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I love working at Integrity Music for more reasons than I can list in this blog.  One of the main reasons is because of amazing men and women of God who are serving in ministries that are touching the heartbeat of what God desires.  One of these amazing women is Vicky Beeching.  Take a look at this story behind her ministry here:

Vicky has a heartbeat for women who serve in worship leading roles & women who love to worship. She created this site for that community.  She’s interviewed people like Audrey Assad, Mia Fieldes and Rita Springer. It’s truly an honor to serve along side people like Vicky who are dedicating their lives to build the body of Christ and the Kingdom of God!  Check out here latest album “Eternity Invades” this week, a great collection of new worship songs to encourage and bless.

Breathe In & Smile Out,

Chris

One of the special memories was born 13 years ago on Good Friday, when I proposed to Wendy in a small church after giving my testimony.  All of my family was there, and I still thank God she cried out a “yes” to my biggest question.  One year later we were married on Easter weekend, and we spent our first day married on Easter.  It has been an amazing journey ever since.

I pray you are having a great Easter Sunday.  I hope you see a risen Savior who loved you best at your worst.  I hope you arise new today, and celebrate what a Glorious picture of Love He painted for us!  As I play “Glorious” this morning in church I will be thinking about all of these things.  I have to privilege and honor of working with guys like Paul Baloche.  This album came out last year after Easter, so this year it will be the first Easter many will probably experience it.  Take a listen to the song story, and watch Paul and the band play it live.  Enjoy all that God has blessed you with, and celebrate a Glorious…Risen Savior!

Breathe In & Smile Out,

Chris

A simple question.  One that people search their whole life to answer.  Tonight I sit back and wonder about that question for a person who gave birth to me.  Someone I haven’t really known for 20 years.  I go about my days and don’t give much thought to it…most days.  Tonight, it’s hit me differently for some reason.  I have one Facebook picture and some status updates to unpack the mystery.  In the end though, it’s still a mystery.

As I looked at my children tucked in, sleeping peacefully, I wondered how a parent could ever drift into such disconnect.  The last question I ever want my kids to ask is, who are you?  I cherish every minute…every day…every precious memory.  I will never leave them wondering what happened to Dad.  I will never leave them with a lingering thought of “who is he?”

I’ve always liked Sting and a the musical works he’s pumped out over the years. From The Police on through to his solo albums. One song that has resonated with me is the music video above “Fragile.” Tonight that song took on a whole new perspective for me…one that will remain for life.

The last thing you think about as you’re corralling your 5 year old off the t-ball practice field is the fragility of life. Tonight that changed. I turned from the baseball field to find my 2 year old daughter underneath the bleachers with a crowd around her. Her life came to a screeching stop when she fell off the bleachers to the hard ground below. As she lie there stiff and unconscious, I started to see how fragile we are.

It’s crazy how seconds feel like minutes in those moments. When it feels like life and death are balancing before you, that is when the world turns slower. When you look down at your own child and see life slipping away…that is when you feel the weight of the moment…that is when you realize how fragile we are.

The last thing I thought I would do tonight was give my daughter mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. It never crossed my mind that I would be desperately listening to her little chest for a heart beat and checking to see if she could breathe. The older they get, the more kids you have, the more you forget how fragile we are.

I can’t express the relief I felt when that first breath was taken…that first little cough…that first sign of life coming back. We weren’t out of the darkness yet, but it brought hope. As I scooped her up and sped off with Wendy to the hospital I lost my stomach and heart every time I looked over to see my lil Sydney-Boo’s eyes roll back in her head. I couldn’t drive fast enough…I couldn’t do anything but watch the minutes tick and realize how fragile we are.

Tonight could have ended in so many ways. Tonight could have been a beginning of a nightmare. Tonight could have ended with bad news from x-rays and CT scans. But tonight became a reminder of how much I have to be thankful for…lest I forget how fragile we are.

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

Okay, I know this is a little dated…but it is bound for Super Bowl “Classic Moments” history…and I’m a Saints fan from back in the “bag over the head” days, so please allow me to gloat just a little longer on our first Super Bowl appearance and win!

I initially had this thought the night of the Super Bowl win, and since I’m such an amazing, consistent blogger, it’s now making the post. The thought was on the idea of bounce. How our lives are constantly bouncing. Some forces too hard, and the bounce gets out of control. Some bounces go our way. Some bounces go out of bounds.

We have to approach life like my Saints approached the second half. When you’re down. When it looks like a win may be out of reach. When the tide is not going your way…remember one thing…you have control. You have the chance to make a play that isn’t in the “safe” playbook. You can pursue a bounce that could change the whole game!

We’re called to bounce back. We’re called to take the force of the blow and use that to bounce to new heights. We’re called to see beyond our circumstance and bounce to where we need to be!

Breathe In & Bounce Back,
Chris

With success…comes the place of failure, stagnation and the start

With boldness…comes the awkward moment to stand and speak

With holiness…comes the dark need for the light to change

With healing…comes the sickness, infirmity and handicap

With power…comes weakness

With authority…comes a place of servitude and lower rank

With encouragement…comes depression, lonliness and hopelessness

With love…with His love…comes life

The LION CHASER’S MANIFESTO

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death.

Set God-sized goals.

Pursue God-ordained passions.

Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention.

Keep asking questions.

Keep making mistakes.

Keep seeking God.

Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution.

Stop repeating the past and start creating the future.

Stop playing it safe and start taking risks.

Expand your horizons.

Accumulate experiences.

Enjoy the journey.

Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can.

Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshipping what’s right with God.

Burn sinful bridges.

Blaze a new trail.

Criticize by creating.

Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks.

Don’t try to be who you’re not.

Be yourself.

Laugh at yourself.

Quit holding out.

Quit holding back.

Quit running away.

Chase the lion!

Breathe In & Chase Out,
Chris

Breathe In & Run It Out,
Chris

Breathe In & Smile Out,

Chris