Day 3

What is revival?

revival

REVI'VAL, n. [from revive.]

1. Return, recall or recovery to life from death or apparent death; as the revival of a drowned person.

2. Return or recall to activity from a state of languor; as the revival of spirits.

3. Recall, return or recovery from a state of neglect, oblivion, obscurity or depression; as the revival of letters or learning.

4. Renewed and more active attention to religion; an awakening of men to their spiritual concerns.

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The topic of revival is often prayed about, but is it really understood?  Why even purse revival?  Here is what a few people say about revival:

"Revival – the inrush of the Spirit into the body that threatens to become a corpse." -  D. M. Panton

“Revival is not the end or the focus of this ten-year-long work by hundreds of contributors, editors and behind-the-scenes workers, the end is the return and restoration of a new relationship with God. Seek revival and you won’t have a

real answer. You seek God, and you may have a revival.” -Winkie Pratney

"Revival is not more a miracle than a crop of wheat.  Revival comes from heaven when heroic souls enter the conflict determined to win or die – or if need be, to win and die!  “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” -  Charles G. Finney

"It is presupposed that the church is sunk down in a backslidden state, and a revival consists in the return of the church from her backsliding, and in the conversion of sinners." -  Charles G. Finney

"Revival, as contrasted with a Holy Ghost atmosphere is a clean- cut breakthrough of the Spirit, a sweep of Holy Ghost power, bending the hearts of hardened sinners as the wheat before the wind, breaking up the fountains of the great deep, sweeping the whole range of the emotions, as the master hand moves across the harp strings, from the tears and cries of the penitent to the holy laughter and triumphant joy of the cleansed." – Norman Grubb

And one more...this one should sting a bit.

"Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late - and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scripture is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience." - A. W. Tozer

Day 2

Day 1

In order for me to record some tunes easily, I should have a simple space to do it, that is what I did today:

Before studio creation

After!
This took much longer then I first anticipated.  There were many boxes full of Ashley and my stuff that we haven't looked through for maybe years.  I hope to use it tomorrow, but everything is in its place now.

My wife is currently in Pasadena, CA, and today she visited the birthplace of a very historic American revival; The Bonnie Brae House and the Azusa Street Mission!  The revival that took place in L.A. nearly 100 years ago was truly incredible, and the unity among the different ethnicities was only the result of a work of God.  Most of us know the truth about how segregated our Churches are, but revival changed it on Azusa, and revival can do it again.  Here is a popular song among the Azusa Street meetings, and an entertaining old guy, that maintains a weekly internet show...?

Get with the blogram

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pick a 30 day challenge

2. Write about it Everyday

3. After writing your blog, post a link to the BLOGRIMAGE facebook page HERE 

4. Read and comment on other blogs (optional)

So here is the challenge: 30 days of discovering, and singing the songs that stirred revival in the people of God. Posting everyday on this blog, my discoveries, progress, and process.  Ill be looking at all sorts of tunes from Biblical texts to Moravian Hymns.  At the conclusion my wife and I will share a song written together.  

How will it be done: 

Phase one: Focus on research and creating a functional studio in my basement.  

Phase two: Start tracking, keep researching! Post two recordings.

Phase three: Start writing, finish researching. Keep tracking, post two recordings.

Phase four: Finish writing, finish tracking, post recording.

Phase five: Shoot live video with original song.

Simple enough, 5 songs, and lots of revival.

-Josh

Blogrimage Day XII, XIII, & XIV

So, I have been rather busy, and I wish I could devote more time to this blog portion of the Blogrimage, but life goes on! The conversations and people below are some of my favorite, and I wish I could tell you more about them.


Setting: Clawson Family Grill @ 8:00am Monday
Characters: Me, My Dad (PHB), two eggs over easy, a bacon hash brown omelet covered with biscuits and gravy, a cup of decaf, a cup of regular.
Memorable quote: "Wait a sec, let me get a big bite in my mouth." (click) "Too late."
Coffee Quality: Don't remember the coffee...too much sausage gravy to enjoy.

Setting: Parton House, Ferndale, MI & Schmidt House, Colorado Springs, CO @ 5:00pm & 3:00 pm Sunday
Characters: Me, Joe Schmidt, Chai Tea, Combucha?
Memorable quote: "No, it's great...this bacteria eats the sugar and reproduces in the tea...it's slightly alcoholic, but to the extent that you can buy it at any grocery store in Colorado."
Coffee Quality: It was Chai, but caffeinated nonetheless.

