Guess, what? We have good news about Prodigal Magazine!

Since 2005 Prodigal Magazine has been the place where you have come to get interesting, provocative and helpful information about technology, faith, culture and lifestyle.

But maybe you’ve noticed that things have been a little bit quiet around here for awhile.

That’s because Jason Wenell, founder of Prodigal Magazine, had and followed his vision for a company called The Table Project — and it turns out that being apart a successful company (not to mention being a husband and father) took up quite a bit of his time.

But this is where the good news comes in.

Jason didn’t want the magazine to die in his hands. So he offered to transfer ownership to us, the Vesterfelts! Maybe you know us, maybe you don’t. We’re a couple of blogging, writing and social media junkies who are passionate about doing ministry and bringing useful content to a community of readers.

Meet my husband, Darrell Vesterfelt, social media consultant, blogger and pastor who is passionate about communicating the gospel and about helping people tell their stories. He’s built and maintained several successful blogs over the years, and during the day he’s on staff with a church plant in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida called Shoreline Church.

Then there’s me, Allison. I’m a writer and former blogger who loves to read, write and learn things. I used to be a teacher but most of the learning and teaching I do now happens in a online “classroom” of sorts. I get fired up by contributing and creating useful information to add to a conversation.

Darrell and I, together, are really excited to expand the vision of Prodigal Magazine to reach not only Christian men, but Christian women as well. We know so many people — men and women — who are tired of talking about faith, life and culture as compartmentalized from their walk with God.

We want to talk about real things in a real way, without ignoring the truth of Jesus.

The new Prodigal tagline will read: “We are all sons and daughters.”

Prodigal Magazine will still be a place where you can expect useful, up to date information about faith, culture and life. We will also be featuring Prodigal stories. In fact, if you have a prodigal story you would like to share with us, and you want to be featured on the site, please consider submitting it here: Submit Your Story

We are so excited to get started. We hope is that this site will be a ministry to thousands or more who are seeking to know the truth about God in a world and culture that sometimes points us in the wrong direction.

You can also follow what we are doing from now until the re-launch on Twitter at @ProdigalMag

Please mind our mess. This site will be under construction for the better part of the month, but feel free to browse archives of the Magazine in the meantime.

Thanks

Allison Vesterfelt

Editor-in-chief

from partner site Gotquestions.org

MIKESCHAIR formed while they were students at Belmont University.  The Lord has opened many doors for them and as they walk through those doors, they sing about their faith and even about the doubts and questions that they have along the way.  We recently caught up with Mike of MIKESCHAIR to talk about where the Lord is taking them and how the Lord is using them.

The Band

Q – Can you tell me how the band came together?

“We all came to Nashville, Tennessee, to go to Belmont University.  It’s a situation where within the first two weeks of our freshman year, MIKESCHAIR kind of formed.  I had written a song with a friend and we decided that we wanted to record it.  So, as we started recording the song, we need the electric guitar, bass, and drums; we needed all these instruments to make the song.  Right across the hall, our violin/keyboard player Jessie walks in one day while we were recording and was like, “Hey guys, I play violin.  Can I play with you?”  We were like, “Yeah, man.  Come on!”  So he kind of got on the track and the next thing you know, Sam, our guitar player, walks by the dorm room and was like, “Hey guys, I play electric guitar.”  We were like, “Dude, we need that.”  So he came in and got in on the song and then we went out and recruited John, our bass player.  At the time, it seemed so random, all these different people walking by the dorm room but we’ve been doing this now for six and a half years, so it’s very evident that God’s hand was very much in the formation of what we did.  Everybody wonders about the name.  The name came during that time where we were starting the band and recording.  All of the rest of the guys in the band lived on the first floor of our dorm.  I was the only one who lived on the third floor.  So, naturally, I spent all my time down with the rest of the guys to the point that I was sleeping on the floor in their room.  They always like to interject that I was eating their food, which I wasn’t (laughing).  One day, I came back from class and the guys had gotten me a chair, so that I would have something that was mine.  So, I wrote my name on it and every time we would play and record, the chair was involved.  For us, it’s just a reminder of where we started and how faithful God is to bring us from that dorm room to what we are doing today.”

The Music

Q – How have you seen god working through the music He’s given you?

“It’s countless stories.  Even early on, when we were starting the band, we played a lot on campus.  We had one story where this girl came up to us after we played.  She goes, “Guys, I don’t know what it is about your music, but every time I hear it, I cry.”  After talking to her a little longer, we found out that she was actually a Buddhist, so it was just an amazing opportunity to be like, “We know why, this is why this music touches you.”  Just being able to share Christ with her in that moment (was amazing).  It’s things like that all the time and even now, since we’ve had the blessing to be on the radio and for people to hear the songs in more ways, we hear stories from people who just found out they had cancer and our song came on the radio, one song in particular “Can’t Take Away”, and in that moment brought this one person hope.  That’s why we do what we do.  That’s why we’re writing music for the Lord.  That’s why we’re in Christian music because there’s so much more to what we do than just music and that’s what we get excited about.”

