Newsletter
 
 
July 2014
Latest News
Latest Press
Highlights & Prayers
From the Heart
Latest Press
More than Music held our first ever benefit concerts for our OWN organization in Colorado Springs.  After raising over $90,000 for other organization in the past few years, MtM finally made a point to open up communication with the City of Colorado Springs about what we do and who we are.  We made great inroads and raised $8,000 net for this great cause.  It was a wonderful concert at Stargazer's Theatre.  David Wilcox headlined and Stephanie Pauline opened

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Stephanie Pauline was interviewed on KRCC (Southern CO Public Radio)  May 14th, leading up to David Wilcox's MtM benefit concert, she was also featured on KRDO on May 12th, on both stations she shared candidly about the great work of MtM and even laid down some live tracks with her musician, and friend, Tim Collins. 
  LISTEN! 
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Stephanie Pauline was asked to write a song for 92.9 FM in Colorado Springs to honor some Make a Wish kids with terminal illnesses in the Southern CO region. Within an hour her new song "Make a Wish" was born. Stephanie Pauline went on air live to talk about the upcoming concert and to share her song which you can hear -  Part 1 HERE!  Part 2 HERE! 

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Wilnot Mercier is a talented painter from Port-au-Prince, Haiti with ambitions to start an orphanage. More than Music is blessed to be able to help him achieve his dreams by supporting the sales of his colorful paintings. Right now there is a specific need to help him gather resources to send his adopted son to school. Please CLICK THROUGH to consider purchasing one of his beautiful works of art. 

 

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THE ONE

Stephanie Pauline has a limited-time opportunity to gain a record deal and record a new album in  2014. Her fans just need to prove demand for THE ONE song that will open the doors to this unique opportunity.  CLICK THROUGH TO VOTE & TO GET HER NEXT CD FREE!   

Info Center
Treasurer's Corner
     By Genny Moellring

 

Realistically speaking, for More than Music, Inc. to move to the

next level of service, we really
need $1,700 a month in base
donor support. We currently
have a shortfall of $1,100 in committed monthly donations.
Are you prompted to join with us?

 

Support & Donations Online:  

If you would like to help support the More than Music Inc. ministry and would like to make a secure
tax deductible donation online through Paypal. You may do so by logging into or creating a Paypal account and sending to:

[email protected].

Otherwise you may simply click through to our donation page.
 donate_now_green_btn.gif
  

Via Check or Money Order,  

mail to:

More than Music Inc. 

P.O. Box 31 Farmington, MN 55024

Remember, all gifts are tax deductible, and are very much appreciated.


We do have monthly partnerships if you are interested in making a commitment to help support us monetarily on a monthly basis. 
E-mail me, Genny, at [email protected] for more information. Thank you so much for considering giving to
our cause. 

 

An Easy Way to Help!
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You can help More than Music just by making goodsearch.com your search resource online. 

GoodSearch.com - the search engine with a unique social mission, is powered by Yahoo!, so you get great search results, and each time you search, GoodSearch makes a donation to MtM!

 

Upon your first visit you will be asked what cause you want to donate to.  Simply type in "More than Music - MtM " and from then on you will be funding our work with every search!  How easy and cool is that?!

 

 

You can also go to
and do the same when you shop!

GoodShop is also the new online marketplace that donates a percentage of your purchase to More than Music. You can choose from hundreds of popular merchants and the experience of shopping through GoodShop is exactly the same as going to the retailers' websites directly.

toy-grocery-girls.jpg  

Prayer Team Activate!
Jerry King, our newest board member has decided to lead the prayer team charge. Do you want to pray with us for the work and direction of More than Music or do you have a prayer request you would like to share with us? Send us an e-mail at: ([email protected]). Jerry will get back to you with encouragement and prayer requests once a month and with information on how you can join us for an annual in-person prayer meeting in one of our two hubs: MN and CO.

 

So, the question is, can 30 or so people intentionally praying for this ministry weekly make a difference? Well, your answer to that would depend on whether you believe in prayer.  

 

I, personally, do.  

