Okay, sounds nice, but easier said than done. I mean, come on. Money is tight, school is rough, church is intimidating, and, honestly, spiritual growth kind of sucks sometimes. I’m trying to mend relationships, disciple younger guys, gain wisdom, fight temptations, be a good steward, and then, of course, there’s this girl… yeah. It just feels like everyone is looking at me, watching, waiting for my next move.

Well, that’s how I felt a week or so ago. Now, not so much. “Be still,” the Lord commands, “and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10, ESV). Think about it; how many of the things I just listed are within my control? Maybe one or two. But even so: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26, NIV). You heard that right. God notices birds. Freaking birds. And I spent Monday in panic mode because I couldn’t afford to put gas in my car? Why? God provides for birds. I’m sure He has the simple ability to fill my gas tank.

But here’s the catch. Yes, He has the ability, but will He always? Doubtful. Does that mean we can panic now? I mean, if God isn’t providing… crap, we’re in trouble, right? Wrong again. We forget that God is also sovereign, which is just a fancy way of saying that He knows what He’s doing. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,’” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV). I don’t know if you’ve figured this out yet (apparently I haven’t eiher), but God is God. I mean, THE God. God of the universe. The One who created the heavens and the earth back in Genesis. The One who developed this elaborate plan for the redemption of all mankind. This God we speak of is kind of an expert at being in control, because, well, he’s God. It’s really not that complicated for Him to take care of us. And, being omniscient (knowing everything), God’s definitely figured out what’s best for His kids.

So if your circumstances are out of your control, relax. Apparently God’s doing something intended to strengthen your faith. So praise Him for that! He’s simply trying to show how much He loves you. And, hey, if your circumstances are your own fault, relax. You can’t change what you’ve done already, so simply ask God for the wisdom and discernment to make the right decisions for said situation from here on out. And, since you’re seeking God’s will with sincerity, He will more than gladly grant you your request.

This is still easier said then done. It looks great on paper. But the fact of the matter is that I love convincing myself that my plans trounce God’s. Hold on though; where were my plans taking me anyway? I mean, my initial plans? Oh yeah, eternal separation from God. Might want to rethink that one then. Clearly, God has a much better plan for my life than I do. After all, He’s the one who created it.

My challenge to you, then, is the same one I’m issuing to myself: never, ever cease to remind yourself that God is in control. Your life is not your own. You, along with every single other human being on this face of this planet, were created to know God and glorify Him through that relationship. That is your purpose. That is why you exist. Straying from that will do nothing short of destroy you, because it breaks from your original design. But thankfully, if you have, God created this beautiful concept known as grace. All of God’s wrath, anger, and hatred toward sin and the sinful was poured out upon His Son, Jesus Christ, as He hung from a tree almost two thousand years ago for crimes He did not commit. He stood in your place and took your judgement. My place. My judgement. And now you and I stand blameless before an almighty God. Blameless. What we deserved? That’s something to panic about. But we’re free from that. Free from sin. Free from judgement. Free to know God. Free to love. Free to be loved. Morality, then, becomes a response to God’s grace and mercy and the freedom which He has given you. Affection for Him brings about an affection for things that represent Him: love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. I can go for hours on this, but you get the concept.

So now what? It’s simple. If you believe the promises of God, then what reason do you have to worry? None. He’s way better at this control thing than you. And, if you don’t believe said promises, I encourage you look into them, simply because, as I said before, you were made for this. You were made to know God. Check out the link I have in the right column entitled The Story for more detail if you like, but please, don’t simply brush this off. Ask questions, regardless of how odd they sound. There’s nothing wrong with seeking truth.

All that said, I find it hard not to praise God. He took over a life I was inevitably going to screw up. And, of course, not everything has gone according to plan. Not mine. But His plan is greater, and it goes way beyond the life of one American college student amidst seven billion other human beings. So relax! This isn’t about you anyway, and God knows exactly what He’s doing. So smile, and remember: don’t panic.