Q – How do you guys stay grounded in your faith?

“A huge thing for us is that we’re all deeply rooted in local churches here in Nashville.  Whenever we’re in town on a Sunday, we’re usually serving in some way.  A lot of us help with the worship at our church, just constantly being brought back to why we do what we do.  Another cool thing that we do, we call it marriage counseling.  There’s a really cool organization here in town called Porter’s Call.  Porter’s Call is simply a guy who felt called to minister to artists who are on the road full-time.  It’s free; it’s paid for by all the labels here in town.  Basically, it’s just an avenue for us to come as a band and sit down with somebody who asks us tough questions that most people don’t ask.  (Questions like) Are you loving each other well?  What are you doing on the road to stay connected with your church community?  What are you doing to stay connected in prayer and reading the Bible?  That’s been huge for us.”

Q – How has it helped your walk with God by being surrounded by fellow believers?

“It’s an incredible thing.  That’s a huge part of being a believer, being in community.  Being is such close community with guys that you know in and out…we’re like brothers at this point.  Guys who can call you out, guys who see past the surface, it’s something that’s incredible.”

Q – How important is the Word of God when you are writing songs?

“It’s an integral part of what we do.  A lot of songs that we write, maybe not directly from a Scripture verse, they usually always come out of a quiet time of reading the Bible and praying.  That’s our prayer.  Our prayer is always, “God, give us Your words.  What do You want Your people to hear?”  That’s directly rooted in reading the Bible and having that time.”

Q – Can you give us an overview of the album?

“Our hope is that when someone listens to our record, they are left asking questions that maybe they didn’t have before listening to the record.  Our prayer is that, in some way, God will connect with people through the music.  There are themes throughout our record.  I think faithfulness is one of them.  Honesty is one of the themes because whenever we write, we try to be as honest as we can about the joys of being a believer and about the hard times, the doubts, and the fears.  Overall, I would say hope is one of the overall themes as well.”

Advice and Insight

As Mike and I talked, you could hear the sincerity in his voice about what he believes and what the band has been called to do.  I asked him a couple of insight questions to see what God had revealed to him.

Q – Why is honesty so important in Christianity today?

“If it’s not honest, it’s not Christianity in my opinion.  So many people get caught up in the trap that the church is a place to put up the mask, to put up the guard.  One of the things I love about my community here in Nashville and my home church, the theme is that we have to be honest and real with each other for God to be able to make a difference in our lives.  If we’re not honest with ourselves and we’re not honest with each other and the Lord, then there’s so many things that we get caught up in just as fallen human beings that keep us away from our Creator.  As hard as it is to be truly honest with your friends and with your community and the Lord, it’s absolutely essential.”

Q – What is your favorite passage of Scripture and give us some insight as to why you choose that one?

“I’ll give you two.  There’s one verse that MIKESCHAIR has taken as almost a mission statement.  It comes from 1 Corinthians 13, and it’s basically verses 1-3.  It says, “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, and didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”  Then it goes on to say that we can have all these gifts but if we don’t have love, then it means nothing.  That’s basically what we base everything we do on.  Is this adding to the noise or is it love?”

“Then, another one.  We have a song on our record called “Let The Waters Rise” and it’s actually our latest single that just came out.  There’s a verse in John, John 16:33, that says, “In this world, you’ll have trouble but take heart for I have overcome the world.”  Lately, that’s the verse that’s just been really encouraging me.  This life isn’t perfect and there are things we’re going to have to go through being in a fallen world, but the fact that Jesus has already overcome the world just brings so much hope to me and hopefully others.”

Mike assured me that they will be out on the road in 2010 and will be ministering to people.  Their music is touching lives in ways that they never thought possible when they were sitting in that dorm room at Belmont University, but they found that being honest with people can have a great impact.  Their message is one of hope, a message that we all need each and every day.

Soon after beginning my research, I realized this was going to be a difficult, if not impossible, task.

There are fathers in the news alright.

Recently there was Dr. Umaru Abdulmutallab, the father of Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, otherwise known as the “underpants bomber”, or the “undergarments bomber”, or something like that. He is charged with attempting to blow up a Northwest flight headed for Detroit on Christmas day. Dr. Abdulmutallab showed his concern for his son and all mankind, when he sought out the United States embassy in Nigeria to report his son turned to extreme Islamic jihadism and might be a threat to the United States. Certainly an act of love. Then there was Mr.. David Goldman, who finally won custody of his nine year old son after a five year international battle in a Brazilian court. He was hailed a hero as television cameras captured him shielding his son while whisking him into a waiting car, the beginning of a long journey back to the United States and readjustment with a father he has barely known.

