Thursday, October 30, 2008

Post-GLS sentiments

It's been a few days since the end of GLS. I totally crashed and slept for 13 hrs after the conference ended cos it was so intense for the past 2 weeks. haha! But it really was a blast, an incredible experience! To hear that people were really blessed and ministered through the event just makes all the hard work worthwhile. To see 800 pastors/church leaders lavish such extravagant worship upon God took our breath away...we were truly blessed and moved to witness that beautiful scene. The atmosphere in the place was amazing. And of cos, it was also heaps of fun! :) Seeing people totally embrace the songs was so encouraging for us! Some even stayed back to groove along to "Say So" (a major hit) and "For all You've done". The sound crew was lapping it all up too, and we could see them grooving at the F.O.H while we were onstage.

I'm so so proud of our team right now for their diligence, commitment, spirit of excellence, and the unity and support they've shown for each other. :) I think we were all stretched artistically for this event, and we've all grown a lot. But I also know that we're nowhere near our peak performance, so I'm quite excited thinking about the road ahead. :)

It all feels a bit weird now that GLS is over. I miss the team and the crazy GLS experience. haha!

Here are a few more photos from the 2 week GLS boot camp. :)

GLS rehearsal in action. Check out how all the vocalists are sitting with the same pose. haha! L-R: Mich, Jan, Cheryl, Seng

Sam was trying to take a photo of just the girls, but Ivan our electric guitarist (behind) seems determined to muck it up. haha! [And Abi or Glenn...before you say anything, I KNOW that's not how you tie a shemagh scarf. It was very cold, I was trying to get as much coverage out of that piece of cloth as possible. ]

Arun, our Sitar Hero and Bollywood Star, bathed in blue mood lights.

Ivan sitting down and listening attentively to the wisdom of Arun, our Sitar Guru. haha! Ok, not really lah.

Jeremy on the djembe for the acoustic song item.

I think we should have made a DVD on the whole GLS experience...then we could have captured some of these hilarious "Behind the scenes" moments:
===================================================================

1) Arun, after Andrea pronounced an additional rehearsal, he sang:
"Let the redeemed of the Lord STAY BACK, let the redeemed of the Lord RE-HEARSE!" (the original song lyrics from "Say So" go "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so")
[Yeah...we were all quite high and gone by then. ahha!]

2) While waiting to go onstage..this is what our seemingly professional worship team is really up to backstage- Making funny shapes with Ivan's glow in the dark guitar pick under a reading lamp. (if you cover up certain parts with ur finger, you get a dark patch on the pick.) We managed to create a cross on the pick..and it inspired Arun to say something like, "HOLY PICK!"

3) We ran out of time to run through one of our sets properly for a final time, so Andrea said we'll just run through it verbally backstage. Most of us thought this meant just talking through the song sequence (eg. verse x 1, chorus x 2, bridge etc.). But what happened was this.....each band member started singing out his/her instrumental part, to the surprise of the vocalists. So some were singing the introduction of "Adonai" to "deh neh neh neh", while in the background, Jeremy was singing out his drum parts (syncopation, drum crashes n all), Ivan singing his electric guitar riffs etc. It was quite hilarious. So "verbal run through" is like dat lor. haha! Try it out with your own band!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Space Between

I was looking through the lyrics of this song....and I gotta give Sara the props for her songwriting on this one. Really well-written!

One Sweet Love (by Sara Bareilles)
==================================

Just about the time the shadows call
I undress my mind and dare you to follow
Paint a portrait of my mystery
Only close my eyes and you are here with me
A nameless face to think I see
To sit and watch the waves with me till they're gone
A heart I'd swear I'd recognize is made out of
My own devices....
Could I be wrong?

[CHORUS]
The time that I've taken
I pray is not wasted
Have I already tasted my piece of one sweet love?

Sleepless nights you creep inside of me
Paint your shadows on the breath that we share
You take more than just my sanity
You take my reason not to care.
No ordinary wings I'll need
The sky itself will carry me back to you
The things I dream that I can do I'll open up
The moon for you
Just come down soon

[CHORUS]
The time that I've taken
I pray is not wasted
Have I already tasted my piece of one sweet love?
Ready and waiting for a heart worth the breaking
But I'd settle for an honest mistake in the name of
One sweet love.

