Thought Quotient

Here are some audio highlights (MP3) from the Hurricane Katrina Benefit Concert in Franklin TN:

Joanna Martino talks about ‘the road less traveled’

Julia of Everlife introducing a new song they wrote about a girl they met in New Orleans in July

Sarah of Everlife describes how the hurricane devastation looks like a third world country

Rachael Lampa introduces the song ‘Blessed’

Rachael sharing a recent story from a trip to the gulf coast…

Seventh Time Down talks about God’s plan for our lives

Photos from the event can be found here:

TQ Flickr page
TQ Photo Gallery

I’ve re picked up a copy of Po Bronson’s What Should I Do With My Life? Its an inspiring yet truthful book. Its full of real people, real lives, and real choices. More posts to come. . . .

In the author’s words:

If there is a message to the book, I hope it’s the message that’s never stated but present in every single chapter. So often, people feel stuck. They feel trapped by inertia or by financial constraints or by a lack of experience, or the simple shortage of hours in the day. In traveling across both oceans, being welcomed into the lives of strangers, investigating so many domains I had absolutely no prior experience with, I was demonstrating that the world is a far more open book that we usually imagine it to be. The world is full of incredible, rich opportunities. If you strengthen your curiosity as you would a muscle, by exercising it regularly — if you can empathize with the lives of others, if you are willing to see a potential friend in the face of every stranger, if you are willing to suffer some embarrassment and discomfort, and if you are patient — you will not be stuck forever.

Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message)

11 I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out–plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

This past Sunday’s sermon talked about how God’s will is so amazing for us, and how we should not miss out on His best for us by being disobedient to His word and doing things on our own. God knows and wants what is best for us. Yet, we miss out by not seeking the wisdom of His word, and we do things our way - and often yield to the temptations of this world. We make poor decisions. We get hurt. We get in over our head. We can get to the point of no longer being able to do anything about it - even wanting to give up. But don’t ever believe the lie that you’ve gone too far. Just cry out to God for help and he’ll be there for you, whether you’ve messed up for the first time, or the hundredth time.

Are you feeling like you’ve messed up too much? Do the scars of your past keep you down? Just remember that Jesus has scars too. And by His wounds we are healed…

Healed - Nichole Nordeman

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Switchfoot’s much anticipated follow up to ‘The Beautiful Letdown’ has just debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 bestselling albums chart with first week’s sales of 131,000. That’s the band’s best week’s sales and highest charting album position to-date. The new album - “Nothing Is Sound” - is available now as both a traditional CD and as a DualDisc featuring the entire album in 5.1 Surround Sound plus exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the band on-the road and in the studio.

Look for Switchfoot on the CBS “Early Show” on October 1. They will be kicking off their tour shortly. Here are the dates:

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I saw the following quote in a recent Travel the Road newsletter update. I thought it was worth sharing…

Eph. 5:14-17 “For this reason it says, ‘Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.’ Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Are we making the most of our time? If not, we must awake and arise from the dead for time is short. What will it profit us if we live a life according to the standards of the world, but yet neglect the calling of God? Regret for wasted time will burden a soul and trample future dreams, so we must look to the cross and see the newness of life in Him. Even if we have missed opportunities we know that we have a loving Father who will guide us if we only yield to His voice. Alexander Graham Bell once said, “When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” So if you feel you have missed an opportunity in life do not regret it any longer but run boldly into what God has called you to do.