How about Tiger Woods? A man with a beautiful family, a wife and two loving children. After a late night car accident in his own front yard,somehow involving a golf club and a broken car window, his life unraveled squarely in the public eye. Mistress after mistress came forward with stories of infidelity and deception. I can only imagine the impact on his children and his wife.

Perhaps the story of Michael Lohan. The estranged father of celebrity Lindsay Lohan, arrested for violating an order of protection that was requested by his ex-wife.

Most fathers don’t get in the news for being great fathers. On the positive, take the example of the following individuals:

Billy Graham, one of the most recognized names in the world. He is known for his ministry that is credited with immeasurable numbers of people who have come to a relationship with Jesus Christ. He has been the “pastor of presidents”, the author of books, and the voice to the nations. All that being said, his role as a father doesn’t come to mind when his name is uttered in most circles.

Oral Roberts, recently passed and has been recognized as the one who brought Christ to the television. His efforts a televangelism changed the role of the evangelist forever. Many people were healed under the hand of this gentle servant. He was a father and husband, who loved and was loved, but he is not known for his greatness as a father.

Finally, I mention Derek Loux. A musician and spiritual leader who is known for being a champion of adoption. He recently passed, after a tragic automobile accident, leaving behind a wife and ten children. Of his children there were two biological daughters, five daughters adopted from the Marshall Islands, and three sons, adopted from the Ukraine. A man who made fatherhood a priority in his life and ministry.

In my research for the “Father of the Decade”, I found that fathers who take their role to heart; recognize their role as prophet, priest, and king. They emulate the life and example of Jesus Christ and because of that; they are recognized for other accomplishments in their lives.

Fathers are heralded in the eyes and hearts of their wives and children.

When they accept their charge as a father, they make a difference that lasts for generations, but is seldom recognized by the news writers of this world.

Several of the men I mentioned are truly great fathers and the greatest legacy they will leave is their role as a father.

Now as I come to the end of my search. I recognize that the “Father of the Decade” isn’t one father but the generation of men who over the past ten years have realized their call as a father. They have recognized it and placed it in their heart. They have not always been perfect, but they have committed themselves to be the best they could be. They have pledged not to make the mistakes of others and to ask forgiveness when they did. They have sought help and mentors along the way and made their steps straight.

In the end I realize the “Father of the Decade” is you!

En servicio como Padre
Dave

History

Q- Give a brief testimony of how you became interested in music as well as the turning point from singing to ministering?

I grew up with music and Jesus.  My parents were worship leaders when I was young.  We   moved to Orange County, CA from San Diego CA when I was a boy.  I began to learn guitar and was active in my youth group.  I had an interest in music and began playing the guitar and writing songs after that.  I was leading worship in our youth group with the songs that I had written at 13.  The songs probably weren’t that good but the group sang them and I felt God using me in this way.

Q- What is the most influential song that you’ve written?

Although, I don’t have a particular favorite, when I am on stage singing songs that I have written, my mind goes back to the particular time that I wrote the song and memories began to flood my mind.

Q- What are some of your musical influences?

Of course, my parents, they developed the love that I have today for music.  I also remember hearing Delirious? King of Fools, and thinking how artistic their worship was.  It was more than just singing verses and then a chorus, it was so creative.  I also credit secular influences such as   U2 and Beyonce and many other eclectic artists whose songs currently reside on my ipod.

Q- What was your first label project?

The first label CD was self titled, Phil Wickham and was released in 2006.

Spiritual

Q- What do you see as man’s biggest struggle in society?

There are many issues that men struggle with but I see the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes as being a struggle that I witness men struggle with.  In this day and age, there is so much temptation through various media outlets that it is easy for men to fall into temptation.

Q-What is your favorite passage of scripture?

Since I have been writing songs for the new album entitled Heaven and Earth, I have read the last two chapters of Revelation over and over again and just to think that there will be an end, an eternal end and it is a reality, that is pretty cool.

I recently caught up with Jonny and we spoke about how God had redirected his life and how God was using his music to speak to people all over the world.  His song, “More Beautiful You” shot up the charts and people began to listen to this message that the Lord was laying on his heart.

His Life

Q – Can you tell me your testimony?

“I came from a Christian family so I honestly have believed in Christ as my Savoir for as long as I can remember.  My testimony has kind of been that journey of understanding that more and knowing what that means and learning how to live because of that more and more each year and each day, really.  A big turning point for me was in college.  I went to Florida State on a baseball scholarship and really had plans to play baseball and hopefully pursue that professionally.  That’s when God called me into music and called me to lay down my desires and lay down baseball.  It was at that point in my life that I really had to decide who I was going to serve.  Was I going to go according to what I wanted or was I going to give me life to God in His service?

Q – How hard of a decision was that for you to make, laying down baseball and pursuing music?