  

Prayer is more important to me than the very breath that sustains my physical life, for prayer is the breath that sustains my spirit.  It is the breath sustaining the hope and purpose of my life. It is the REASON I live. When asked why prayer is important, my answer is in the form of a question, "Why is talking with your wife important?" Without communication there is no understanding, without understanding there is no relationship. RELATING IS the passing of information and knowing from one being to another. Granted without prayer, through study, we can grasp some knowledge of The Word, the nature of God, and even of the concept of prayer; but it is only through the

action of prayer that true experience and understanding is possible. It is not knowing ABOUT God but KNOWING GOD that brings God's comfort, peace, wisdom, and power to our lives.

How awesome that we have been given the opportunity to commune with The Creator of the entire universe and how much more amazing that The Creator of the universe is madly in love with me!  With us!  With YOU! Wow! I crave my time with my Lord, my Savior, My Guide and my best friend. He is my center, and my peace. The fact that He has chosen prayer to be the means of our communion, our union, is irrelevant to me, so long as by whatever means we are indeed unified. God always has a way of bypassing the meager, inadequate works I offer and reaching into my heart and filling it with whatever is needed. We are trusting for that for MtM as well.  Praise God for the blessings poured through prayer, and indeed, the blessing OF prayer itself!

"Do not despise the day of small beginnings." It was with 300 men Gideon fought and WON a great battle for God. MtM needs a Gideon to stand with us and lead an army of prayer warriors. This work is too important and too front-line not to adequately cover ourselves through prayer.


In Jesus name, Let it be!
 
 

 

 








Hello!

It's me, Stephanie Pauline. It's so good to connect with you in this way! MtM has been working hard and I am so excited to get to update you on all the happenings. Thank you for taking the time to track with what we do and why do it. So here goes...
  Digs on the Gigs

2014

FEATURED CONCERT: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1388200661421460/ 


Thursday, July 10 

at 7:30pm - 9:00pm in CDT


Lake Harriet Bandshell 

4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55409

Stephanie Pauline and More than Music LIVE in Minneapolis (Harriet Bandshell)

Let's have some fun! I will be sharing more of my lighthearted folk/pop songs for this, the Minneapolis, Minnesota 'Music in the Parks' Concert Series Concert, at the beautiful Harriet Bandshell. Come to the LAKE, soak in the sweet, mid-summer's night, and hang out with me!

Check out my music and invite your friends!


What 'THEY' say about me. ;)
- - Stephanie Pauline is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, and recording artist. With poignant lyrics, engaging storytelling and a sweet, but powerful voice, Stephanie's music has been played in 30 countries and on nearly 1,000 radio stations to date.

"Stephanie Pauline exists in that twilight zone between Nashville accessibility and indie credibility. Based in Colorado, far from the bubblegum machinery of Nashville country music, she has taken the best elements of Americana's commercial black sheep and given it heart and soul." -No Depression

"Stephanie Pauline's wonderful voice; tuneful, emotional and passionate: fantastic." -Radio Cherwell,

 

___________________________________________ 

July 20th Sun. 2 PM - Grainfield Opera House Grainfield, KS

July 26th Sat. 3 PM - Cooper Creek Square Concert Series Winter Park, CO

Aug. 9th Sat 11 AM-4PM SAFE FAMILY MINISTRIES Chehalis, WA

Aug. Outside Summer Pop Up Concert C/S, CO (Details coming soon)

Sept 16th Tues. 7 PM America�€™s Soul LIVE @ The Pickin�€™ Parlor Arvada, CO

Sept. 27th, Sat. - Shepherds Gate Church Chantilly, VA

Oct. 7, Tues. 7 PM The Dove Awards at  Lipscomb University's Allen Arena Nashville TN

Dec 10 date Christmas Tour CO, MN, ND, KS, MS

 

2015

May 2015 Youth for Christ Hope and Potential Concert C/S, CO

Oct 2015 David Wilcox w/ Stephanie Pauline to benefit MtM in Mpls, MN

 
 
Highlights and Prayers
By Stephanie Pauline

David Wilcox, Stephanie Pauline, and event emcee, Warren Epstein, at the VIP dinner
and meet and greet before the show.

