Remember: you can't be hateful, gotta be thankful!

Here is the video of me leading at Lowcountry Community Church in Bluffton, SC

10-21-12 from LowCountry Community Church on Vimeo.

This was my last Sunday at LCC.  I had some a great time during my stay- thank you all!

Here is a new music video project from Audio Adrenaline and their new frontman who you may recognize.  Read my thoughts after the video:

First off: Mind Blown

  WHAAAAAAATTTTTTTT!  (I may or may not have actually screamed that when I saw Kevin Max come on the screen)  If you don't know, I am a huge dcTalk fan.  It was the first music I ever owned, and I still have every album.  I followed each member after they broke up, but Kevin Max was my favorite.  When I started getting into more rock sounds, Audio Adrenaline provided me the sound I needed.  So to see the two join is, well, woah.  I think.  The new sound sounds really cool, but lets be honest.  This is not "Mighty Good Leader"....  And this is no "Jesus Freak"

Secondly

This is Audio Adrenaline.  But is it really?  The only remaining member is the Bass player.  The guitarist is from Superchick, the drummer is from Bleach. It sounds and looks like an entirely new band.  The sound changes, the writing changes, the genre changes. The name remains. I love the video.  I love the song. I love the mission behind it.

I am very anxious to hear more of the Audio Adrenaline Part Two
Note: album is expected, according to Jesus Freak Hideout, Spring of 2013

Here is the video of the service I led at Lowcountry Community Church July 22.  All of this you can tell from the title of the post, title of video, and watching the video itself, but I wanted to write this as well.

7-22-12 from LowCountry Community Church on Vimeo.

Set List:
God Is Alive (Fee)
Let God Arise (Chris Tomlin)
Jesus Messiah (Chris Tomlin)
I Stand Amazed (Charles Hutchison Gabriel and Chris Tomlin) 
Always (Kristian Stanfill)

Enjoy/

Yeah- this is a real thing....

For those who know me, you also probably know that I am a huge Butch Walker fan, and that any chance I get I will try to make you one too.  Which isn't hard- he is a fantastic musician/ songwriter/ performer/ producer.    Well, I just saw that a documentary about him is coming out debuting at a film festival pretty soon.

Here is the trailer:



If you don't know who Butch Walker is- there is about a 99% chance you have heard one of his songs- unless you haven't listened to music in the last two decades.  He has written/ produced hit songs for Panic at the Disco, Avril Lavigne, The Academy Is..., All American Rejects, Pink, All Time Low, Dashboard Confessional, Fall Out Boy, Bowling for Soup, Pete Yorn, Family Force 5, Katy Perry, Weezer, and many more.

I can't wait to see this documentary- I just finished reading his book, and can't wait to see it on screen now.

Recently I started a new series: [People You Should Get To Know].  Today's "people" is coffee company Land of A Thousand Hills.

Drink Coffee. Do Good.
That is the mission statement of Land of A Thousand Hills coffee company.

They is a fair-trade company that exists to help people. They started in Rwanda by providing jobs for coffee farmers, giving them a sustainable income.  

How many of you drink coffee?  

I believe people generally want to help other people.  The problem is that we look at a problem like African poverty and think "How could I ever fix this?"   

We look only at the big picture and never see the fact that if we change one life- one person- we are one step closer. We believe the lie that changing the world is either impossible or requires dedicating your life to living in dirt huts and giving up showers.

Now, back to my question: How many of you drink coffee?  I know I do.  Land of A Thousand Hills coffee is good coffee.  Plain and simple.  For a second- let's forget about the charity part of the company and just focus on the coffee.  Do you want to drink good coffee?  I think all of us would say "yes!"  And this is good coffee that stands on its own.

So if you are already going to drink a cup of coffee, and we all like good coffee- shouldn't we be drinking a coffee that also helps people? That spreads the Gospel? That is changing the world, one person at a time?

Here is a story from the voices of Land of A Thousand Hills themselves, they tell their story much better than I could:

Drink coffee. Do Good.

Buy their coffee for you home, your church, your business, your friend.  I mean, if we are already going to be drinking coffee- is it too much for us to pay a few dollars more and help someone?  That is not meant to be a guilt-inducing statement- but a truth.  

Visit their shop.  Buy their coffee.  Drink Coffee. Do Good. 

Simple as that.