3. Divided By Friday
@DividedByFriday
I will confess a bit of personal attachment to this band. I befriended drummer Al German via Twitter over a year ago when they were still an unsigned local band in North Carolina. Starting in their early high school years in the small town of Laurinburg, DBF quickly began headlining shows all over the state. Their first full length, “Maybe in a Memory,” brought these sixteen and seventeen-year-olds to the attention of multiple labels. I caught lead singer Jose Villanueva after a show about a month ago and asked him about it. “Suddenly everyone was calling us,” he told me. “We had big labels telling us that we were one of their top prospects at the moment… we were only juniors and seniors.” Since their first release, Divided By Friday has put out two singles and three EPs, steadily gaining talent with each one. Their latest EP, “Prove It,” was released just under a month ago and features both singles (“Prove It” and “Lost in Limbo”), as well as four other tracks that are sure to catch your attention. You’ll even find a song featuring Jenna McDougall of the Australia-based Tonight Alive. In short, these guys are young, talented, and full of the potential, providing unique-sounding vocals and intense melodies (not to mention that the drumming is phenomenal). And for proof, check out their ever first music video for “Disappoint: Surprise” off their second EP, “The Constant”:

2. We Are The In Crowd
@WeAreTheInCrowd
Let’s face it. Female-fronted bands are perfect. The girls love seeing a fellow lady on stage, and the guys… well, you get the idea. But, at the same time, male vocals bring out an intensity that only guys can. So what if you mix both? Enter We Are The In Crowd. Tay Jardine and Jordan Eckes trade off vocals as only they can to create a unique sound that is practically impossible to find a comparison for. While they certainly put on a great display of harmonies, We Are The In Crowd also uses their unique setup to portray a multi-perspective feel to each song. Some songs resemble arguments, while others sound more like a built-up mutual opinion. Their first release, “Guaranteed to Disagree,” goes with a rather poppy sound that’s great for roadtripping or whatever else makes you smile. Singles like “Both Sides of the Story” and “For the Win” are nothing short of entertaining and have an almost nostalgic feel to them. Their second full length, however, has taken a slightly more serious turn. Released on October 4, “Best Intentions” has showed a more mature We Are The In Crowd, and it’s proven to be for the better, and watching this band continue to develop is bound to be a thrilling experience. Check out the official music video for the first single of this sophomore release, entitled “Rumor Mill,” and decide for yourself:

1. The Dangerous Summer
@DangerousSummer
But sometimes, you need to sit back and think. Relax. Take the edge off. You need music you can feel. Lyrics you can relate to. Chord progressions that invoke emotion. You seek passion. Sit down with AJ Perdomo for a little while. From The Dangerous Summer’s formation in 2007 as seniors in high school, AJ’s ability to write has spoken for itself. But lyrics are only a piece of a band. Thankfully, The Dangerous Summer has a little something called chemistry. Each member brings their own passion to the group: the guitar riffs are beautiful, the drumming is subtle yet intricate, and the melodies captivate the listener. This, my friends, is music. TDS’s alternative sound takes influence from indie and modern rock, and also throws in some elements of its own. Their first full length, “Reach for the Sun,” is a stunning piece of work, and yet, in their latest release, they have somehow managed to outdo the former. Released this past summer, “War Paint” was nothing short of phenomenal. And, incredibly enough, they are just as impressive live as they are on the record. Still need more evidence? Check out their latest music video for their first single, “Work in Progress,” after which I named this blog:

So there you have it. Three young, talented bands on a label notorious for producing some killer music. Clicking on each album image above will take you to it on the iTunes store; buy if you can in order to support these guys. Stay inspired my friends.

So let’s talk motives. Why are you here? Seriously, why are you here? Why am I here? I can promise you I’m not hitting the mark. Why? Because I look across the street at a public high school with over 2000 students, most of which are dying without a Savior. Across the street from a seminary. It’s the same trend throughout this entire town. And what are we doing? Nothing. We’d rather debate theology, or have guitar sessions by the gazebo, or lock ourselves in our rooms for whatever reason. We’d rather go to a restaurant and get the server we know because they go to seminary too instead of sharing with one who’s never heard the gospel. We’d rather spend a majority of our time and effort finding our future spouse, since that’s obviously what you do in seminary. Evangelism is for mission trips. Not for the people I’m physically surrounded by as I sit in this dormitory and they drive down Stadium. Deny this mentality all you want, but you know you have the same problem. How many lost people do you know in this town? There’s plenty of them, and it sickens me that ninety percent of the people I know down here are Christians. Don’t get me wrong, I love those people, but is that really a good example of being in the world?

Death to the Christian subculture (stole that one from Doc). It’s not doing us any good. No, we’re not supposed to be of the world, but we’re definitely in it. So we construct our own social groups that do “churchy things.” And what do we accomplish? Nothing. NOTHING. I’m going to leave the professor who said this nameless (I know I quote him a lot, but it was not Doc Reid): “The reality is that, if this school was really doing it’s job, Wake Forest wouldn’t have so many people who are dying and going to hell.” And there’s a lot. Fake Christianity has ruined this town. Or should I call it a city? It’s getting there. In 2007, Forbes Magazine listed it as the twentieth fastest-growing suburb in the United States, with a 73.2 percent population increase between 2000 and 2006. The estimated population is quickly approaching 30,000, and Wake County as a whole is the seventh fastest-growing in the US. And we’re sitting here being good little seminary students (or, in some cases, we can’t even say that).