Savor the sorrow to soften the pain sip on
The southern rain
As I do, I don't look don't touch don't do anything
But hope that there is a you.

The earth that is the space between,
I'd banish it from under me...to get to you.
Your unexpected love provides my solitary's
Suicide...oh I wish I knew

[CHORUS]

City of Angels

I love this pic taken by Daley Hake. Isn't it precious? Reminds me of the day I was sitting on the MRT, and this little ang moh gal sat next to me. She was all dressed up in her little pink cheong sam, and her blonde hair was tied in cute pigtails (her mum and her later got off at the Chinatown station...so the outfit figures). I couldn't help smiling at her as she looked at me....and then she grinned back at me with a little twinke in her eye.

It made my day. :) Thank God for little blessings.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

A Grateful People


1 event. 193 cities. 31 countries.
The magnitude of the Global Leadership Summit, organised by Willow Creek Community Church, is finally hitting home for me, now that the event is tmrw!

The rehearsals have been really intense, it was very nearly a camp for those of us involved, with rehearsals running almost every night for the past week. And I'm actually down with a flu now as I type this...but I'm really grateful and privileged to be part of this awesome event that was designed to inspire and equip Christian leaders all over the world, leaders who have great influence in their local churches. And after watching some of the inspiring and moving videos that will be screened during the conference, I'm really glad to see a strong streak of social justice running as a theme across the conference. And to think that we're in a position to minister and inspire the leaders attending the conference, to go out and make the invisible God visible to the world. Wow! I'm humbled that God would use us to serve His heart and these leaders.

I'm praying that through this event the delegates will not just leave our church with an impression of our organizational efficiency, our hospitality or wonderful worship & music team...but above all, they will remember the fullness of God's awesome presence in this place, they will remember encountering the One who causes us to mount up with eagles' wings, they will be transformed from the inside out.

The preparation for GLS has been an eye-opening learning experience....learning from fellow artists, and seeing the sheer amount of work that goes into coordinating a multi-media event. It's very cool seeing worship teams sync videos with live music etc....but I'm realising now that it must be done in a very tight manner. I can imagine the number of rehearsals Hillsong has to run for the conference!! Esp. for their openers which are really big-scale productions. Amazing.

Finally, its really heartwarming to see how the team has bonded more now, and how supportive the team is of each other. We have several song items....and its really cute to see those not involved in the particular item support those singing/playing during their acts. Sometimes we even "groupie each other" with the lit handphone wave! haha!

Ok, I'm going off to do my last bit of preparation for tmrw, before calling it a night. Please pray for our team if you can. :)

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

What I've Been Up To....

Rehearsal at the Worship Centre on Sun

As RiverLife Church gears up for the Global Leadership Summit on Oct 27th-28th, there has been a mad flurry of preparation and rehearsals over the week. Our church is hosting it for the 2nd year in a row, and our worship min is in charge of all the worship sets and song items for the conference. The rehearsals have been really intense, brains get fried on a regularly basis..haha! (Arun even suggested that we have a power packed GLS 4 day 3 night camp!) But I say that in the best way....its been a really exciting and stimulating time for us artistically. :) And there're always great laughs to be shared among the awesome team that we have here. (e.g. The moment when Arun & Andrea did an imitation of Don Moen singing "Saviour King" was really hilarious!)

It's been fun and I'm learning a lot along this journey! Thanks Andie for taking me along for the ride. :)

Here are some snapshots of our rehearsal on Sun, taken by Jerry, our sound technician.

Beautiful shot of Ivan's guitar

Ivan, our electric guitarist

Andrea on keys....this pic shows the Roland, but the Nord Stage is on its way!!! Yayy us!

Working through the set with Cheryl

Reggie on bass. Love this artistic shot!

Cheryl, one of our worship leaders and my 'neighbour' in the church office with Andrea.


Arun, our "Sitar Hero". haha! He's singing lead vocals on a Jeremy Camp song, "Empty Me" for a song item, and I get to sing back-up vocals for him, which is great cos I love Jeremy Camp! :)

Arun & his backuppers

Me, Cheryl, Seng

Love Ivan's funny button- "I hear God. Does that make me crazy?"

Seng our other worship leader, and vocal head. Nigel called this picture, "Are you SHURE?"
haha! Yes, lame lame.

