No Other Name

2011-10-25T08:43:00.001-07:00

Glory to His Name!

Growing up, we used to sing a song that went like this: "Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same. All my change, but Jesus never. Glory to His name!"

I feel like I have been living that "all may change" line lately. Change is so obvious this time of year already. All I have to do is drive down the street I live on to see the world changing. Every day there are fewer and fewer leaves on the trees. At night they all land on my car! And the ones that are still on the trees are turning red, yellow and orange. But it's more than just the leaves in my neighborhood. Change is all around me these days. And while most of these changes are good, they are still scary.

One of the exciting changes happening for us at the moment is our new album. We have worked so hard on it, and we're pleased with the result. We can't wait to see how it might be used.

Our new song "Let It Start With Me" on the album scares me just a little. One of the lines we sing is, "Lord, change the world and let it start with me." I really want to mean that when I sing it. And I think the Lord is taking me up on that! He wants to use us all to change the world, but before He can, he has to change US first. That song is coming alive for us in many ways as the Lord is stretching us and challenging us in new ways.

I am so glad that Jesus NEVER changes. "All may change, but Jesus never!" As a child, I memorized James 1:17 – "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." There is no "shadow of turning" in Him! Not even a hint of shift or change. He is constant and eternal. I am so thankful for this truth, especially in the midst of a life that seems to be in flux.

We have loved getting to meet and spend time with so many of you the last few months as we have put thousands of miles on the old RV. In addition to finishing and releasing our album, we have been very busy on the road for the Start Tour. We'd love to come your way if we have an open date. And check our calendar to see if we're already coming your way. Come see us!

Love,
Laura

2011-07-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

Bon Dia! (That's Portuguese for "Hey, Y'all!")

So, as many of you know, we recently returned from a mission trip so Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was a great trip for sure, and we saw God do some wonderful things. But we found out that in many ways Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a very hard place to minister. I thought a good way to share about our trip would be to recount some of those ways. I can think of six.

1 -- To get there from here, you most likely have to fly on an overnight flight. This means that when you arrive in Sao Paulo, you are tired. And by "tired," I mean you have the approximate brain power of a head of cabbage. When our team arrived, all of us, combined, had the approximate brain power of a head of cabbage. We also had the combined approximate smell of a herd of moose.

2 -- The food in Sao Paulo is amazing. Now, I hear many of you protesting, "How does the food being amazing make it a hard place to minister?" That is a great question, and here is how: You are hard pressed not to become a big fat fatty while you are there. This is a place where at the most popular type of restaurant, after guests have feasted on a huge buffet, waiters proceed to bring around at least 41 varieties of meat on long swords. At least it seemed like 41. I stopped after the prime rib. This is also a city known, apparently, worldwide for its pizza. I didn't know this going in, but I soon became well informed. These people will put anything on a pizza. Most of it works out well. Some of it does not (egg and onion pizza?). But hey, nobody's perfect! The part they get right, they get REALLY right. Including the chocolate pizza for dessert, which may or may not have caused me to go into double digits on slices.

3 -- They speak Portuguese. Now, I have nothing against Portuguese. It is a beautiful language. But, like many Americans, my VERY limited second-language experience is in Spanish. They're similar, though, right? Ha! That is what silly Americans think. My knowledge of Spanish was just enough to leave me mildly confused most of the time.

4 -- It is busy and crowded. Now, I realize that most big cities are busy and crowded. But Sao Paulo is REALLY busy and REALLY crowded. During the ironically-named "rush hour," one travels around one kilometer every 5 hours. I might be exaggerating, but not by much. Since we didn't have a vehicle to transport our team, we used city buses. Sao Paulo has 14,000 city buses. That is not an exaggeration. THEY HAVE 14,000 BUSES! And every one of them is transporting 14,000 people at any given time! (That might be an exaggeration.) Seriously, the buses are always crowded. Finding a seat on a bus is like finding a $10 bill in your jacket pocket from last winter. Totally unexpected bonus! Most of the time, we stood up on the buses because all the seats were taken by people who apparently ride around on buses all day, because they never get up. We gripped the ironically-named "safety bars" for dear life until our hands were bruised and our forearms began to look like Popeye's, minus the anchor tattoo.

5 -- They use that crazy metric system. (See mention of "kilometer" in #4.) They even use it for their weather, listing the day's temperature in Celsius. Since we were south of the equator, it was winter there. (What is up with that?!) We knew to be prepared for some chilly weather. But each day, when the weather report said it was to be a high of 20 degrees, we would panic for just a moment. Then we would all struggle in vain to remember the conversion formula. None of us ever did, although we knew it had a weird fraction in it -- like nine fourths or something like that.

6 -- The people have excellent fashion sense. Our team was rocking the "mission trip chic" look, which consists of jeans or cargo pants, T-shirt or sweatshirt, comfortable shoes, a hat for guys and a hat and or/do-rag for gals. There may or may not have been one or more fanny packs involved. Little did we know that people in Sao Paulo are serious about looking good. There were no jeans, no shorts, no tennis shoes, no ball caps. There were LOTS of button-down shirts, cute tops, perfect hair and high heels. While we were able to engage lots of people in great conversation, I'm afraid it was mostly because the people are just very nice. Also, they might have felt sorry for us.

Now, despite all these reasons, we still had a wonderful trip. We saw God work in the lives of people we encountered. We even saw him change the weather for us! The first day we were there, it rained all day, and our work was severely hindered. The forecast was calling for more rain the next two days. We prayed earnestly and had folks back home praying as well. God answered and there was no more rain the rest of our time there! If you prayed, thank you!

We got to work in a slum. Sao Paulo is a city of contrasts. While the stuff mentioned above is true for most people there -- great food, great fashion, busy, productive lives -- it is not true and barely imaginable for many. We played soccer, sang songs, helped with crafts, painted a wall and even hosted a pizza party in the slum. It is our hope that we showed them the love of Jesus, and that they will continue to want to learn more about Him.

We had a chance to see an urban church doing unique ministry. One of the ministries of Zoe Church we participated in is "free hugs." We would simply go to a busy intersection holding signs offering free hugs. You would be amazed by all the takers! (Especially in light of #6 above. Again, I suspect sympathy may have been the motivation. Perhaps they thought these poor homeless Americans needed hugs.) Some folks would just embrace for a long time and even get choked up. Many people would ask who we were and what we were doing and it gave us an opportunity to share with them and invite them to Bible study. God stoked interest in Zoe Church among many people even while we were there.

We also prayerwalked around the campus of the University of Sao Paulo, where the missionary family we worked with will be focusing their efforts this fall. We said we were "the first ones marching around Jericho." We were breaking up hard ground, inviting the Holy Spirit to work there. I can't wait to hear what God does!

I'd like to thank all of you who prayed for our trip and some of you who gave to make it possible. Your investments will reap eternal reward. Thank you so much.

I'd also like to say a word about our team. We had some of the greatest, most faithful, funniest and mission-minded people with us. It is so humbling to us that God would use us to encourage others to do something crazy like go on a mission trip to Brazil. And even more humbling that they'd want to go with us knuckleheads. We appreciated them so much and we made some wonderful new friends. Can't wait to see where God takes us next!

Love,
Laura

2011-05-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

JUMP START

Matthew 28 : 5-6
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, fear not ye: for I know ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for He is risen, as He said.

GONE, FINISHED, DONE.
That's exactly what the Pharisees and others who had condemned Jesus were thinking as He hung lifeless on the Cross. They were finally rid of His challenges to their authority. Never again would Jesus medal in their affairs. After all, who was He to lecture them? They figured Jesus for just another troublemaker who had made waves for them long enough.

They were wrong.

Three days later, the world would never be the same. Three days later, the one true & living God would finish what He started when Jesus overcame death hell and the grave.

As Christians, we are the only people on the planet with the key to life after death. That key is Jesus, the only way, the only truth, the only path to a heavenly eternity. This Easter, remember what He gave up so that we could live. Remember that He is risen. Remember that He is not finished. Remember that He is coming again!

Chad

2011-04-12T07:34:00.001-07:00

PUTTING THE FUN IN FUNDAMENTALS

The great Vince Lombardi once began the first practice of a Green Bay Packers pre-season by holding out a pig-skin in front of a room full of burly men who'd played the game for years. He paused to let them quiet down and said what became an infamous line: "Gentlemen ... this is a football."

Of course, it's funny. And in my sports-crazy family growing up, it was a favorite story. My dad would sometimes even come up with his own version when he felt like we kids were missing something obvious. "Kids ... this is a dresser. Your clothes go inside it."

But it's also striking in its truth and effectiveness. We do well not to take for granted our proficiency in the fundamentals.

On a recent Sunday night, I got to attend my home church. It's not often that I get to, since No Other Name is usually performing somewhere. I was glad to hear my pastor bring the Word.

Our church is in the beginning stages of a major effort to make contact with each and every house in our immediate community. Leading up to the events we have planned, my pastor thought it would be a good idea to give us a refresher on the fundamentals of sharing our faith. It sure was good for me to hear it. Perhaps it will help you too.

He started out by reassuring us that even though we live in a fallen world that often seems hostile to Christianity, people are still as interested in spiritual things as they have ever been. And he reminded us that no matter how many books are written or programs developed, the number one method of sharing Christ is one person talking with another person.

He then gave us seven simple ways to be on mission. Here they are:

1 -- Pray. Seems simple, but prayer is so often neglected. Of course, we should pray for the lost in general and for people in our lives who need the Lord. But Jesus also commanded us to pray for workers. In Matt. 9, He tells His disciples to pray for workers to reap the harvest. Pray for helpers to come alongside you and help reap the harvest of people in your own circle. Pray for workers to be sent to the farthest reaches of the world where the name of Jesus has never been heard.

2 -- Know the Gospel. Does this mean we have to have everything memorized? No! That might be great, but it isn't necessary. Perhaps you could write down some key scripture references (like the "Romans Road") or John 3:16 on a note card and keep it in your wallet or in your Bible. Keep it simple. Practice it with a friend or in front the mirror. Write down the highlights of your own testimony and be ready to share it. Everyone loves a good story.

3 -- Be Bold. Easier said the done, for sure. How many times have I lacked the courage to turn a conversation toward spiritual things? In reality, most people are open and would be happy to talk. Take a lesson from the characters in the book of Acts. Not a coward among them!

4 -- Follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. Remember in number three when I mentioned that I've sometimes lacked the courage to turn a conversation toward spiritual things? Have you been there? That is the Holy Spirit's prompting. Don't ignore it.

5 -- Give. My pastor says there are three types of people: Goers, Senders and the Disobedient. If you are not going into "all nations" as we are commanded, and you are not giving so that others can go, then you are disobedient. It is that simple. For most of you, that giving will be through your church. To paraphrase Romans 10:14-15, how will the nations hear unless someone preaches to them and how will someone preach to them unless WE send preachers?

6 -- Go. This one and the previous one are dear to our hearts. As No Other Name has become more aware of what God is doing around the world, we have been thrilled to be a part of it and it's been our joy to encourage others to get involved too. But it's sometimes easy to think that if you didn't have to take an airplane to get there, it's not "missions." Don't make that mistake. Sometimes your "Going" can be across the street.

7 -- Trust God. Perhaps the most fundamental of all and yet probably the most difficult. Never feel like you are responsible for what another person does with the Gospel. You are not. Only God can draw someone to Himself. But He has promised that sharing His Word is never in vain.

So, there they are. I hope you get some courage from these simple steps. Thank you to my pastor for keeping it basic. And thank you for allowing me to recap it here. It's not really plagiarism if you give attribution, right?

No Other Name has been very busy the last few weeks. And every place we've been, we have been treated better than we deserve. We are so humbled by all the friends we've made. We love God's people!

We'll be using these simple steps very soon while we share Jesus in Sao Paulo, Brazil! I can't believe it is only about 10 weeks away. Please be praying for us and all the ones who will be joining us. Even now, pray that our spirits would be bold and the hearts of those we meet will be softened.

Love,

Laura

2011-03-23T09:25:00.001-07:00

Fit to be Thai

Hello, all!

I'm writing this on the RV after a great night at New Hope Baptist Church in Mayfield, Ky. It's nice to be only a couple hours away from my bed. It's a lot closer than we have been these last several days.

If you've been following us on Facebook, you got to see a little bit of our adventures in Bangkok last week. It's hard to believe that's where we were just a few short days ago.

We were there to shoot another music video with the International Mission Board. The song is one we wrote called "Let It Start With Me," and the theme is just what you'd think. It's basically a prayer for God to use us to accomplish His work in the world. Often, in order for Him to change the world, the first thing that needs to change is me -- my heart, my attitude.

We got to visit some exciting places, and we can't wait to see how it will all come together in video.

We flew out of Nashville knowing that the last leg of our flight to Bangkok would take us through Tokyo. The day before, we had awakened to the news of the terrible natural disaster in that area and the subsequent concerns about high levels of radiation at nearby nuclear sites. Our hearts were heavy as we watched the footage out of Japan. On our flight from Atlanta to Tokyo, I looked around at a lot of worried faces and wondered if some of those people were on their way to look for lost loved ones or check on family property or hometowns.

At the Tokyo airport, you'd have never known there was so much devastation and chaos such a short distance away. Flights landed and took off on time and things were organized. What little concerns we'd had about connecting there were soon alleviated and within a few minutes, we were on another plane and in the air again, headed to Bangkok.

We got to our hotel about midnight Bangkok time, which was noon Nashville time. You'd think such a time difference would have kept me awake all night, but after about 30 hours on an airplane, I was asleep in no time.

The next morning, I was up early sitting in the hair and makeup chair and going over wardrobe. The guys got to sleep in a little later, since they don't wear quite as much makeup as I do.

Before long, we were headed out to the city. Wow, what a city. It's sprawled out over miles and miles -- tall buildings, busy freeways, elevated trains, and crowded streets and alleys everywhere you look.

During that first day, we visited two Wats -- Wat is Thai for "temple." We saw the breathtaking, colorful towers built to honor the Buddha. We saw hundreds of people there to worship or just to sightsee. And we sang about Jesus. Any time we would turn on our speakers, roll the cameras and start singing, we would draw a crowd. And each time, the people were friendly and open to hearing our song about Jesus.

The heat the first day was really oppressive and the humidity was even worse. Once I'm pretty sure I came close to passing out from heat exhaustion, but after some rehydration and a few minutes in the air conditioned van, I was ready to go.

Later on, we got to ride on a river boat and see the city from the water. Every city looks prettier from the water.

The next day began at a minimum security prison for drug offenders. No, Sam did not get caught with anything in his suitcase. We were actually invited to come visit the prison.

It was unlike any prison I've ever seen. It's on a huge tract of land and includes several buildings of all types -- residence halls, office buildings, food buildings and factories. On every square inch of ground between buildings, something is growing -- fruit trees, flowers and vegetables of all types. The prisoners eat much of what they grow and sell the rest at market. The gardens are immaculate and beautiful.

There is also a fully functioning woodshop, which Sam thought was very exciting. The men were making tables, chairs, planters and other items which they sell. I think Sam would almost be OK with going to prison if it meant he could work in a woodshop all day.

We arrived just in time to sit in on their choir practice. That's right, they have an audition-only choir of about 60 men. What a treat to hear them! The director really knows his stuff and they have a beautiful sound. Later this year, they will combine with a choir from a women's prison and perform for the king and queen of Thailand. One of their selections for that concert? Amazing Grace.

We did a little video shooting in the prison as well. There is a line in the song that goes, "Use my hands to set the captive free." That line took on a special meaning during those few minutes.

The next day, we visited a Christian center in the heart of the city. It's a multi-story building where people of all ages and walks of life come to learn English. They have built a ministry using the Bible and Bible stories to teach English to Thai speakers. Many high-ranking government officials in Thailand are now followers of Jesus because they learned English at this center. God is doing a mighty work there. From the roof of their building there is a tremendous view of the city. We got to shoot some video up there as well. I can't wait to see how that turned out.

Later the third day, we shot some video on a bridge over a busy street and then a little more right in the middle of a busy street! We called it the Frogger portion of the video. Wait till you see it!

Along the way here and there, we did a little shopping and a lot of eating. If you like Thai food in the states, you've got to have it in Thailand. Flavorful, fresh and super spicy. And everywhere you go, Coke in the bottle! (If you've known us very long, you know how special that is for us.) We loved it!

Also throughout our time there, we kept checking on things in Japan. We knew our itinerary was taking us back through Tokyo, but every time we heard an update, they were urging more and more strongly for people to avoid going to Japan at all. We knew lots of folks back home were praying for us, and we decided not to worry about it. God would take care of it.

