Time is LIKE Money

I read this blog today, by Mark Henson, about being busy.  The author was talking about a book that he was wanting to write, but he just didn't feel like there was enough time.  He made the point that we ALWAYS have time for what is important.  

That really got me thinking about things in my own life.  I know what I need to do, what God has called me to do.  But am I focusing on all the "busy" work and letting all that eat at my time?  The author also brought up the point that we need to budget our time, much like we budget our money.  I think this is so true.  Time is finite just as money is. 

This all got me thinking, am I letting things slip that I know needs done and are there things I need to drop that do not need done?  What can I cut out of my schedule that is eating up my valuable time? 

-LM

To read the blog post from Mark Henson, http://www.sparknewthinking.com/

Didn't see that coming...

I really wish that I had everything figured out.  Don't you?  It would make things so much easier, more predictable, and a whole lot easier to control.  But often times (and I am learning this more everyday.) -

I DON'T

Just when I think that I have the plan, something changes.  It is frustrating sometimes.  But there is comfort in the fact that God has everything under control.  Not our control... but HIS.  That is the key to this whole thing.  God is not having trouble making up His mind on what should happen.  Here is the problem- US.  We have it in our minds how we think it should happen and sometimes God has something else planned.  

It is so tough sometimes to follow God's plan and timing.  Sometimes, it flat just doesn't make sense to our mind.  But God's plan, even if it pans out to be different than we expected, is ALWAYS superior and better for us and we will be blessed in the long run.  And it is certainly not boring.  So, I challenge you, just as I challenge myself, go with the flow of God's plan for your life.  Learn to tune your hearts to Christ and listen for His leading and DO what He calls you to do.

-LM

I am told...

Okay... so I have this blog.  I am told that I am really neglecting it.  I am also told that I should update it often... if not daily...

I really do not think that I have this much to say.  BUT, nevertheless, I am going to give it my best effort.

That is all for today... I must meter my speech... least I run out of things to say.

-Levi

They don't make things like they used to.

Ok, so I really feel like an "older" person when I say, "They just don't make things like they used to."  But it is so true.  In one week's time I have had a 4 month old Laptop quit on me and my 6 month old cell phone just quit working... haha...
Don't ya wish, that when you buy something, it would last for a long time and just finally wear out?

I'm just sayin'.....
-lm

Turning Point Concert

WOOHOO! What a weekend!  I started my weekend out on Friday at the Josh Groban concert in Cincinnati (Which was an awesome concert by the way).  Then on Saturday, Beth and I released our new album Get Your Praise On! at the Turning Point Concert. 

I had the awesome opportunity to meet Michael McClead (www.michaelmcclead.com ) and Scott.  These guys traveled 5 hours to get here and bless us with their music at Turning Point.  They really have a heart for spreading the Gospel and the testimony of where God has brought them.  They were truely a blessing to work with and talk to.  You really need to check their music out!

Turning Point was also the CD release for Get Your Praise On!.  I have had the great honor of serving alongside some top-notch musicians and friends.  These guys are in love with God and have a passion for worship and music.  Tyler McCoskey played some sweet, electric guitar.  Daniel Hull layed down some bass notes for us.  James Hendrickson rocked it out on the drums.  My sister and co-writter, Beth Monk, did an awesome job at providing background vocals and she shined on her solo parts on Captured and Simply to Worship.  Aaron Milbourn (www.aaronmilbourn.com) , good buddy of mine, played a mean acoustic guitar and added in some background vocals, then blessed us with a performance of one of his newest songs and a worship tune. Truely grateful to God for allowing me to minister along-side these guys!

To everyone that volunteered with the Turning Point Conert, Thank You so very much!

-Levi

Free Range.... Worshipers?

What do I mean by "Free Range Worshipers"?  I am talking about a style of worship.  One in which you pull out all the stops and really WORSHIP.  Worship that goes much deeper than the song that the band is playing and is a heart-felt cry to God.  It has been referred to as, "Selah", "Free worship"; or, as the Psalms put it, "sing a new song". 

Psalm 33:1-3, "Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.  Praise the Lord with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy."

Here we see King David worshiping God.  If you want an awesome example of true worship to God, read through the Psalms.  David was going through more than his fair share of trials, but he was continually praising God and worshiping Him.  These songs were more than some wrote words that he sang on Sunday morning… these were songs written by a man that knew how to be vulnerable before God.  David's worship was personal, raw and candid.  He was not just going through the motions - he meant it.

Psalm 40:1-3, "I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry.  He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, or of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.  He has put a new song in my mouth- praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord."
Again, we see David praising God for pulling him out of some really horrible circumstances.  And again, we see that phrase, "new song". 

