hello

Due to the holidays I wasn’t around my computer to much, so sorry for the delay in my blogging

What a beautiful start to a very new year.  I had the pleasure of spending 4 days down at the One Thing conference  in Kansas City, MO.  It is a huge worship and prayer conference put on by IHOP (The International House of Prayer).  All I can truly say was it was extremely powerful and very much needed in my life and the lives of thousands.  Basically for the majority of the day for 4 days straight I got to just pray and worship.  It was a deep intimacy with Jesus that I had not felt in quite a while and a huge blessing to my spirit.   I could not speak more highly about what God is doing through that movement and through that ministry.  And it makes perfect sense.  Why would He not?  Believers from all over coming and committing to pray and worship 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Seeking His heart.  Seeking His face.  And seeking HIS will.    It is that kind of devoted son or daughter that He is longing to change the world with.

I was reminded of so many simple but powerful truths that encouraged me while I was there.  The first being the most powerful of all.  That God intimately loves me as I am.  That He loves me purely for the fact that He created me, and that He created me for that very purpose.  Nothing more complicated or deep than that.  That fact, when it truly penetrates your heart, completely changes your life.  And when you receive God’s heart and know that He not only views you that way, but every one of His creations that way……… the world begins to look much different.

So often I can keep my relationship with Jesus bottled up in my head.  In my understanding, or in my knowledge.  Which are great things to have.  But when it remains there it is dead understanding and dead knowledge.  If it doesn’t CONTINUALLY penetrate our hearts, and we don’t truly live in that truth and understanding, we begin to live in the very thing that Jesus came to set us free from.  Dead religion.   It’s so funny.  Even as I am typing this, these are things that I have said, preached, and sang about for years.  But even with all of my understanding and knowledge of this subject, if it is not continually meditated on and awakened in me daily, how quickly I can “forget”.

I am in love with Jesus Christ!  Because He first loved me.   And He has good things for me.  The main thing being HIS beautiful and powerful will.  To walk in righteousness and not in darkness.  To walk in freedom and joy, not in depression and pride.  To spend all of my days with the only true lover that has ever lived.   My Jesus.

I am excited to be walking with Him today and to see what He can do through me in this short window of a life.

Make every day count!!  First with Him.   And may everything you do today and always flow and be motivated by the Love that changed your life.

Hello

Tis another freezing day here in Wisconsin.  Just another reminder that my body is not made for northern winters haha.  Not a fan.  Well the last couple weeks have been a busy for sure.  Doing a lot of preparation for next years spring tour and preparing for another round of recording.  Booking, planning, and seeking God on where He would like me to go, what He would like me to do.  It’s crazy.  We all have so many options in our life.  In so many ways we can completely pick our path.  In some ways it is a paralyzing blessing we have here in the “land of opportunity”.  I guess I can’t speak for you, but I know for myself life is a lot simpler when my options are few.  I can get overwhelmed so easy when I could go in million different directions.  And often times the fear of making the wrong decision prevents me from making any decision at all.   Which ironically is a decision in and of itself.

I have to constantly remind myself that it is good to be diligent and making smart and wise decisions, but also not to be afraid of making mistakes.  That God is with me no matter what.  If our heart is right and desire is right, I believe he will honor which ever path we chose to serve Him.   And will He will guide the necessary changes in His timing.  But we need to be willing to get that ball rolling and make the moves.  My old mentor told me a long time ago God can only steer us if we are moving, just like a car.  You can turn the wheel all you want but unless the car is moving it will never turn.

I just turned 30 this December and it is pretty cool.  Kind of scary, but mostly cool.  Although I have received my fair share of old jokes and heckling from my younger counterparts, I feel anything but old.  I feel right where I am suppose to be.  On a journey with some of the road behind me and much of the road yet to come.  It is exciting to think what lays down that road and also to think about all I have learned from the experiences I have already had.  The good, the bad, and the beautiful.  And that no matter what turns we take, no matter which forks we chose, GOD IS WITH US.  He is our companion.  He is our guide.  He is our protector.   He is our redeemer.  And He will never abandon us.