Our smouldering Calvin Klein model, Jeremy the drummer. haha! Don't ask me why there was so much posing around during rehearsals.

The vocalists

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Transcendere


This spoke to me quite a bit.....

===================================================================

The heart progresses through the seasons.
Like a tree, it is cut down, only to grow back stronger.
It is in that first spring that we are closer to Heaven then we will ever be.
It eventually experiences the nostalgic chill of fall that streams into the death of winter.
Our hope lies in the return of spring, which beckons us to move forward towards the freedom of summer.
Embrace the fall - for winter is inevitable.
This is only a fraction of the greater human struggle.
Embrace the struggle…every meaningful story must have conflict.
This is a season that is necessary for your story.
Hold on…
Behind you are the prayers of the Saints.
…spring will dawn.
For God holds your soul, and God is more faithful than even the seasons.
I find myself in a season where I trust very few….the least of these, Christians.
However, I write this not out of bitterness…but out of desperate hope.
I will continue to press on grasping to a single truth…
…God transcends seasons. (by Daley Hake)

Friday, October 17, 2008

In A Bit of a Funk

Photo by Daley Hake

And the lyrics say it all....

Not Myself (by John Mayer)
================================
Suppose I said
Colors change for no good reason
And words will go
From poetry to prose

Would you want me when I'm not myself?
Wait it out while I am someone else?

And I, in time, will come around
I always do for you

Suppose I said
You're my saving grace?

Monday, October 13, 2008

Lifehouse @ St James Powerhouse

Jason Wade on Lead Vox + Guit, and Rick Woolstenhulme on drums

Last Sat, Abi, Muffin, Glenn, Shenna & myself caught Lifehouse in concert at St James Powerhouse. Bumped into Jet, Guitar Ben & Shujun there as well. I must say, the band was truly awesome....they gave us 110% of themselves, and it made for an amazing performance. They were superbly tight (say "kena" with me! haha!)....and hearing Jason Wade's expressive vocals live was jaw dropping. I'm so glad they sang my favourite songs, "Whatever it takes", "Storm" and "Broken."

While we were really lucky to be so near the stage....I thought the venue really sucked. There was hardly ANY space for the audience in front of the stage. If you got there late, too bad...you can hardly see a thing (at $72 a ticket, this was a total rip-off). A first class band like Lifehouse really deserved much better event organisation. It got way too cramped & crowded for my liking, and the stupid pple taking photos, and shoving their lens in my face and back really annoyed me. I seriously don't get this obsession with photo-taking during a gig!!! I understand if you wanna take some photos of the event for memories...but how do these pple enjoy the concert when they're behind a lens the ENTIRE concert?? Arghh.

But still, Lifehouse gave us a performance of a life-time...and I don't think we'll ever get a chance to get so up-close with them again. Lifehouse ended the night with "Broken", at the audience's request. And I left the concert amazed at how Jason Wade got the whole audience, many of whom are non-believers, singing along to his beautifully positive & hopeful lyrics at the top of their lungs.

"I'm falling apart, barely breathing
With a broken heart, that's still beating
In the pain, there is healing
In Your name, I find meaning
So I'm holding on..."- 'Broken' by Lifehouse

Isn't that so powerful?? I know many of them might not understand the lyrics fully...but at least its positive you know, unlike say Damien Rice's suicidal lyrics. And it might just pique their curiosity to find out more. :) Songs shape our thoughts and feelings, so songwriters can have such an impact and influence upon people's lives. Powerful stuff. :)

Read more detailed reviews of the concert on:
==========================================
Abi's blog
Glenn's blog (and this is a really hilarious post cos poor unfortunate Glenn ended up standing next to 2 lesbians, and he saw them making out during the love ballads. haha!)

Nice shot of Jason smiling and having a good time

Ben Carey from Australiaaaa! Yeahhh!

My fav shot!!! A fantastic moment with Jason and Bryce sharing the mike and shredding wood.

And they're about to do the famous coordinated rocker jump at the end of the song! haha!

Beautiful shot of Jason immersed in the music

Jason looks like Marty Sampson in this worshippy shot

Bryce Soderberg!!! God bless bassists! haha! I love this guy!! He had a very solid sound, loads of presence and charisma. He really rocked out that night! :) "Whatever it Takes" wouldn't be the same without Bryce. And he even sang lead vocals for "Bridges," which I'm totally lovin' now!