>>>On Friday, May 9th, More than Music put on a benefit concert for our own organization.  Headlined by the GREAT folk artist, David Wilcox, and emceed by Colorado Springs' own, Warren Epstein, former Arts and Entertainment editor for The gazette and current for The Fine Arts Center. The night was such a success!  We raised $8,000 net at the concert, and greatly raised awareness for our cause in C/S. Events like these are not possible without a HUGE TEAM OF SERVANTS giving of their time and talent.

Let me take this opportunity to THANK YOU, OUR PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SPECIFICALLY. You are amazing and I am a better person for having spent time with each one of you. You tireless efforts were seen and so appreciated! Thank you for giving yourselves to this work! 

THANK YOU, too, to the rest of our over 20 volunteers. From runners,
to graphic designers, photographers, to roadies. Your help was deeply appreciated.
And also, let me THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE AND PRIVATE EVENT SPONSORS! Without you we never would have been able to pull this event together! So thank you to our anonymous, generous $3000 matching grant donor, and to:
Ascend Mailing, Sam's Club, Kohl's, Chick Fil A, DC Custom Contstruction, Six and Geving, Genny and Justin Moellring, Eric and Candace Roberts, Gold Finger's Jewelry, American Family Insurance (Andy Holloman Agency, Dean Skarret Agency and Mario Arrongon Agency), Axis Business Solutions (formerly Bircahms), Cure 9090, Oils for His Glory, It's all Connected, Trinity Motors, Staybridge Suites, The Cliff House, Golden's RV, A Better Auto, Maxine's Salon, Bambino's Elite Auto, Faricy Boys, Trevor and Tarah Dierdorf, Adam's Mountain Cafe, and
American Furniture Warehouse.

Your partnership with us is SO VALUED!
 
 
Finally, THANK YOU TO OUR TALENTED, AMAZING MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS who made this a phenomenal music experience! Finally thank you to the Stargazers' team and the other contractors involved in making this event a success!



>>>More than Music is about to perform five detention center concerts this summer with Southern CO Youth for Christ,
sharing the hope of Jesus Christ through my personal story of redemption, and through song. We hand out lots of Bibles and free CDs, and many young people receive the gift of Jesus, and the real guiding hope of God's great love for them.
 
Social media is so cool because kids will find me who I haven't talked to, sometimes, for years.  Recently, a girl I will refer to as Rachel (name changed to protect identity) contacted me to unburden her heart. She was looking for the song "Lost Cause," a very old cut off an album I recorded over ten years ago. I knew I must have met her quite some time ago. She shared that she had recently got off drugs, but too late to keep her son from being put in foster care, having her right terminated, and her son eventually adopted by a couple. Though she was very sad, she was still working hard to turn her heart and life around. She wanted my encouragement and had never forgotten the story of hope and healing I had sung to her soul. I was so humbled by that. I sent her all of my CDs (not just the old one) much to her joy and we have been chatting online ever since.

The night before Mother's Day I saw that she was online veeerrrry late so I sent her a brief message. She was terribly broken that night and was struggling deeply with the loss of her son. After a long, in depth communication God gave me this prayer for her. I asked her  to repeat after me in text, and also to say it out loud in the open air where she was too. 
 
RACHEL'S PRAYER: 
Jesus, I need you.

My life is a mess.

My heart is broken.

I have lost everything.

But I am here.

I am still here and I want u.

I want something real.

I want a hope that doesn't disappoint.

I want a life that comes from something so deep inside it can't ever be stolen from me.

I want peace. In my inmost being. I want you. The Bible says you are love.

I need you now. More than ever. I need you now.

Take these ashes and make them beauty.

Take this heart and make it yours - forever and always.

Take this breath - I give it to you. Whether it is painful or peaceful.  

I give it to you.

Give me your peace in the place of my pain.  

Your hope in place of my despair.  

Your life in place of my death.

I don't want this life anymore. I want a new life.

I want a life ordered by YOU.  

By love and wisdom and all the fruits of your Spirit.

I want your way.

Teach me your way. Speak into my numbness and bring me life.

I ask that your will be done in my life. That your kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven in my day to day.

