Have you been through heart aches, disappointments, relational let downs? Are you at a point where your not sure who to trust? You might even be to the point you no longer trust your own self, your own judgments calls and your own decisions.
I have been thinking a lot about trust today! I have been through all the things above. I have made wrong choices and let myself down as well as others letting me down. These experiences make it so easy to build up walls. To walk away from anything or anyone who might hurt me. To run from any chance I would let anyone down. I know that this place of wondering where trust is to be placed is something we all go through.
What is the answer you say? Trust no one! Don’t even trust yourself! What? You say! Listen to me hear me out. Trust is meant to be placed in one person only. GOD!
When you read through the word you never read trust in man. You find over and over where He says things like TRUST in ME!! Lean not to your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? Psalm 56:4
The reason we are to put our trust in God is He can never fail you!
Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:8
So now how do you move forward? How do you have healthy relationships? How do you know you can make right decisions?
You trust God who lives in others! You trust God who lives in you.
What does He tell you to do where others are concerned?
He says LOVE one another as I HAVE LOVE YOU! John 13:34.
The way you and I do this is because we trust God within us and within others to make the wrongs right.
Love always trumps. It trumps your past bad decisions! Love trumps fear! It trumps past hurts and it opens the door for a great future.
God is LOVE!!
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8
And He says
11 For I (LOVE) 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.
So today if your wondering where to put your trust remember TRUST GOD AND LOVE PEOPLE!
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalms 91:1-2 | NIV
My children live 6 and 8 hours from me. Both of them have jobs and busy lives. In order to see them we have to try to get our schedules to match up. This is not always easy!!!!
About two weeks ago I started trying to arrange to go to Tulsa to meet the kids. I had one tell me they had a concert to go to and the other had no idea what her work schedule was going to be. It is very costly to make this trip and I had a choice take the chance they will make time for me or stay home.
As the days went on I looked at my schedule and my bank balance. I decided whatever time I got with them was worth the trip. I booked a hotel and told them this is where I will be and we will work it out. I waited on my daughter to get off work. I waited on my son to make it to Tulsa to eat. He found other things to do so I then had to wait for his concert to be over. I spent the evening and most of the night with my daughter and at 2 am we met my son, his friend and future son in law at IHOP.
IHOP at 2am meant we got to the hotel and into bed at 4. We got up ate breakfast in shifts and we all woke up at different times. We hugged and said our goodbyes.
I was driving home and feeling a little down about the time being so little. In my thoughts I was grumbling about how I just drove all that way spent all that money and now it’s already over. All of a sudden I begin to think wow He waits on us too!
God sacrificed the ultimate sacrifice (His only Son) so we could spend time with Him. God meets us right where we are at. He waits patiently on us! We have our busy schedules and all of our excuses. He says your worth it. I will wait and I will enjoy every moment you give me.
When the kids and I leave each other we miss each other even more than we did before we got together. This is how it is with God. The time we spend with Him leaves us longing for even more time with Him.
I pray we each stop and we turn to Him. He is waiting right there inside you. Waiting for a few moments of quiet fellowship with you.
Isaiah 30:18 And therefore the Lord earnestly waits expecting, looking, and longing to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed happy, fortunate, to be envied are all those who earnestly wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship!
Have you ever heard someone say “Change is in the air”? You can always feel the seasons change. There are different smells and a different feel to the air. I’ve heard older people say “rain is coming I feel it in my bones”.
I have been listening to Tommy Brandt for awhile now. I have always loved his music. Tommy is one of the top Christian Country artist out there. His music has a true sound of Country Music with Lyrics of Christ Love.
I had been following Tommy on social media for awhile when I got to meet him this last November at the ICM Awards Week. You know sometimes we anticipate what someone will be like in person when all we know is the media side of them. I can tell you that Tommy’s heart is big and full of God’s Love. I attended a Session at the ICM week where Tommy and a few other artist talked to us about how to remain a Christian with what we face in this world of Ministry today. I watched Tommy share from his heart of situations where he faced hurts in his ministry. I watched as he spoke and all I saw was a real man with a heart after God. More than ever in today’s world these are the kind of role models we need out there in the music industry
Interview with Tommy Brandt!!
