One of my favorite places in the world is Nashville, Tenn. If you ever get a chance to go, you’ll have a blast. What I love about Nashville is the artistic culture, the coffee shops, the quirkiness and the great friends I have made there. I’m a bit of a music freak, and Nashville is nicknamed “Music City USA.” Need I say more? It’s also where the Dove Awards (the Grammys for Christian music) are held each year. Very cool. I was a presenter at the 2007 awards show where I got to introduce Chris Tomlin. I had a great time. Oh yeah, and they have lots of great food backstage (mmmm . . . chocolate)!
I was in Nashville again a little while ago. I had the opportunity to meet with the editor of CCM magazine to pick his brain and see what he had to say about the intersection of music and faith. I also got to meet with an awesome photographer named David Bean who uses his gift of photography to glorify God. Both of these men are Christians, and both are outstanding in their field of work. Both use their influence to impact the world and the culture for the better.
You see, God has given each of us a circle of influence we can use for Him and for others who have less than we do. We all see the bad in the world. Our parents and our newscasters talk about it. We all gripe about it and rant about how it should be changed. We also hear about how entertainment and culture are full of negative influences. One of my friends, Daniel, says we shouldn’t just take the bad stuff out, but we should fill the space with the good, the true and the beautiful. This is using our influence to change things for the better.
During my Nashville trip, I also spoke at a retreat for students. There I met some high school guys who are using their influence in their church to help build a house for a girl and her mom who are really struggling to make ends meet. The young woman’s house was falling down around her, and the guys decided Jesus would want to provide her shelter. So they approached their church and the students at the retreat, and together they’re raising the money to build her a home. They could have called “Extreme Home Makeover” and asked that show’s producers to do it, but then they would miss out on the fun of meeting a need firsthand. I’m really impressed by these guys and how they are investing their time and efforts.
That’s it for now. I’m getting ready to take a trip to Australia to speak at Hillsong Church. I’ll blog about that trip soon.
Peace. Love. Justice! 