The band saying goodbye

I dunno how this happened, but the effect is quite cool. Those are my feet on the left, and Glenn's on the right. If you stare closely...you can also see Muffin's t-shirt (the colourful fonts)!

My Lifehouse Groupies!! L-R: Abi, Muffin, Me, Glenn

More photos on Abi's flickr (she took 600+ photos! mad!)

Joel is king!!

"There's something about you now
I can't quite figure out
Everything he does is beautiful
Everything he does is right."- Lifehouse


After months of claiming that Chris Tomlin is king, Abi watched Joel Houston leading worship for "From the Inside Out" (see video below) this afternoon....finally conceded defeat to admit that Joel is the real king. Apparently Joel reduced her to mush and tears. Read her blog post here. This is a real triumphant moment my frens....and I just have to say it, "AH HA!"

As for me, I have always been loyal to Joel. haha! Words alone fail to express how much I love Joel Houston- bassist/worship leader/songwriter/preacher/ I Heart Revolutionist. :)

Woh oh ohhhhhh!!!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

"With Hearts As One"


"Hosanna" from the I Heart Revolution DVD. Brooke Fraser & Martin Smith (from Delirious) share the heartbeat behind a world-wide movement that seeks to marry worship, evangelism and justice. And I say that because the I Heart Revolution is really part of something bigger that God is stirring around the world. It is really heartening to see our generation desiring to play a bigger part in social justice, in making an invisible God visible to the world.



A pretty touching video that shows Joel Houston leading worship with "From the Inside Out." It seamlessly cuts to different countries and different languages (English and Spanish). I was reduced to a royal mess again while I watched it...not just cos I love Joel so much, but cos it reminded me that we're not so different after all, and that everybody needs God.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Heroes of our Faith

An msn conversation with Glenn that took place last nite:
===================================================================

Glenn: Who is your hero in the faith?
Mich: *thinks its like a serious qn* You mean like from the bible?
Glenn: No, you can say Vincent Lun if u want. Or Joel Houston or St Augustine.
Mich: You want proper answer or nonsense one?
Glenn: Just answer it, dun think so much.
Mich: ok, Joel Houston, Chris Tomlin, Philip Yancey, C.S Lewis, Oswald Chambers.
Glenn: Ok now you will have one more!
http://www.youtube.com/user/bobschmidt
This guy.....who cut the I Heart Revolution DVD into separate tracks and uploaded them all. Ok almost all!

Mich: HAHAHHAHA! I did NOT see that coming. *applause for Glenn*
Glenn: hahahaha.... i'm good eh?
Mich: You know i'm going to blog this rite?
Glenn: I'm good I'm rolling down hills. Ok lah, blog lah!

===================================================================

Yes...I can always count on Glenn for unexpected twists in conversations, random soundbites, and good laughs all year round. haha!

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Freedom Writers

They Also Serve Who Only Sit and Click

I laughed so loud when I read this passage from Philip Yancey's book. He said that he got such a "vicarious thrill" when he read Philip Roth's description of writing in "The Ghost Writer" as it was such a precise description of his life. And I totally identified with it. This is pretty much my day!

"I turn sentences around. That's my life. I write a sentence and then I turn it around. Then I look at it and I turn it around again. Then I have lunch. Then I come back in and write another sentence. Then I have tea and turn the new sentence around. Then I read the two sentences over and turn them both around. Then I lie down on my sofa and think. Then I get up and throw them out and start from the beginning."- Philip Roth, "The Ghost Writer"

This whole writing deal can be quite a solitary activity. I'm starting to feel the difference more now that I'm plunging thicker into the writing, and easing out of the teaching which is very interactive. Sometimes it gets to me...just having the Macbook as my companion, but in times like these, I try to remember why I got into this job in the first place- to get people excited about God and ministry, to stir worship in the hearts of men...now through my pen, and not just my song.

These words from Philip Yancey encouraged me deeply and reaffirmed that call for me....

"I became a writer, I believe, because of my own experience of the power of words. I saw that spoiled words, their original meaning wrung out, could be reclaimed. I saw that writing could penetrate into the crevices, bringing spiritual oxygen to people trapped in airtight boxes. I saw that when God conveyed to us the essence of His self-expression, God called it the Word. And the Word comes int he most freedom-enhancing way imaginable.

