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- More than Music continues to make reaching
hurting, at-risk youth in detention and treatment
facilities a central part of our mission with two more
detention center concerts through our ministry
partner Youth for Christ performed this
month and three more on the books in the coming
weeks. (These concerts have been generously
sponsored by Woodmen Valley Chapel in Colorado
Springs.) I hear so many stories of brokeness in the
time I often get with the youth after sharing my
songs and testimony with them. We hand out
the "Rush the Sea" CD to the young people that
want one, (which is most), and leave them with a
clear message of life and healing. It's awesome. We
plan to expand this very much in-demand ministry in
the coming years.
- We are thrilled to report that as of now we have
a booking manager! Cathy Moreford is truly an
awesome woman of God who believes in the music
and message of MtM. Thanks for all your hard work
Cathy! Welcome to the team!! To book Stephanie
and the band call Cathy at (719) 330-6707.
- I, Stephanie Pauline, had two live radio interviews
this month. One with Power 88.3 FM in the Springs
and one with KTLF 90.5 FM as well. You can
listen to both interviews soon online at
www.MorethanMusicInc.com/events
- We, myself and the band, (Aaron Eastham on
Bass, Jon Collins on drums and Tim Collins on guitar),
had three other concerts this month. One at
Jimbo's...a great venue...a loyal and deep hearted
crowd...a great band to play with...who could ask for
more. We also opened at the Black Rose Accoustic
Society and had a CD signing/concert at Borders
Book Store in the Springs. (Pictured above)
- Melanie Sorenson is still serving as our
envrionmental missionary in Kenya. She is doing very
well and God is continuing to bless her efforts. We
are so excited about this awesome opportunity for
her to live out the "more" in More than Music. For
more info go to
http://www.mytripjournal.com/melanie
The password is melanie.
- The Sonflowerz, (a Colorado Springs girl band we
sponsor), recently returned from their West Coast
Tour and are home for a couple months for a much
needed time of rest and reflection. For more
information on their excellent ministry please go to
www.Sonflowerz.com
- More than Music finally landed a long-awaited
national distribution deal with Faithworks through our
publisher Aaron Communications. We are
very pleased to be working with such reputable
companies and are excited about the future doors
such a development can help to open.
- One more thing! We finally hopped on the 21st
century ride, and created our own myspace account
with a blog and everything! (You know I'm loving
that!) Check it out, become my friend, and invite
others to do the same.
http://www.myspace.com/themorethanmusicband
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by Stephanie Pauline
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The "Divine Other"
Of course over this last weekend, myself and those I
gathered with engaged in the customary
Thanksgiving tradition of going around the room and
sharing what each is thankful for. There was the
usual montage of giggles and random utterances of
praise; the openly offered thoughts of a child, a
great grandpa of almost eighty, a mother, a single
man. Each was unique yet there were threads of
commonality among the differences. Family. Love.
Life. Home. Freedom. These were the things that
filled our hearts with gratitude. Then it was my turn.
I sometimes dread the severity of my own heart. I
share with such sincerity that it seems I can't speak
into even a light moment like this
without my heart being clearly visible, right there
beneath the surface, beating and trembling in turn. I
am what I am though, so I barreled ahead. "When
you've lived life for awhile and had the gift of
struggle. You find that life comes; good, bad, and
ugly, with an undeniable poignancy, and a stabbing
reality. I am thankful that within that, no matter
what comes - God is real, and that in the reality of
that I can truly find a place outside of myself and my
particular situation. No matter the pain or difficulty
life might bring I somehow stumble into these
pockets of peace and mercy and love and find myself
inexplicably healed and restored. Just when I think I
can't take anymore I find that the God in me can.
God is truly there...a "Divine Other". It is all so
utterly beyond me. That's what I'm most thankful for
this year."
The room was still and thick with emotion. I wiped
away tears. Only God knows the cost of that
praise.
Now to you...broken and maimed. There is a real,
living God who loves and heals. No matter the pain,
and the cause God can make it good. Pain comes on
this fallen planet. (Sometimes it's due to human
error sometimes all we can do is chalk it up to the
plain old evil that causes the earth to groan and
bodies to decay.) Yes, pain comes, whether we
want it or not, but the worst kind of pain is useless
pain. Untouched pain. Let God use it...let God reach
in and lay warm, work-worn hands on the heart of
your pain. It's okay to truly reach the end of
yourself. It's okay to find you can't take
anymore...this is when the fun finally starts. This is
when you get to see that when you, in yourself, do
not have...still there it is. When you, by yourself,
can not...somehow a can appears. This is God. We
can't explain it, (you can't explain what you truly
don't understand). We can't control it, (it is not ours
to control). We can't predict the how and the when,
(God is anything but predictable). This is the
real, living, loving God. His ways are NOT our ways.
His thoughts are NOT our thoughts. He is truly
separate and beyond us. We often don't know what
He's up to because it is truly not from our hearts or
minds but from His. We may not know what He's
doing, but we know that whatever it is, it is
good. When we can't trust our eyes we can trust in
that. Go ahead, expect the unexpected. Just when
you think it's all lost - love; this moving, living, real
being, will creep up on you. It's okay to not
understand it all, but still surrender. When we come
to our edges we find the beginning of this good,
beautiful, "Divine Other". Truly beyond us - yet with
us, all the way. Go ahead let yourself stumble
unwittingly into your own pocket of peace, and love
and healing...find there a space of pure, clean air,
the power to live love and invite others into the
same.
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by Genny Moellring
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We continue to press on to the mark God has set for
our ministry. Thank you to all of you who have
faithfully contributed to More than Music in your
prayers and financial support. As we give
in faith, God continues to expand this ministry. We
still have a need for monthly supporters - those who
will pledge to give on a monthly basis. Our goal is
$2000/month. This breaks down to: 200
contributors at $10/month; 100 contributors at
$20/month; 40 contributors at $50/month. I
encourage you to pledge what you can and join us
as we reach out to the lost and hurting, and declare
the truth to a world so in need. The fruit can be
yours, too! Thank you. To make your pledge, please
go to the More than Music website or call 651-226-
8268.
There are a few pressing needs right now. With
Stephanie and her family doing a great deal of
travelling, we really need to provide them with a
trailer for hauling sound gear. They also need a
quality laptop so Stephanie can be available to
maintain her managerial responsibilities while on the
road.
Thank you for your prayerful consideration of the
needs we've shared.
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