Within hours of our leaving, our flights were rerouted through Seoul, South Korea. We were thankful to avoid Tokyo, but our hearts were heavy for the ones who were there and suffered so much.

Our flight out left at 1 a.m. Bangkok time (1 p.m. Nashville time), and as you might imagine after three hard days, we were like zombies trying to get to our plane. We had a long layover in Seoul and another long one in Chicago before finally making it home at 5 p.m. in Nashville the next day -- 29 hours later.

Our trip was a whirlwind. We saw so many thousands of people who've put their hope in a false god or who simply have no hope at all. And as always, we saw how the one true God is at work everywhere, drawing people to Himself. I can't wait to go back.

Love,
Laura

2011-03-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

Jump Start 3.16.11
Here are some verses I was going over this morning. I think it's safe to say everyone can find something here.
"For the grace of God hath appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity,and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
He gave His Son for us. What have we done for Him lately?

Chad

2011-03-02T08:20:00.001-08:00

TUNE MY HEART TO SING THY GRACE

Earlier today, one of my Facebook friends posted this line as her status: "He to rescue me from danger interposed His precious blood."

I recognized it immediately as coming from "Come Thou Fount," one of my favorite hymns. Those words, written by Robert Robinson in the 18th century are no less true in the 21st. Christ indeed rescued me from danger by interposing (or "placing between") his blood. As the song says, He "sought me when [I was] a stranger" far from God, and He placed Himself in between me and a holy God. Hallelujah!

That same verse in Come Thou Fount begins with this line: "Here I raise mine Ebenezer. Hither by thy help I'm come." OK, I can get past the ancient English, and I know that it's telling the Lord, "I've come this far only with your help." (True for me, for sure. Where would I be without the Lord's help?) But what in the world is an Ebenezer? Bah! Humbug!

Well, this is one of the many reasons I love old hymns. Many of them refer to ancient bedrock doctrines or make seemingly obscure references to important Bible passages. In other words, sometimes these old songs encourage me to brush up on my faith.

I remember asking about this particular line when I was a kid and having it explained to me. It comes from 1 Samuel chapter 7. The short version is God's people, who had strayed from Him, had repented and turned back to Him. However, they were still vulnerable to their enemies. Samuel encouraged them to cry out to God for deliverance, and God answered by destroying their enemies. Samuel erected a stone in remembrance of the event -- sort of a memorial. He named it Ebenezer, because, he said, "Thus far has the Lord helped us." The Hebrew meaning of Ebenezer is "stone of the help."

What is your Ebenezer? Besides your favorite Scrooge, I mean. Do you have memorials in your life that remind you of God's faithfulness and deliverance? What about your home? Your children? Your church? They don't have to be tangible either. Maybe God delivered you through an illness or an addiction or a broken relationship. That is your Ebenezer.

I certainly have more than a few. My family is one. And my husband. And my church and my health. God has provided for me miraculously over the years.

Something happened just this past week that is an Ebenezer of sorts for us. Most of you know that we were recognized by our peers in Christian music with a nomination for a Dove Award for New Artist of the Year. In the grand scheme of eternity, this is not even close to the Israelites being delivered from the Philistines. However, for us, it is a testament to God's faithfulness.

We've been at this for a while now (despite being nominated for "New" Artist), and we have seen over and over again how God provides for us and encourages us. When we think back to this nomination, we will just praise the Lord. We certainly had nothing to do with it. It is a testimony to Him alone. We have come this far only by His help.

We would like to thank all of you who have celebrated with us these last few days. We appreciate you all more than you know. Thank you for helping us raise our Ebenezer. Maybe something we do can help you raise yours.

Love,

Laura

Good News!

2011-02-08T09:32:00.001-08:00

What is the cross?

Probably one of the most revolutionary verses in the Bible is 2 Corinthians 5:21. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Did you catch that? God caused Jesus to "be" sin -- to actually become sin. Jesus, who had never known sin, became the very thing He despised so He could put it to death for all time.

It harkens back to an Old Testament story that was always strange to me as a child when I heard it in Sunday School. God's people, whom He had miraculously delivered from slavery in Egypt, were complaining. They were accusing God of deserting them. God had enough of their slander and sent serpents to attack them. Many of them were killed.

Eventually, they repented and begged Moses to ask the Lord to take the serpents away. God then gave Moses a rather odd instruction. He told Moses to fashion a snake out of brass and fasten it to a pole. Then hold it up for all to see. Those who'd been bitten by a real serpent merely had to look at the brass one in order to live. Indeed, that is exactly what happened.

Even Jesus Himself drew a parallel between Himself and this story. In John chapter 3, just before the most well-known verse in all the Bible (verse 16), Jesus tells Nicodemus in verses 14 and 15, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him."

As a child, I wondered why God would have Moses require the people to look at the very thing that was killing them. Surely they did not want to see another snake! Why would He not ask Moses to hold up his staff? Why have them look at anything at all? Why not just ask them to cry out to God?

Now, I can see the beautiful picture of Christ this is. Christ BECAME sin -- the very thing that keeps us dead. We cannot be made alive until we confront our own sin -- until we deal with the thing that's killing us. We cannot ignore it. We have to look at it, in all its ugliness.

My pastor likes to say, "The good news (i.e. the gospel) is so good because the bad news is so bad." How true that is! We cannot realize the forgiveness found in Christ until we fully realize why we need it so badly.

The cross is at once our accuser and our acquitter. Our condemnation and our commutation. Our killer and our healer. Thank you, Jesus, for BECOMING sin for me!

No Other Name is recording some wonderful new songs in the coming weeks. They all do their part to help tell this amazing story -- we were dead in sin, Christ became that sin and put it to death, He then rose from the dead and lives today to intercede for us! I am very excited about or new stuff, and I hope you will be too!

Also, we are gearing up for our June trip to Brazil! It's coming quickly! There are untold billions of people who have never heard this wonderful news! They, like Nicodemus, don't understand. Who will tell them?

Be praying for us as we follow the Lord's leading.

Love,
Laura

2011-01-19T09:33:00.001-08:00

HAVE A NICE TRIP (See you next Fall)

I have been unusually clumsy lately. I don't know what it is, really. I'm not the most coordinated person in the world, but I was an OK athlete in school, and I don't normally fall down (much).

It all started with a bad cut of unknown origin on the top of my ring finger a couple days before Christmas. I have no idea how I got it. I just looked down at my hand, and it was bleeding. Not bad. Just enough to sting.

Since then, I have (in no particular order):

-- Broken two dishes.

-- Pulled the railing off the inside of the door of my fridge, thereby knocking out a jar of olives, which shattered on the floor.

-- Been distracted by the olives falling out of the fridge, which caused me to forget I had milk heating on the stove for hot chocolate. The resulting boil over and burn smell were pretty gross.

-- Sustained three more cuts to various fingers.

-- Bumped my head (hard enough to see stars) on a handrail in the shower at my parents' house.

-- Spilled water, tea, milk, coffee and I'm sure various other beverages.

-- Tripped in my own living room.

-- Lost an earring and a necklace. They are both mysteries. The earring was in my ear in the morning. That afternoon, it was not. No idea. The necklace, I'd been keeping in my purse for a long time, since it needed repair. One of those "I'll get around to it" things. But the other day, I had it in my hand and dropped it. I was pretty sure it had fallen into my purse. But it wasn't there. Nor was it anywhere around - on the chair my purse was sitting on, on the floor under it, etc. It just disappeared.

And these are just the things I can remember. I know I'm forgetting some.

I've never been too much of a klutz, so I don't know why it's hitting me now. I know I am partially to blame because I seem to always do everything in a hurry. Was it Benjamin Franklin who said, "Haste makes waste"? It sounds like him. No matter who said it, it's true.

I wonder if Jesus ever did things like that? Did His perfection extend to His every move? When He was working in Joseph's wood shop, did He ever cut His finger or get a splinter? Did He ever drop and break a clay pot? Did He fall down? I like to think maybe so - that it was part of His being tested "in all points like we are." (Heb. 4:15)

But not now. Now, He is assigned to His rightful place at God's right hand. Now, He holds the power of the universe in His very breath. All things are under His feet. (Eph. 1:22)

I can't wait for the day when we will be like Him! (1 John 3:2) We will receive perfect, incorruptible bodies. (1 Cor. 15:54) No more injuries, clumsiness, bad eyesight, aches or illness.

In the meantime, I think I'll try to slow myself down before I burn my house down or something.

Love,

Laura

2011-01-14T09:17:00.001-08:00

SNOW DAY

I'm sitting here in my chilly house, looking out the window at about three inches of snow. There is a fire in the fireplace and a mug of hot chocolate nearby. In other words, it's been a good day.

It is not often that I get a day like this at home. When I'm not on the road, I'm busy with meetings, writing, recording or other such business.

It's given me a little time to reflect on the past year and to look forward to what is to come. 2010 was our best year yet. We had so many wonderful opportunities! We sang in dozens of places, met hundreds of people and put thousands of miles on the old RV.

Probably the highlight, though, was our mission trip to Nicaragua. God allowed us to be a part of a truly amazing movement. We have heard recently that as a result of the work of our team and some other teams, several churches have been planted and are growing. Praise the Lord!

This year promises to be even busier and more exciting. We are already looking forward to our trip in June to Sao Paulo, Brazil. If you have not signed up yet, we've extended the deadline. We want you to go! It will be hard and exhausting. But it will be so fun! And you will be a part of something eternal! Please let us know on our website or our Facebook page if you're interested.

We are also very excited about getting back in the studio! We will be recording some of our own songs, plus some great ones that have been sent to us recently. And one of them has a very special story that you will hear about very soon!

We hope your New Year has started off great. We appreciate you all so much. We hope to see you sometime in 2011 - maybe even in Brazil!

Love,

Laura

2010-12-10T08:15:00.000-08:00

Jump Start December 10, 2010

I can't believe it but Christmas is almost here. Time really does seem to pass faster the older you get. I used to think old people were exaggerating but not anymore. My kids are approaching toxic levels of Christmas hysteria the closer we get to the "big night". I myself am experiencing a fairly large amount of Christmas panic because I haven't finished shopping for my wife! That got me thinking today about how easy it is to bypass the real reason for Christmas and get caught up in the commercial side of the season. That happens to be the subject of today's Jumpstart. As you are reading the following verses, take some time to reflect on their message. The words contained in the next few lines are without doubt the greatest news the world has ever heard!
Luke 2:10-11
10 And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all
the people: 11 for there is born to you this day in the city
of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Those words gave so much more than the announcement of Jesus arrival. They were a declaration of the end of sin's hold over the human race. The perfect sacrifice had been born and would willingly die 33 years later to pay the price that no other could pay. Through belief on Him, we are freed from eternity in Hell separated from God. On that night so long ago, God became man to stand in our place and save all who will believe in their heart and confess with their mouth that Jesus is the one true living God. He made no difference between persons. It is a free gift offered to anyone who will receive it. So as the deadline looms in the search for the perfect gift, make sure to remember the perfect gift has already been given. Let's make sure to let those we come in contact with this Christmas know about the One we celebrate. Introduce someone to the greatest gift man has ever known...Jesus!

Chad

2010-12-08T11:56:00.001-08:00

FAIR WARNING

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. -- Psalm 37: 3-6

Often it seems we humans have a heightened sense of justice, at least when it involves comparing ourselves to others. One of the first phrases I learned as a kid was "That's not fair!" Why does she get that new bicycle when mine is a hand-me-down? Why does my sister get to stay out later than I do?

As we get older, the subject matter may change, but the complaint is the same. Now it's not a bike or a curfew, but a job or a vacation.

Or maybe it's not jealousy of someone else but just a general sense that you got treated in a way you did not deserve. Or you did not receive something you did deserve. I know I've felt like that.

It is comforting to me to know that God is just. He is Ancient of Days. The ultimate Judge. He's seen it all. He knows who did what to whom and how to make it right. He knows "the justice of your cause."

As a kid, when I learned verse 4 above, I thought it meant, "Delight in the Lord, and He will give you what you want," i.e. "the desires of your heart." To be sure, the Lord does give me so much of what I want. I have a wonderful husband, a warm, safe home, a fun, loving family and plenty of food to eat. But I don't think that's all the verse means.

When it says "He will give you the desires of your heart," I think it means He will put desires in your heart -- the ones He wants to be there. The more we trust Him, the more our desires become His desires. We are less concerned with "justice" and getting what's ours and more concerned with seeing His work done on earth.

And what does it really mean to "delight" in the Lord? To enjoy being in His presence, to enjoy fellowship with His church. To WANT to spend time with Him and worship Him. If we practice such a lifestyle, the desires of our heart are changed, by definition.

I'm learning to practice it. Some days are harder than others. Some days, I want to shout, "That's not fair!" like my 6-year-old self. But I am always thankful to remember that He knows. He knows.

Love,
Laura

2010-12-02T06:48:00.001-08:00

WORLD TOUR (not really)

We have been there, people. No, seriously. You name the place, we've been there. And probably in the last month.

November was the craziest month for No Other Name that I can remember. We sang in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Illinois, Kentucky and probably some other places I'm missing. And that was all in about a two-week span. Yikes.

But we got to meet some of the greatest people and be a part of some of the most uplifting events -- it just doesnt get much better.

From an inspiring event with one of our favorite radio stations to three different statewide gatherings of Kingdom workers, we have seen God at work all over the place. He is on the move! He is working! Get in on it!

We've also been busy doing some writing and listening for a new recording! We are very excited about getting back in the studio soon!

We all had a great Thanksgiving and could not possibly count all our blessings of family and wonderful friends. We hope you are having a wonderful holiday season as well.

We're gearing up for our Christmas tour now, which will take us to North Carolina and Arkansas. Come out and see us if we come your way.

Stay tuned for more exciting stuff soon!

Love,
Laura

2010-10-27T09:13:00.001-07:00

JUMP START
I am amazed everyday that God loves me. I dont know why He puts up with me but I am glad He does. And if that wasn't enough, He let's me sing about Him and uses me in spite of me! The whole "in spite of me" part is where I think we get mixed up sometimes. The jump start for today comes from Romans 5: 8-9. (8)But God commendeth His own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (9)Much more then, being now justified by His blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
I'm sure none of you ever do this but if I'm not careful, and if I don't stay centered on God, I can begin to feel pretty important. I can begin to think that God "needs" my contribution in order to get the job done. I mean after all I am fairly essential right? WRONG! God would be just fine without me in the picture. I think He managed pretty well before I got here. That's what is so amazing about our salvation as Christians. God hates sin. He can't even stand to look at it therefore He can't stand the sight of me without my acceptance of Jesus as Savior of my life. On my best day without Jesus I would still deserve the deepest pit Hell has to offer. That is why Jesus came to die. Because God required the blood of a perfect one to wash away our sin it had to be Jesus because He is the only perfect one. While we were all filthy and soaked in our sin, He still loved us but knew we could never meet His standard of perfection. So He sent Jesus to pay the price we could not pay. It is Jesus blood covering me and Jesus standing as my advocate that makes me tolerable to God. Because when He looks at me He doesn't see me He sees Jesus His son! There has never been anything more awesome! We deserve death. But God has given us the free gift of life in spite of us. All we have to do is believe and accept Jesus into our hearts. He really is amazing.

Chad

2010-10-19T07:51:00.001-07:00

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

"But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing." -- 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12

Week before last was a crazy one in my family. Sam's and my 85-year-old grandfather (whose name was Earl, but who went by "G-Daddy" to just about everyone) went home to be with Jesus on a Monday. On Tuesday afternoon, Sam's wife Kim went into labor. Roughly 38 hours after G-Daddy left this world, little Eli came into it. And roughly 38 hours after that, on a Thursday afternoon, we put G-Daddy's earthly body in the ground. Life is funny sometimes.

We are grieving G-Daddy. We miss his sweet, gentle spirit, his funny stories, his wisdom. But we are rejoicing too. For the last few years of his life, he'd become obsessed with heaven. He read books about it. He studied every Scripture passage that mentions it. He talked about it all the time. So we are rejoicing that he is where he'd wanted to be for a while.

And even though we're sad that he's physically gone, we rejoice that he left so much good stuff behind.