I give u my son. I have to trust you, Lord. You know it all. You saw it all play out. Bless him. When I feel shame. When I feel grief Lord help me to remember to just pray. To cover that boy in healing floods of prayer. I am mom. I will always be a mom. Take this loss and make it grace and beauty in my eyes. Humility, compassion and understanding for everyone's woundedness.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen (Let it be).  

 

OUR CHAT CONTINUED...

Me: Happy Mother's Day, Rachel, my friend. Love you. You are not alone. Let yourself smile tomorrow. Really. Truly. Smile. Your son is being watched over by angels that are doing your bidding when you pray for him.

So pray. And smile. It will be okay. 

Rachel: Tears...thank you  

Me: Rachel, God forgives. God restores.This is His business. He is good at it. You can trust Him. Bless you. Goodnight, friend. 

Rachel: Goodnight...thank youso much...you really helped me.  You stopped me form doing stupid shit to myself. TY.

Me: Lets chat tomorrow. You can always call me too. We'll figure this out. 

Rest now. God did this, not me. I mean, why am I on here chatting at almost 4 am? God did that. You are LOVED! 

 
What a profound moment. Please pray for her. God knows her need and the fragile hope she has for a beautiful future. Rachel is just ONE PERSON - one person whose life is in the process of being changed by YOU. There are thousands now. THANK YOU for helping us to do what we do. There is SO MUCH more. Please continue to partner with us as we serve the world and God's great purposes here! 
   

>>>More than Music's Board of Directors 
unanimously voted in a new board member, Jerry King.

www.jerryking.org  Jerry King brings with him 20 years of Christian Radio experience, having hosted morning shows, family shows and more. It was always a ministry, never a profession, so his business background is quite different. From being an Operations Manager for a heavy highway construction company, a business owner of an RV dealership and repair business and even a body shop manager of a Freightliner dealership to currently working as an associate and coordinator in training for Aflac, his business experience has helped him to work with people in developing their own careers.

 

Jerry has always loved ministry work and, even today, is a guest speaker at multiple events, offers pulpit supply when a pastor is out, works with the Prayer for Prisoners International ministry as a speaker and emcee for their annual fundraiser banquets, leads Bible studies, has a weekly prayer group meeting in his home and much more. He is also an ordained Christian Pastor with the Christian Prayer Center (a non-denominational organization) and will be performing his first wedding this spring.

 

Jerry has been married to Karen for 37 years, has 3 grown children and 3 grandchildren (so far).

 

WELCOME TO THE TEAM, JERRY! Your passion and expertise is greatly valued!

>>>Our Sponsorship Development Director, Bruce Hunter, is still working to find donors for our Toy Soldier 1280 Program.
You can view a powerpoint presentation describing the program we are working to implement HERE.) We are trusting God for the resources we need to drive this great work. To contact Bruce you can call (719)720-9877 or you can reach him by e-mail at
 
>>>Stephanie Pauline has a unique opportunity which will potentially result in the ability to record her next album through a record label. There are pros and cons to the indie verse "label" artistic life. For her, the more creative potential the better and the bigger the audiences - the bigger the impact. CLICK TO VIEW HER QUIRKY, SILLY VIDEO AND GET STEPHANIE'S NEXT CD FREE!       
 
   

 From the Heart

 By Stephanie Pauline

LOSS

 

There have been some years, I suppose, that life can coast along without much disruption. In those moments we can live the luxury of thinking God's love = the good life. Pleasure. Friends. Fun. Good food. Monetary stability. Intact families. Life!  

 

But then . . . there are years of loss.  

 

An unexpected death in the family. Tragedy. Addiction. Unemployment. Disease. Unexplained. Undesired. Unmitigated. LOSS. We all have our ways of coping, and processing grief. Some of us lean heavily, in those times, on God's character, on seeing the bigger purpose and plan. Some of us need to muddle in the mess of roiling emotion, and give ourselves the freedom to question without being pushed into any answers, fixes or solutions that may not serve or touch our deepest heart at that moment.

 

In my experience, at those times of loss, there are many -- even sometimes true -- statements that can be lobbed at us by well-meaning people. Though perhaps deeply felt and genuinely held by these persons, those words have felt platitudinous to me, like deadwood falling into the swirl of my heaving heart; unsatisfying, weightless and hollow:

 

"There is a purpose for everything."