Tommy Brandt is a gifted singer/songwriter who has spent the last twelve years touring the country spreading his down home message of faith, hope, and love through music, testimony and stories about his own life. In that time he has become a leader in his field winning multiple Inspirational Country Music Awards including “New Artist of the Year” in 2004 and “Male Vocalist of the Year” five times. He also was honored by the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2010 with a “Visionary Award” for his contributions to Christian Music using Inspirational Country Music with lyrics that encourage Faith, Family and Country. This Florida boy has the unique distinction in his genre to have had his first 16 singles top the Christian Music Charts. Tommy’s newest album was just released and is receiving great reviews nationally. His latest project titled “Praise Hymn” speaks for itself.
How long have you been singing Country and Inspirational Country Music?
Tommy:I started out singing Country music back in the 90s with a band called “New South”. In 1997 I rededicated my life to Christ and began singing Christian Country Music and in 2003 made a full time career in the ministry.
What artist would you say has influenced your music the most?
Tommy:There have been many great influences along the way, but if I had to narrow it down to one it would have to be Garth Brooks. The way that he not only entertains, but communicates with his audience is phenomenal! I want to sit in front of a crowd of 2 people, or 20,000 people and make them feel like it’s a one on one concert. “Making a Difference one song at a time”. Other influences include Kenny Hinson, Del Way, Hank Williams Jr, and Eric Church.
What was your first song to hit the air waves? And which station started your adventure on air?
Tommy: I released “No Turning Back” in 2003 and had my first #1 single with it. The first time that I heard it live on the air was on Powersource Top 20 Radio Show. It’s still one of my favorite songs to sing in concert.
What would you say was the defining moment in your music ministry that you knew that this was what you wanted to do?
Tommy:My first Christian concert was at a small Methodist Church in Okeechobee Florida where I led an elderly man to Christ. I didn’t really know how to give and invitation, or really how to lead someone to the Lord, but I poured out my heart and asked if anyone wanted what I had experienced with Christ and it happened. With calloused hands and tears rolling down his wrinkled face we held hands and prayed together. I knew this is what I was supposed to do with the rest of my life.
What motivates you to keep going when your tired?
Tommy: It’s always that one lost soul that gives their heart to Christ that makes it all worth it and motivates me to keep on going.
Do you have any new projects in the making?
Tommy: I just completed a new project called Praise Hymn. It’s a double CD box set with Praise and Worship songs on one CD and Hymnal songs on the other. We’re excited about the reviews that it is receiving.
What’s your current single on the air waves that we might hear?
Tommy:I have a version of “Unclouded Day” out to radio now and am getting ready to release one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever recorded and written called “Broken”.
Do you write any of your own songs?
Tommy:I write the majority of the songs that I sing. Although, when I hear a song that really moves me I am happy to record it.
What is your personal favorite out of all the songs you have recorded or sing?
Tommy: Definitely the song I mentioned earlier “Broken”. I recently wrote this song as a testimony about my life.
Can you share one of your funniest memories of Singing on stage or while recording?
Tommy: I had broken 3 ribs the day before a 3 day revival where I was preaching and singing. The pain was excruciating! Just before service I took a pain pill that I had never tried before that the Doctor had prescribed and literally had an outer body experience on stage. I was singing for the offering and wrote my own offering song as I was singing it. It was hilarious! It was like I was standing in front of myself watching in amusement as I played guitar and came up with comical lyrics on the fly. I wished that it would have been on video.
What is your favorite scripture and what does it mean to you?
Tommy: Jeremiah 29:11. It gives me the promise of hope and a future no matter what I’m going through.
Can you tell me a little about Beyond Music Productions?
Tommy:My wife Michelle and I felt led to begin mentoring young artists getting started in the music ministry about 5 years ago. There are so many talented youth out there ready to serve the Lord but have no idea what to do or how to follow their calling. We want to be there to lead them through the steps to achieve their goals and calling without all of the pitfalls that the music industry presents. We currently have 12 artists that we’re working with and really enjoy watching them grow.
What is your vision to work with today’s youth in the music industry?
Tommy: Our vision is to have workshops across the country to train and mentor artists as we travel.