May I encourage you to live freely today?  You have been created with beautiful passions and gifts.  And the possibilities may seem overwhelming and scary.  You may feel like you have no idea what to choose or what path to take.   But I encourage you to seek Him today.   You may hear something unbelievable.   Or you may hear absolutely nothing at all.  But know this.  You are loved and the One True Living God is with you.  And He wants you to move so he can guide you to the places He has prepared.  Do not let the fear of failure or the overwhelming options keep you from the path.

Live life to the fullest today.  Enjoy the freedom you have and the ability He has given you to choose.   With the complete knowledge and confidence that GOD is with YOU and will guide you as you go!!

“Be still and know that I am God.  I am exalted among the nations.  I am exalted in the earth.”  The Lord of Hosts is with us.  The God of Jacob is our stronghold.  Selah!  Psalm 46:10-11

Just got done with a show in Oshkosh, WI at the Basic Books, the place I had my first ever actual concert back in the 2002 when I was in college.  Brought back some memories  I just have one more show till the end of the year and then I get to take some time off to concentrate on pre production for the next batch of songs.  Really pumped!!  It seems like the list of things to do never ends.  So much to be done with additional things with the website, marketing, booking, pre production etc.  All good stuff, but I look look forward to the day when I can hand more of those things over.

Tomorrow night is my last official show of the year.  It’s a benefit show for World Aids Day.  It is awesome to be able to help out even if it is a small way.  Hoping a ton of people come out to get behind the event.  Seth’s Coffee Show in Little Chute, WI.  Event runs all day Sunday starting at 1pm and my Show starts at 6pm.

Be the light of Christ today even to the people that difficult.  Extend His Grace the way it daily gets extended to you.

Love you Guys!

Sorry for the delay in getting this one out!  Life seems to be happening pretty fast right now.

Well a couple of weeks ago I got to tour through 2 of my favorite areas, La Crosse, WI and Winona, MN.  Always two of my favorite places to play  There are few places on the road that feel like home, but that area is near to my heart.  God has blessed me with a lot of people there that encourage me a ton and that have been supporting my music and ministry for years and years.  Special thanks to UWL’s Cru, River of Life Church, and Winona State University’s IV for bringing me in to worship with you guys!  It is always a blessing to my heart!

After that 6 day trip I got to come home which was awesome.  I am in the beginning stages of working on fulfillment of the new project which will come out next fall.  I am recording at least 6 new songs that I am really excited about  A lot of cool things are happening as well as the beginning stages of an answer to prayers that have lasted for 7 years.  I have been, and others on my behalf, have been praying for years to have ministry partners (band member and otherwise) to do shows with and most importantly to travel with.  The road can be a lonely place and I also would love to do more things musically live that would require more players.   And some of those pieces are finally coming together which is a huge blessing to my heart.  A lot of details to be worked through and a lot of provision still needed, but even to see the ball in motion is enough to bring a joy to my heart that is hard to explain.  God is good

And then this past weekend I got to lead worship at my church back home which was a blast.  God has built an incredible team of musicians and worshipers around me there that it is always and honor and blessing to lead!  We broke out a few new songs which is always fun for me  haha for one of the new songs (Shadows by David Crowder) my friend make this killer pre recorded drum machine beat with a bunch of techno sounds for the chorus and sustained moog bass…………..it was pretty tight   Not sure some of the older people in the congregation dug it, but I thought it was pretty cool anyway hehe

Now I get to rest and enjoy some time off for Thanksgiving.  Turkey+mash potatoes+Gravy+ dinner rolls+ stuffing= yes please

Love you guys and enjoy the down time as well!!

danen

Last weekend I lead worship for a conference in Wisconsin.  The Conference was for a ministry called Exodus International.  I really didn’t know a ton about them when I got invited to play, but the little I had heard was pretty sweet.  Well, I was blown away.  It was probably one of the more powerful conferences I think I have ever been a part of.  Exodus is a ministry designed to help believers with same sex attraction struggles.