Can I share one example? G-Daddy's funeral was at his home church in Brandon, Fla. A few minutes before it began, my aunt came to me and said, "Come with me. I want you to meet a couple who lived across the street from Earl." I followed my aunt to the pew where they were sitting. The couple had lived in the small house across the street from G-Daddy for a few years, but I'd never met them. I introduced myself and thanked them for coming. They began to tell me how much they appreciated "Mister Earl" and what a great man he was. They said he always invited them to church, but they had never come until now. "I guess Earl finally got us to church," the woman said. I smiled and said, "I guess so."

The speaker that morning presented the Gospel clearly and simply -- just as G-Daddy would have wanted. I didn't know it then, but it was the first time G-Daddy's neighbors had ever heard it and understood. A few days later, G-Daddy's pastor visited their home and led both of them to faith in Christ.

G-Daddy personified the verse above. He lived a quiet life. He minded his own business. He worked with his hands, even when he was so feeble it was hard for him to stand up. And above all, he "walked properly with those who are outside." His neighbors noticed. They had been "outside." But now, because of his example, they are "inside" -- part of the family. I'm sure when we get to heaven, we will meet dozens, perhaps hundreds more on whom he had a similar effect.

Who is "outside" the faith in your circle? Who is watching your example?

Oh, yeah -- that precious new great-grandson G-Daddy never got to meet? Well, he'll experience the legacy too. G-Daddy's influence is still very much alive in our family.

Speaking of that little guy -- Elijah Samuel Allen -- if you haven't checked out our Facebook photos in a while, by all means do. He's a cutie.

Love,
Laura

2010-10-13T07:44:00.001-07:00

Jump Start- October 13, 2010
FALL! I love it! It has been great outside today. God really outdid himself on this one. (Is that possible?). Anyway, I got today's jump start from Proverbs 3:5-6 "(5) Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths."
I have seen things come into my own life and the lives of family that just don't make any sense to me. I have answered my phone and received the news that someone close to me has died suddenly. I remember finding out that a preacher I admired when I was a kid, had basically renounced his faith and quit the ministry. The first thing we are inclined to think when we're faced with things like this is "how could this happen!?" We put complete confidence in people and things which will fail, disappoint & let down. So many times we try to understand but can't because we can't understand God's reasons or His ways and guess what that goes for everybody. None of us no matter how intelligent will ever have God figured out. If we did then we would have a God no bigger than our feeble understanding. He is far to much for my mind to ever comprehend. The good news is we don't have to figure Him out. All we have to do is trust Him, count on Him, and admit there are times when we are not even close to having the answers. Loved ones will hurt us, men will let us down but God is always there to pick us up if we will let Him. Nothing catches God off guard. When we worry about the ins and outs of life He is still sovereign and never looses control for a moment. We may be hurting or unable to understand, but if we stay close to Him and acknowledge Him in everything, God will take us through whatever storms we are facing. He will direct our paths.
Hope this has been an encouragement to you.

Chad

2010-10-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

Jump Start

I have never met a more rabid college football fan than my band mate and good friend Sam Allen. I knew he was different from your run of the mill football junkie when I watched a Florida Gator game with him for the first time. He told me that he valued me as his friend and didn't want to be mad at me. Then he asked me not to heckle the Gators so that we could stay on speaking terms. I assumed he was just off his medication but I agreed to leave the Gators alone. I myself enjoy watching football. I'm just not on the same level. I was watching the Tennessee Titans play once and was having a great time picking apart the quarter backs every move. He didn't read the blitz. I quickly pointed out that my kids could have seen that one coming. He got sacked twice. I said he zigged when he should have zagged. I kept it up till my wife suggested I drive down to the stadium and report for duty. Point taken. The jump start today is from Matthew 7:3. (3)"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" If I'm not careful, I can find myself talking to or about those around me in the same way I talk about a quarter back who had a bad game with one difference. I can do worse. Even as Christians, we can be quick to pick someone apart for a decision they made. We can be too quick to give an opinion. Some of the worst kind of quarrels start when someone finds out about hurtful things a person close to them has said in a critical way. My Grandma used to tell me to sweep my own doorstep before I worried about somebody elses. More often than not the person doing the criticizing has plenty they should be taking care of in their own life. We all have things in our lives that are far less than perfect that we should focus on instead of beating up on the faults of others. It is far easier to tear someone down than to build them up and to do the latter, we need the help of the Lord every day. So when the opportunity to become your brothers critic arrives....pass.

Hope today is a good one.

Chad

2010-09-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR TODAY - From Chad

Well, it's Thursday morning and when the alarm went off this morning I threw the covers off and jumped out of the bed! Okay so that's a lie. It's never a jump I'd say it's more of a crawl but anyway.

The verse on my mind today is Psalm 71:16. I WILL GO IN THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD GOD.

Have you ever found yourself facing a situation in your life that you can't find the way out of? Something that seems hopeless? You try to pray and you think that God must have the phone off the hook. Then you say the words that have been on the tip of your tongue since you found yourself in this mess you're in. "I just don't think I have the strength to go through this". Well, guess what -- you're right, you can't and neither can I. We should always rely on the Lord for the strength we need when trouble comes. But it doesn't stop there. He wants us to count on Him for everything all the time. Not just when the wolf is growling at the door. He promised us that if we belong to Him, He will not abandon us. We may not understand why we have to face certain things in life. But if we let God lead us, through his strength the impossible becomes possible. In Him a way is made. God is revealed in us when there is no other explanation for our deliverance but God. Well, that's all from my end. I hope this has been an encouragement and I hope all you guys have a great day!

Chad

2010-09-10T11:53:00.001-07:00

BURIED TREASURE

When I was a student in Christian school, we learned the definition of parable. It's "an earthly story with a heavenly meaning." That's a good definition, for sure. Simple and boiled down. One of the most familiar of these stories is the parable of the talents. Earthly story? Check. Heavenly meaning? For sure.

You know the story. A wealthy man is going on a long journey. He asks his servants to take care of his estate while he's gone. To one of them he gives five talents. To another, two, and to another, one. Both the one who received five talents and the one who received two wisely invest theirs, thereby doubling the master's money. The one who received one talent foolishly buries it. When the master returns, he is pleased with the two who have increased his wealth, but he is angry with the one who took no risk and refused to invest what he'd been given.

A talent was a unit of gold. The eight talents distributed in this parable would be the equivalent of millions of today's dollars. Most of us cannot imagine being responsible for that kind of money. But are we not responsible for something much more valuable?

The word "entrusted" is used dozens of times in the Bible. I checked today. But did you know that in the New Testament, that word is used no less than 10 times to describe our relationship with the gospel? All throughout his letters, Paul informs us that we have been "entrusted" with the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 4:1, he says we have been entrusted with "the secret things of God."

Imagine that! God has entrusted us with His own secrets! But He does not desire that they remain secret. God forbid we bury the secret things! He wants us to invest the treasure He's given us! That is the only way it can multiply.

Last night in our Wednesday prayer meeting and Bible study, my pastor preached from Romans 1. We camped out on verse 16, which is so familiar, yet so often ignored. "... I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes ..."

Do you realize the power of the gospel? Have you seen the power of the gospel? When is the last time you've seen a life renewed, a family reunited, a prodigal restored? Has the gospel lost its power or have we simply neglected to invest that with which we've been entrusted?

We look for answers in all sorts of places -- politics, charities, programs. Most of these are worthy and helpful. But none of them are the gospel. None of them have the power to change not only a life but a culture, and ultimately, the world.

Lord, I don't want to be the timid servant, afraid of taking a risk. Help me remember the dynamic power of the gospel. Thank you for entrusting me with something so transforming. Help me not to blow it.

Love,
Laura

2010-08-31T09:29:00.000-07:00

KEEPIN' IT REAL

Apparently, middle Tennessee did something in late June to make the sun mad, because it has been punishing us ever since. It has glared at us so much we're getting a complex. Sun, if you read this, we're sorry. We won't ever do it again.

For weeks on end, I don't think the temperature got below 98 (that's not counting heat index). You could almost feel your feet sinking into the asphalt on the street. But this week it's slightly different. This week, I don't feel as if I've stepped out of my house into a giant roasting oven. This week, there's a light breeze. And the light is different. More golden. The sky is bluer. The shadows are longer. The beginnings of what we call, in my family, "football weather." That sound you hear is Sam singing, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

It's been quite a summer for sure. We had some great adventures and some great misadventures. I've told you about our adventures, namely our involvement in a great movement of God in Nicaragua. Now I think I'll share a little of our misadventures. I don't know what drives me to share these tales with you. Maybe my brain has not recovered from its recent frying (sorry, sun!). Maybe I have some buried self-loathing. Or maybe I just think you'll be encouraged if you're reminded that you're not the only one who has bad days.

A few weeks ago, No Other Name had what we would consider a bad gig. I was going to type "interesting" gig, but I decided to just flat out say it. It was bad. Some if what happened was under our control. Some was not. But either way, we were left to roll with the punches. And God redeemed it anyway.

It all started with the stupid volcano in Nicaragua. Those of you who read my last journal entry here know of the evils of the smoking mountain. It made me sick. I stayed sick for three weeks. It was not pretty. Every time I inhaled my lungs would spasm, twitch and contort themselves like spoiled toddlers throwing tantrums. This resulted in lots of involuntary hacking. If there were a circus freak category for "Coughing Lady," people would have paid 50 cents to come watch.

All this meant that on more than one occasion, I had to medicate myself enough to stop coughing for at least an hour so we could get through a set.

But one special Sunday, my illness was only part of the problem. On the very first song, Sam broke a string on his guitar. Now, ordinarily this is no big deal because he has extra strings in his guitar case. Granted, it might take a few minutes for us to change a string, but we'd be OK. But for some reason, Sam has no strings in his case. Ordinarily, even THAT would be no big deal because we have extra strings on the RV. Only this weekend was one of the maybe four weekends a year when we fly instead of drive.

So we had no strings. We couldn't do the song set we'd planned out in advance, and we can't very well discuss new plans amongst ourselves in front of an audience. So we just went with it. We used a few tracks. We did some a cappella. We even took a few hymn requests.

And you know what? Even the pastor said later that he thought we did exactly the songs we were supposed to do that morning.

I guess this doesn't really need to be said, but God really is in control. Sometimes He likes to mess up our plans just so He can prove that to us. I just wish He'd do it before we walk on stage.

We're booking up our new fall tour right now -- the Pray, Give, Go Tour. We've got so many new great things to share with you! We'd love to come to your church. And we promise to stay away from volcanoes and bring extra guitar strings.

Love,
Laura

2010-07-14T09:27:00.001-07:00

Buenas! Part 3

Our team spent three full days out in the field hiking and passing out books. Wednesday night, we got to attend another service at the church where we stayed in Ocotal. Another great time! The music pastor called No Other Name up to the stage to sing "Open the Eyes of My Heart" along with their praise band. We would sing it in English and then they would sing it in Spanish. Then at the end, we sang it simultaneously in both languages. It was amazing! What a blessing.

After the service, we had a special sharing time with each other and with many of the locals who'd worked with us that week. They prayed for us. We prayed for them. Many tears were shed. Wow. It always amazes me how close you can become to a fellow believer in a short amount of time.

Then Thursday, it was time to head back to Managua, a four-hour drive. We arrived back at the Christian campground where we'd stayed the first night. We had a little bit of time to relax and then the missionaries there took us to TGI Friday's. I don't know what it is about Friday's, but it seems to me that they're everywhere. I've eaten at a Friday's in Abu Dhabi, Mumbai and now Managua. If you really just want some nachos or some chicken wings, it's the place to go, I guess.

The next day, Friday, was our last day in the country. It was our "tourist" day. We started out at a gorgeous overlook outside the city. Then we toured a pottery shop. Sam and Chad each got to take a turn at the potter's wheel, where we obtained photographic evidence of their mad pottery skills.

After that, we were off to a huge market, enclosed in what looked to be an old fort. Folks were selling bags, hammocks, pottery, jewelry, furniture and just about anything else you can imagine. We bought a few souvenirs and then it was time to visit a volcano. I had been looking forward to this for days, so I was pretty excited.

After entering the park, we had to drive quite a long way down a winding road to get to the mouth of the volcano. Along the way, we passed evidence of its fury -- black rocks, charred streaks in the landscape, burnt trees. When we got there, the steam was rising up from the crater so thick we could barely see down into it. In fact, they encourage you to back into your parking space in case you have to make a quick getaway. Seriously.

We got out, admiring the view, and within a minute, the wind had shifted and was blowing that steam right into our faces. It had a strong sulfur smell, and wasted no time in burning my lungs and sending me into a coughing fit. Several others in our group were affected as well, and we just sat in the van with the air conditioner on while the rest climbed up to a higher vantage point for a better view. Alas, I was lucky to even get back to the van before passing out.

So, that's how I think I came down with the nasty infection I've had this week. And that's why I'm just now writing about our trip. Until now, I've been either too sick or too medicated. In fact, from where I sit at the moment, I can count seven different medicines, both prescription and over-the-counter. Perhaps I've overdone it.

I am feeling much better today, and I'm glad you took this journey with me and heard about what God is doing in Nicaragua. I want to leave you with a few more random things I learned.

-- Fourth of July was especially meaningful to me this year, after having just returned from Nicaragua. We really do take our freedoms and riches here for granted.

-- It's amazing how quickly your body adjusts its waking/sleeping patterns to the sun when it needs to.

-- Ice cold Coca-Cola in a glass bottle, sweetened with sugar (not corn syrup) is a blessing from the Lord. And it is everywhere in Nicaragua.

-- Nicaraguan boys are fantastic soccer players. Any little-league soccer coach in the States would fall all over himself to get one on his team.

-- Nicaraguans also love baseball, probably more than they love soccer.

-- You really do grow accustomed to less-than-luxurious accomodations after about 24 hours.

-- Most cities or towns of any size in Nicaragua have a central park. In each park, there is usually a tower you can climb to get a view of the whole city. Very cool.

-- Bulls really are provoked by color. Let's just say that one day I really regretted wearing a bright orange shirt. And I would have regretted it much, much more had I not been quick to get back outside the fence.

-- Nicaraguan women are brilliant gardeners. Almost every home we encountered, even way out in the country, had all sorts of containers (flower pots, coffee cans, milk jugs, soda bottles) around the yard with all sorts of beautiful flowering plants.

-- God can use clueless gringos with terrible Spanish to help bring Spanish-speaking people to Himself.

God wants to use you too! Get in touch with us if you're interested in joining us on our trip next year.

Love,
Laura

2010-07-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

Buenas! Part 2

Monday morning, we were up at dawn. You pretty much have no choice. By the time the sun is up, it is so bright and so warm that staying in bed is not an attractive option at all. We had breakfast and a short devotion time. Then we split up into teams to reach different areas.

Let me tell you a little about what we were doing. A team of missionaries and many local pastors who've been working down there for years have been troubled by what they see as shallow Christianity there. Many people claim to be Christians but have not allowed Christ to change their lives. They have not been discipled.

The Lord has led these leaders to begin a new strategy using the radio. While few people out in the country have televisions or even running water, almost everyone has a radio. The leaders there have created a book called "Nueva Vida en Cristo," or "New Life in Christ." It is a 13-week Bible study workbook that deals with a different facet of the Christian life each week. They have also created a 13-week radio program that will air at the same time each weekday. The radio program features a panel of Christian teachers discussing the topics from the book for that week.

Our goal was to make sure every house in a given area had a free copy of the book and was given the information about the radio program. We were given instructions about how to approach a home. That's where "Buenas!" comes in.

In Nicaragua, they use the term "Adios" as a generic greeting when they pass someone on the street. The best I can tell, it means "hello" and "goodbye" all at once, sort of like "Aloha" in Hawaii. But when you say "Buenas," that signifies that you'd like to engage someone in conversation. It's totally different from saying "Adios." Saying "Buenas" is like saying, "Hi there, do you have minute?" So as we approached each home, we would shout "Buenas!" to let the homeowner know that someone was there and would like to talk with them.

Never have I seen a more hospitable and welcoming people. At each home we came to, we were greeted with a smile and offered a seat. Often, we were invited inside. Without fail, the book was received with gratitude. Several times, we were asked how much we were owed for the book and we had to convince the person that it was a gift. Free.

At each place, a Northamerican would say, "Buenas! Traigo un regalo," which means, "Hello! I have a gift" and then hand the person a book. Each team had at least one Nicaraguan who could then explain to the person, in their language, about the book and the radio program.

The work was hard. Each of us had a backpack loaded down with the books, and we were hiking on some pretty steep terrain up in the mountains. But it seemed that at each curve in the road, we were confronted with a breathtaking view. Lush valleys, exotic flowers, huge canopy-like trees.