I am starting a new series entitled "People You Should Get To Know".  Technically, these are organizations, but people sounds better, and in the end- they are people- not a faceless company.

Here's the thing: we all change the world.  Which direction we change it is up to us.  Some people go and get their hands dirty trying to help others.  Some people turn a blind eye to the needs of the world.  But something like this takes no effort on our part.  It takes no time out of our day.  In fact- we get something out of it.  But with something as small as purchasing a watch or a t-shirt- we can change someone's life.  

First on the list: Hello Somebody.  This company is one I proudly support on a daily basis.  If you know me personally, or follow me on twitter- you might be familiar with some cool watches I've been wearing lately:

I get a lot of compliments on them. I have a red one, a white one, a grey one, and a green one.  And I plan on getting many more.  And here's why:

1. Their existence is centered around feeding and educating children in third world countries.
2. Their watches are incredibly stylish and cool looking
3. The price is extremely affordable (only $25 a piece!)
4. The money goes to providing clean water, food, and education.  To children.  Who desperately need it.

New Hello Rwanda from the Field from Hello Somebody on Vimeo.

You need to check this organization out. Get to know the people behind the organization.  No, not the people who run it.  They are great too- but the people behind the organization.  The reason behind the organization.  I challenge you to look up some statistics on poverty.  Then you can decide if you want to throw money away on a $100 watch that does nothing, OR, buy a $25 watch, and help a child.

Buy a watch.  Buy a T-shirt.  Buy a CD.  Donate money.  Help children.

If you want to help this company- invest in them.  And spread this post around.  Word of mouth goes farther than we could ever imagine!

This is my favorite video from Catalyst.  It is from Tripp and Tyler.



What is your favorite exercise?

I saw this video on Gospel Coalition today, and felt the need to share it.  A healthy marriage goes beyond emotions, feelings, and definitely convenience. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, "It is not your love that sustains the marriage, but from now on, the marriage sustains your love."  



Emotions and feelings change almost day to day, but the promise made before (and to, and with) God and man remains true.

I think, in my limited opinion, that every married couple, and anyone who plans to ever be married, to watch this.

Erwin McManus is making a 30 minute documentary based on his book, Soul Cravings.  This is my favorite book by far- going into the idea that we, as humans, are created to crave things.  We crave intimacy, meaning, and destiny; and it was put inside of us so that we can realize our desire, our need, for God.

So I am incredibly excited for this commercial to be out.  And I am excited to show it to you.

Soul Cravings Commercial from McManus Studios on Vimeo.

Video editing can make all the difference.  Don't believe me? Check out what some guys did with some Dumb and Dumber footage:

A few thoughts:

1. This video is awesome.  Hilarious, genius, and just great all around!
2. It reminds me that when you are doing a project- everyone involved needs to be on board with the same vision.  
3. I probably won't trust movie trailers as much anymore.

This video is from Blaine Hogan.  He made a project for the Global Leadership Summit that has blown me away. Take a look.



BE HERE NOW from blaine hogan on Vimeo.

I love the message behind this, the creative process, and the overall feel.  Everything here is on the same level of excellence.

If you let one part of your project not meet your level of excellence, the entire project will show it.  And it is very evident that he stayed true to his level of excellence.

Need I say more?

I know the trailer leaked online, but I cannot find it.  I got to see it tonight (there was a special screening, then they added the Harry Potter movie), and I cannot wait for it (or the film) to be released.  I promise I will have a high-res video of it up as soon as Warner Brothers releases it.

The Dark Knight Rises Official Website

BUT- here is the teaser poster!

Last night I decided I would cover Butch Walker covering Taylor Swift and play "You Belong With Me".

You Belong With Me Cover from Josh Williams on Vimeo.

I'm not a huge fan of the Office. I used to be, but it just got a little old after a while, to me.  I know many people still really enjoy the show, so this isn't a crack at the show.

But this video really shows the importance of post-production (i.e.- editing, soundtrack, sound effects, typeface)


So on your next video project- take an extra second in post-production to make sure everything points to the feel you want it to have.

This is an amazing video on the idea of creativity and innovation! I learned a ton.

Everything is a Remix Part 3 from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.

Nothing we make is new, and the sooner we understand that, the sooner we can realize that inspirations can come from any and everywhere!

I'm not sure what this video is for, but this dude is an extremely talented artist.

For Nancy - Pete Yorn : Time Lapse Lettering from Bobby Roman on Vimeo.