I pray that the church in increasingly oppressive times, will remember that words have their greatest impact when they enhance freedom, when they liberate."- Philip Yancey, "Finding God in Unexpected Places"

Change the World

New book, new inspiration. :)
I bought a new edition of Philip Yancey's bk "Finding God in Unexpected Places" today. And it was much needed to refuel my soul, to stir up my love for the written word, and to remind me of the power of writing. He's one of my favourite writers....and it's interesting how I'm reading his writings with a new lens now that I am learning to be a writer myself. :)

May the story below, extracted from Philip Yancey's Introduction, move you to be part of a God-movement that is already in motion.
===================================================================
By Philip Yancey, "Finding God in Unexpected Places"

On a trip to South Africa, I met a remarkable woman named Joanna. She is of mixed race, part black and part white, a category known there as "Coloured." As a student she agitated for change in apartheid and then saw the miracle that no one had predicted, the peaceful dismantling of that evil system. Afterward, for many hours she sat with her husband and watched live broadcasts of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings.

Instead of simply exulting in her newfound freedoms, Joanna next decided to tackle the most violent person in South africa, a prison where Nelson Mandela had spent several years. Tattoo-covered gang members controlled the prison, strictly enforcing a rule that required new members to earn their admittance to the gang by assualting undesirable prisoners. Prison authorities looked the other way, letting these "animals" beat and even kill each other.

Alone, this attractive young woman started going each day into the bowels of that prison. She brought a simple message of forgiveness and reconciliation, trying to put into practice on a smaller scale what Mandela and Bishop Tutu were trying to effect in the nation as a whole. She organized small groups, taught trust games, got the prisoners to open up about the details of their horrific childhoods. The year before she began her visits, the prison had recorded 279 acts of violence; the next year there were two. Joanna's results were so impressive that the BBC sent a camera crew from London to produce two one-hour documentaries on her.

Ever the journalist, I pressed her for specifics on what had happened to transform that prison. She looked up and said, almost without thinking, "Well of course, Philip, God was already present in the prison. I just had to make him visible."

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Yummy Scents!

Look at what I stumbled upon at Watson's- Organic's Vanilla Silk Shampoo & Conditioner!! The last time I was this delighted over toiletries was when I found Creme Brulee shower cream in Sydney! (ok, they both have a similar vanilla-ish scent which I have a weakness for!) I think it's new and already quite popular, cos they had very few bottles left on the shelf.

I really wasn't intending to buy it cos it was a tad pricey, but when I took a whiff of it, I was sold. It's just so yummy! :) Now I keep smelling my hair. haha! However, it does leave one a little hungry (for cookies n ice-cream etc). Avoid it if you're fasting/on a diet. :p

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Lifehouse on VH1 Acoustic

I'm counting down to the Lifehouse concert this Sat!! :) I'm totally amused at how all my fellow groupies are diligently doing their "homework" by listening to Lifehouse's music, so that we can sing along this Sat. haha! Anyway, in the name of "homework," you guys have to check out the following videos. Amazing stuff! And the rest of you...well, just enjoy the music yeah? :)


One of my fav songs by Lifehouse, "Broken." I get chills whenever I hear Jason Wade's emotive vocals. A totally riveting and moving performance this one.


"Whatever it takes". Notice how the bass player,Bryce Soderberg, is the one doing back-up vocals instead of the other guitarist, Ben Carey? Not easy leh! Sing and play bass!

I can't believe I'm going to watch Lifehouse live!!!! *excited*

Sagiko!

Abi & I have been going crazy over this new drink that we stumbled upon at 7-11: Sagiko, soft jelly drink (Lemon Flavour). It's quite amazing, it's like the bottled version of the ice jelly desert you find at hawker centres. When you shake it, it makes this funny 'glug' sound cos well...its jelly that's inside. haha!

It's always great fun to drink (I dunno why it amuses us so much, mebbe its just us)....and last nite it gave us quite a sugar rush. We were quite high, laughing at everything at the mrt station.
Now we wanna introduce this drink to the guys of Lifehouse! hahaa! Go try it yourself. Loads of fun!!