The first day, my team hit every home on one mountainside. We had a large team of 12 that split up into four teams of three. We'd walk down a little trail and there'd be three or four homes. Then we'd hike another half a mile or so and see a few more. A little farther, and there would be a home all by itself down a cliff. All day we walked, stopping at every home we came upon.

A highlight of the trip happened that first morning when we arrived at the mountain. We stopped at a home owned by a friend of one of the Nicaraguans who was with us. The slope behind the home was full of coffee plants. The woman there served us fresh coffee from beans she'd grown herself. I think I saw Sam actually get a little misty.

Chad was on a different team in another spot that day. He and Lydia, the translator he was with, got to lead a woman to Christ that first day!

The local leaders knew exactly which neighborhoods had already been covered and which ones still needed books. So the next day, we spent the morning in one area and drove to another for the afternoon.

We never ceased to be amazed and encouraged by the receptiveness of the people. Over and over again, we would pass back by houses where we'd already been and we'd see the people there poring over the book they'd received. The back page of each book also contained contact information for local pastors, and by the end of the first day, we heard stories from some of them about how their phones were already ringing. People were getting excited about the upcoming radio program and the opportunity to learn about Jesus!

Wednesday was probably the hardest day physically. We were high in the mountains. Even getting to the spot via the van was treacherous. We often would hike quite a long way uphill just to reach one or two houses. But as always, each person we spoke with received the book happily and with gratitude.

When a person would discover that this book was a way for them to learn more about Jesus, they would light up. They are hungry for more of the gospel. What a privilege it was for us to be even a small part of sharing with them!

I've thought a lot about what our role was down there. I've come up with a few thoughts. First, we were a novelty. I don't want this to sound gimmicky, but many of the people we came across rarely see anyone with fair skin or light hair and eyes. So when a gringo stands at their front door and gives them a gift, they are intrigued. Second, we were an encouragement. Just as the Nicaraguans encouraged us with their boldness in sharing the gospel and their uninhibited worship, we encouraged them with our help. Last, and most important, we were simply boots on the ground. They just needed as many people as possible out in the field to get as many books passed out as possible.

The radio program in the region we worked began last Monday. It will continue each weekday for 12 more weeks. If you think of it in the afternoon, say a prayer for the Nicaraguans who are learning what it means to follow Jesus, many of them for the first time.

Tomorrow, I'll wrap up our story. Thanks for sharing it with me.

Love,
Laura

2010-07-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

Buenas!

Hola, everyone. I'm still using a little Spanish lingo since we got back from Nicaraua a few days ago. While we were there, I remembered approximately 2.5 percent of the Spanish I learned in high school and college, but believe me, I was thankful for even that. The title of this post -- "Buenas" -- is a word we used a lot while we were down there. We'll get to that in a moment.

I'd wanted to write about our trip before now, but I've been suffering a nasty upper respiratory infection. I'm pretty sure it started after we visited a volcano on our last day in Nicaragua. At least that is what I'm telling people, because that's a great story. And anyone who's as sick as I've been this week at least deserves to get a good story out of it.

Anyway, I thought I'd just tell you a little about what we did while we were down there. The No Other Name team met up with each other at the Houston airport. Let me just say a word about our team. Awesome. That is the word. We had by far the best mission trip team ever assembled, I am sure of it. I could not have hand-picked them any better. In fact, I'm glad I didn't pick them because I would have messed it up. God knew exactly who to pick.

We had about a four-hour layover in Houston before heading to Managua, so we all had a chance to get to know each other better. Then, we landed in Managua about 8 p.m. We had about a half-hour drive to a Christian school/campground facility where we stayed that night. We had Pizza Hut pizza (which, incidentally, tastes better in Nicaragua) and went to bed, exhausted.

The next morning, we were awakened by the call of a toucan in a cage in the courtyard. That's right, a real-life toucan. Alas, there were no Froot Loops. But we did have a wonderful breakfast of scrambled eggs and rice and beans before we headed out on our four-hour drive to the mountains. We would spend the next four nights in Ocotal, a medium-sized city in the mountains, very near the Honduran border. We would stay at a Baptist church that had several rooms full of bunk beds. Our group was joined there by others -- two college groups and one church group from Texas. The Texas group would be our kitchen staff for the week.

I use the term "kitchen" rather loosely. Our conditions at the Ocotal camp were rather primitive. There was running water, but only for a few hours in the morning. There was electricity, but pretty much for lights only. There was no air conditioning. There were two toilets, but only one of them flushed (and even then, only if the water was on). The rest of the time, you'd have to pour water quickly from a 5-gallon bucket in order to flush. Each morning, during the time we had water, the kitchen staff would fill three huge barrels full of water and add a little bleach. That is the water we used to wash our hands, shower, clean our clothes, etc. We also had a cooler full of purified water for drinking.

There were three actual indoor showers, but they were poorly lit, and could only be used in the mornings when there was running water. Most people opted to use the outdoor "showers," which were small "rooms" in the courtyard made out of blue tarp suspended on metal pipe. Each of them had a five-gallon bucket of water with a small container for dipping it out. Let me tell you -- after a long day of hiking in the equatorial heat, a cold bucket shower in the afternoon was quite beautiful.

About the kitchen. it was actually a cinder-block room built in the back of the courtyard, separate from the rest of the structure. There were none of the usual appliances you'd need to feed 50 people every day. But they made it work. We ate mostly American-style food, which was always good.

We arrived in Ocotal on Sunday afternoon. We had a little while to settle in before attending the church service that night. What a service! I wish people in American churches would sing with half their volume and passion. We heard a message from the book of James -- "Faith without works is dead." Then the pastor asked for volunteers from the church who would be willing to go out into the countryside with the "Norteamericanos" the next day. (Incidentally, I learned that they call us "Northamericans" because Nicaraguans consider themselves "Americans," since they are in Central America.) Hands went up all over.

After the service, we had a brief team meeting to talk about what we'd be doing the next few days. I can't wait to tell you all about it, but I've gone on long enough with this post. Stay tuned tomorrow to hear the great strategy we got to be a part of. And I'll also tell you what "Buenas" means.

Love,
Laura

2010-06-08T08:56:00.001-07:00

MY VERY OWN PEOPLE GROUP

Hey Everybody!

I used to sing a song in Sunday School as a kid that went like this:

Be a missionary every day.
Tell the world that Jesus is the way.
Be it in the town or country, or a busy avenue,
Africa or Asia -- the task is up to you.
So -- be a missionary!
God's own emissary!
Be a missionary today!

On the last syllable of the song, there was a big slide down and then back up -- "To-Day-ay-ay!" You can sort of picture the trombones sliding out and back in if you did this song in a parade.
Anyway, I've sung this song for a very long time. It's such a catchy little tune. I sometimes find myself humming it out of the blue. But after all these years, I'm still learning its lesson.
As a kid, I thought missionaries were exotic and adventurous. Super heroes, maybe. I loved when they would come to our church on a Sunday night and show their slides. I loved hearing them sing songs in another language. I loved their stories. They were sort of mysterious, different from everyone else I knew. Surely they had something the rest of us didn't have. Some sort of special powers.
But in the last few months, I have met a lot of missionaries, and you know what? None of them have special powers. None of them are especially exotic or adventurous. They're just following the lesson of the little song. Being a missionary every day.
John and Kay live in East Tennessee. John's retired. Kay has a few more years to work as a school principal. They have a fifth-wheel camper they pull behind a pick-up truck. Pretty typical East Tennessee couple. Except they don't park their camper at state parks and Yogi Bear campgrounds. They park it in church parking lots and Red Cross shelters in disaster areas.
They came to Nashville within a few days of the flooding last month and parked the camper in my church's parking lot. They slept on it at night, and during the day, they drove the truck all around Nashville doing damage assessment. By the end of their time here, they'd collected a large stack of papers reflecting folks who needed help. Then over the weekend, they were two of dozens of people who went out and tackled some of those jobs.
They did the same thing in New Orleans after Katrina and in Manhattan after 9-11. Along the way, they prayed with people, shared Jesus with people and gave them some hope. In other words, they are missionaries.
George and Donna live on the other side of the country near San Francisco. George plays a lot of golf. Donna hangs out with their grandchildren. Again, pretty normal. The specific area where they live is called "Diablo Valley." If you know a little Spanish, you know why they may feel a little resistance to the gospel there. But they pray every day for revival in that area. And they've begun a ministry that brings Christian events to that community so their neighbors can hear the gospel. Missionaries.
George and Donna have a friend named Don. Don works for an organization that helps kids who were raised in foster care enter adulthood. He teaches them how to balance a checkbook, how to write a resume and do an interview, how to pay their bills -- things their parents would have taught them if they'd had parents. Don gives them hope by giving them skills. But he also gives them hope by telling them about Jesus. He wears a suit and works in a cubicle, but he's a missionary.
Scott and Kathleen live in Iowa. They really live pretty much in the middle of nowhere, where you can drive for hours and your cell phone will say "no signal" the entire time. By weekday, Scott is a rancher and Kathleen teaches third grade. They're up before the sun. But on weekends, you will find them at a cowboy church. Scott plays in a cowboy band and brings sermons to real cowboys every weekend. Once a week, he holds a Bible study in a barn. People drive for miles to get there. He provides a church family for people who live far away from the nearest church building. He and Kathleen provide a message of hope and belonging for people who lead hard and often isolated lives. He wears a white cowboy hat, boots and a bolo tie, but yep, they're missionaries.
Robin lives in Florida. She runs a radio station called Hope FM. Their mission statement says they seek to impact and influence individuals, families and their community for Jesus Christ through Christian music and programming. I'm sure most Christian radio stations have similar mission statements. But I like Hope FM's motto. It's "Got Hope?" The staff wear T-shirts with that motto. It looks like the "Got Milk?" ad campaign. Through music, lyrics and encouraging words, they want to make sure everyone in the town's "got hope." Missionaries.
Brian lives in Bangalore, India. I met him in Mumbai when I was there in January. Of all the people mentioned here, he's the closest to what I thought of when I heard the word "missionary" as a kid. He left his home and moved far away. He wears sandals. He speaks another language. He tells people about Jesus every day. But you know what else? He loves music. He's on Facebook a lot. He's really funny. In other words, he's just a normal guy. A normal guy who will be bringing a lot of people to heaven with him.
What about you? Are you a missionary? Who will you be bringing to heaven with you? What's God doing around you that you could get involved with? What's going on in your town? Where might He want you to go?
Every Christian is a missionary. It's a cliché for sure, but I feel like I'm still learning it. No one else has the sphere of influence that I have. Or that you have. God has us where he wants us. My circle of friends and acquaintances is my own special "people group." That's where I have been called. You too?

Love,
Laura

2010-05-06T07:56:00.001-07:00

THE RAINS CAME DOWN AND THE FLOODS CAME UP

This past Saturday morning was a little unusual in that we were supposed to meet at our RV at 7 a.m. to head to North Carolina. Usually, we don't have quite so far to drive, so we leave in the afternoon or evening. Occasionally, we have even farther to drive, so we leave Friday night. But early Saturday morning is rare. Getting up at 6 for me is bad on any day, but especially on Saturday. And to top it off, it was pouring rain.
We keep our RV parked at a KOA campground in the Opryland area of Nashville. (The actual Opryland theme park has been gone for more than a decade. The land is now occupied by a giant outlet mall. But everyone still calls that side of town "Opryland.") When Chris and I arrive at the KOA, the rain is coming down hard, and the ground is soft and muddy. We pull the car up in the grass right beside the RV to unload our stuff. I'd thought to bring ponchos to wear while we unloaded, so we didn't get completely soaked.
After we get our stuff loaded, we settle in to wait for the others. I tell Chris, "This rain is crazy. This is flood-like rain. I don't think I've ever seen rain like this." Turns out I hadn't. Turns out no one ever had except maybe Noah.
Within a few minutes, Sam and Kim arrive and get their stuff loaded in and we all are waiting on Chad. We get a text message from him saying he's had to change a flat tire in his driveway in the pouring rain and will be a little bit late. The good news is he was still at home when he found the tire, so he was able to change out of his wet clothes after changing the tire.
Chad arrives about 7:30, and off we go. The water is already rushing on the edges of the streets in the campground.
We drive in rain all the way to the other side of Knoxville. I can't remember how we first find out what is going on back in Nashville. It might have been Chad getting a call from his wife Tara or my and Sam's mom calling from Florida to say she'd seen something on the news.
In any case, by the afternoon, we are getting minute-by-minute updates. Using his cell phone as a wireless router, Sam is able to have Internet access on the road. He also has the ability to watch our parents' TV on his laptop using software called Slingbox. This way, we are able to see footage of what is going on back home.
One of the first things we see is an aerial shot of Interstate 24 and Bell Road in Antioch, Tennessee. This is very near Sam and Kim's house. In fact, Bell Road is the exit you take to go to their house -- their new house that Sam has spent the last several months remodeling.
We cannot believe what we are seeing. Dozens of cars just sitting on the interstate at that exit, up to their roofs in rushing water. We find out later, that there was a traffic jam there (perhaps due to weather), and the cars sitting there were literally overtaken by water in a matter of minutes. Most people climbed out and were rescued. At least one man drowned.
A little later, we see a building -- an actual building -- floating down this same stretch of interstate. It is being carried along by the current at quite a clip. You might also have seen this on the news. It seems to be the most popular footage. When the building reaches the stranded cars, it breaks apart, and the pieces of it continue to float downstream. We find out later that it is a portable building from a nearby Christian school. It had been used as office space.
Meanwhile, Chad is getting constant updates from his wife back home. The creek bed in their backyard is now a rushing stream. Their house is on quite a bit higher ground, so Chad is not too concerned about flooding. He is concerned about continuing alerts for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.
Also during this time, I am using my iPhone as a command center. I am refreshing Facebook every minute or so and texting and calling friends back home for information. Like Chad, I have little concern about flooding at our house. We live very near the Cumberland River, but are on much higher ground.
Sam and Kim call their next-door neighbor -- an elderly woman who lives alone. She tells them she is fine and from what she can tell, their house is fine too. All the news reports are saying Antioch and Bellevue are the hardest hit areas, but so far, they're OK.
As of Saturday evening, all interstates in and out of Nashville are shut down. We discuss contingency plans for getting home. Our plan is to drive overnight Sunday night to be home Monday morning. We don't know now if that will be possible.
When we get to our hotel Saturday night, we turn immediately to the Weather Channel. We see even more footage we haven't seen. We cannot believe some of it.
SUNDAY
Sunday morning, we're up bright and early for sound check at Wrightsboro Baptist Church in Wilmington. We have a wonderful time there. The folks are so sweet and express genuine concern for what's going on back home.
In the afternoon, there is more information gathering. Again, I am fixated on Facebook, seeing photos and videos posted by my friends, communicating with several of them. We study various routes to get home and try to come up with one that will not involve any washed-out roads.
Sam and Kim talk again to their neighbor and hear that their house is still OK. Chad's house is OK too. Chris and I learn that the city park right beside our house is full of water, but our house is OK.
Around 3 p.m., we arrive at Centerville Baptist Church in Kelly, N.C., for our Sunday night concert, which is part of their associational meeting. The good news is we're early. The bad news is the church is pretty far out in the country, and we have no cell signals. We go for several hours with little communication with home.
The service is great. Again, such a sweet spirit. At the end of the night, all 200 people in attendance stand to signify they will be praying for us and our families for the next 24 hours. We are humbled and comforted by their gesture.
Within a little while of driving away, we again have good cell service and are able to get the latest information on closed roads, flooded neighborhoods, etc. The rain has finally stopped in Nashville, which is a relief. But it has brought 28 percent of the city's annual rainfall in two days. Most experts agree it's the type of event that happens once in 500 or even 1,000 years.
We learn that Briley Parkway -- one of only two roads that provide access to the Opryland area -- is flooded. We begin to wonder if we'll be able to get to our cars that are parked at the KOA and if so, what we will find.
We are on the road all night. I am in and out of sleep, checking Facebook each time I wake up.
MONDAY MORNING
When I wake up for good, it's light out. It's about 6:30 a.m. Chris is driving. Chad is in the passenger seat. They are fiddling with two different GPS units trying to determine our best route. We are about 30 minutes out of Nashville. We are listening to news reports that say Briley Parkway is closed and the Cumberland River is rising. The Opryland area where we're heading backs up to the river.
We pass by the Percy Priest dam east of the city. None of us has ever seen the water so high. Almost up to the interstate.
Since the main road to the KOA (Briley Parkway) is shut down, we take the only other route to the KOA. It's bumper-to-bumper traffic, but we finally get there. On the way, we see water in places where there should not be water. When we arrive at the campground, the entrance is four-feet deep in water. (You can see photos on our Facebook page.) There is no way we can drive the RV in, so we park it in a parking lot next door.
We cannot see our cars from the entrance, but there is water in every direction. We can only assume that our cars are flooded.
Chad decides to wade back to where they are to check it out. We watch him until he's out of sight in waist-deep water. He wades back in about 15 minutes. We cannot believe it when he tells us our cars are fine.
"The water is at the back tire of Sam and Kim's car," he says. We realize we have maybe an hour to get them out before the river takes them.
We know there's no way to bring them out the entrance, but Chad thinks there may be a way to get them out the back side of the park and through the parking lots of other businesses. But it will involve cutting through a padlock and some fencing. They get permission from the KOA management to do it, and off they go into the water again, in the direction of the rising river. Kim and I sit in lawn chairs next to the RV and wait.
In about 30 minutes, here they come. All three cars are out. Chad says when they got back to the cars again, Sam and Kim's front tire was under water. The water had traveled the length of the car and then some in just a few minutes. Truly there wasn't a moment to spare.
The guys tell us about all the flooded RVs and cars back in the area where our cars were. In fact, from what they can tell, our three vehicles are the only three in the park that have no damage.
We all three drive to our homes right away, taking unusual routes to avoid flooded roads. We get back in touch an hour or so later and not one of us has any damage. Again, prayers have been answered.
Chris says later, "That's what 200 people praying for you will do."
I know a lot of good praying folks who were not so fortunate. I am not at all saying that their prayers were not good enough or went unanswered. I am just saying that God showed up for us in a big way and we are grateful. And now it's our job to help.
MONDAY EVENING
Later that day, Chris and I decide to go flying. I think I mentioned here a while back that Chris got his pilot's license. He flies in and out of a small private airport near our house. I really want to see the devastation from the air and maybe take some pictures. The river has not yet even crested, so there are no relief operations to help with at the moment.
On the way to the airport, each time we look toward the river, we see flooding. Streets, cars, homes, backyards. I take pictures of many of them. It starts to hit me how close this is to our house and how fortunate we are.
We turn down the street toward the little airport, and Chris stops, stunned. At the end of the street, where the airfield used to be, is a lake.
We get out of the car and walk around the bend at the end of the street. We see the airport's small terminal under water. Hangars storing airplanes are under water. Out toward what used to be the runway, the very tops of the wings of small Cessnas are visible. Chris recognizes each one by its wings. That's all we can see of them. These are the only planes he's ever flown. I think this is where it gets personal for us. That sounds selfish, but it's true. Even though we don't own anything there, it's the first part of "our" lives that has been affected.
We drive home a different route, passing even more flooded homes and streets. We wonder aloud as we see house after house where their owners are living now and what they may need. We want to help them but don't know how.
TUESDAY
The river has finally crested. But before it is finished, it has flooded at least half a dozen Nashville landmarks. The football stadium. The gorgeous Opryland Hotel. Opry Mills Mall (where I do most of my shopping). The Schermerhorn Symphony building and its world-renowned pipe organ. The famous "Batman" building. The hockey and concert arena. The Grand Ole Opry. That last one was the photo that made me cry.
All these are tragic images and will not soon be forgotten. But they pale in comparison to the homes and the lives the waters have claimed.
We grieve with our neighbors. And we know that now's the time to get to work helping them salvage what's left of their lives and maybe introduce them to the One who can give them true life -- and the only eternal thing they'll ever have. The temporariness of everything else is obvious today.
You country music buffs will know that at the front of the Grand Ole Opry stage, where every performer stands to sing, is a circle of wood that was taken out of the stage of the Ryman Auditorium. The Ryman was built as a revival hall and became the Opry's original home. It is often called the Mother Church of country music and in many ways, it is the cradle of Gospel music as well.
That circle of wood from the Ryman is a little darker than the rest of the Opry stage and serves as a constant reminder of the past and the solid foundation it provides.
Today, that circle is under water, but the foundation it represents is as sure as ever.
The waters may be swirling around us right now, literally and figuratively, but the Rock on which we stand is eternal and unmoving.
Please to pray for our neighbors and for us, as we try to help them.
Love,
Laura