    I have to say it was an incredible time.  It was eye opening and beautiful.  Whether you were someone that struggled with same sex attraction, sexual addiction, or to be honest anything else under the son it spoke right to the heart.  I found myself not really expecting to be minister too, but leaving the conference feeling like I received a 1000 times more that I had given.  I got to meet about a 100 or so people, that for them, same sex attraction is not just a political point, or a theoretical struggle or sin, but a daily battle that they did not want to be in.  

    The topic of homosexuality is one that is extremely feared, not understood, and thus ignorantly discussed on a regular basis within the church.   It touches so many lives and stems from so many different reasons and causes.  It is so emotional, both for the ones that struggle with it and for the family and friends that are involved as well.  I by no means have all the answers on this topic.  But here are some thoughts from the weekend.

     I saw a room full of people that struggled with something they did not want to struggle with.  And that were seeking God intensely for His mercy, grace, and power.  I could not help but see myself in their struggle.  Not with same sex attraction, but with the many thorns that are in my flesh.  Whether it be lust, envy, pride etc.  my heart’s desire was the same.   And our desire, love for God, and desire to please Him was the same.  These were people that were honestly coming before God and each other and recognizing and confessing their sin.  Not minimizing it.  Not denying that their desires were sinful, but owning it and seeking to be changed.  I found myself asking “Do I pursue holiness and fight my struggles this hard?”  There were different stories all over the room.   From stories of redemption and healing, to deliverance and victory and that struggle being just a distant memory, to ones that had not acted on the desire for years and years, but it was still an occasional temptation and battle that they needed to acknowledge.   Also stories from some that are still right there in the thick of a daily struggle to turn from it.  A struggle that sometimes succeeds, sometimes fails.   And then also family and friends that were there to support, better understand, pray, and love them deeply as Christ loves us all.

     Wherever they were in their journey the reason why they were there was the same.  They were sinners saved by grace that knew that their desire was sinful and they desperately wanted to change.  They loved God and wanted to please Him with all of their heart.  It was one of the clearest and most beautiful real life pictures of the gospel I think I have ever seen.  The room was alive!   Alive with people that understood what it is to be a follower of Christ.  Alive with people that knew they needed a savior, broken of pride and a sense of hard-hearted entitlement.   A room full of people that knew what it meant to deny one’s self in the pursuit of obedience to God.  A room full of people that knew this was not their true body and this is not their true home!  And a group of people humble enough to admit they need help and the Spirit of God to move.  It was eye opening.

        I was thinking throughout the weekend, why is this kind of honesty, community, humility, and easily viewable picture of the Gospel so hard to find!  Why should this weekend be moving me more, and be so incredibly different than what I experience in the Christian Church every day?  Why is MY worship a lot of time so passionless!  Why is my desire to deny myself for the purposes and pleasures of God so inconsistent and a lot of times emotionless!

     The truth of the matter is I am a murderer, a thief, and an adulterer!  I am prideful and selfish!  I am a gossip and a slanderer!   How dare I point my finger, even in my mind, at another person’s sin and put it on trial as if it is heavier or worse than mine!  What would it be like to struggle with something that the majority of the church has no patience for?  No grace.  No love.  No understanding.  Insert YOUR thorn into that blank.  It is absolutely no different.  The penalty is the same.  And the wage you earn by committing it is identical.   

          The devil is our enemy and idolatry is his strongest arrow.   When we become prideful to the point where we forget what we have been saved from and our desperate need for a savior, we no longer are friends of the gospel, we are enemies of it!  Our standing before God foolishly rests on our own false goodness.  Our worship becomes cold and passionless.  Our faith becomes religious and we become little more than modern day Pharisees.

          What would it look like if we (The Church) were truly honest before God and each other.  TRULY sharing in each other’s burdens and struggles?  TRULY lived out the gospel, which is a gospel of confession and repentance?

         Heavenly Father, forgive us for our prideful hearts and the idolatry of worshiping our own image!!  Purge us from this false reality and help us lives honest, broken, and VICTORIOUS lives in Christ Jesus!!  Praise You for Your grace, for I am in need of it more anyone of the planet!!  Awaken us to the Love of God!!

A movement starts with one…..