When the brokenness of this world leaves it’s mark on my heart and mind, I can be the first to frantically look for the glory of God…but defining it flatly as a lesser virtue, because His goodness seems in question. Clinging to hope in His glory, when all else can seem questionable. How can a good God let four young girls be left without their mother? But I can piously resort to proclaiming that God’s glory will be manifested triumphantly still. A glorious, not-good God? Is such a thing possible?

On the surface I would assert a resounding “No!” but my thought processes and emotions reveal that my fallen weary heart poses the question off and on…sometimes more on.

In Exodus 33 when Moses asks to see the glory of God, the LORD (the covenant keeping Mighty God) answers affirmatively. Yet He answers, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you.” (Exodus 33:19) Moses asks for glory. God gives him goodness.

God’s goodness is incapable of being disentangled from His glory.

When my heart is tempted to doubt His goodness, asking to see His glory is asking to see His goodness. Oh that I would have eyes to see Him as He truly is and not the shadow I construct loosely from what I see now dimly.

- Meleah

Yesterday, a beautiful woman who radiated Christ finished her race and entered the arms of God, free from pain, healed fully from cancer. Our hearts ache. Yet we don’t grieve as those without hope. But we still grieve. We need mercy.

The day before, knowing outside of a miracle that her end here on earth was near, we sang vocals on a song written because of her testimony. We needed mercy. 

Today we finish an album birthed by our heavenly Father, and in many ways brought about because of the lives of her family. So we break down, weep, lament, hug, walk, search Scripture, pray, share pictures, recount memories, laugh, even dance…and it all helps. But still we have work to do here. So we don’t let ourselves go there fully…yet. We need mercy. 

Tomorrow, we help to lead in celebrating her life together as a church family and community. We need mercy.

“Do return, O LORD; how long will it be? And be sorry for your servants. O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us, and the years we have seen evil…Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes confirm the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:13-17

“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God…For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved…” Romans 8:19-24

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

This morning (Friday, April 5, 2013) at 5am Christi Engels peacefully passed from this life and opened up her eyes in a new glorious reality. The sunrise she saw today cannot be expressed in words. Please continue to pray for Kenny, Riley, Avery, Sidney, Chloe, Sandy, Roy, Ken Sr and Valerie. We have all been engulfed in grace and glory…and peace indescribable. It is true, Jesus is good and true life is in Him. 
- Pastor Frank

It was more like a skipping, hopping, dancing kind of walk…because that’s just what we do. In our little loop we even found Rachel Way.

We also saw everything bursting into green after the freeze-induced dormancy of winter. And flowers beginning to peak out. One row of trees were distinctive. Having been cut off to produce more lush life, they were sticks of trees that still looked naked compared to those that had already exploded in green. Yet they had flowers budding all over the ends of their branches. Clinging right to the bare branches, flowers blooming life.

Signs that the beauty of life after loss is greater. A sweet thought entering Holy Week and approaching Easter.

- Meleah

From a distance, in the ease of comfort and prestige of position, Nehemiah saw the distress of his flesh and blood amidst the brokenness of their city. Walls broken and burned. Vulnerable. He didn’t have to notice, ask, or care. Yet he did. And he was grieved.

Launching into an epic campaign to rebuild the wall in a “stupid fast time” (and I quote Zach), Nehemiah and the people were met with angry hecklers who aggressively sought to deter, distract and demoralize. The welfare of God’s people is displeasing to some. Yet the God of heaven gave them success and they had a mind to work regardless of the accusations.

And a large part of the time, the work just meant stacking stones. People strategically scattered down the wall, stacking stones, day after day.

Our time in the studio is 17 days total. Of which the full band only played through songs together for five half days. That means five half days and an additional 12 days of meticulously playing each part of each song on each instrument…stacking stones.

Nehemiah and the people rebuilding the wall, including the meticulous stacking of stones, was an element of fulfilling prophecy for the Messiah to return. Those stone stackers were a part of the Story of redemption. Something epically larger than themselves.

