Slow Down...Please!

Just last week, we celebrated my daughter's eighth birthday. I remember, like it was yesterday, holding her for the first time. Praying; "Lord, please help me be a great father and guide me in raising her and please, Jesus, let her come to know you." I remember thinking about how fast it was going to go, but never could have imagined it would seem this fast. Tara and I had decided when our daughter was about two months old that we would wait until she was eight to have her ears pierced. At the time it seemed like a lifetime away. And yet, it was one night just last month I was walking toward my daughter's room to tuck her in and overheard her conversation with Tara. They were talking about earrings. As I walked into the room, I asked with a smile "What are you two discussing earrings for, you're not getting your ears pierced until you're..." Then it dawned on me. I knew she was about to turn eight, but didn't realize she was about to turn eight!
A couple of weeks later, we took the entire family to witness the ear piercing and then for our traditional birthday ice cream outing. As I stood there watching her hold tightly to Tara's hand, I couldn't help but grow slightly sad. If these eight years went that fast, how much faster are the next eight going to go? To further complicate my feelings, eight years from right now, she'll be the age her mom was when we started dating. I'm definitely not ready for that! How the memories started to rush in. Instantly, I started to remember so many things we've done together, the special moments, the milestones, the laughter, even the tears! At that moment, they served as yet another reminder of how important it is to make the days count. They are numbered. And, although the years will fly by, we have control of the days that make up those years! God's amazing! He has answered our prayer so many times over. If these next eight years are even half as wonderful as the first, it will be pretty awesome! Sure, these next eight years will have their own set of challenges, difficulties, but, also their own beautiful moments.
I really do wish there was a way to slow time down. But, looking back with as little regret as possible, will be far more valuable than seemingly more time. In the meantime, I will continue to ask God to help me, do my best, to make the most of each day.

60/60 Revolution...

Have you ever been in that moment where you learn of someone else's idea and thought to yourself, "Why didn't I think of that?" Well, I was sitting in church this past Sunday, enjoying the service, when pastor started talking about this revolutionary idea. An idea so simple, yet so profound. The 60/60 Revolution. An idea conceived by a pastor at a church in Texas. The idea is to allow God to penetrate the busyness, stress, even privacy of our everyday lives, everyday - every hour. To spend a few moments in prayer at the top of each hour every single day. The concept is based on John 15:4-5. "Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him he will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing."
Those that have completed the challenge had reported that their lives will never be the same. God has a way of blessing our efforts to grow close to Him. Can I encourage you to take this challenge with me? Here's what you need. A few moments every hour and a way to remind yourself. It's that simple. Everything else will fall into place.

Here is the challenge:
For the next 60 days, try to stay in a continuous, honest conversation with God, willing to do His will, moment by moment. Set a watch or alarm clock to beep every 60 minutes and put up sticky notes and reminders around your home, car and office as a reminder to stay connected. Try to turn your thoughts back to God all throughout the day, as often as you can. This simple conscious contact with God isn't easy, but if you do, you'll start to see everything else begin to fall into place over time. Even if you're not yet convinced, this does work. Try it. Every 60 minutes, stop and recall "God is with me right now" And let that propel you to ask God "Show me your Will this next moment. I want to be willing to do your Will as an act of love toward you."

If you are planning on taking this challenge, would you please let me know? Simply drop me a line at joeb@newlifemedia.org - Thanks!

I can't take any credit for this incredible idea- I am merely jumping on a revolutionary thought process encouraged by the leadership of my church. I'm extremely grateful for the pastoral staff at my church and I appreciate the way they are continually challenging me to grow!

In the Moment...

