God will grant me peace and comfort from deep within that I know only he can provide. God is the only provider of that life saving peace. In this psalm, there are a couple of verses I want to look at and commentate tonight.

The first is this:

As a deer thirsts for streams of water, so I thirst for you God. I thirst for the living God. When can I go meet with him? Psalm 42: 1-2

This has a lot of meaning. One, is the psalmists deep, eternal thirst for God. He wants to know him, know more about him and to love him. I think this is the desire of all true, born-again Christians. We all have the desire to know and love him more and more than we ever have. The wonderful thing about God is that his love is so vast. You could never reach the bottom. Daily, we only scratch the surface of the capacious mind of God! Notice, the psalmist also says that he searches for the living God. Praise the Lord that our God is living! He is alive and reigning on high and all we have to do is trust in him and we are guaranteed to get to go up there and be with him. He also says, 'When can I go meet with him?'. I have asked this so many times this week. I just bask daily in the fact that I know that once in that beautiful, holy city, there will be no pain or sorrow or STRESS! We will all be happy and be praising God in that great wondrous chorus up above! Thats a lot of meaning in two little verses, huh?

The other verse that "struck a chord" with me so to speak is this:

Why am I so sad? Why am I so upset? I should put my hop in God and
keep praising him, my savior and my God! Psalm 42:11

This is actually the last verse of this very short psalm. This is such a testament in itself. Why should we be sad and upset? We are not of this world. I think sometimes, more often than not, we allow the things of this world to drag us down. We allow people who trick us to drag us down into the depths of despair. We must remember, we are not of this world. We were not made for this world and the quicker we realize this, I believe, the better off we are! This verse also makes God closer and more personal by actually saying 'my God'. Sometimes it seems like, with all of the worlds problems, it is impossible for God to truly pay any attention to you! But, PTL that God is much bigger than we could ever be! He is my God, and I will praise his name forever and ever. Just a little commentary tonight on Psalm 42!

I want to remind everyone that tomorrow night at 7:30 CST on Daystar they will be televising LIVE the Gaither 'Give It Away' Homecoming Tour from Fort Worth, TX. This is bound to be a wonderful show because Nashville was truly awesome! I know that FT. Worth will be wonderful as well!

Well, I love you all and I hope and pray that you allow God to be drawn closer to you this week. If you would, leave me a comment and let me know what you think about this. I never know if anyone is even reading this. I just put it on here because I love my Lord and I try in every endeavor to serve him!

Gaither Homecoming in Nashville

Here is a copy of the report that I posted on the EHSS MB, enjoy!:

I have to tell you all that I was so nervous about meeting the guys that I almost couldn't breathe and I almost had to throw up before we left the hotel and then once on our way to the venue, I couldn't stop laughing. My grandmothers were about to kill me and I think I was scaring the lady next to me on the shuttle bus! HAHA But, i couldn't help it!

We finally got inside the Sommet Center with about 5 minutes to spare. We did not have time to go to the product table because we had to get to our seats. We are walking down the steps to our row (We had floor seats) and the lights went out mid-way so I knew that I had to get to my seat. When we got to our seat, the stage lit up and they started singing the song "The Unclouded Day" as all of the homecoming friends walked on stage, and there were many of them, I mean, this is music city! They consisted of (This is all that I can recall, I think I have them all): Ernie Haase ( I almost passed out because he is like my role model!), Ryan Seaton, Doug Anderson, Tim Duncan, Gene McDowell, Eva Mae LeFevre (What a Sweetheart!), Mary Tom Spear, Ben Spear, Micheal English (What A Surprise!), Ivan Parker, Joy Gardner and the Christ Church Choir, Charlotte Richie, Greg Richie on Drums, Jeff Easter, Sheri Easter, Guy Penrod, Wes Hampton, Marshall Hall, Lynda Randle, Kevin Williams, Rory Rigdon and of course, Gordon Mote.

What a Lineup! The spirit in the place was absolutely amazing. In fact, my shoulders are very sore from having my hands lifted up in Praise for our savior most of the night! After the couple of congregational songs including all of the homecoming friends, they all dissapeared leaving EHSS and GVB up on the stage and they sang "Great Day", "Love is Like a River" and "Sweet, Sweet Spirit". Oh, how overwhelming it was!

