So far, for us, this tour has been all about the people and we want you to know about them.   It seems like there has been a link between each group of people we have been with – stuff that links us to them and stuff that links them to each other.

In Nashville, we made an instant friend connect with the Todd’s, friends of Todd and Ashley Warren.  They accomplished an unprecedented thing by booking a full house concert for us with two weeks notice, attended primarily by folks who had never heard us before.  It’s fascinating how in the Kingdom, we can hang out and worship together as if we had known each other for years.  Our first night was amazing with those sweet folks.   Thank you Lori and James, so, so much. 

 At the Foundry in Nashville, we had an incredible time of worship with some vibrant lovers of Christ.  The intern team there prayed for us before we got started and we pretty much felt like we received more than we gave from that point forward.  That morning, God put His finger on the brother of the prodigal son – the one who stands outside of the celebration feast; resentful and proud, jealous and unmerciful.  Honestly, we ourselves were convicted of this very thing as God used us to minister it to others.  We can’t wait to come back to the Foundry.  We finished up our time in Nashville worshipping with Charla Rainey and her tribe and made a really cool German connection there – have we mentioned that Melissa is German?

Birmingham was a brilliant set up.  Our long-time friends, Jack & Glenda Williams hosted a house concert for us that was attended by a wild mix of surprise guests.  When we were first starting out, Tim & Tamra Mayhall dared to book us at the Crimson Cafe in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and were delighted to re-make their acquaintance.  They knew enough words to sing along with our oldest of songs, a first for us. :)  We felt a real twilight zone feeling at this chance re-connect and have a real sense of God leading us at all times.

Barry’s best friend from high school, Phillip Mahler, hosted a house concert for us in Barry’s hometown last night.  We rarely have concerts that family can ever come to, so it was beyond fun to have our niece, Reece, in the front row, clapping her hands off and groovin’ to the music.  Barry spoke and sang about the Father’s deep, unconditional love for us, with his own sweet dad in the room and it was beautiful.

Our kids spent the week with their grandparents and are having a super time.  They are still passing sore throats back and forth and there are earaches pending, but they are happy to be out of the cold for a few days.  This weekend holds more fun connects in Montgomery, Baton Rouge &  New Orleans.  We are trusting that everywhere else we go, we will feel the same eerie sense of God’s leading and set-ups and we will embrace the adventure with full hearts.

PS  Oh yeah, thanks to our Bovees who provided us with the most rocking travel goodie bags ever–they kept four kids and three adults happy the whole way here!