2010-03-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

THE MIND-BLOWING AND THE MUNDANE

So, here's what's been going on in the exciting world of No Other Name and its various members these last few weeks. These items appear in the order in which I think of them and their degree of importance will vary dramatically.

Sam's wife Kim is expecting their first baby! He or she is due on 10/10/10, which is not only cool, but also sounds rather lucky. In fact, I think "Lucky" would be a great name. Boy or girl.

Chad's girls Kinley and Addie (6 and 4, respectively) are both now playing softball. Is there anything cuter than little girls playing softball? ... Well? I didn't think so.

Sam and Kim also just moved into a house that Sam is totally remodeling. If you follow our Tweets (twitter.com/noothername), you know all about Sam's love/hate relationship with this house. As of yesterday, they have a functional toilet. There was much rejoicing.

Last month, we got to perform for our friends at Focus on the Family during the National Religious Broadcasters meeting in Nashville. What fun that was! We told them that we were Tim Tebow fans before it was cool.

There was a point earlier this month when I endured 11 takeoffs and landings in about a 14-day period. Maybe not a big deal for someone who flies all the time. But wow, I was sick of airplanes.

My husband, Chris, and I went to Niagara Falls for our seventh anniversary a couple weeks ago. They look really cool when they're still partially frozen! (The Falls, that is. Not the Canadians.) And like I said to several friends -- seven years and no itching! Hold the Benadryl cream!

Last weekend, we watched a lot of Tim Hawkins videos on the RV. Do you know Tim Hawkins? A great comedian. Check him out if you don't know about him. The words to his "Thank God for the Dollar Store" are inspired.

Speaking of our RV, she's had her troubles lately. But she's holding up well. We ride her hard and put her up wet most weeks, so we can't complain.

In the last few weeks we've been in so many different types of churches -- huge, tiny, Baptist, Nazarene, Church of God, medium-sized, young, old, you name it. But in each one, we've found sweet people. It's been a good year so far.

I know three people who had a baby on March 27, which is also my mom's birthday. Weird, right?

We went to Florida for gigs a few weeks ago, and while we were there, we went to the world-famous Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City. I went to it every year as a kid, and I was just giddy about going back. It'd been too long. The strawberry shortcake was as good as I remembered. The rides were more nausea-inducing than I remembered. Yikes. That night, we saw Michael W. Smith in concert there. It was sooo cold! In Florida! In March! But we endured. And we had a great time.

My husband recently earned his pilot's license. I'm very proud of him and happy about it. But there were moments during his training that he didn't tell me about until WAY later. For instance, once in a while, his instructor would simply reach over and shut off the engine, and then say "OK. Now land the plane." I guess it's good practice, but sort of nerve-wracking for a wife. Anyway, the adage drilled into Chris' head during his training is "Fly the plane." It simply means that no matter what happens, don't panic. Just "fly the plane" and you'll be more likely to figure something out.

I thought of this advice last Sunday night when our track for "The Love of God" messed up during a really poignant time in the service. Sam was trying to sing his solo, but the track was just not right. None of us could figure out what was wrong or where to come in. Eventually, we just had to stop the track, and we spontaneously went into "Christ Arose" a cappella instead. It worked out OK. Of course, we sure wish it hadn't happened like that. But sometimes you just gotta fly the plane.

I can't believe March is almost over. This year just started, right? And this Sunday is Easter? What? And I'm going to be an aunt again before the year's out? Holy cow!

Well, I guess if time flies when you're having fun, then we must be having a blast. We've got lots of exciting things coming up soon, so stay tuned. And come and see us on the road! Until then, fly the plane.

Love,
Laura

2010-02-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

JUST FINISH

I've been watching a lot of sports lately. I guess I could pretty much say that sentence at any point in time and it would be true. But anyway, I got to thinking about something the other night as I was watching Olympic figure skating. (And before I get emails from those who say that anything that requires music and is subject to the whim of judges is not a sport, I'll just say that anything that requires a man to sling a 100-pound woman five feet in the air and 10 feet away from himself and requires her to spin several times before landing on a single blade -- on slippery ICE!! -- is at the very least an athletic endeavor.)

Anyway, it got me thinking about pressure. About how for most of these athletes, their entire lives thus far have led to this moment, and the rest of their lives after this will be affected by how well they do right now. In these next three minutes. I don't think I could take that sort of pressure.

One by one, they would take the ice and perform amazing maneuvers that would be impossible for nearly everyone in the whole world. And yet that isn't what is remembered. What is remembered is that one time when their angle in the air was a little off, and they landed on two feet instead of one. Or worse, maybe their blade came down strange or maybe they over-rotated just a touch, and this one little mishap sent them down to the ice in an embarrassing tumble that will haunt them forever.

I thought of the same thing over the last two weeks of the NFL playoffs. Do you realize that BOTH the great Brett Favre and the great Peyton Manning ruined their team's title chances by throwing interceptions late in the game? That may have been Favre's last pass ever in uniform. These guys are arguably the two best ever to be called quarterback. And yet even they can cave under the pressure. No one is infallible.

I find myself overwhelmingly grateful that my life as a Christian is not that way. God is not sitting rink-side with a pencil and calculator, ready to dock my score in case I turn that triple-axle into a double or perform that spin too loosely. He is not standing at the water cooler on Monday morning talking about what a stupid call that last passing decision I made was.

Of course, Scripture does say that He is watching, and that we all must give account for our deeds. But nowhere does He say that our past mistakes are still held against us once we've owned up to them and asked for His grace. We can start the routine again, over and over on fresh ice as many times at it takes.

The New Testament compares our Christian life to a sport several times, mostly to a race. And yet, at no time, are we commanded to win. Paul simply tells Timothy he has "finished" the race (2 Tim. 4:7). He does say in Corinthians that we should "run in such a way" as to win the prize (1 Cor. 9:24). But nowhere does he say we are required to win. We are simply to run with endurance and discipline. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to "run the race with patience" (Heb. 12:1).

Perhaps Paul said it best in Acts 20:24: "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me -- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

Indeed.

Love,
Laura

2010-01-19T09:30:00.001-08:00

GOSPEL GREEN LIGHT IN THE RED-LIGHT DISTRICT

A week ago today, I was wrapping up an adventure unlike any other I've had. My husband and I were invited to join a group of believers on a trip to Mumbai, India. There are so many little encounters and stories I'm still trying to process, but today I'll just give you a little taste.

Initially, when I think of going to an impoverished area like the slums of Mumbai, the first thought is "What physical need will I attempt to meet there?" Will I feed hungry people? Will I give school books to children? Will I bring clean water? All of these efforts are worthy, and among Mumbai's 20 million people, they are welcome. But this was not our mission.

Our mission was simple and can be found in one chapter of scripture -- Luke 10. That's it. That was our strategy. There was nothing to memorize. There were no bullet points. There was just the simple plan outlined by Jesus Himself. In a nutshell, just go out and meet people. Don't weigh yourself down with extra baggage. And when you find someone who is interested in what you have to say (i.e. a "person of peace"), talk with them. If they invite you into their home, go inside. If they offer you food, eat it. If there is no person of peace in an area, simply move on to the next place.

Using this method, I was personally able to share (through a translator) the story of the gospel with dozens of people. There is a Most High God, who made everything you see, including people. He loves people and wants to have a relationship with them. But people did wrong, and they were separated from God, because He is holy. But because He loved them, He provided the only sacrifice that would pay for the sins of the people -- His perfect son Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect human life, was crucified, dead and buried. But He rose again after three days! And now, because of Jesus' sacrifice, we can be right with God. All we must do is believe that Jesus is Lord and confess that God raised Him from the dead.

Of course, each situation was unique. Sometimes the story was longer and more detailed. Other times, it was just the basics. Often, it included personal testimonies from me or one of the other team members. Almost always, it was listened to intently. One woman named Mila still stands out in my mind.

We met Mila in the red-light district. Our translator had known her from his time as a social worker in the area. He led us to her home, where she sat outside on a sort-of homemade hammock. She invited us all to sit with her. While we sat, we chatted. We learned about her family. She was raised a Muslim but had been married to a Hindu man for 15 years. Their marriage had been arranged, and they had two children who were now in school. She fed us lunch -- a delicious dish of rice, greens, peas and tomatoes with mango juice to drink. All around, young women stood in doorways, in their cotton nightgowns and heavy makeup -- a constant reminder that we were, indeed, in the red-light district.

Eventually, we asked Mila what she knew about Jesus, and what she said has not left my mind since. Here is a woman raised in a religion whose adherents never know where they stand with their god. All the rituals, all the cleansing, all the prayers -- everything can be perfect. And yet there is no assurance of anything better. And now she is married to a man in a religion with so many gods that no one knows for sure which one to call on today. We asked her, "What do you know about Jesus?"

"I think Jesus is the best God," she said. We sat there stunned while she continued, "Because when you have other gods, you must do all the rituals, and have all the charms and jewelry. But when Jesus is your God, He is all you need."

God used a Muslim/Hindu woman from the wrong side of an impoverished city on the other side of the world to reiterate such a simple truth to me. We could use such a simple, accurate view of our own story here in America. We try to make it about so much more -- our buildings, our music, our budgets, our strategies, our books. But when Jesus is your God, He is all you need. It's true!

Mila was not ready to accept Jesus that day, but I told her that it was obvious He was chasing her. She smiled and seemed to agree. He is chasing her and millions like her all over the world. Pray for them all, that they would slow down and follow the God who is all they need.

Love,
Laura

2010-01-06T16:08:00.001-08:00

ETERNAL GIVING

I can be a bit of a cheapskate. I usually buy the store brand in any product. My car is 15 years old. Some of the clothes in my closet have been through three presidential administrations. And I refuse to open a new bar of soap until the old one is down to a one-inch square.

But there are some times when I tend to be extravagant, and usually it's when I'm buying something for someone else. Whether it's that gadget my husband's had his eye on or that cute hat I know my sister would just love, I don't mind spending a lot on the perfect gift. Even better if it's on sale! (Hey, I didn't say I was Mama Warbucks.)

This time of year, the challenge is prioritizing my generosity. Of course, the perfect gift for my friend or my dad is wonderful. But what else am I spending my money on? Whose birthday am I celebrating anyway?

I want to be as wise as the ones who brought Him gold, frankincense and myrrh when He was a child. After all, even the newest gadget will be out-of-date and the cutest hat out-of-fashion by next Christmas. Only certain investments are eternal. The wisemen's gifts foretold His kingship and His future sacrifice all at once. (And likely provided the financial means necessary for His family to escape to Egypt before Herod's genocide.)

The day before Jesus entered Jerusalem for the final time, Mary poured a bottle of perfume on His feet and then wiped them with her hair. We are told that the perfume was worth a year's wages. So, by our standards, let's say it was worth at least $20,000 or so. Where do you think Mary had gotten such an expensive item? How long do you suppose she had been saving it? We don't know the answers, but we can assume that it was probably her most prized possession. And yet she joyfully lavished it on her Savior. And now her wild abandon is chronicled as an example for all of us. Her eternal example.

What is your most prized possession? What is mine? Would I willingly give it to the Lord? Certainly He knows my heart. Does He receive my gifts to Him as the sweet aroma of Mary's gift? Or does He know that I've withheld something? That some things are just "too precious" or "too expensive" to give up?

Resolve to invest in something eternal this Christmas. There are plenty of worthy causes to choose from, but none more worthy than the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, which No Other Name has been honored to represent these past few months. Last year's offering goal was unmet. As a result, people who would have heard the real story of Christmas this year did not hear it because the ones who are ready to tell them could not get to them.

Don't let such a tragedy happen again this year. Why not resolve to spend at least as much on Kingdom activities as you do on your closest family member? You can give here: http://imbresources.org/index.cfm/fa/store.prod/ProdID/256.cfm. Perhaps one day far from now, you will meet someone who heard the story because you gave. You can make this Christmas last forever.

Love,
Laura

2009-12-22T15:13:00.000-08:00

ETERNAL GIVING

I can be a bit of a cheapskate. I usually buy the store brand in any product. My car is 15 years old. Some of the clothes in my closet have been through three presidential administrations. And I refuse to open a new bar of soap until the old one is down to a one-inch square.

