Monday, June 27, 2011

Have you heard the news?

Toby Mac is coming to Calgary on October 17th.  I saw him in concert at YC 2009 in Edmonton.  He gives a phenomenal performance.  Not just a guy standing at a mic singing - that's for sure.

Here are a few links to some of his songs you might enjoy.
Lose my Soul
Get Back Up - I have a novel idea for this one.
Made to Love

However, my reason for posting this is the opening act he is bringing with him.  Her name is Jamie Grace.  When it was announced I was a little surprised I had never heard the name.  So I intended to go home and google it.  However later that day, (I was driving in my van) I heard a Jamie Grace song.  It made me want to park my van and get out and dance on the QE II.  Thank goodness I didn't.

Check it out.




It was so encouraging to me to see (and hear) Toby Mac, a seasoned performer, take a new, young act under his wing. Maybe this happens a lot out there - I don't know. But it is a feeling I can relate to soooo much right now. Having an experienced writer to talk to, ask questions to, bounce ideas off of would be priceless. I don't need someone to promote me - like Toby Mac is doing. I need someone to guide me - teach me the ropes.

This has been an idea on my mind for a few days now and I was praying about it to God. Today as I was surfing for some info on another new band I heard I discovered it isn't so rare in the music business after all.

One of my all time favorite performers is Paul Brandt. He and I go way back. (Tee Hee Hee!) He is a musician who is taking the idea of mentoring to a new level. First he did it with Greg Sczebel. (Check out a Christmas special from Banff, Alberta Greg singing with Paul's wife, Liz Brandt)
Now he is doing it with High Valley. Check these guys out! (WARNING: you need to like a little twang in your groove ;)).



Here is a video of Paul Brandt talking about mentoring young, upcoming acts. This guy is first class!

The bible talks about mentoring in the relationship of Paul and Timothy.  I need to take the words Paul used to exhort Timothy and write them on my own heart.  "Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message ...  Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.  Watch your doctrine and life closely.  Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."  1 Timothy 4:14-16

In an article I found on mentoring, Mike Oney says this:
There are many definitions of mentoring but a common thread is the focus on investment from a senior individual to a junior individual, guiding them to success. It is my sense that mentoring is the ability to stand outside of a mentee's life and note the past and present influences while at the same time guiding them toward the integrity needed to make sense of where they are and move toward their life calling.
Wow, that sounds so comforting and encouraging to me.  I remember taking a video series class at our church called In the Dust of the Rabbi by Ray Vander Laan.  I will not be able to give you the facts that he gave - so I recommend you check it out for yourself.  However he talked a bit about the relationship that Paul had with Timothy.  Vander Laan shared how Paul would have found him - a young boy, alone and unaccepted in his home town due to his mixed racial background.    But Paul saw GREAT potential in that young man and decided to pour into Timothy the wealth of knowledge and experience Paul had already.

Are you a Timothy?

Or are you a Paul?

I think we should be each of them in our lives.  We should be drawing upon the wisdom of a mentor no matter our age.  Then parallel to that is our need to reach out to someone younger or more inexperienced than us.

I am trying to do this.  I have to say I stumble more than I walk in it.  But with God's grace I will continue forward in it.  Next week a friend and I hope to have a hang-out/ girl's time with the group of seven teen girls we had charge of at YC this year.  It is our hope that we can bind this group of girls together and teach them young how to do 'this life' or 'this journey' of faith TOGETHER.  Pray for us!

As you go about your day today, consider where can you invest in the life of someone?  Also, pray and ask God who could invest in YOU!

Blessings!

If I have inspired you check out these videos made by Lunchables, called My Mentors. (Contest is over but it is cool!)
Jordin Sparks, Kevin Jonas, John Drake,

2 comments:

  1. You are an inspiration to me every time I read your words you are my mentor. Love KJ

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  2. I couldn't listen to these before because we had no sound on the computer. I love listening to all the songs you post. The only new CDs I've bought in a LONG time are SCC & Casting Crowns because I know I'll love them. It's just too stressful to go to the bookstore with the kids & listen to new music to find one I like. I'd REALLY LOVE to go CD shopping with you sometime (with no kids!):) You know so many good ones! Maybe sometime this summer on one of our tea dates:):)

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