Journal entry for: 9-24-2000

Hello Everyone,

      I'm hailing tonight from the front seat of the van, driving through the great and wonderful lone-star state of Texas. We've been here for the last couple of shows. We are having an absolutely incredible time right now with Nickel and Dime and Matthew Perryman Jones. We've always been great friends, but this has really given us the opportunity to grow even closer. We have adopted an "open-stage policy" which means that anyone on the tour is allowed on stage at any time during anyone's set on any instrument. It's been a lot of fun, and has led to some pretty incredible moments. Tonight, during a really fun show at LeTourneau University in Longview, John of Nickel and Dime came up during the song "We are the Beggars at the Foot of God's Door" and started singing over the ending. A pretty intense moment of worship followed, quiet and beautiful. We have been thanking God daily for the great friendships that we have, and the time we've been given to invest more in those.

      The other day we were heading to New Mexico and I was driving around dawn. I got to witness the sun come up over some of the most beautiful country in the world. Sure I was exhausted and ready for bed, but I just couldn't stop, it was so beautiful. I had been reading in my church history book about some of the Roman martyrs who were hung and set on fire to light some of the Emporer's garden parties. As I drove through the dawn I noticed the phone poles which lined the road were in the shape of crosses, and I was overstruck by the thought of how such good and terrible messages were sent along those wires, and how God used such a hard and terrible way (i.e. the martyrs) to pass along such a wonderful message. Cason and I have really been learning a lot about the sovereignty of God, and how He ordains good and evil for His glory. As I was driving I was so struck by that thought that I had to write it down. Cason was shotgunning, so I had him hold on to the wheel while I wrote on scraps of paper from a pad from the desk of the last night's hotel. Those words became a song that night in a new hotel room in Albuqurque. I say all this just to share with you a little of what it is we're learning, and how amazing it is to get to see so much of God's beautiful creation. All of our questions somehow feel a little answered when screamed into the majesty of the rolling rocks of New Mexico or the windy plains of Texas. I wish you all could be here and get to see what we see. Of course every landscape looks beautiful when you grew up amidst cornfields in Illinois...

      Well, that hopefully lets you know a little bit about where we are right now. Please continue to pray for us on our tour, that we'd get enough rest, play some great shows, and meet all the bills. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective... Also, I'd like to let you all know that our friends Satellite Soul are putting out a live record this week, of an evening spent leading worship in Kansas City. We would really love it for you to help support them and take that evening into your life. I have said for years, that they are probably the most under-rated band in Christian music, so go buy their record!! Anyway, thank you all so much for your prayers, for your continuing encouragement about our record, and for coming out to the shows. It's been great to see so many of you. We pray that you are finding the beauty in the coming Autumn and we hope to see you all again soon. As for us, it's on into the night of Texas. Until next time...

Grace and Peace,
Andrew