It never ceases to amaze me how fast time seems to slip by at an increasing pace. With each passing year, time appears to move faster than the year before. If only someone had warned me when I was younger. I spent so much time living just beyond the moment I was in. Biding my time, just existing, until the next great moment arrived. You know, that moment, event, or happening that would, of course, be the best thing ever! That's how I would build it up in my mind. And the closer I would get to the event, the bigger and better it would become in my head. This would lead to such depression, because no matter what it was, that I was waiting for, it always went by much too fast and never quite lived up to my grand expectations. In fact, on many occasions, the "looking forward" was more enjoyable than the event itself. More and more I found myself increasingly disappointed. This was until I met my wife, Tara, 16 years ago, today. A day that I had been looking forward to and anticipating about for the better part of the prior month. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. It's hard to imagine there was a time when I was nervous about being with Tara. The awkward first days together. I had been to her house many times over the previous several months. I had had conversations with her parents and several occasions. I had been out with Tara with others from the youth group. But, this was different. This was a date. As I walked to her front door, I had to walk past the garage. This particular day, Tara's dad was working in the garage. Not because he had stuff to do, but that he was going to be the first line of defense between me and his daughter. I had never, on any occasion, felt intimidated by her dad, until this day. I remember the stern look he gave me as he said "There are three thing you'll know if you're going to take out my daughter. First, you'll treat her like a lady. Two, you will have her in on time. And, three, if your car leaks oil, get it off my drive!" My car didn't leak oil, but I wasn't taking any chances, I didn't park on the drive for a long time thereafter. This was truly one of the first days in my entire life that lived up to the expectations I had created in my mind. And, I can honestly tell you that with each passing year, it gets better and better.
Sure, Like many of us, I still find myself from time to time living outside the moment I'm in. But, during those times, God will use Tara or my kids to gently remind me to live "in the moment."

To Serve You Better...

I recently had the privilege to attend Gospel Music Association week (GMA) in Nashville, TN. While there, it dawned on me that this was my 13th trip to GMA. It really doesn't seem like it was all that long ago that I ventured out on my maiden journey to the Music City. I can remember my first trip like it was yesterday. It's hard to forget how out of place I felt and how terribly green I was. I had so much to learn. As I made my way through the busy, but wonderful week, this year, I found myself reminiscing about those first years. It's fun to think back and look at how far I've grown. Yet, the more I learn the more I realize how little I really do know. God is continually challanging me to do a better job at His purpose in my life. Although there are many things similar to those first few years, like the hotel, the city itself, and so many faces, a lot has changed. A few artist still stroll through the hotel lobby familiar to my early days, but most are a new crop birthed in the last 10 years or so. Music has changed. The face of music has changed. And, the way we do radio has changed. I remember those first few years being a lot about "me." How do I do it better? How do I make a difference? How do I play the best music? Although those questions can seem harmless, and sure there was also a focus on God, but still I felt there was something missing.
That was until about 6 years ago when I noticed a shift in focus at GMA. A shift not only in the industry, but also in me. It was no longer all about me, but more about you. Yea, YOU! Believe it or not, you've play a much bigger role than you might think. That's because we better understood God's calling on us to serve you. And, once we began to understand where God was leading, well, there was just no turning back. This year's GMA was all about YOU! You have more power than you may realize. It's you that makes a song a hit or not. With an increasing number of radio stations relying on input from their listeners, the charts are actually influenced by your opinion. As artists better understand what you're looking for, they are now recording songs to better serve you. You are also influencing songs radio stations decided to play. Here, at Family Friendly Radio, we have experienced some amazing success over the past several years. Of course, all Glory goes to God, but so much "Thanks" to you. God has used YOU to help us get to where He is leading. And I believe we've only touched the tip of the iceberg.
You are significant! God has an amazing purpose for your life. And, maybe a small part of that plan would be to help determine the direction for the future of Christian Music. And, it's really easy! It takes just minutes a week, a few weeks a month! Plus, to top it all off, it can be done right in the privacy of your own home. All you need to do is join our Music Advisory Panel today. It's free and there are never any strings attached. You could also win some very cool prizes just for being a panel member. For more information about joining this amazing team and help determine which songs get played, please check out our website or email me today; joeb@newlifemedia.org

It Is Worth Fighting For?