 

"God will make it good."

 

And I've even heard . . ."Did you have enough faith?"

 

I am amazed at the things that can come out of people's mouths, and I am humbled to recognize, that I, too, have said my share of ill-timed, perhaps-insensitive things when I am grappling to understand, myself, and I so desire to make it better for someone I love. It's important to remember that even the right thing said in the wrong moment can bloody and bruise an already-crushed spirit. Likewise, the wrong things said at the wrong time, or the wrong things said at the right time too, those can deeply wound someone already hurting.

 

"Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks," the Bible says. So what does it say about our hearts, our faith, when instead of weeping with those that weep, we feel, at times, the compulsion to give answers to their unspoken questions, and fixes to their deep need; needs that sometimes can only be met by an internal, very personal, unique, Holy Spirit-inspired process?

 

A 19-year-old friend of mine just lost his father. His dad struggled with alcoholism. After 20 years of marriage, his mom didn't want to watch her husband die of this disease: alcoholism. She divorced him last year. Last Tuesday his dad was getting ready for a late Father's day celebration with his three kids. He went to take a quick nap before he went and picked up my friend, his younger brother (17), and little sister (5). Instead, as he slept, he had a grand mal seizure and my friend's father died.

 

That coming Sunday was supposed to be my friend's first day preaching in his new church. Instead of bowing out, like many would have done, he took to the pulpit with a deeper sense of purpose. The Spirit of love and mercy itself fell as he spoke about the promise that we have in Christ. How God himself sent his son to earth to take on our death and fear, all our 'less-than-love's and 'less-than-life's that every last one of us have chosen. That Jesus was sent to pay our debt and in its place give us His life! How recent conversations with his dad had led him to believe that he would see him someday again, in heaven. With a courageous smile on his face and a gleam in his eye he talked about how happy he was that his father would never have the shakes again. His dad was beginning to believe, he said; he struggled -- deeply -- but was receiving, by faith, Jesus' love for him. It was a testament to the great power of grace and faith.

 

A man got up after him and with only a few words crashed and shattered the hue of golden hope my friend had woven into the air. He said something to the effect of, "Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived..." and then went into a long list of those who, according to the Bible quoted here, will not inherit the kingdom of God, a list that includes drunkards. (1 Corinthians 6).

 

Now those of you who know me well enough probably already know that I have wrestled with Paul many times. He is the one that authored those verses in 1 Corinthians and who, overall, authored the letters, or rather the "epistles" portion, of the New Testament. He synergized the gospel in profound ways and gave us many theological truths. I do believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and I also believe in wrestling with the truth until it gets on the inside of you in ways that mere ascent cannot enable. I do not believe in signing onto prepackaged doctrine deals. Indeed, the TRUTH sets us free, so what question would the truth, in its true form, ever fear? So, with that, let's wrestle.

 

Paul was at one time a letter-of-the-law man, and I think a part of that nature in him never fully went away; it's a bent, a personality type, if you will, and it goes without saying, it is not mine. Now, I'm not certain what motivated Paul to say what he did. I do know he was addressing that letter to a church he was encouraging to live out a pure representation of Christ. He was dealing with the pedestrian parts of living out a gospel life, and it's a valid concern. How does the gospel, being a "little Christ," more commonly known as being a "Christian," flesh itself out in us?

 

Granted, in Christ, there is sanctification, which is the process of healing in our hearts and minds, even to the point that, in part, we are freed from sin and its hold over us. We are empowered then to live, and inspired to teach, love.

 

In order to recognize freedom from sin it might help to be clear on what "sin" really is. The word in Greek actually means, "to miss the mark," and since the Bible says, "perfect love casts out fear," that "God IS love," and that God is, "the author and sustainer of all things," I would say that sin is really just anything less than love and life. Less than the best that God, who IS absolute LOVE, and IS the very breath of life, has for us, inasmuch as it is ours to choose. Indeed, the Bible says outright, "Anything less than [that which comes] from faith is sin," in Romans 14:23.