“It was very tough.  I really wish that I could say that I obeyed God immediately when God laid that on my heart but I didn’t.  I wrestled with God for about six months and kind of hit a low point because God was telling me something I didn’t want to hear.  I was doing my best to ignore the fact that He even existed.  Ultimately, I just realized through reaching that low point that the only place where I was going to find contentment and the only place where I was really going to find the joy that I was looking for was in God’s plan for my life, instead of my own.”

Q – As you look back now, how do you see that obedience to God has changed your life?

“Right now, He’s got me playing music.  It looks like He’s really using the music I’m creating, which is awesome.  I can tell you that I don’t want to do this a day longer than I’m supposed to.  Just making that decision, just proclaiming it with my mouth and my actions that I’m going to follow in God’s footsteps is a big thing for me.  One thing I think is funny is that all my life I’ve dreamed of being a baseball player and hopefully playing on a major league field someday in a major league stadium.  Last August, right about a year ago, I was able to play after a Braves game, opening up for Steven Curtis Chapman at Turner Field.  My brother plays baseball on the team and I played music afterwards and I thought that was kind of funny, like God has a sense of humor.  It’s like, because I obeyed, I actually did get to play in a Major League stadium; it just wasn’t exactly how I thought it would be!”

His music

Jonny’s music has touched the lives of millions of people throughout the world.  One of his songs was even featured on an Atlanta Braves program and through it all, God has opened doors for Jonny to minister to people all over the world.

Q – What inspires you when you are writing music?

“Anything.  To me, writing songs is so tough that anything that comes along that inspires a song, I try and latch on to it, whether it’s something I’m going through, whether it’s my wife, or students that I spend time with.  A song can come from anywhere.”

Q – What inspired “More Beautiful You”?

“That one, I wrote after spending time with a bunch of students in Tennessee.  I got to spend a week with a bunch of high school students and we were just kind of observing them, watching these girls try so hard to fit into a mold that they were never really created to fit into.  If you watch that long enough, it’s something that will really start to break your heart.  I wrote “More Beautiful You” just really to speak to groups like that, to youth groups and to camps and to things like that.  I never really had any desire to put it on the radio so the fact that it actually became a number one song on the radio kind of blows my mind.  God had bigger plans than I did, by far.”

Q – How have you noticed changes in your life since the song became so popular?

“In the past, playing concerts has very much been an introduction of my music to the group that was there.  Even if I was the only one playing or if I was an opener, I was really introducing my music for the first time, but lately, I’ve been able to go places and its’ fun to hear them singing along and know the songs, at least “More Beautiful You”.  Hopefully, they’ll get to know more as I keep playing and keep releasing radio songs.  It’s kind of been fun.  It’s opened doors outside of the southeast.  Over the last few years, I’ve really toured a lot in the southeast but thanks to “More Beautiful You” and its’ success, I’ve been able to head out west and I’m going up to Canada.”

Q – What’s one aspect of a musician’s life that most people don’t understand?

“I think that one thing people don’t understand is that we typically do work about a forty hour week.  It’s just very different hours.  We may get to the venue between two and three o’clock and have to start setting up gear and setting up merchandise, sound-checking, then we have a break for dinner, then we play the concert, then have a meet and greet where we sign autographs and sell things afterwards, and then tear down.  By the time we tear down, its’ typically eleven o’clock before we get out of there.  So, we really put in an eight hour day.  It’s just not a typical eight-hour day at all.”

Q – Who has influenced you musically?

“I admire people who do what I’m trying to do, guitar players and singer-songwriters.  On the secular side, I really like John Mayer, Jack Johnson, and guys who are able to do some pretty cool things with a guitar.  On the Christian side, I really like Brandon Heath, Bebo Norman, Caedmon’s Call, and some of the more “storyteller” type of artists.”

Q – Can you give me an overview of the album?

“Musically, it’s acoustic led.  You can tell that I play guitar and that I wrote the songs while playing the acoustic guitar, but it’s pretty eclectic.  I tend to get bored while writing songs so there are songs that sound like acoustic rock, there are songs that sound more like pop-country, and there are songs that, believe it or not, almost have a reggae-island feel to them.  Lyrically, I realize that my audiences are people that are already in the church.  Rather than using my lyrics to introduce people to grace or introduce people to Jesus Christ, I try to use my lyrics to deal with different aspects of the Christian faith.  “More Beautiful You” deals with the aspect of self-image and how you view yourself.  “Stand For You” deals with the idea that we are going to face opposition but we need to stand up to it.  So really, it’s intended to inspire, challenge, and encourage the body of Christ.”

Q – What has God taught you in this journey as a Christian musician?

“The value of relationships has become so apparent, which is ironic because, when I go to a city and I have an hour to play on stage before I head off to the next city, I really don’t get to develop many relationships with the audience; not to a deep level at least.  I feel like God has really challenged me to hopefully encourage those relationships within the body so that maybe six months or a year later, when I come back, I can see that some amazing things have been happening through those relationships. Scriptures tell us that God is love, so simply by loving and spending time with other people, I think that’s our best way to really introduce people to Him.”