But there are some times when I tend to be extravagant, and usually it's when I'm buying something for someone else. Whether it's that gadget my husband's had his eye on or that cute hat I know my sister would just love, I don't mind spending a lot on the perfect gift. Even better if it's on sale! (Hey, I didn't say I was Mama Warbucks.)

This time of year, the challenge is prioritizing my generosity. Of course, the perfect gift for my friend or my dad is wonderful. But what else am I spending my money on? Whose birthday am I celebrating anyway?

I want to be as wise as the ones who brought Him gold, frankincense and myrrh when He was a child. After all, even the newest gadget will be out-of-date and the cutest hat out-of-fashion by next Christmas. Only certain investments are eternal. The wisemen's gifts foretold His kingship and His future sacrifice all at once. (And likely provided the financial means necessary for His family to escape to Egypt before Herod's genocide.)

The day before Jesus entered Jerusalem for the final time, Mary poured a bottle of perfume on His feet and then wiped them with her hair. We are told that the perfume was worth a year's wages. So, by our standards, let's say it was worth at least $20,000 or so. Where do you think Mary had gotten such an expensive item? How long do you suppose she had been saving it? We don't know the answers, but we can assume that it was probably her most prized possession. And yet she joyfully lavished it on her Savior. And now her wild abandon is chronicled as an example for all of us. Her eternal example.

What is your most prized possession? What is mine? Would I willingly give it to the Lord? Certainly He knows my heart. Does He receive my gifts to Him as the sweet aroma of Mary's gift? Or does He know that I've withheld something? That some things are just "too precious" or "too expensive" to give up?

Resolve to invest in something eternal this Christmas. There are plenty of worthy causes to choose from, but none more worthy than the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, which No Other Name has been honored to represent these past few months. Last year's offering goal was unmet. As a result, people who would have heard the real story of Christmas this year did not hear it because the ones who are ready to tell them could not get to them.

Don't let such a tragedy happen again this year. Why not resolve to spend at least as much on Kingdom activities as you do on your closest family member? You can give here: http://imbresources.org/index.cfm/fa/store.prod/ProdID/256.cfm . Perhaps one day far from now, you will meet someone who heard the story because you gave. You can make this Christmas last forever.

Love,
Laura

2009-12-11T15:25:00.001-08:00

Note From Chad
I want to thank all of you for your calls and messages of support over the loss of my Grandmother. I am so thankful to have such good and caring friends. While I have known for a while that her time was short, there was still no way to be ready for her passing. She was like a second mother to me when I was growing up and played a much bigger part in my upbringing than is the usual role of a grandmother. Even though I am very sad to see her go, I am so happy for her because she is experiencing things more amazing than we can imagine and I know I will see her again.

Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for your support. I love you all and look forward to seeing you on the road.

Chad

2009-12-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

IT'S PERSONAL

I don't think I ever really believed in Santa Claus. It's not that my parents didn't try. They did all the usual things -- helping me write letters to the North Pole, taking me to the mall to have my picture made with the big guy, putting out cookies (and carrots) on Christmas Eve. And I loved it. But I don't think I really bought it. I just sort of played along.

It always bothered me that we'd go to two or three different malls in one day, and there would be a Santa at ALL of them. And then the logistics of getting to EVERY house in the world in one night seemed impossible to me. It was all just a little much.

So when I was about 4, I said to my Mom, "There's really no Santa Claus is there?" I think she had sensed my skepticism all along. "No," she answered.

"And the Easter Bunny?"

"No."

"Tooth Fairy?"

"No."

"I didn't think so," I said.

But I really wasn't sad. I still got lots of presents. And somehow, knowing that Mom and Dad picked them out just for me made them more special to me. Plus, by that time, Sam had been born, and now I got to help my parents and my sister perpetuate the Santa myth for him, which was great fun. I would help mom eat the cookies on Christmas Eve, making sure to leave a few crumbs on the plate. One time, I even helped my dad track his big work boots in some flour to make "snowy" footprints on the carpet.

The Christmas story is different. To be sure, it has its fantastic elements too. A virgin birth. A star no one had ever seen. Angels appearing out of thin air. And yet, this story I never doubted. Because it was personal. I knew that I had met that little baby in the manger. And I knew the fact that He had been born had changed the world forever. And I knew it made me want to sing "Glory to God in the highest!" How could this story not be true?

And if telling my little brother about Santa Claus was even more fun than believing myself, how much more should telling someone else about the TRUE story be my joy this time of year. Just like the feeling I got knowing that a gift was picked out just for me by someone who loved me, not some fictional man who lives far away, the joy of Christmas is knowing that this little gift in the manger was wrapped just for me. Just for you.

Love,
Laura

2009-12-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

NO YOU CAN'T! YES I CAN!

I really don't want to sound like everyone else you talk to this time of year. You know, the folks who say they're thankful for their family and their friends. Or their church. Or the freedom to worship. Of course, I'm thankful for all of those things too. But I want to be different. I'll bet you've never heard anyone say they are thankful for what I'm about to say I'm thankful for ... sibling rivalry.

Yep, that's right. Sibling rivalry. That little something in us that makes us want to outdo our brothers and sisters.

Looking up to my sister Paula is the reason I got involved in music to begin with. I'd hear her play the piano and sing in church and think, "I can do that." Most of it was simply little-sister admiration. But there was probably a small element of "anything you can do I can do better" too. And I can't speak for her, but I know seeing her excel made it more possible for me to.

And now when Sam and I write songs together, the fact that we can be so open with each other makes the work better. We have no qualms about saying "I don't like that" or "that line is dumb." And we might fight like crazy, but then it's over. And there are no hurt feelings.

And last week I was especially thankful for the magic created when my mom and her sister (Aunt Janice) get busy in the same kitchen. They are both tremendous cooks in their own right, but get them together -- Wow. Truly there is no greater example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. So on Thanksgiving Day, among the piles of dressing and sweet potato casserole and greens and peas and pies, I was thankful for siblings who sharpen each other "as iron sharpens iron."

****

In other news, No Other Name had a GREAT radio trip to the Midwest a couple weeks ago. We saw some beautiful country, ate some amazing food and met some wonderful folks at radio stations in Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Yah, sure; you betcha.

Also, we're getting very excited about our upcoming Christmas tour. And we've got some exciting things coming up in 2010! Stay tuned!

Love,
Laura

2009-10-26T07:42:00.000-07:00

THE WORK WE DONE WAS HARD. AT NIGHT WE'D SLEEP 'CAUSE WE WERE TIRED.*

Have you ever seen the movie "Coal Miner's Daughter"? You know the part where Loretta Lynn (played brilliantly by Sissy Spacek) and her husband "Doo" (Tommy Lee Jones) go all over the place looking for radio towers? I kind of felt like that last week.

Sam, Chad and I traveled 1300 miles and visited eight radio stations in three days. And we made lots of new friends.

To give you a little taste of the fun we had, I decided to bestow "awards" on all the stations for the things that made them special. So here goes.

The award for MOST OUT-OF-THE-WAY location goes to New Life 91.9 in Charlotte, N.C. Directions to their station literally include "turn right when you see the horses." That does not mean they are in the middle of nowhere. They're not. It's just that once you make a couple turns off the main road, and then you turn onto their drive, you feel like you're in the woods. And then, smack in the middle of the woods, there's a giant radio tower next to a building. They totally could've killed us and hid our bodies back there. No one would ever know. We know Dwayne would never do a thing that like that, though. He was nice.

The award for SUNNIEST OFFICE goes to WAFJ in North Augusta, S.C. Their offices are painted the brightest shade of yellow you have ever seen. Steve there says they have no need of a coffee pot. (He really didn't say that, but it would make sense.) Thanks, guys!

The award for BEST CONFERENCE ROOM ACOUSTICS goes to HisRadio in Greenville, S.C. We got to sing a few songs for them, and let me tell you, I'd like to record an album in that conference room. It made us sound good! And we loved meeting Rob and all the great folks there.

The award for CHEERIEST MONDAY MORNING goes to J103 in Chattanooga. When we arrived at their station at 8 a.m., we were going on two hours of sleep. Literally. They let us sing for them in their Monday morning staff meeting, and they were so bright-eyed and nice to us! Thanks, Justin and the rest of the gang!

The award for WORK ENVIRONMENT MOST LIKE A VACATION SPOT goes to WMIT 106.9 in Asheville, N.C. WMIT is the radio station of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and is located at the BGEA facilities near Asheville called The Cove. The building that houses the station is in a log cabin among the trees, complete with stone fireplace and huge windows looking out on the forest. Plus there are inspiring photos of Billy Graham crusades and events all over the walls. Thanks for showing us around, Tom and Matt. Now we know why you love coming to work every day.

The award for COOLEST CAMPUS VIBE goes to WMHK in Columbia, S.C. The station is tucked in a back corner of the beautiful Columbia International University campus. Steve and the rest of the staff there seem to have a laid-back campus vibe that we loved. Plus, Steve's real, actual name is Steve Sunshine. A radio career was pretty much his destiny.

The award for BEST COFFEE goes to WBFJ in Winston-Salem, N.C. When Wally at the station asked me if I wanted some coffee, I said sure (of course). Then he walked down the hall and into the kitchen. A few seconds later, I heard a grinding noise, and then he came back. I said, "Were you grinding coffee beans in there?" He said he was. I said, "So I'm about to have an actual cup of coffee?" He said yes. A few minutes later, I did. A coffee grinder at the office. That is commitment.

(WBFJ also had the distinct honor of being the first station to have No Other Name live on the air. We had so much fun cutting up with their morning crew!)

The award for MOST AMAZING CINNAMON ROLLS goes to WCQR in Gray, Tenn. We had a great time getting to know the folks there and singing for them. Then Brian took us to a little coffee shop nearby, where they served us the most mouth-watering, warm, chewy, gooey cinnamon rolls I've ever tasted. Wow.

As you can see, we had quite an adventure. And we really enjoyed getting to know all these folks and see where they work. They are doing the Lord's work for sure. Plus, it's always nice to be able to picture a place in your mind when you're thinking about someone, you know?

This weekend we go to Kansas City for shows there, and I'm already pretty excited about the barbecue. Then, it's Richmond, Va. And then another tour of radio stations week after next. This time, we go north. Brrr. Stay tuned for more tales from road!

Love,
Laura

*These are lyrics from the song "Coal Miner's Daughter." If you didn't know that, you really should watch the movie. It's great!

THE WORK WE DONE WAS HARD. AT NIGHT WE'D SLEEP 'CAUSE WE WERE TIRED.*

2009-10-23T20:58:00.001-07:00

Have you ever seen the movie "Coal Miner's Daughter"? You know the
part where Loretta Lynn (played brilliantly by Sissy Spacek) and her
husband "Doo" (Tommy Lee Jones) go all over the place looking for
radio towers? I kind of felt like that last week.

Sam, Chad and I traveled 1300 miles and visited eight radio stations
in three days. And we made lots of new friends.

To give you a little taste of the fun we had, I decided to bestow
"awards" on all the stations for the things that made them special. So
here goes.

The award for MOST OUT-OF-THE-WAY location goes to … New Life 91.9 in
Charlotte, N.C. Directions to their station literally include "turn
right when you see the horses." That does not mean they are in the
middle of nowhere. They're not. It's just that once you make a couple
turns off the main road, and then you turn onto their drive, you feel
like you're in the woods. And then, smack in the middle of the woods,
there's a giant radio tower next to a building. They totally could've
killed us and hid our bodies back there. No one would ever know. We
know Dwayne would never do a thing that like that, though. He was
nice.

The award for SUNNIEST OFFICE goes to … WAFJ in North Augusta, S.C.
Their offices are painted the brightest shade of yellow you have ever
seen. Steve there says they have no need of a coffee pot. (He really
didn't say that, but it would make sense.) Thanks, guys!

The award for BEST CONFERENCE ROOM ACOUSTICS goes to … HisRadio in
Greenville, S.C. We got to sing a few songs for them, and let me tell
you, I'd like to record an album in that conference room. It made us
sound good! And we loved meeting Rob and all the great folks there.

The award for CHEERIEST MONDAY MORNING goes to … J103 in Chattanooga.
When we arrived at their station at 8 a.m., we were going on two hours
of sleep. Literally. They let us sing for them in their Monday morning
staff meeting, and they were so bright-eyed and nice to us! Thanks,
Justin and the rest of the gang!

The award for WORK ENVIRONMENT MOST LIKE A VACATION SPOT goes to …
WMIT 106.9 in Asheville, N.C. WMIT is the radio station of the Billy
Graham Evangelistic Association and is located at the BGEA facilities
near Asheville called The Cove. The building that houses the station
is in a log cabin among the trees, complete with stone fireplace and
huge windows looking out on the forest. Plus there are inspiring
photos of Billy Graham crusades and events all over the walls. Thanks
for showing us around, Tom and Matt. Now we know why you love coming
to work every day.

The award for COOLEST CAMPUS VIBE goes to … WMHK in Columbia, S.C. The
station is tucked in a back corner of the beautiful Columbia
International University campus. Steve and the rest of the staff there
seem to have a laid-back campus vibe that we loved. Plus, Steve's
real, actual name is Steve Sunshine. A radio career was pretty much
his destiny.

The award for BEST COFFEE goes to … WBFJ in Winston-Salem, N.C. When
Wally at the station asked me if I wanted some coffee, I said sure (of
course). Then he walked down the hall and into the kitchen. A few
seconds later, I heard a grinding noise, and then he came back. I
said, "Were you grinding coffee beans in there?" He said he was. I
said, "So I'm about to have an actual cup of coffee?" He said yes. A
few minutes later, I did. A coffee grinder at the office. That is
commitment.

(WBFJ also had the distinct honor of being the first station to have
No Other Name live on the air. We had so much fun cutting up with
their morning crew!)

The award for MOST AMAZING CINNAMON ROLLS goes to … WCQR in Gray,
Tenn. We had a great time getting to know the folks there and singing
for them. Then Brian took us to a little coffee shop nearby, where
they served us the most mouth-watering, warm, chewy, gooey cinnamon
rolls I've ever tasted. Wow.

As you can see, we had quite an adventure. And we really enjoyed
getting to know all these folks and see where they work. They are
doing the Lord's work for sure. Plus, it's always nice to be able to
picture a place in your mind when you're thinking about someone, you
know?

This weekend we go to Kansas City for shows there, and I'm already
pretty excited about the barbecue. Then, it's Richmond, Va. And then
another tour of radio stations week after next. This time, we go
north. Brrr. Stay tuned for more tales from road!

Love,
Laura

*These are lyrics from the song "Coal Miner's Daughter." If you didn't
know that, you really should watch the movie. It's great!

2009-10-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

OH, HOW I LOVE JESUS

"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."

These words of Christ can be found in Matthew 18. And they're some of the most perplexing in all the Bible. Almost impossible to live up to. The more mature in your Christian faith you would desire to be, the more child-like you must become. Notice I didn't say "childish." Our culture has come to admire childishness. The less responsibility you take, the more popular you are.

But child-likeness -- innocence, trust, wonder -- is a rare thing indeed. The odds are stacked against a modern child's maintaining any semblance of innocence by the time he is old enough to go to school or even turn on the TV.

Parents who attempt to shield their children from that which would steal their child-likeness are often subjected to scorn or labeled as prudes.

Perhaps before we can get to maturity in Christ, we must first remember what it is to be a child. Does it mean we have to be gullible? Naive? No way. I think it means we simply have to live with abandon and without hypocrisy.

I have a friend named Will. He's 3, and his parents are some of our best friends. Last week, when I saw him for the first time in a while, he shouted, "I have Spider Man shoes" before I'd even had a chance to say hello. Last night, when I saw him again, he couldn't wait to show me the "bat cave" he and his mother had made out of an easel and a sheet.

How long has it been since I've been truly excited about something and couldn't wait to share it? Am I so jaded that I can't experience unbridled excitement without being embarrassed? Or without thinking, "Well, this will be short-lived." Do I have to always just play it cool? "Don't get too worked up," I think. Shame on me.

Last Sunday, Pastor Jim at North Rockdale Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., gave a sermon from Revelation on keeping "your first love." He asked us all to answer the question, "Why do you love Jesus?"

He then read a note he'd received from his grandchildren listing the reasons they loved him. The first reason was "Because he loves us." Then they went on to list special things he does for them like taking them out to eat and playing with them.

It made me wonder -- why do I love Jesus? Of course, Scripture says we love God because He first loved us. So far, so good. But anyone could say that. What are the personal reasons that I love Him? Reasons that only I could give?