 

Stay with me, we are building a theological foundation here . . . so, we are told in 1 Corinthians 6 that overt 'sinners,' in the ways elucidated, "will not inherit the kingdom of God," then are given a more nuanced impression about what sin really is in other portions of the Word; and by that true definition it leaves us ALL very much guilty. Now, for what at first glance seems a kicker contradiction, Paul says this: "What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all -- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies, who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died --more than that, who was raised to life -- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 

It's like he's saying, on one hand, do not be deceived you will not inherit the kingdom of God if you have these 'less-than's manifesting in your life, but on the other hand, NOTHING can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ. So which is it? And are any of us truly FREE from overt and even covert 'less-than's on this side of eternity? Are some of us, some sins, in essence, better than others? Because that's certainly what it can seem to imply, based on common interpretations -- no?

 

Jesus (oh, how I love Jesus!), said, "The law said not to commit adultery, I say if you even look at a woman lustfully you have committed adultery." What is his point? Jesus was not so much a letter-of-the-law kind of guy. He was a SPIRIT-of-the-law man. He wanted to pick something up and look at its underside, then turn it inside out and graze, with healing hands, the fibers of its insides, its essence -- in order to really apply the principle behind the letter. How I love Jesus. His whole life, death and resurrection were about setting us free! So what was his point in saying that? What was his point when he knelt beside the woman who had been caught in prostitution, and instead of adding his voice to those raised in judgment of her, began to draw in the dust? The angry mob heaved and harangued, thronging towards the woman and now a kneeling Jesus, to lob their indignation at the woman in the form of stones that would bloody and bruise her body. What was His point? When he finally looked up at them and said quietly, but with humble authority, "He who has not sinned, cast the first stone." I believe His point, HIS VERY LIFE, was about showing us that ALL OF US NEED. ALL OF US LACK. ALL OF US HAVE FALLEN SHORT. And this holy life -- a sanctified life -- is NOT POSSIBLE outside of the grace and mercy of God. Our freedom comes from receiving that grace. UNDESERVED. UNEXPLAINED. UNMITIGATED. IN OUR LOSS . . . whatever kind it is.

 

My friend's father, and my earthly father too, in fact, struggled with an addiction perhaps you and I don't understand. But we can understand need, can't we? Maybe our fear and our 'less-than-faith' is expressed through pride, or laziness, anger, despair, or maybe religious legalism. We have all felt and expressed need in ways that were "less than" faith, life and love, have we not? We have all sinned. Where did this ridiculous hierarchy of sin come from? Like one is worse than another, just because one can appear more obvious?

 

The Bible says, "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community."

 

Who has NEVER lied? Or never devised a stupid scheme; a "solution" that created more woe, not less? We have all grasped in our need, have we not?

 

The good old King James Version interprets Jeremiah 17:9 like this: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Some time ago now I looked up the word translated as "wicked" there in an English-to-Hebrew lexicon and I found that the word for wicked there was also translated elsewhere to mean "fatally ill," or "wounded." Illuminating. So, let's really pick it up, turn it inside out, and graze the fibers with healing hands.

 

Essence?

 

The Bible says, "God desires that no man would perish," and it says too, "God does not willingly afflict the sons of men." God does not want all this pain and this hurt; this fear and this loss, but here it is, and here it is again, and now again. We are broken. This world is broken. There ARE NO EASY ANSWERS for us, but there is a God who weeps. Who sees. Who hears. Who loves us. Emmanuel -- GOD WITH US -- in it. Who longs for our good even more than we do. Who wanted our LIFE, in every sense of that word, FULLY LIVED and FULL of all the fruits of His spirit: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, GENTLENESS, FAITHFULNESS, AND SELF CONTROL. THAT IS WHAT GOD WANTS for ALL OF US.

 

Inherit the kingdom?

