Journal entry for: 8-5-2000

Hello everybody!

      I hope that you all have been having a great and beautiful summer. For us, these past few weeks have had quite a bit going on. The first item of business is really exciting. Our manager and his wife, Dan and Gretchen, just had their first baby. Liam Joshua was born on July 13, and not only is he super cute, but he has two of the greatest parents ever, so we want to send a big congratulations out to them. Please keep them and little Liam in your prayers as they spend these first couple of weeks getting used to having the little guy around. Also in our congratulations file, we'd like to send one out to our friends Derek and Sandra, who got engaged this Saturday right before Everyone's Festival in Kansas City. Please also keep them in your prayers as they get ready for that big step together.

      As for the band, we've just been getting back into the swing of being on the road again after having all that time off to record and for Mark's wedding. We've been having some great shows and have just been really encouraged by the reception that the new songs and the new record have been getting. People have been so gracious to us with the new project and it's really made being on the road a lot easier.

      This past saturday we were out at Waterdeep's festival, the Everyone's Fest, and it was just one of the best times that we've had in a long time. We had a short, but fun, set ourselves, and then we participated in the big group jam. They had everybody from every band get up there and play and sing something. People were just switching around and making stuff up and just having a blast. The last song we probably had 25 folks up on stage. For those of you who were there, I hope it was as fun for you to watch as it was for us to be a part of. If anybody has pictures of that set, (or any other shows, too) we'd love to see them and put them up on the site.

      Other than touring there hasn't been much going on. It's kept us pretty busy. Please do remember us in your prayers right now as we're kind of in the midst of some growing pains, just with touring with the new members and having to hire some more crew and having wives on the road and everything. It's wonderful to be in this place, but we're still trying to figure out the best way to handle it all. We really can't stress just how much we appreciate you taking the time to care about us, to write us, come see us, and most of all, pray for us. The good Lord knows that we need it!! Sorry, I don't have any real deep thoughts to share this time, but sometimes life deals you kings and queens and sometimes twos and threes, and this is something I've recently been learning, everything is important. Getting groceries and remembering to pay the power bill are as good and holy as discussing marriage and reformed theology. Life is a huge collage of details great and small and none of them really mean anything without all of theothers.

      Anyway, we hope you are having an awesome summer and we hope to see you out there in the fall on the Coming to Life tour!

Grace and Peace,
Andrew