Q – What is something about this album that you want our readers to know?

“One interesting thing is that it was actually recorded as my fourth independent record.  It wasn’t until the record was completely done and mastered that it gained the attention of INO Records and they released it nationally.  I think it’s really neat that the record is actually exactly what I wanted it to be because I was completely in charge of the process, so there were no people looking over my shoulder saying that it needed to be this, that it needed to sound this way, you need to have three singles on it or anything like that.  It really was just the record that God laid on my heart to make and that’s what we made.  I’m so proud of how it came out and I hope the listeners appreciate that.”

His Advice

Though Jonny is still a young man, he has seen many things in his life.  He has witnessed God working through his music.  He has watched as God altered the plans he had made for his life.  He has ministered to numerous people and has felt the hand of God upon him as he travels for the sake of glorifying his Maker.

Q – How refreshing was it spiritually when you stepped into God’s will for your life?

“That’s just it…the beauty of surrender.  Realizing that I don’t have to be in control and I shouldn’t be in control.  It was so much of a rejuvenating thing, just being able to pass over those decisions to God because I knew He had what’s best for me in mind.”

Q – What is your advice to Christian men in how to live our lives better on a daily basis for God?

“I believe that everything we do, we should strive to be Christ-like and so, as men, we can really get to know the character of Jesus by reading Scripture and by studying Scripture.  If we take all of our pointers and allow Him to be our guru and just kind of model ourselves after Him as best as possible, we are going to see amazing things happen to our lives.”

Q – What is your favorite passage of Scripture?

“It kind of changes, but I’d probably say Micah 6:8 because it’s such a great call for us.  It just gives us such a specific challenge as believers.”

Speaking to Jonny, you caught the sense of a man who was amazed at what God has done in his life and what God is going to do in the future.  I asked him to tell me one thing that most people didn’t know about him and he asked his wife.  He said to me, “She says that I can balance the guitar on my chin.  Perhaps the most impressive thing I can do on a guitar is balance it on my chin.” We shared that laugh but just in that moment, I could see that Jonny saw everything that has happened in his career and his life being a result of what God is doing.  When we understand that it is what God can do and the plans that He has for our lives, we no longer have to resist when God tries to redirect us.  We can see that the redirection will create in us a more beautiful person, one more reflective of Jesus Christ.

*Special thanks to Stacie Vining for her help in lining up this interview with Jonny Diaz.  Without her help, this interview would not have been possible.

Travis Fryman would have a stellar career and now, finds himself still in the game of baseball but looking at the game from a different perspective, as he is in the managerial role.  I spoke with Travis on the phone to talk about baseball, life, and the Giver of all good things.

His Life

Travis grew up with a love of baseball and was raised in a Christian environment.  It would take years for him to begin to grasp what it meant to be a follower of Christ, as he told me in his testimony.

Q – Travis, when did you give your life to Christ?

“It was the offseason of 1994-1995.  I grew up in a Christian home.  I even invited Christ into my life as a child, but I really didn’t understand what it meant to surrender my life to Christ until February 25^th, 1995, at my home church.  I had just gotten to that place in my life where I began to understand what that really meant.”

His life would be changed from that point.  For years, he had experienced success on multiple levels, but his viewpoint of what matters the most in life changed.

His Career

Travis came up with the Detroit Tigers in 1990 and would play for the Tigers until 1997 and then finished his career with the Cleveland Indians.  Multiple times, Travis was selected to the All-Star game and won a Gold Glove award during his career.

Q – How did your faith influence your career?

“In dramatic ways.  Had you known me before Christ and after Christ, certainly there were some significant differences.  The greatest difference in my life before Christ and after Christ was that before Christ, I really didn’t care that much about the men that I played with.  If they played hard and worked as hard as I did and they wanted to win as much as I did, I liked them.  If they didn’t, I really didn’t want anything to do with them.  I didn’t know if they were married or had kids or anything about their personal life and again, I didn’t really care.  After I gave my life to Christ, God really gave me a great love for my teammates and I began to look for ways to love them and serve them, and for the opportunity to share the gospel.  I am not a person who believes you check your faith at the door to the locker room.  I believe that if you are a follower of Christ, that Christ is central in your life, and that relationship with Him permeates every relationship in your life and everything that you do in your life.  There is really no area in my life that my relationship is not impacted by.”

Q – What was the highlight of your career?