Last year, my wife and I received devastating news from some friends we admired. I remember when we were first married, how we looked up to them. They had a kind of marriage that we desired. Or, so we thought. If there were ever a couple beyond the risk of breaking up, it was these two. No doubt about it. So what happened? Well, I could share with you the details surrounding the final moments of their marriage. But, it wouldn't shed any light as to what really caused the decay of the relationship. It would be nothing more than the final images of the destruction. so, what really happened? Somewhere along the way one or both decided to stop fighting. I'm not referring to bickering and such. I'm talking about the desire to make the marriage work no matter how difficult it becomes. There was no infidelity or abuse in this marriage. Just a subtle decision that it wasn't worth working at anymore. The struggle to keep it going was no longer worth it. And, it wasn't a decision that was made one day, it was something that crept in and slowly took control of their marriage until it had completely stripped the life from it. The symptoms were there, just below the surface out of site. We do an amazing job designing masks to hide what's really going on. So, even though it came as a complete shock to my wife and I, this relationship had been in trouble for a very long time.
It made us take a deeper look at our marriage. To make sure we're always on guard for anything that can sneak in and begin to bring decay to our relationship. To regularly come back to our foundation, Christ, and spend time together on our knees seeking guidance. To not allow the word "Divorce" to enter our vocabulary at any time. To understand that it is not an option. And to know no matter how bad it gets, it's always worth fighting for!
With one out of every two marriages ending with divorce these days, it can sometimes feel like fewer and fewer couples are doing any good fighting at all anymore. Plus, with recent law changes, marriage has become one of the easiest contracts to void. In fact, in most states you don't even need the consent of both people to end the contract. And with "No Fault" divorce, you don't even have to have a good reason to call it quits.
That's why I believe Warren Barfield's new song "Love Is Not A Fight" is so timely. It's not only a song I believe you'll soon fall in love with, but also a great reminder that when things get tough in our marriages, they are worth fighting for! I love the line, "If we try to leave; May God send angels to guard the door." I can't wait for you to start hearing this song on the radio this week. I just know you're going to love it! And, speaking of that, I love knowing your opinion about the music we play. In fact, you can have your opinion heard by joining our Music Advisory Panel. It's free! Check out our station's website to find out more or to get signed up! Also, if you want to know more about Warren Barfield or hear this incredible new song, please check out his Myspace page; http://www.myspace.com/warrenbarfield

If you're marriage is in trouble, please seek help from someone you can trust, who is in love with Jesus and believes the Bible to be the manual for how to handle your situation. If I can be praying for you, please don't hesitate to let me know; joeb@newlifemedia.org Your marriage is worth fighting for!

You're Not Alone...

It's actually quite amazing how we can be completely surrounded by people, even friends, and still feel so all alone. Whether we're facing pain form the past or currently walking through difficult situations, many times we can't escape those, sometimes, suffocating experiences of feeling lonely. I remember walking through stretches in my life when I would do almost anything, reasonable and legal, to take that lonely feeling away. My escape was to watch movies. I watched a ton of them and all the time. But, inevitably at the end of each movie, the loneliness that I was able to numb always made it's way back around. It really wasn't until I started consistently giving my pain to Jesus, that I began to find freedom. And, I can't take any credit. I wouldn't have found the way out on my own. God put some pretty smart people in my path willing to sacrificially pray for me and help guide me. I thank God for those true friends. And, sure, there are days when those lonely feelings can rear their ugly head, but God has taught me to hold tightly to Him. I don't always get it right and I have a ton to learn yet - but God is patient and I know He is at work and no matter what happens or how I feel, I'm truly never alone.
If you can relate at all, I know a song you just have to hear! In fact, from the very first time I heard this song I was blown away! It's one of those songs that just lifts you up. It's called "You're Not Alone" by Meredith Andrews. You can hear it now, by visiting Meredith's Mypace page. Although I love the song - my opinion isn't as important as yours. Please let me know what you think, by joining our Music Advisory Panel. Thanks!
When you get time, please let me know how this song or any other song we play has impacted your life. And, if there is ever anything I can be praying for you about - please don't hesitate to let me know. You can drop me a line anytime at; joeb@newlifemedia.org.

Lower My Bills, Please...

So, earlier this week I talked about an article I read at ehow.com on how to lower your monthly bills. Outside of getting a ton of emails, I also took the challenge. And, I'm pleased to say that after about 20 minutes on the phone, I was able to save nearly $40/month without losing very much at all. Most companies were more than willing to work with me right away. "So you want to lower your bill without losing any services" is what one operator said. "Sure, that would be great!" was my response. "Let's see what we can do for you today, Mr. Buchanan." All I can say, is if you haven't yet tried this, please check out this link to find out more about how to lower your monthly bills. Lower my bills