 I write this note of confession from the safe, yet smelly, belly of a whale.You may remember that Jonah ran from God when asked to say something a bit…well, uncomfortable. God called him to preach, and good ol’ Jonah high-tailed it out of town. He hitched a ride with some sailors, figuring God wouldn’t find him out on the open seas, and went below deck for a nap.While he was sleeping, a fierce storm rolled in. The crew was in a fit of panic as the waves crashed over the boat, not knowing whether they would survive. What brought the curse of a storm upon them without warning? It must be that dude Jonah down below, they thought.
After waking him up and drawing straws to see who was to blame, they discovered it was indeed Jonah on the short end of Gods’ patience stick. Jonah owned up to his own disobedience, and chose to walk the plank. Once the trouble-maker was out of the boat, the waters grew calm. Problem was, our boy Jonah was now shark bait. Fortunately, ours is a God of second chances, and He wasn’t about to let Jonah suffer an untimely death. But, rather than sending a Coast Guard helicopter or Celebrity cruise liner to rescue our wayward protagonist, God sent a big ol’ whale to swallow him up into a fishy “time-out”. And here, friends, is where our stories collide. A little more than six years ago, God called me to speak out. He entrusted me with a gift – a song I was to share with all. In a moment of divine inspiration, He gave me the words and the music as one perfect package. Yet, in a confusing daze of greed, selfishness, and fear of what people might think, I have been unwilling to move forward with the delivery of this gift. I have used numerous excuses to run from God, asking, “What if everybody hates it?”, “How do I put it all together?”, “How do I pay for it?”, and “Who exactly do I give it to?” Rather than taking action and trusting God to light the path before me, I turned around and went the other way, sticking to familiar territory and running from His will. And, like Jonah, I found myself in the midst of a storm. Although everything was smooth sailing at first, in time, the waves began crashing around me. Those closest to me experienced my turmoil, and in their confusion wondered what was causing the tempest. I had to fess up. I had to take ownership of my disobedience and throw myself overboard – into God’s care – to finally act on the directives he gave me. And so, the Gag-a-Whale Project was born. |
GET IN ON THE ACTION This is an open invitation to anyone and everyone who would like to be a part of the Gag-a-Whale Project. There are three ways you can help to make it happen:
Some people are blessed with an ability to sing. If that’s you, then come to the recording studio on March 20th and join in the chorus. Give praise to God in song, and be a part of history in the making. Others have the ability to help with the logistics. Maybe you can offer to transport the instruments to the studio, set up the food and drink, or simply get the word out through your network of friends and colleagues. Of course, financial gifts are a huge help. This is a completely not-for-profit endeavor, but we still have to cover expenses, including studio rental and a small stipend for the band and music arranger. If you’re able to offer a donation of any size –whether one dollar or a thousand – it would be a blessing. You can also pre-order copies of the CD, which will be mailed to you this spring, hot off the presses. What better way to celebrate Christ’s resurrection than by sharing an awesome song of praise with family and friends? To make a donation or pre-order copies of “I Am Found” on CD, click the button below. (If you would like to order CDs, please note your mailing address and the number of CDs you are requesting in the Special Instructions box on the PayPal screen.)
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