“Certainly, the opportunity to play for Sparky Anderson was an incredible thrill for me.  He was the perfect manager for me to come under.  Being able to play with Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker, which was a big thrill for me.  Playing in Cleveland at a time when they were sold out every night and we were in the postseason three of the five years that I was there, that was very exciting.  Participating in All-Star games, those things were fun.  Certainly those are some high points in my career, but if I look back on my career, the things that mean the most to me are not anything that really happened between the chalk lines.  The things that mean the most to me in my career were the relationships that I formed with the men that I played with, the Bible studies that I participated in, how God worked through you in the lives of other people and just those opportunities that come really on a daily basis in the locker room as you’re building those relationships.  Having God working through you in their lives is an exciting thing and I don’t believe there is anything more exciting or more fulfilling in your life than being part of when God calls someone to Himself and they give their lives to Christ and you’ve been a part of that process.  I think that’s the most rewarding thing to participate in.”

Q – Who was the toughest pitcher you faced in your career?

“No question in my mind, statistically speaking, Pedro Martinez pretty much owned me.  I just had tremendous struggles against him.  I didn’t pick the ball up very well.  I don’t know what my career numbers were off him.  I think they’re somewhere in the neighborhood of two for fifty-something, which isn’t very good.  I did not have a great deal of success off of Pedro.  Aside from Pedro, no one really jumps out at me.  But I can say, with great assurance, that Pedro pretty much owned me.”

His life today and his insight

Travis has now become a manager and I wanted to see how God had shifted his viewpoint in this new career.  Travis helped me to understand purpose and to understand what our lives are to be about, something that God has taught him over the years.

Q – How do you see God using you now in the managerial role?

“In purpose, it’s no different than my purpose in any other area of life.  I really believe that there is a difference between God’s purpose for your life and God’s plans for your life.  I believe that God’s purpose for your life and for mine are exactly the same.  God’s purpose for our lives is for us to enter into a relationship with Him and to enjoy that relationship for all of eternity.  His purpose for us also is to glorify Him within the world.  His plans for Andy and His plans for Travis are unique to each of us.  Where the Scripture says in Jeremiah 29:11, “I know” God’s saying, “I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord “plans to prosper you, not to harm you and to give you a hope and a future.”  It says that He knows those plans and those plans are unique to you and to me.  It’s not God’s purpose that’s a mystery to me; it’s God’s plans that are a mystery to us.  I’ll never know all of God’s plans for my life but I have decided that I want to embrace God’s purpose for my life wherever I am, whether that’s at home with my family, whether that’s serving at my local church, whether that was as a Major League Baseball player or now as a minor league manager.  I’m going to pursue my relationship with God; that’s an intimate love relationship with Him and I’m going to bring glory to Him right where I’m at and I do that in a variety of ways.  (I do that) Through my relationships with men who are entrusted to my care, through my interaction with my peers, other coaches and managers, through the platform that I’m given, an opportunity to share or speak and communicate what God’s done in my life and just through conversations that I have with people.  Everybody has to decide, I believe, to embrace God’s purpose for your life and if you want to embrace God’s purposes for your life right where you are, I believe God’s plans for your life begin to be unrolled or unveiled in your life.  I don’t get too caught up worrying about what tomorrow holds.  I’ve just decided I’m going to embrace God’s purpose for my life today where I’m at.”

Q – Do you have a favorite passage?

“At this point in my life, I really do.  It’s 1 Corinthians 9:19.  It’s a great passage of Scripture.  God put that on my heart about three years ago.  It says, “For though I am free from all men, I’ve made myself a servant to all, in order that I might win the more.”  It really defines my life.  The first part says, “Though I am free from all men” and God’s given me great freedom.  Anything I’m involved in now, I’m involved with it because I choose to be there, not because I have to be and that says a lot about what the desires of my heart are.  “Though I am free from all men, I’ve made myself a servant to all” and it’s a reminder to me why I am here.  I am here to serve those who are around me, to be the aroma of Christ where I am and to put others before myself, but I do that, according to the last part of that verse, “in order that I might win the more”.  The goal of my life is to share Christ with those who are around me in the hopes that they would come to know Him.  That verse really guides my life.”

Travis Fryman lives his life in a manner that he wants others to come to know the peace and the joy that he has found in Jesus Christ.  He once loved victories in baseball but now, he is obsessed with the victory that we find in Jesus Christ.  It isn’t the love of the game that drives him today.  It is the love of the team, the team of believers that he is a part of that God is using daily.

It is not an easy job.  On the field, he makes a hundred or more decisions throughout one game, trying to baffle the hitter so the Houston Astros can win the game.  JR Towles has learned how to game plan for Major League hitters and he calls the shots for the pitcher during the game.  In his life, though, he has learned that it is God who is calling the shots and he walks humbly down the trail that God has cut for him.

I caught up with JR in Kissimmee, FL this season during Spring Training.  He stood there intent on talking about a faith that has changed his life in more than one way.

Faith

JR Towles grew up loving the game of baseball and at an early age in life, he heard the gospel and gave his life to Jesus Christ.  His two great passions began to develop and to grow deeper as his life progressed and before long, JR would see how God would use his passion for baseball to give JR an audience to share the gospel with others who were looking for answers for their lives.