Just as our days of playing one guitar part over again are a part of something beyond ourselves. Compelled by seeing God’s heart for His people, we couldn’t not step out to do this work. So each part has significance. We pray each part ushers the Kingdom of God closer to our hearts and His people.

And it’s all happening in “stupid fast time.” We’ll keep you posted…

- Meleah

One of the amazing joys has been experiencing the community of people drawn together in the studio to help make the project. People, who for all practical reasons have had no reason to say yes to working on the project, have invested countless hours already. There are much bigger fish in the pond than a band of kids from Chattanooga, yet we’ve experienced fellowship and community together that’s refreshed each of us.

We’ve been challenged, feasted on lunchtime picnics, had our musical minds blown, enjoyed rousing games of baseball golf, quoted movies, ate cookies, prayed through seasons of life and heart together, played wiffle ball, worshipped, wrestled tenaciously with tricky songs, speed-walked, and survived a power outage and severe weather alerts.

And we are thankful. Epically thankful.

- Meleah

Yet our time recording has felt like coming home as well…just in a different way. Full of peace, safety, trust. Living each new day as just that…another day. Full of epic elements, challenges to wrestle…yet at ease.

Charlie Hall shared with our youth worship team in its infancy, that we shouldn’t work ourselves up for events. That worshipping, whether in private or in front of two people or 2,000 people, should be as natural (and supernatural) as breathing. That an emotional and spiritual roller coaster wasn’t desirable on any level.

Our time this last week felt like being at home. And it’s not that we’re old pros, we haven’t even begun to tap out the vast knowledge of the talented people we’re working with in the studio. And it’s not that this isn’t an adventure of epic proportions…so much that we wake up wondering if it’s all a dream.

It’s that it is very good. That innate sense of home that is found when we’re exactly where we’re supposed to be, walking with Him in the cool of the night, knowing that what He is doing is very good.

This very good is only a shadow of what’s to come perfectly when we will know fully as we are fully known. When the groan of creation will be answered with final victory. But in the meantime, we rest in that shadow. At home in Him. While sojourning.

- Meleah

After a full day of making music (singing and playing stringed instruments) and playing (speed walking, singing and shooting confetti guns) we were called vibrant. And it just seems to fit…in more ways than we realized.

It’s not that we haven’t experienced heartache or don’t frequently fall into melancholy, but our Hope is constant. Christ came to give us life, and life to the full. We long to embrace it, to embrace Him.

So pray for continued vibrancy. May we all together walk in fullness of Life!

- Meleah

“But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You.”

1 Chronicles 29:11-14

The fact that over $20,000 was given to us in less than 30 days, induces stunned humility. The size of gifts ranged from literally 46 cents to $10,000. Little girls saved Christmas money and pre-bought the album. A sweet youth group child sacrificially gave $5. A dear saint gave thousands. A friend gave to pay off our goal. Even thinking about each contributor now evokes tears. How do you thank someone who gives $10,000? The same way you thank a little girl who sacrificially gives $5. Humbly. Genuinely. With grace, deferring to God’s glory, with confidence stepping into His calling.

So we journey on. Continuing to fall yet knowing He’s catching us. And enjoying the ride. I still wonder at times what in the world we’re doing. Yet His grace covers us for each moment and your support provides enormous encouragement sustaining us.

- Meleah

A goal that I have set for this season in life is to just have faith in God to provide for us and using what He gives for His glory. He has been faithful in bringing in funds to even make this project possible. It’s just so humbling and awe-inspiring the way He has provided and used others to provide.

I pray that this album will be able to contribute in the will of God to inspire and bring testimony to others. I can’t wait to get back in the studio again and just learn so much more and grow and strengthen my relationships with my fellow band members and others in the studio. It’s been such a blessing to be apart of this! And to be able to hang out with some of the coolest people ever! Who encourage me to build up my faith in our Lord.

I’m so humbled by all the support that has been shown to us and I CANNOT wait to share the new album with you all! It’s already blessed me in so many ways and I am so excited to share the same blessings with you all! I thank everyone who has supported us in any way. Whether by giving us funds or keeping us in your prayers and I ask that you continue to do so as we go through the progress of recording. Thank you all!

-Kristian Croxall