 

Jesus tells us when he teaches us how to pray to ask for the Kingdom to come "on earth as it is in heaven." I believe we can have God's kingdom, and, please, hear that as I mean it -- LOVE'S KINGDOM -- here on earth, inasmuch as we receive the freedom that comes from knowing God loves us NO MATTER WHAT. Is our identity defined by our deeds, or are our deeds defined by our identity? And who are we really? God says if we will believe in the gift of his son, if we will receive with faith God's great love for us, that we are saved, that we are holy, that we are, as 1 Corinthians 6 goes on to say, "washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." Could it be sanctification begins and ends with THAT? Simple acceptance of our identity secured by Christ and God's merciful love for us. Receive WHO YOU ARE to inherit the kingdom of heaven even HERE on earth, inasmuch as you have power over your sphere of influence. With your choices -- embrace that identity. Let it come to define you above, and independent of, your deeds. That freedom produces "the joy of our salvation," and "the Joy of the Lord is our strength." This great gift of BEING LOVED, FULLY KNOWN, FORGIVEN, ACCEPTED, that alone being our IDENTITY . . . undeserved, but here it is, and here it is again, and now again. We are loved. We are loved. We are loved. As we accept that gift, so beyond us, the fear and need -- that overwhelming sense of our own failure, perhaps -- all of those things, that can drive our 'less-than's -- they can fall away, and in their place we find ourselves living as we were meant to live -- love. We have been here all along; buried, dormant maybe, but not dead.

 

The Kingdom?

 

It was Paul again who says (I have grown up to love Paul now too), "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." All our best answers still fall short. How can we comprehend the yet-incomprehensible?

 

We can experience the kingdom here on earth inasmuch as we choose to live the joy and strength that comes in accepting, by faith, the gift of LOVE and MERCY God has given to us, but there is so much in the world beyond our control, and beyond our understanding. Only God knows the heart and story specific to each person. Only God sees and hears all. There is so much still reliant on others' choices and/or on a fallen system that has been ravaged by years of 'less-than's. The whole earth "groans" with it, the Bible says. No, we will not experience the kingdom fully until ALL has been set right. When this broken world, and all these unanswered questions, these pregnant, tearful silences, these well-meaning mouths, sometimes hurtful, sometimes insensitive, sometimes even downright wrong, meet their ultimate healing. The Bible talks about that too . . .

 

Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes -- who are they, and where did they come from?"

 

I answered, "Sir, you know."

 

And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 'Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,' nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; 'he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'"

 

So next time we have a moment of loss, or someone near us does, whether it is clearly due to overt 'less-than's, or just the result of a terribly broken world where hard things happen for seemingly -- no -- reason, speak if you are sure the Spirit is leading you to edify the other through speech, but otherwise, do feel free to just shut up. Don't need to fill the pregnant silences if silence is what would best serve. Fear is compulsion. Faith is freedom. Cry and trust GOD (LOVE) to be GOD (LOVE) in it with us, and to lead us all to his heart through it, whatever it is, in his own time, in his own way.

 

Paul, this letter-of-the-law man, a dear recipient of God's great mercy, went on to say, "God's grace is sufficient for me." He ultimately declared himself "the greatest of sinners!" Finally, he summed up his talk about someday knowing fully as he is fully known, about seeing Jesus face to face, with this, "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is LOVE."

 

Who am I to say, really? But still, I will say what I believe: my friend will see his dad again.

 

And what of his father? Well, he WOKE UP from his nap to IDENTITY, and to a Father's Day celebration unlike any he had ever known. Fully knowing now as he has been fully known. Face to face, Jesus smiled at him so deep he couldn't help but do the same, and "Jesus said, "It is finished'" (John 19:30).

 

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received" (2 Corinthians 31:3-4).

               

In Closing

Thank you for enabling this work that has always been, and will always be about so much More than Music. 

 

Love to you all, 

 

 

Stephanie Pauline
More than Music Inc.

Community and Sponsorship Development: Bruce Hunter 

[email protected]    

Booking and Promotions:  

[email protected]

PR Manager: Kathy Morford

[email protected]

Administrative Director: Genny Moellring

In the past five years, More than Music
has sponsored over 75 free concerts in correctional and treatment facilities,
has supported social service ministries through benefit concerts;
raising over $110,000 for worthy causes since 2010, and
has served as an independent sending agency for like-hearted musicians, artists, and missions projects.
Through this work, and out shared art and multimedia, ministries have been strengthened,
millions have heard a message of hope and forgiveness,
and lives have been transformed by Christ.