Career

Q – How has your faith influenced your career?

“It (faith) has everything to do with it.  If it wasn’t for Him, I wouldn’t have anything.  Like my favorite verse says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He’s where all your strength comes from and without Him, nothing’s possible.”

Q – How hard is it to stand strong in your faith in the world of Major League Baseball?

“I don’t think it’s too hard for me.  He’s given you everything and everything comes from Him.  As long as you give Him credit and try to do everything you can to glorify Him, it’s going to be alright.”

Q – How do you stay focused?

“We have Bible Studies some times.  I wake up early in the mornings and read the Bible.  (You) just try to hang around people who believe in Christ and talk about it.  It’s really hard to get going in a church because you’re playing games all the time but you have chapel and that helps you.”

Q – What is the highlight of your career so far?

“Getting to the Big Leagues was the highlight.”

Q – How do you stay positive when you know that failure can come?

“You can’t let your highs get too high or your lows get too low; you have to keep it on an even level.  Last year was real tough for me.  Just try to stay mentally positive and know that everything happens for a reason.  (You have to) Believe that He wouldn’t put you through it if He’s not going to get you through it.”

Q – In life, how have you handled setbacks?

“I’ve always been an underdog in my life.  I’ve always had to work the hardest.  You just have to overcome them.  Like I said before, everything happens for a reason and you just have to keep a positive attitude about it.”

Advice

Knowing that JR had always been an underdog, I felt like most of us could resonate with the drive it has taken him to get to where he is in life.  We all have had to push hard to get to the places where God has us and if we learn anything from the Bible, God loves to use underdogs for His purpose and to further His kingdom.

Q – What is your advice for those who have made mistakes in life?

“God’s a forgiving God.  He sent His Son to die on the cross for you so if you believe in Him, everything’s going to be alright.”

Q – How can men do a better job living their faith in day to day life?

“Always put Him first.  If you always put Him first, then everything else is going to get taken care of.  Just try to live the life that He has for you and try to please Him in any way you can and try to touch someone in a Christian way.  Try to be a good example to others, which is going to please Him.”

JR Towles’ story teaches us that anything is possible when it comes to a loving God who only wants what is best for His creation.  Regardless of the odds we face, we have God with us who is even bigger.  Regardless of what we have done in the past, we have God who forgives us and loves us unconditionally.  We may seem like underdogs but underdogs just happen to be what God loves to use.

* – Special thanks to Sally Gunter of the Houston Astros for helping us line up this interview.

We’ve stopped in southwestern Utah to rest and ride in the astonishingly beautiful Zion National Park. This is our shakedown:  the first ride of the week, an equipment check and a much-needed break from the van.  It should be cake…right?  Yet, after a stiffening 30 hour road trip and a Spring spent at sea level, this modest canyon road feels more like the famed French climb le Alpe d’Huez.

After a night camped on the north fork of the Virgin River in Zion, we’ll head southwest to meet the rest of the team in Long Beach, including four tour leaders, and a total of eighteen riders.  From all over the country, they’ll fly in to begin the ride of their lives.

You’ve got to give them props for even showing up. Getting to Long Beach is half the battle.  Since February, the cyclists have been training and fundraising in earnest.

They’re raising $4895 a piece, amidst full-time work schedules, finals weeks and college graduations. From June 14-Aug. 6, they’ll pedal 3,172 miles, confronting deserts, mountains and life on the road with courage, humor and faith.

And so, we present to you the ‘09 Ride:Well Tour for Blood:Water Mission, an epic bike trek with community-wide events in Phoenix, Dallas and Baltimore. Last year’s inaugural Tour raised $201,000 for wells and medical supplies.

Blood:Water Mission, called “Blood:Water” or “B:WM” for short, launched in 2004 after Christian artists Jars of Clay visited Africa.  Moved by the great needs of people who lack access to clean drinking water and basic medical care, they began a journey resulting in the funding of 617 wells and HIV/AIDS relief in the sub-Saharan Africa.

The Purpose

This year’s Tour exists to support specifically the people of Marsabit, Kenya. The goal is to raise $150,000 to develop wells, sanitation projects, clinics, HIV/AIDS support through the work of Blood:Water Mission.

Theologically, they are a body of believers on wheels. Their sanctuary is the road; their service is physical; their calling is justice. They’ll speak at churches of all streams and sizes. They’ll pray and be prayed for at every step of the journey. They are representatives of Jesus, his Church and their friends in Africa.

Practically, they’re living on a bicycle for two months. For a Ride:Well jersey and shorts, they’ve traded comfort, privacy and the right to be apathetic. They’ll lose sleep and gain friends. They’ll receive crumpled $20 bills from amazed strangers who first hear what they’re doing. They’ll laugh, and they’ll cry. They’ll go through the mountains and the valleys. They’ll try not to crash. They’ll live in a perpetual state of wonder and fatigue.