Here’s the point. This semester has to be different, at least for me. I have at least five people who would say the same thing for themselves. And I’m willing to bet that you would too. Think about it. We, as a school, are in a position to change the world. I’m serious. I’m not saying this because I think the students here are the best things to walk this this earth. We aren’t. But we are in a prime position to have a significant impact. With the Triangle being as populated as it is, and with three major universities (Duke, UNC, and NC State), any major movement is bound to spread. The churches in this area are some of the best I have encountered, and, if we actually pooled our resources and went, as a body, out into this region, something serious could take place.

But we aren’t. So I’ve decided that this is the semester to change that. I’m not speaking for anyone else but myself. This semester, I change my outlook. My focus. My drive. And it’s going to be really hard. Anxiety is already on the verge of eating me alive. But something has to change. It has to. Because I refuse to keep up this mundane trend of doing the minimum to graduate that I seem to be stuck on. I’m not called to that. So, if you’re with me, do it. Don’t tell me, just do it. And, whether you’re in or out, expect to start hearing about it. This isn’t some crazy idea I concocted in church today; this is a result of much prayer and discussion with other guys (and girls) who are just as sick of the same crap. The semester starts Thursday. What are you going to do? Stick with what you have, or start pursuing something greater? Because, let’s face it. I’m going to need a lot of help, or I’m going to collapse. I’m way too weak to do this alone. Let’s do something amazing for God. For once.

“Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, ‘The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.’ As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said, ‘O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.” They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.’”
Nehemiah 1:1b-11a, ESV

Alright, so here it is: my first music review of any kind. Perhaps I’ll keep it up, but maybe not at the same time. Either way, I’d like to introduce you to a little band known as This Beautiful Republic. For those of you who have over-familiarized yourselves with them already, then you are aware of their current circumstances and are now scratching your heads. Well don’t worry, we’ll get there. Let’s backtrack.

This Beautiful Republic started out with a group of high school kids in Toledo, Ohio, back in 2004. Skip ahead a couple of years and a couple of switches in the lineup, and, in November 2006, they signed with ForeFront Records. Three months after their first EP, Casting Off, was released in January 2007, they release their first full-length album, Even Heroes Need a Parachute. A year and a half later, in August of 2008, their second full-length, Perceptions, was released. However, while the band was having notable success on the Christian rock scene, lead singer Ben Olin left in late 2009, and the band dropped ForeFront to become independent in 2010. Little has been announced from the band since.

Okay, so why do we care about a band that is potentially defunct? Seems kind of pointless to write your first music review on a band that lost their lead singer just over a year ago. Well, allow me to explain. First of all, I’ve been on a kick with these guys as of late. I can’t help it; their music is addicting. But here’s the real kicker: they’re real to me. I get these guys. Olin and the guys wrote songs about brokenness and desperation, as well as songs about total surrender. They have managed to tear me to shreds in a couple lines; that’s powerful stuff. I don’t often encounter bands that really sound like they feel what their singing about, and it’s even less often that I hear it through the instruments as well. These guys pull off both; listen carefully, and, if you have an ear for this stuff, you’ll catch it.

A prime example actually features one of my all-time favorite musicians: Aaron Gillespie, former Underoath drummer and current frontman for The Almost. So, if you’re an Aaron fan and can handle a little screaming, “My God” is a great introduction. Let’s face it, at some point in your life, you’ve probably taken a step back and looked at your life in absolute horror. I have. I then spend hours beating myself up, getting to the point where I sound just like the chorus of this song: “My God, my God, what have I become?” Not-so-ironically, I often find myself playing this on my iPod in the process. But Olin hits what I frequently miss in the very next line: “You never fail me. You’re what I need.”

My point? This isn’t your typical cliché Christian radio nonsense; This Beautiful Republic actually gets it. We are broken people in a broken world, with one singular solution (for more details, check out The Story). These guys are raw, and they’re real. If you like what you’re hearing, I’m going to recommend checking out “Going Under” off their first album and “No Turning Back” (currently my favorite), as well as their music video for “Surrender Saved My Life,” which you can check out below. Also, go to their website to find them on Twitter, Facebook, iTunes, and the like, and be sure to take advantage of a free and legal download of “Surrender Saved My Life” on their PureVolume page. Thanks for reading my first review!