Chicago Update.

What a great time!!! It was great being around family that we haven't seen for 3 years. My bro-in-law Craig and sister Tara have 5 WONDERFUL daughters (that's right 5 GIRLS!!); Kaitlyn, Kelsea, Haley, Lexie, and Izzy. They are all so different in personality but all equally as awesome! I am so proud of them! I was warned by Kaitlyn that Izzy(the baby) is sometimes leary of new people and that I shouldn't be upset if she didn't warm up to me in two days. Well I'm glad to say that when we were sitting in the van getting ready to go back to the airport Izzy was sitting in my lap saying "NO!! I go wis Bubbo!" HAHA on you Kaitlyn ;) ! Most importantly they are all so on fire for God.

It was a great time hanging and sharing with Craig and Tara. Good fellowship, good counsel, good times! It was great to just get away from routines and mix it up.

For those who don't know(I say that as if people actually read this blog: No offense to the 5 of you who do. lol), we were in Chicago to lead worship for the Spring Encounter Retreat. We went with a great team. Harry and Candace Sanchez, Michael Johnson, Michael Grant, and Ryan Hudson. We had such a great time together. I hope they all enjoyed the time together as much as I did.

Details: The team in charge of the event were TOP-NOTCH!! Simply incredible people who treated EVERYONE as if they were important(Because they are you know!). Deb and I have NEVER led worship together or separately before, so this in many ways was intimidating. I picked WAY too many songs for everyone to learn, and being me...I freaked out when everything wasn't perfect...so again guys I'm sorry!lol. We removed ourselves, and God moved in..it was a beautiful time of Worshipping our God together! The event was wonderful! God moved in such a mighty way. So I'm just going to make a list of some things I learned and some things that made an impression on me during the weekend.

*In order to be "ready", you just have to be willing! Move out of the way and remain a vessel for God's purpose! (I'll be posting a blog going more in depth about this new to me revelation)

*Michael Johnson likes coffee with his sugar! Seriously...like 10 packs per cup! lol

*Don't pack 12 people in a minivan if you don't have the proper air pressure!


*Murphy's Law, "Whatever can happen will happen", Needs to be renamed Ryan Hudson's Law. Then revised to say "Whatever can happen, will probably happen to Ryan Hudson"! hahahaha

*No matter how thirsty you are, do not stick your head under the faucet of a sink that has an automated soap dispenser. (Hudson's Law example B)

* It is ok to eat Giordano's pizza that has been sitting open in a hotel room for more than 15 hours.

*Debbie Denson and Candace Sanchez are MIGHTY women of God...Probably my favorite part of the weekend was watching those two minister to these women together. We're still getting praise reports from some of the women that they ministered to.

*God will use anyone who allows him to!

*A Roland JC 120 is a bad mama-jama guitar amp!

*I am married to Prophetic World Changer!

*I actually can sing in church! This was the first time since I was like 4! lol

*Michael Grant can sleep anywhere, at anytime!

*We are capable! All of us...even YOU!


Start a Movement!

- j -

Frustration x 10 = AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

If you have bothered to read my profile you know I'm in the process of writing a worship album. I have learned this is much harder than just writing "songs". At times I think it shouldn't be harder because it isn't hard for me to worship.....BUT.....When writing music that may be used as corporate worship, or by people worshipping in their cars or homes, it needs to make sense to more than just me and God. So just random spontaneous worship rarely works in those situations....although, I guess Jason Upton could disagree.

I am my own worst critic. In some ways that is great, as I rarely get offended when someone else critiques what I have written, because they're not half as critical as I have already been on myself. In other ways it has stifled my creative flow and lead me to doubt myself at every corner(or verse and chorus). Nothing will drive you more crazy than writing a verse and thinking it's great, then listening to it 10 minutes later and saying that just sucks! I so badly want to write these great songs that by people simply singing them, Heaven and earth are moved! When I say that, I'm not saying that out of pride. It's not about me. It is simply about wanting lives impacted, and wanting to be a strong force in impacting the world for the glory of God. Which we were all called to be!

I think this is just the process of God completely moving me out of the way. As I stay in the word and prayer, and continue to receive encouragement from my wife and friends, this will work itself out.

Start a Movement!

- j -