Setting: My Parents Home @ 9:00pm Saturday
Characters: Me, Kailee, Judah, Noah, Josiah, Jonah, Abby, Em, Greg, Renee, Christina, Nadia, Dave, My Mom, My Dad, Kirsten, Jeff, Isaiah, and Brown Sugar Yummies!
Memorable quote: "I hope Rob Bell life isn't done."
Coffee Quality: Decaf... need i say more? Making coffee at my parents house can be a dangerous thing. If there is coffee, it will be drank, and if it is caffeinated...there will be blood!!

Blogrimage Day X & XI

Anthony, this guy does a great Robert Plant impression. Last night I brought a thermos of coffee and we shared some in his car while we waited for enough people to show up for a game of Ultimate Frisbee.

Setting: 94 Green Ford Ranger Pickup @ 10:00pm Thursday
Characters: Me, Anthony, Metallica!, coffee, two Montana-style mugs, Bekkah
Memorable quote: It was all too quoteable...
Coffee Quality: Soo good...soo warm....soo cold outside. I used my Sister-in-Law's Keruig for this coffee. It surprisingly makes some dang good coffee! And it is hotter than regular drip and doesn't have to sit like French Presses. It is the easiest way to get a fast and great cup of coffee. Easy cleanup too!


Today I nearly failed...my two attempts at skyping coffee failed, but something strange happened. A spontaneous cup of coffee was had, spurring on a spontaneous conversation about God, which continued and two cups of tea later, I had answered a-many co-workers questions about my faith while at lunch. This person I am going keep anonymous, and I did not get a picture, but I was shocked at how natural the conversation happened. It reminded me of Ephesians 5, and the way Paul talks about how we should be living. A great day despite missing two friends on skype and fighting a killer cold.

Setting: Old Country Buffet @ 2:25 pm Friday
Characters: Me, Anonymous, coffee, tea
Memorable quote: "My favorite is, well you can probably tell...I don't have favorites!"
Coffee Quality: OCB has absolutely terrible coffee, good thing you can pair it with some Mac n' Cheese, Spaghetti, Fried Chicken, Crab Cakes....

Blogrimage Day IIX & IX

This man is Oliver Larrabee. We spent 6 months traveling together and 6 months sharing a room before that. But how we became friends...like most of my experiences with Oliver, is a great story. It was a glorious September weekend, and me and Scott Duchaney were traveling down to Austin Texas for ACL! Each year when we go down to Austin, we try to live homeless, as it adds to the overall experience. For this year and the previous we made a habit of parking near the river and climbing the to the top of the Parks and Rec building. Once up there we would set up camp and sleep, no complaints, after all Austin's mascot is Leslie Cochran, a homeless man. Scott had a friend that lived in Austin and his friend had invited us over. This friend was Oliver. An hour after meeting Oliver he committed to traveling through Asia for six months with us, cut my hair, and let me cut his hair into a mullet. The rest of the weekend was a blur as a friendship mixed with amazing live shows began. Eventually Oliver moved in with Scott and I in Tulsa. And the rest is history. Today our conversation was over Skype, and we talked about the future, Oliver's "casting out the net" strategy, and Kid Kudi...I do not like Kid Kudi, Oliver feels differently. It was good to talk, but now I have much to think adn pray about.

Setting: Church lobby, LEI Dorm Room
Characters: Me, Olie, Olie's new record collection.
Memorable quote: "OH man, sorry I fell asleep as soon as Kudi came in." Kid's got no presence, not in a good way.
Coffee Quality: I drank it...but do not remember anything about its taste...


Andy Carter folks! Yes, he's the barefoot running man! I can't really remember a time I wasn't friends with Andy. I remember he was in Youth Group a year before me, because I was a year younger, and I was afraid that we were never gonna be friends again. I thought all the cool kids in Youth Group would become his friends and that he would forget about me. I honestly remember crying the first Sunday after Andy and Joe Schmidt left Kids church. It was like I had empty nest syndrome...weird. I met up with Andy on Tuesday after he finished his Starbucks shift, and we talked about a many things. Mostly life, and some church philosophy. I also shared some running tips and we talked about the possibility of running the Detroit Marathon together. I think he is the 6th person that wants to run it together, we are gonna make a sweet crew!

Setting: Starbucks (Telegraph & J0y Rd.)
Characters: Me, Andy, French Press, Walnut Banana Bread, French Jazz tunes
Memorable quote: "Can we put this oil on your lips...it represents the Oil of Ezekiel"
Coffee Quality: I am sooo happy Starbucks has french presses available, and that they will press any coffee in the store! Yesterday I tried the "Tribute Blend." It was very nice. Although I don't get the big deal over aged Sumatra.

I realize these two are still peeps my age, but I am working on a plan, which hopefully will be presented tomorrow!