I've been compiling my list. Maybe you'd like to compile one too. I am resolving to be a little less concerned about what people think. I want to love Him so much that I can't wait to tell someone about it. I want my excitement to be unbounded and uninhibited. I love Him!

And I love you, too.

Laura

2009-09-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

I WANT PATIENCE AND I WANT IT NOW

We've had some terrific events the last couple of weekends. God continues to amaze us with the response we're getting for our 2010 mission trip, and with other ways He is moving in our services. Praise the Lord!
Also, we're very excited to be going to Orlando this weekend to hang with some of our friends in Christian radio. Then for all you home folks in the Tampa area, we'll be at East Chelsea Baptist Sunday morning and FBC Ruskin Sunday night. Come out and see us if you can!
In other news, I've been washing my hands a lot lately. No Other Name has so much going on this fall, getting sick and losing my voice would be disastrous, so my hands are as clean as an obsessive-compulsive brain surgeon's. I've never been much of a germ-phobe. In fact, I've been known to extend the "5-second rule" into the "I'll eat it if there's no visible dirt on it" rule. But the high number of flu cases right now (when it's not even flu season!) has me a little nervous. Like I said, losing my voice right now would be very bad.

But the frequent hand washing is a constant reminder of one of my character flaws (I know you're shocked, but I have at least two) -- my chronic impatience. My husband says the rule for washing your hands is to keep scrubbing as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" through two times. I've also heard you should sing "The ABC's" (which is the same as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" for those of you keeping score at home.) There are many reasons why I hate these rules. First of all, this practice would virtually ensure that I have "Happy Birthday" stuck in my head all day long. I would prefer not. But mostly, I find that two times through of "Happy Birthday" is an interminable amount of time to be standing there washing my hands. Yes, that's right. I can get a good lather, scrub every square inch up to my wrists and rinse off in less than half that time (i.e., one "Happy Birthday"). I've also realized that I really hate hand soap with lots of moisturizer in it. It can take up to THREE "Happy Birthday"s to get it all rinsed off. Unacceptable!

I do everything fast. I wash my hands fast (see above). I brush my teeth fast. I walk fast. I talk fast. I type fast. I drive fast. My showers use less than a gallon of water, and I can unload and reload a dishwasher in less than four minutes. It's just how I roll.
When it comes to dishwasher stacking or bathroom cleaning, speed is a bonus. But sometimes, even when I'm in the middle of doing something I enjoy, I still find myself thinking about what I'm going to do when it's over. Planning the next step, and in doing so, missing the joy of right now.
And what about things that can't be rushed? As a songwriter, I find rather than taking an idea, building on it, hashing it out, struggling with it, and attempting to finish a song, it's often easier just never to start. I mean, if I can't finish it in less than an hour, I'm not interested. No patience.

And what about Bible reading? Or prayer? It's often a struggle for me to tame the speed-monster so I can really meditate and absorb the Word or listen for the Holy Spirit.

God is working with me on these things. And in the meantime, maybe He's using the hand washing as an object lesson. All together now: "Happy Birthday to you!"

Love,

Laura

2009-09-04T07:53:00.000-07:00

Y'ALL COME BACK NOW, YA HEAR?

Most of y'all probably know I live in Nashville. In fact, my husband and I live pretty close to the middle of Music City, USA, just over the river from downtown. That means that on a regular basis, I see tourists. Pink cowboy hats, leather boots, big belt buckles, and lots of blue jeans that were outgrown a few sizes ago.

Several times a week, especially in the summer, I'll drive by the famed Ryman Auditorium or down Music Row or in front of the Country Music Hall of Fame, and I'll see folks looking up, mouths agape, or snapping pictures or talking one their cell phones, telling folks back home, "Guess where I am."

Don't get me wrong, I love tourists. The first few times I came to Nashville, I WAS one! And I love Nashville and understand why people love to come here. In fact, first time Sam and I heard Chad sing was when we were all three tourists at the Ryman Auditorium, and Chad got up on stage to belt out a rendition of "He Touched Me."

But that was a long time ago. And now, sometimes, when I'm driving in downtown, and I can't go through a green light because of a mob of tourists, or I have to wait longer for a table because a tour bus from Wisconsin pulled in 10 minutes ago, it gets irritating. What's the big deal, people? It's just Nashville!

Chad's wife, Tara, is a Nashville native. (You find out after living here a while that this is a rare thing indeed.) She is also one of the funniest people I know. If you ever run into her, get her to tell you a story. I guarantee you will laugh. She says that when she and her brothers were young, they would watch "The Price Is Right" every day during the summer. Every once in a while, one of the prizes in the Showcase would be a "Trip to Nashville." She and her brothers would stare at the TV in amazement and then laugh and laugh. Who in the world would want to go on vacation to Nashville? (This story is funnier when she tells it.)

See, that's what happens when you live in a place. You get used to it. You fail to see its beauty, and often you fail to take advantage of what it has to offer. How many New Yorkers have you met who've never been to the Statue of Liberty? Or folks who grew up in D.C. without ever seeing the Capitol or the Washington Monument?

I'm afraid my Christianity falls victim to this too sometimes. I don't always worship with abandon or read Scripture with hunger or pray with fervor. Because it's all so familiar. It's no big deal anymore. God forbid that I should fail to see the beauty and utter grandeur in my salvation. God forbid I neglect the benefits of having such a Heavenly Father.

Lately, I've tried to be more understanding of the tourists. I even find myself smiling at them, and with them. This is truly a beautiful city with so much to offer, and I appreciate that THEY appreciate it.

Earlier this week, I decided to even take advantage of it in a way I hadn't before. Near downtown, there is a pedestrian bridge over the Cumberland River. It has beautiful views of the river and of downtown. We have lived two miles from this bridge for four years, yet we'd never set foot upon it. Until Monday. On the way home, I stopped at one of our favorite take-out places, and instead of eating it on the couch, we took it to the bridge and enjoyed the sunset over this great city. We had the best talk we've had in a while, too.

I pray that the Lord will not let me become accustomed to being His child. For I am a citizen not just of Nashville, but of His eternal, all-powerful, worldwide Kingdom. That is something to be excited about.

Often, the way the Lord refreshes me is by what we do as No Other Name. Just recently at our concerts, people have accepted Christ, felt the Lord calling them to some type of mission work and more. The other day, a young soldier at a church where we sang in Georgia felt the Lord calling Him to baptism, which the pastor took care of right there on the spot!

Like the tourists in Nashville, sometimes nothing keeps me from becoming jaded like seeing this Great Faith through someone else's eyes. Thank you, Lord, for the opportunities.

Love,
Laura

2009-08-18T14:33:00.001-07:00

LOVE IN ANY LANGUAGE

Probably our favorite thing about traveling around and performing in so many places is getting to know the people there. We are constantly amazed at how warm they are, how funny they are, how hard they work and how much they contribute to the Kingdom. The last couple weekends have been perfect examples. We've been talking about it a lot.

So far, we've been in six different churches on the Go Tell Tour, and at each one, we found loving, joyful, welcoming people who are serious about serving the Lord. And the support we've received from the staff at each church has been encouraging and humbling. Each time we get on the bus to head to the next place, we find ourselves talking about what great people we just met and how blessed we are to get to do this.

To tell you the truth, this whole thing is humbling -- more now than ever. We've never felt worthy to do what we're doing, but especially now that we are tasked with telling such an important story. Who are we to tell other Christians they should really get more involved with international missions? Especially when so many of these churches and pastors are already making an eternal impact on the world? Really, we are no one. We are just people who have a passion and have been given a monumental opportunity. We just want to get out of the way and let God do what He wants to do. And you know what? He is. We have had such a great response from people about the missions aspect of this tour. God is moving in hearts even as He is changing ours.

Before I sign off, I have to give a big shout out to my mom and my Aunt Janice. Have you ever heard of "The Five Love Languages"? Well, it's a theory that everyone has a primary "love language" -- that is, everyone has a way that they best receive and express love. Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a very popular book on the subject several years ago. From memory, the five languages are Gifts, Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch and Acts of Service.

Anyway, I think I figured out this weekend that my mom and her sister Janice both share the "Acts of Service" love language. You know what they did? They woke up at 5 Sunday morning, cooked a HUGE meal and drove an hour to bring it to us at our gig in Brunswick, Ga. Now, is that love? Yes it is! And it was received with love too, let me tell you. Pork roast, creamed corn, peas, greens, potato salad, homemade cake, etc., etc., etc. Love! Love! Love! It is also quite a statistical phenomenon that the two greatest cooks in the world happen to be sisters. I mean, what are the chances? Their desserts alone could bring peace to the Gaza Strip. Thanks, Mom and Aunt Janice. And thanks, Dad and Uncle Don and Uncle David for helping.

We're looking forward to seeing more old friends this weekend, and just so you know, my love language is Words of Affirmation. And home cooking.

Love,
Laura

2009-08-11T13:49:00.001-07:00

PLEASE SEND COFFEE

Hello, friends!

The last few months have probably been the most eventful in all of No Other Name's existence thus far. Beginning our first album for Curb, and recording a new single. Then going to Dubai to shoot a video for that single. Then performing it at the Southern Baptist Convention for thousands of people. Then setting goals, brainstorming and planning the Go Tell Tour with our wonderful partners at the International Mission Board and the Cooperative Program. Then completing a new CD of six great new tracks. And then, this past weekend, watching it all come together in our first events of the tour. Wow! I think I have been running on caffeine so long that I don't remember what it feels like to be well-rested.

Just to give you a little background -- we are asking people at all our stops on this tour to think about joining No Other Name on a mission trip South America next summer. We're asking them just to fill out a little form so we can have their contact information to send the details. And we were so happy to have so many people already interested in going with us!

We're also placing a stack of passport applications -- printed right from the U.S. government website -- on our CD table. The idea is for someone to take the application, fill it out and turn it in at the post office. Then, we want them to send us an email to let us know they did it. We'd love to have dozens of people get their passport in the next few months! And we were so excited this past weekend at the interest! Lots of people took an application!

I have been so nervous and excited for weeks now leading up to this past weekend. All the planning and goal-setting and thinking and rethinking had me anxious to just do it already! I was so excited to have a brand new show and brand new songs. And of course, I was thrilled to have a brand new CD for our fans. But you know what had me the most excited (and nervous)? Sharing our missions vision with the audience. I feel so unworthy to be a part of such a great vision and endeavor. I just don't want to mess it up! I am so thankful for the Lord's direction and presence. He really showed up in our services this weekend, and what a time we had! We had one man who accepted Christ Sunday night! And throughout the day, several people said they would be interested in joining us on our mission trip next year. And even more people took home a passport application, so they can be ready to go if the Lord calls! So exciting!

Here are a few things we want you to know.

First -- this tour is going all over the place. So check out our tour dates pages and find the one that's closest to you. We have new songs, a new CD, new videos, great stories. You don't want to miss it!

Second -- about that NEW CD -- it's now available on our website! It has six new No Other Name tracks, including the new single "Lead You to the Cross." Get it today!

Third, if you don't have one, we want you to get a passport. A few weeks ago, I heard Gordon Fort from the International Mission Board say that you can't honestly tell the Lord that you would go anywhere He leads if you don't have a passport. We thought that was great advice, so we decided to make that one of the goals of this tour -- to get folks to apply for one. So, if you don't have one, go to http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds11/ds11_842.html and print out an application. Then take it to your post office, where they'll take your picture and a little bit of your money. Then send us an email to let us know you did it. We want to see how many catch the vision!

Thank you so much for sticking with us and supporting us. I hope we get to see you soon! I can't wait for the next leg of the tour!

Love,
Laura

2009-08-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

GO TEAM!

So the other day, there was an outbreak of Swine Flu at a church camp that was attended by some youth from a Nashville church. They ended up canceling the camp and sending the kids home early. Since so many folks had been exposed to the illness, the church canceled services the following Sunday just to avoid any further exposure. Better to miss one service than to infect half your congregation with a dreadful illness, right? Seems reasonable.

A few days later, I was talking to someone who goes to another church that is near the one that canceled services. She said that a lot of the people from the canceled church showed up for worship at her church that Sunday morning. That also seems reasonable. Most likely, these were people who had not been exposed to the flu, but just wanted to worship God on a Sunday morning.

What this person said next was strange, though. She said, "I guess they sent those people over to infect the competition." Now, I think she was sort of joking. But only sort of. I think there was part of her that really was irritated that those people had come to her church, and what's worse, there's part of her that thinks that her church is in "competition" with the nearby church. And you know what's even worse than that? A lot of people feel this way.

It reminded me of a story I heard recently that was attributed to Andy Stanley, pastor of the huge North Point Community Church near Atlanta. When North Point purchased the property for their facility, there was another small church very nearby. In fact, I think the properties may have even bordered each other. After just a few weeks of meeting there, North Point was exploding. Even parking had become an issue. One day, Andy Stanley received a phone call from the pastor of the small church. His secretary gave him the message, but he didn't want to return the call. He was afraid the other pastor was going to be upset. Hadn't North Point pretty much moved in on his territory and taken over the neighborhood?

Well, the pastor left a few more messages, and finally, Mr. Stanley called him back. You know what the small-church pastor wanted? He wanted to offer their property for parking for North Point. He told Mr. Stanley that North Point members were welcome to park on his church's property, and he was so happy to see the effective ministry of North Point. He said that ever since the members of that small church had been in that neighborhood, they had prayed for God to reach their community, and now He was doing it -- through North Point.

Well, as you can imagine, Andy Stanley was blown away. Aren't you? How many times have you encountered just the opposite from church members -- even pastors? Have you ever found yourself a little bitter because this church has such great music or that church has a TV ministry or a thousand in Sunday School? Have you ever thought that maybe that is God's answer to YOUR prayers for your community and your nation?

I've encountered this sort of thinking in the Christian music industry too. "Why is that artist so popular? Their music is lame." "What is so great about that song?" "How did he/she/they win a Dove Award?" I've even been guilty of this type of thinking from time to time.

Now, I'm not saying that we aren't allowed to have preferences -- especially when it comes to music. Goodness knows, I'm as picky as they come. But when an artist or a song reaches a huge audience or breaks down a barrier or simply points to the Savior, our FIRST reaction should be excitement. I mean, aren't we all striving toward the same goal here? If I have been praying for God to reach people for Himself, and He chooses to do so through another artist or a different song (maybe even one I don't like), well, He still answered my prayer, right?

I guess I'm just saying be a cheerleader. We're all on the same team. No short skirts or back handsprings required.

Love,
Laura

PS - Be watching for our new CD! It should be available within the next week !!

2009-07-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

As an adolescent, I was relatively sheltered. I was ignorant of many of the movies and much of the TV and music my friends were into. I am telling the truth when I say that even though I am smack in the middle of the "MTV Generation," I don't think I watched a music video on MTV until I was in college. And I could probably count the total number I've watched to this day on one hand. My husband is often amazed by my ignorance when a popular song from our adolescence comes on the radio. For one thing, my family didn't get cable until I was grown. And for another, if it wasn't gospel or bluegrass or country, it just wasn't part of my world. As the saying goes: We didn't call it country; we just called it all there was.

But even I knew who Michael Jackson was. And while dancing was frowned on in our church, I confess to putting on my socks and trying countless times to do the Moonwalk on the linoleum in our kitchen. I may not have owned a Michael Jackson album or even heard most of his songs, but I certainly was mesmerized by him. My grandmother -- whose strict code of conduct made my family seem downright worldly -- actually had an old 45 of a young Michael Jackson singing "Rockin' Robin." I have no idea how it wound up in her collection among the Billy Graham and Jack Van Impe albums. But when we would go visit her, I would play it over and over.

As an adult, I became more educated about his music from the early and mid-'80s, and I began to understand the hype. The catchy rhythms, the amazing showmanship, the groundbreaking production. He was ahead of his time. And judging from his bizarre behavior, he was apparently ahead of his maturity as well. The responsibilities and demands of his career outpaced his ability to handle them. This is not in any way a justification for his actions. But perhaps it's an explanation.

So much has been written about his meteoric rise and his macabre fall that there couldn't possibly be much to add. But I was struck by a few things at his memorial service yesterday.

Right off the bat, I was very happy to see one of my songwriting heroes, Andrae Crouch, represented. I recognized his famous "Soon and Very Soon" immediately as the choir began humming it. I was happy to hear it. But I was quickly disappointed when they brought in Jackson's casket right on the words, "We are going to see the King." Coincidence? Maybe. But tacky nonetheless. Jackson may truly be the "King of Pop." But there is no confusion which King that song refers to. To create some sort of double entendre is the height of arrogance.