Lamentations 3:22-23, "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed. Because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."
If God's mercies are new every morning, shouldn't our worship be?  I have nothing against singing written songs in church, but I believe that it is just a fraction of our worship.  Imagine if you and a buddy got together once a week to chat.  Now, imagine that you had a written script that you used…and you didn't stray from that script and all you talked about was what was on that script.  Would you REALLY get to know that friend?  Maybe some, but I bet your relationship would be pretty shallow.  That is much like just singing the songs at church and never really pouring out our hearts to God. 

David understood that concept.  His "new" song was what was on his heart at the moment.  He sang about the deliverence of God, the mercy of God, the protection of God.  He spent time with God and got to know God because he laid his heart out in front of the throne of God in worship. I long to see us as the church catch on to this.  Many worship services are wrote and lifeless because either we are afraid to be vulnerable before God, or we just don't know how.

Being a worship leader, I have often thought about how to lead people into deeper worship to God.  This is something that cannot be forced or even really taught.  You can explain what it means to sing a new song to God.  But how do you lead a group of people into actually doing it?  I believe that first, you need to leave room in the plan for the Spirit of God to work on people.  Don't plan your worship service so tight that you don't leave room for God to move.  Then the most important thing… lead by example. If you are the worship leader, or even if you are part of the band or praise team, you cannot be afraid to break out into that "new" song and pour your heart out to God. The congregation will see that and will hopefully follow suite.  Remember, you cannot effectively lead where you, yourself, have never been.

We serve an awesome God who is worthy of ALL our praise.  I pray that we as a church find that NEW song that God has given us.

-LM

Live it. Don’t Regret It.

Here lately I have really been thinking… “What have I done for Christ?”  And that question brings up some things that I have done, but it also brings up a few things that I tend to drag my feet on.  Like, for instance, the CD project.  This project has been a long time coming… and not because of lack of time.  I find that I am an incredible procrastinator.  But God has really been working on me to DO what He has called me to do- without hesitation.  I do not want to come to the end of my life and look back with regret for all the things I DIDN’T do, but rather, I want to look back to see that I have accomplished everything I could for the Kingdom of God. 

A lot of the times, and this is true for me, we procrastinate because we are intimidated by the task at hand.  We think that we are not qualified to do it, or we think that we don’t have the tools necessary to make it perfect.  Something I am learning, if God has called You to do it, then – do it.  He is going to be there to help You.  He will make a way, but we have to make the first move.  He is strongest when we are weak.

So, LIVE life, DO what God has called you to do so that you can go through life without regret.  You never know what opportunities you may miss, to share the love of Christ with someone, by procrastination.

-LM

A legacy of faith....

Today has been a sad day for our family.  My Grandpa passed away this morning after a 9 month battle of cancer.  I could not have been more blessed to have a grandpa like him.  He loved his family, lived a life of integrity and great faith, and most of all loved Christ more than anything.  I can remember when he told us that he had been diagnosed with liver cancer, he said, " I am going to fight it as much as I can; but, whether I live or die, I win."  These words can only be spoken by a man SURE in his faith and his Savior.  He had that assurance that he was in God's hands and he was not afraid of death.  He knew that even if he passed away, he would be in the presence of his Savior.  I am so thankful for the example that he set for his family.  He has left a legacy of faith in Christ that has influenced and will influence future generations.  And while his passing is hard for us, we also rejoice that his is in the presence of God right now and that death is not the end and we will see him again. 

I want to take a moment and ask you.... Do you have that assurance?  The assurance that, if you passed away right now, you would go to heaven and spend an eternity with Christ?  Do you have that peace that comes with knowing Christ?  Christ is waiting with open arms for you to come to Him and ask Him into your heart.  It doesn't matter where you have been or what you have done, God loves you so much.  If you have never asked Christ into your heart, email or message me, I would be honored to pass along that legacy of faith and tell you about my Savior, Jesus.

-LM

Recording!

I am so excited to be recording the CD project!  The other day, I got the entire band together to run through the new music and they played it all like we had practiced already.  God has truly blessed me with an awesome group of people to help with this project.  And to every one of them, I am extremely thankful. 

Ok, so here is where we are in the process!  The first thing I have to do is get all the scratch piano and vocal tracks recorded so that when we record the other instruments they can tell where we are in the songs.  These scratch tracks will be deleted and replaced with some nicer and final tracks later on... 

So, my project today has been those scratch tracks.  I am happy to report that 4 of the 11 songs that need the tracks are complete and I hope to have all the scratch tracks done by the end of the week!  Once those are done, it is off to record the acoustic guitar played by Aaron Milbourn!

I am looking forward to sharing this new music with everyone!!!!!!!!!

God Bless!
Levi Monk

Looking forward to it!

This weekend is going to be a busy, but awesome weekend.  I have the opportunity to play keys for a good friend of mine, Tommy Renfro, at his CD release.  Looking forward to being there and pray that God will bless his efforts and that this CD will reach people for Christ!

-LM