and I am officially too busy to be a blogger! I live in Austin, Texas with my wife Melissa and daughters Jessica and Ava where I serve as the Director of MUSIC FOR THE CITY and the Director of Missional Community at AUSTIN CITY LIFE.
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I had the privilege of being a guest blogger at my good friend and pastor Jonathan Dodson’s blog.
Read what I wrote HERE.
Thanks to Ben at BEN HANSEN DESIGN , we have a logo! MUSICFORTHE CITY.org is launching September 7th! 
Stay tuned!
As promised in THIS POST, an explanation of some new things in my life.
#2 I AM STARTING A NEW ORGANIZATION, IT IS CALLED MUSIC FOR THE CITY.
Coming in 2010, MUSIC FOR THE CITY will be producing and distributing compilation albums featuring some of Austin’s best artists, benefitting some of Austin’s best non-profit organizations.
MUSIC FOR THE CITY will also be producing and promoting the MUSIC FOR THE CITY CONCERT SERIES, featuring some of the best live music in the ATX, benefitting Austin- based non profit’s that we are excited about!
We are really excited to be partnering with AUSTIN SAFE PLACE and THE AUSTIN CHILDREN’S SHELTER! More to come…
As promised in THIS POST, a little explanation of some new things in my life.
#1 I HAVE A NEW PUPPY, HIS NAME IS “TRUCK”.
ENOUGH SAID…..MORE SOON…..
This is vol. 1 of “WHAT ELSE IS NEW?” This is just a general overview, and will be followed by more specific blogs about each “NEW” thing…….
1 I have a new puppy, his name is Truck.
2 I am starting a new organization, it is called Music For the City.
3 I am recording an ep with my new band, we are called The Romeria Lights.
4 We are having a new kid, his name is Jones, or her name is Betsy, we just don’t know yet.
5 Before 2009 is over, Jessica will be 11, Ava will be 4, and my marriage will be 5. This is all new.
6 On Tuesday’s and Thursday’s, at 6am, I run 4 miles around town lake. This is very, very, very new.
7 In college football news, The Washington Huskies have a new coach, and the Texas Longhorns have a shot at winnning a new national championship……and yes……I care about this.
8 In related college football news, the Oklahoma Sooners may be good enough again this year to lose yet another BCS bowl game….and yes….I care about this.
9 As a Christian, I am hoping that the songs I sing and the things I believe will line up a lot more with the life I live. I need to be made new.
What is new with you?
We had a great time of worship last night on 6th street as we released our first ep “ONE” and raised some money for The Austin Children’s Shelter. Thank you to everyone who contributed their time, and talent, and energy, you know who you are, we appreciate you so much.
Stay tuned because these tunes will be hitting ITUNES and NOISETRADE in the very near future. Have a listen HERE.
RELEASE PARTY SET LIST
I was recently asked to write a little “blurb” about the 2 tunes I am contributing to the AUSTIN CITY LIFE EP “ONE”.
So here goes….
COMMUNITY SONG
I wrote this song right after I first met Jonathan Dodson and the other 10 or so people who were starting Austin City Life. Anybody who has been part of a new church knows what I am talking about, there is really something special about a small group of believers meeting in a home, sharing their stories of brokenness, forgiveness, and hope in Christ……and dreaming about what it would look like to be a church that changes a city.
From the GOSPEL, to COMMUNITY, and to MISSION, it is all in this song. My hope is that this song will be an encouragement to believers everywhere, and especially to those who are open about their brokenness, and passionate about God changing their hearts, their neighborhoods, and their cities.
HOW GREAT THOU ART
I have recently discovered my love of old hymns, “HOW GREAT THOU ART” being one of them. I could never find a version that I was into musically, so I rearranged the song to lead at Austin City Life and the people responded.
The first verse tells of God’s greatness in creation, the second verse tells of his greatness on the cross, and the third hints of the joy and worship that will happen one day when all things are made new and we are truly home. The chorus has always been and will always be a good ol’ fashioned sing along. This song moves me. Period.