This year’s Tour features a new cast of characters and a fresh look, but the message is the same. The team will tell it at benefit concerts, churches, restaurants, pool parties, backyard barbecues, gas stations, roadside monuments, and random places between Long Beach and Baltimore.

“One dollar provides clean water for one African for one year,”

you’ll hear them say, and it’s not a fundraising gimmick.  It’s great news.

It requires a $9000 and upwards of $40,000 dollar investment to fund a well, and a well transforms gulches into oasis.  People who once walked miles to get water, or who had to choose between drinking dirty water or none at all, will discover a way of living the western world has taken for granted. By supporting the Ride:Well Tour, ordinary people can empower Africans “to become heroes in their communities,” as Jars’ frontman Dan Haseltine puts it.

Back in April, a few Ride:Well staffers caught up with Dan and his band—Charlie Lowell, Matt and Steve— on their Minneapolis “Long Fall Back to Earth” tour stop. During the concert, Dan spent a few minutes telling the Blood:Water story. Haseltine appears humbled by the four years he spent working alongside the non-profit he founded. He says he has as much to learn from Africans as they have to learn from him. His words rang true, because to him, it’s not a pitch. It’s a story.

But Blood:Water is more than a well giver.

The History

The Ride:Well Tour is the product of Venture Expeditions, a community of adventurers inspired to sacrifice for justice in the world.  Venture began spontaneously in 2002, when three North Central University students made a bold decision to ride across the United States to help others.

Though knowing nothing about fundraising or road cycling, they completed a cross-country journey from Anacortes, Wash., to Montauk, N.Y.  Thanks in part to $10,000 pledge received the day they left Minneapolis for Washington, the three students raised $17,000 for a church plant in Argentina.

It all looks great on paper, but the truth is that the mountains never get any shorter. It is we who grow to confront their challenge, and it is we who shrink to allow the love of Christ to work miracles on bicycles. Welcome to the ’09 Ride:Well Tour.

Here are a few sites if you would like to read more or even donate to the cause…

Ride:Well Tour

Venture Expeditions

Blood:Water Mission

Follow on Twitter: RideWellTour

UPDATE!! New Video

Find more videos like this on Ride:Well Tour

Music

Who influenced you musically? (Bryan)

As a youngster rock bands like Van Halen and Queen.  I became a Christian when I was 14 at a very legalistic church.  Rock music was considered a sin.  There was a period of time during my teenage years that I explored “acceptable” forms of music, which basically meant anything without drums or electric guitar.  I dove into classical music.  This was good for me.  I really enjoyed Bach.  It was tough but good to broaden my musical horizon.  My first introduction to Christian music was a band called Pray For Rain, or PFR.  They were a huge influence on me.

What does Vota mean?

We wanted a name that didn’t have a big meaning attached to it.  We wanted fans to just let us be the definition.  As they dive into who we are and our music, that’s VOTA.

What songs on the new album do you think impacts and encourages the Christian the most?

The song “Honestly” encourages and challenges the believer not to be afraid of being honest about your weaknesses.  Much of the church is afraid to share their doubts and struggles.  This song is a call to be transparent not just with our faith, but our doubts, not just with our strengths, but our weaknesses.

What is your favorite part about touring?

Bringing these songs to new places and audiences.  I like traveling with my friends.  Least? Being away from my family

How would you describe your particular genre?

I think this new album falls into a pop/rock/dance category

Faith

What do you think the biggest problem facing Christian men today?

Such a weighted question.  For me, my biggest problem as a Christian man with a family is truly living my life by faith.  I have a family to take care of.  Carrying the weight of caring for a family can have an effect on so many of life’s decisions, such as choice of career, where we choose to live, how much we give to others in need.  I’m always wanting to see far down the road, to keep my family in a safe environment and secure financial situation.  I don’t want my faith in Christ to be an “addition” to my life.  I want my faith in Christ to “be” my life.  I want to be able to trust God when the path before me is dark and uncertain.

What has the Lord taught you through Vota?

Nothing has really come easy for us.  There seems to be a new crisis every other day.  These difficulties have sharpened and refined us.  We’ve learned how to work together as a team.  We’ve learned to trust God more and realize our plans and timing are not always His. 

What is your favorite Bible passage and why?

The entire book of Galatians has been a favorite for me.  My eyes have been opened to the gospel in a whole new level over the past few years.  It has deepened my faith, ignited my soul, and to a greater degree opened my eyes to the beauty of salvation.  This has been a huge inspiration to me for the writing of the songs on this record as well.

What’s next for Vota?

In 2006 we formed the 180 Tour.  The 180 Tour is a public high school assembly program that encourages students in their character and decision making.  Every school we visit we have an evening event planned where we invite students out to a concert where they can hear the gospel.  We’ve visited over 200 schools in 20 states since 2006.  We plan on further developing this ministry into a non-profit organization.  Visit www.180tour.com for more information.