After this, Jeff and Sheri Easter and Charlotte Richie came out and sang, the songs have escaped me. After them it was Joy Gardner and the Christ Church Choir and she only sang only one song. Then, Ivan Parker came out and he sang "This I choose" and another song that I don't remember what it was called. Janet Paschal came out and sang and then she talked about her recent battle with Breast Cancer and then she sang another song. Lynda Randle was next and she sang a couple of songs that i don't remember the name of either. All this time, I am wondering where our guys are and when they are coming out! Next up was Ben Speer and he sang an old hymn that I can't remember the name of. Next, Eva Mae LeFevre came out on stage and she looked at Bill and she said "Bill, it has been 98 days since I have seen you! Bill, if that happens again, I am going to slap you!" The crowd erupted in laughter! I t was good to see her again. She sang the old song "Leave it there" , I think she did this song on either homecoming picnic or campfire homecoming.

Up next was what I had been waiting for. EHSS came running out on stage and I just jumped to my feet and screamed as loud as i could! None of the people around me even moved, but I didn't care, I love them so much that how could I not scream out! They sang "Someday", "Glory to God in the Highest" (Yes, Brandon, that is the song that you heard. Sorry it wasn't any better!), and "Till we Fly Away". Then the entire stage went dark with Gloria in the spotlight and she told about the death of Jesus in such a beautiful way. It brought tears to my eyes. The guys sang the first verse of "Then Came the Morning" and then at the chorus when they say "..Then Came the Morning!" the entire stage lit up and I just jumped up with my hands raised to our father before I even thought about it. I was just overtaken! After this song they sang "Get Away Jordan" with 2 reprises! I guess they would have done a third one but I suppose one person standing up and yelling at the top of his lungs (me!) was not enough for a third reprise! HAHA

After EHSS, GVB came out and sang several songs. They walked on stage singing "I'll tell it wherever I go". They then sang "I catch 'em, God Cleans 'Em." They then sang "Journey to the sky" with a funny comedy routine with Marsh and Bill. Then, Guy sang "Why Me, Lord" and then the GVB sang "Give it Away"

Then there was intermission and I knew that I had to find the EHSS table. I came out to the main floor and walked almost all the way around the venue till I saw that huge picture of EHSS and I just took off running. Ryan was standing there with his grandmother, a really sweet lady and his mom was standing on the other side of the table because I saw him yelling her name. I tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around with a big smile on his face and I asked him if he would take a picture with me, he said, "Yeah man, no problem!". He stood with me and took a picture with me. Then, I saw Doug come over and I asked him if he would take a picture with me, and he patted me on the shoulder and said, "sure". We talked for a little bit, he is such a great guy! I then pulled Tim over and he took a picture with me. By the Way, Brandon Tim says Hello. He laughed when I told him that Brandon says hello. Then, It happened. I spotted Ernie Haase himself on the other end of the table. I got in line to meet him. However, when I got up to him some guy came around and said "Ernie, you need to get in [the arena]" He looked at the guy and said "I have 5 minutes" and he looked at me and said, "Hey, I like that shirt!" I just laughed and I got our picture made, it came out blurry but I am happy with it anyway! I would have loved to have talked to him some more but I know that he was busy. So, I walked away. I am hoping I can have more time to talk to him in Paducah!

After intermission they started again and Kevin and Rory was doing some jokes, most of which were on the "Together" video. All of the homecoming friends came back out and they sang "Rock Of Ages" and at the end they showed a video of Vestal Goodman up on the screen singing the second verse of the song. They also sand "Leaning on the everlasting Arms" in the same style that they did on the "Together" video. They also sang the song "Up Above My Head", and at the end they showed Jake Hess and George Younce, singing the song together and it was amazing! They also sang "Amazing Grace is the sweetest name I know" and Ivan Parker and Micheal English got up and sang "Thank You for giving to the Lord", which was very touching!

They ended with a prayer from Gloria Gaither and the song, "Because he lives" with Charlotte Richie and Ben Speer singing the 2nd and 3rd verse. It was very touching.

Afterwards, We went back to the product table because I had realized that in my excitement, I had not bought anything! I went and grabbed the "Great Love" Cd, the only one I don't have, and the Brown Get Away Jordan T-Shirt. Tim was standing there and he said "Can I help Someone?" I handed him the CD and told him about the shirt and I asked him if he could get everyone to autograph the CD. Tim said, "What is your name?" and I said "D.J." and then he looked at me with that mischevious grin of his and he said, "how do you spell that?" and I started to answer him but then he started laughing and I just felt really stupid, "He said don't worry about it, I do stuff like that all the time!". I walked away from the product table with my pictures and autographs and I was in Glory--as Kay says!

All in all, the concert was amazing. I loved it very much, but I am kind of sad that it is over! I will be in line next Friday to buy Paducah Tickets for sure!