Many of the speakers were close friends who just shared fond memories of their times with Jackson. That is all fine and certainly appropriate at a memorial service. But the men whose position affords them the opportunity to go deeper squandered that opportunity big time. The "reverends" should be anything but revered. Anyone who claims to be a proclaimer of the Word of God should be scared to death of how they use the platforms God gives them.

What an opportunity they had yesterday to tell the truth! Sure, Lionel Richie can sing a song called "Jesus Is Love." But did anyone talk about what that love compelled Jesus to do? Did anyone talk about our hopeless state and Jesus' ultimate sacrifice? Did anyone say that His resurrection is our only hope after a death? No. But just about every speaker said that Jackson will "live forever." Well, why? Who's to say? How does one live forever? None of this was addressed.

Millions of people watching. Most of them unaware of what God's Word says about life and death. Yet the men who claim to preach that Word are silent. Tragic.

The whole production ended with a stage full of artists, wannabes, family members and children singing an updated version of Jackson's "We Are the World." Fine. World peace is a worthy goal. But the disturbing part was on the screens behind the singers. The words on the screens featured all sorts of religious symbols. By my count, there were at least four -- a cross (Christianity), a crescent (Islam), Yin & Yang (Eastern mysticism) and a Star of David (Judaism). There were probably a couple of others I am forgetting.

This is the modern definition of love -- telling everyone they're OK. But that is not love. If you love someone, you tell them the truth. The world's religions make specific claims. These claims are mutually exclusive. Simple logic tells you that Christianity and Islam cannot both be true. Neither can Hinduism and Judaism. Pretending that two opposing views can both be true is apathy. It is not love.

The truth is this: Everyone in the Staples Center yesterday will one day bow before the actual King. Everyone watching at home on TV will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. They may not know it yet, but they will. It's our job to tell them in advance.

Love,
Laura

2009-06-20T13:16:00.000-07:00

WHAT DAY IS IT?

Hey, everybody!

This is the one week a year when I really do have to stop and think several times a day to remember what day it is. It's the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, and I get to oversee the set up of the newsroom every year. That means early mornings and late nights and eleventy thousand people asking questions throughout the day. It's nuts, but I love it, because it also means working with some of the greatest people in the world.

No Other Name is having a crazy week this week too! We're excited to sing this Sunday at First Baptist Church in Mt. Washington, Ky. Then, on Tuesday, we get to (finally!) premier the video we shot in Dubai! We'll be singing "Lead You to the Cross" on the main stage at the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Ky., and the video will be played on the giant screens for all the messengers. We are so excited!!

In other news, we got to record some new stuff last week too. We recorded a cappella versions of three of our favorite hymns -- "Are You Washed in the Blood," Jesus I Come" and "Holy, Holy, Holy." We are so happy with how they turned out. Can't wait for you to hear!

Other than that, we've all been crazy busy with life in general. Sam finished work on a house he's renovating; Chad's son Dylan was the only kid on his baseball team to make all-stars (!), so Chad's been immersed in all that. And I've been answering eleventy thousand questions a day (see above).

I hope you're having a fantastic summer. Mine is flying by, but I'm making the most of each moment!

Love,
Laura

P.S. Happy Father's Day to my wonderful dad!

2009-05-12T09:02:00.001-07:00

MORE USEFUL THAN THE MACARENA

Hello, Class.

Today, I would like to teach you a dance. That's right, a dance that could come in very handy for you someday. Here is a little known fact: In high school, I was in a "show choir." In fact, I was president of said show choir. Participation in this choir involved what may loosely be called "dancing." I say "loosely" because really, it was a combination of jazz squares, jazz hands and a few turns here and there, all of which were practiced ad infinitum until we could perform them without running into each other. I have the rhythm and moves of your average white person, so this did not come easy for me. But with a lot of hard work and a good attitude, I was able to sing the alto part to "My Mama Done Told Me" while simultaneously marching in place and circling my jazz hands in a "train" motion. I did this without falling down. Be amazed.

I tell you this to say that if I can do it, you can do it. No excuses. I've seen you do the "Funky Chicken" at countless wedding receptions. You can do this. And this dance just might save your life. It is called the "Stingray Shuffle." And it is to be engaged any time you are in or near the ocean.

So, Saturday, I was at the beach with my family in beautiful sunny Florida. A cloudless blue sky. A cool breeze, salt air, hot sun, white sand, a good book. Perfect. But I could not leave well enough alone. I had to go out into the water. There were lots of people in the water, too. Swimming, floating, playing Frisbee, etc. It was picture perfect. These people were seemingly unaware of the terrifying monsters lurking just beneath them. There I was, sort of just hanging there in the water, when suddenly, something -- a knife? a hot poker? -- stabbed my foot. Hard. I screamed and headed to the shore.

Within seconds, my whole foot and ankle were burning and it felt like an electric current was running up my leg. And the puncture was bleeding. Sure enough. Stingray. Apparently, I'd touched his back. They don't like that.

Here's where the Stingray Shuffle comes in. Theoretically, you are supposed to shuffle your feet when you're walking in the ocean. That's right, just drag your feet like your mom lectured you for when you were a kid. Apparently, stingrays just sort of hang out on the ocean floor, and if you step on one's back, its stinger comes out and stabs you. But if you're dragging your feet, you'll hit him from underneath, and he'll just swim away. That is the theory, anyway.

Let me be very clear about one thing. When the stinger comes out and stabs you, it hurts. And then, as if stabbing you weren't enough, the stinger releases venom. That also hurts. A lot. You can trust me on this. It feels like you are stepping on an electric fence and are unable to remove your foot.

So there I was on the beach, bleeding, and screaming like a little girl. We tried putting ice on it, but that made it worse. I had two options -- go to the hospital or ask my husband to hit me on the head with a hammer so I couldn't feel the pain anymore. He did not like that plan. Hospital it was. After sitting in the waiting room for what felt like nine hours but was probably about 15 minutes, they took me back and had me put my foot in a tub of really hot water. The relief was so instant and so complete that I started to cry. Seriously. The hot water draws out the venom. And the ice I'd been using was just freezing the venom, which apparently makes it mad.

So there's your other tip. If you learn and practice the Stingray Shuffle, and it STILL does not appease the temperamental beasts, and they sting you anyway, at least you know what to do. HOT water. Not ice, people.

So, after a few minutes of hot water, an X-ray to make sure there were not any stingray parts still in my foot (there weren't) and a tetanus shot, I was ready to hobble back to the beach. Yes, the beach. Not the water. The beach is just fine, thank you.

The next day we sang at the wonderful Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon. And of course, I'd brought my most uncomfortable pair of shoes to wear. But in a nice twist of irony, they were the most comfortable shoes I could have worn, because they twist my foot in such a way that the wound on the bottom was not actually touching my shoe as I walked. So that was nice. I don't think the people were able to tell I was injured. Maybe they were just being nice.

In fact, that must be it. They WERE some of the nicest people we've been around. We are just so grateful for that church and their wonderful staff. Everyone was just great. The crowd too! We had much fun worshiping with them. That church has been through a lot in the last year, and they have been an amazing example to the community of God's faithfulness and provision.

Then, of course, Sunday was Mother's Day, so Sam and I were happy to be in Florida with our mom. (She didn't think I would mention her in this entry. She knew I'd want to tell the stingray story. Well, here you are, Mom! Happy Mother's Day. I love you!)

So, aside from the minor tragedy of not utilizing the Stingray Shuffle, it was a great weekend. And a learning experience for me. And now I pass that learning on to you. Learn the dance! You'll thank me one day.

Love,
Laura

2009-05-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

WHEN JESUS COMES

There's an old song that's been running through my head the last couple of days. A friend of mine couldn't remember all the lyrics, and he figured I would know them, so he called me. (Incidentally, I did know at least the first verse and chorus).

The song is "When Jesus Comes," and it's one I heard sung as "special music" several times in the church I grew up in. The first verse talks about a beggar who was blind until Jesus healed him. Then the chorus: "When Jesus comes, the tempter's power is broken. When Jesus comes, the tears are wiped away. He takes the gloom and fills the life with glory. For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay."

I've been so moved by that chorus as I've sung it over and over again recently. Jesus does really change everything. He doesn't always take the problem away like He did for the blind man, but He gives Himself.

I read an article a few months ago by an atheist. He is not African, but he grew up on that continent. And his article was about the good that has come to millions in Africa as a result of Christianity. He wrote that he was even reluctant to admit that any religion was involved at all in the transformation of so many there. But the facts are undeniable. He said one of the greatest changes was in the attitudes of the people who became followers of Christ. Their entire countenance and outlook changed. Of course, you and I understand why that is. But he really had no explanation.

Literally billions of people are living in spiritual blindness around the world. How will they ever realize this truth -- "For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay"? Someone must tell them.

We are so excited about what God is doing through us to further His kingdom. We're blown away by the opportunities we've had recently and the ones we'll have in the near future. And you know what? You have the same opportunities. Click on the missions tab on our home page to find out how YOU can have a part in fulfilling the Great Commission in this generation. There's a whole world out there that needs to know the change that happens when Jesus comes to stay.

I'm on the RV right now driving back from a great weekend in Illinois. We sang at two warm and fun churches yesterday, and today (Monday) we did an event with comedian Dennis Swanberg. I should say that we did an event with Billy Graham, Barney Fife, Jimmy Stewart, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and John Wayne, because when Dennis is on stage, all of those men will show up at some point. If you've never had the pleasure of seeing him live, do yourself a favor and go. My sides still hurt.

Really. Go to the homepage and click on the missions tab. Find out what your mission is.

Love,

Laura

2009-04-29T10:26:00.001-07:00

YOU ALWAYS RUN OUT OF BACON

Hello, all. Would you like to know what all we've been up to lately? It's quite a lot, actually. Since last we met, Gospel Music Week happened in Nashville. If you don't know, Gospel Music Week is one part music festival, one part industry convention and eight parts family reunion. It also seems to last 19 days. Not sure how that happens.

We'd all been to various GMA (Gospel Music Association) events in years past during GMA Week, but this was our first year to be officially "involved." We actually were scheduled as featured artists at various events, which was thrilling for us.

The first event was a pancake breakfast for a group of radio programmers from around the country. The event was sponsored by Curb Records (our label) and was very well attended. The idea was for us to cook/serve pancakes, bacon and sausage to all these folks and THEN surprise them with a performance (since none of them know who we are -- yet).

We arrived a couple hours early and each of us was issued fresh a white apron and a few colored Sharpies. We took a few minutes to decorate our aprons with a custom design. Many of you will not be surprised to learn that Sam used a "Nannerpuss" theme from the commercial he loves.

Aprons complete and donned, we took to the griddles. We must have fried two tons of bacon. And still, I looked at the pile and said, "It will not be enough." I just know from experience that people will eat as much bacon as is available. It doesn't matter how much there is. Bacon is like money. No one just leaves it lying around.

One major difference between bacon and money, though, is the smell. And the smoke. By the time the guests arrived, the room was full of baconey smoke. It was kind of cool, actually. And greasy.

Well, everyone filed through the line, and sure enough, we ran out of bacon. But not before everyone had gotten a few pieces, so it was OK. And everyone seemed to love the pancakes.

The event was held at a place called the Quanset Hut, a landmark on Music Row in Nashville. It's a long room with a rectangular floor and a rounded roof -- it's shaped like an airplane hangar. And its acoustics are amazing. You wouldn't believe all the superstars who've recorded there, George Jones, Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee and dozens of others. "He Stopped Loving Her Today," "Crazy," and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" are just a few of the dozens of hits recorded there. Amazing.

Once everyone had finished eating and their hair and clothes were officially bacon-saturated, No Other Name was introduced. We did the three new songs we've recorded, and everyone seemed to really like what we did.

After us, another Curb band called Mike's Chair did a short set. They are great and a really fun bunch of guys. We had a blast with them.

When the night was over, we were exhausted and hickory smoked. But no rest for the weary. We were up and back at GMA early Saturday morning for a devotional time with more radio folks. The speaker for the event was Joe Stowell, one of my favorites. It was an honor to meet him and share the platform with him.

Afterward, we met a few more folks and then went to lunch with our new friend Derek, who works at a radio station in Bowling Green, Ky.

Our last official GMA event was Monday afternoon, when we did a radio meet-and-greet with a bunch of other bands. Basically, a lot of 8-foot tables are set up around the edges of a large hotel ballroom. Each table has 8x10s and promo CDs of various artists. Artists stand near their table and get to know the radio folks who mingle around the room. We signed lots of autographs and even a few guitars -- a No Other Name first!

For some reason, I thought we'd be sitting at the tables, not standing. I chose completely the WRONG shoes for the occasion, which I regretted 10 minutes into it. Oh well.

Last Thursday night was the Dove Awards -- the grand finale of GMA week. "Gospel Music's Biggest Night," as they say. By this time, we had most of the bacon smell washed off, which was good, since we all put on our prettiest clothes. The show was just great, and most of my favorites won their categories, so all in all, good night. Afterward the six of us (NON and spouses) went out for pizza in our fancy duds. We felt like high-schoolers after prom. Except we were all sleepy by 11.

This past Sunday, we helped kick off a revival at Silver Springs Baptist Church in Mt. Juliet, Tenn. The church has become very special to us the last few years, and we were honored to be a part of their morning and evening services. Pastor Russ is such an encouragement to us, and Matthew Slemp (a Belmont music friend of Sam's) has turned their choir into a powerhouse! So good!

My and Sam's parents were also in town for the weekend, so there was more bacon consumption. And we ate it all.

This week, our home church is in revival, so there's been little down time to get ready for another loooong weekend that's coming. But even though it's not been "restful" the revival has been "refreshing" in other ways. I'm thankful to sit and soak up great teaching.

I'm praying the revival is just that -- a reviving. I'm asking the Lord to do something so big that no person could take the credit. I want His power and grace to fall! Because unlike bacon, they never run out!

Love,
Laura

P.S. Y'all! We saw the completed music video that we shot in the Middle East last month. Wow. We are so excited about it! Can't wait for you to see it. Stay tuned!

2009-03-18T09:01:00.001-07:00

HOME SAFE AND SOUND

Well, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to write again from the Middle East. The rest of our trip was jam-packed.
But I did want to let you know that we are all home and doing great. Wednesday (day 3 of our trip) was spent in the desert. The official, bona fide desert complete with infinite sand dunes, hazy sun and grit in your mascara.
Despite the eye hazards for yours truly, it was absolutely amazing. It looks just like it does in the movies rolling hills of white sand with soft ripples cut by the wind. I'm so excited to see the footage we got out there!
We also got to go dune bashing. The way I figure it, dune bashing is to Arabs as mud-slinging is to my redneck relatives. You take a 5-speed SUV with a rollbar, let out about half the air in the tires and slip and slide all over the sand dunes. In short, it's a really good time.
That evening, we walked to a buffet restaurant near our hotel. They had food from all over the Middle and Far East. We said it was sort of like a Middle Eastern Golden Corral. And so it was. Delicious.
Thursday morning, we did more shooting in the city, meeting locals, etc. We also took a boat ride on a beautiful canal. The weather was perfect. For a moment, you could almost think you were in Italy or Greece.
After lunch near the water, we went back to the hotel to pack up. We did a little bit of sight-seeing that afternoon that included a short walk on the beach and a trip to the biggest mall I've ever seen. Then it was off to the airport for the 16-hour trip back to Atlanta.
When we got to Atlanta, we went our separate ways. Chad flew to Louisiana to go to a wedding shower for his sister. Sam flew to Tampa for his wife's brother's wedding. And I flew home to Nashville.
I'm in the middle of writing a more detailed description of the sights and sounds from our trip. I'll try to get it posted here soon. In the meantime, it's good to be home. Stay tuned for more exciting news very soon and if you haven't checked out all the videos from our trip, please do!
Love,
Laura

2009-03-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Adventures Abroad, with No Other Name

2009-03-11T09:54:00.001-07:00

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD

We flew out of Nashville to Atlanta Saturday afternoon. Then from there, we had a 13-hour flight to the city here in the Middle East.

None of us has ever been in this part of the world before, and we were so excited.

We arrived Sunday night local time. It took a while to get through customs and to our hotel. We were all starving, so we walked to a nearby mall with a food court, where I had some of the best pita bread and hummus I've ever had. Sam and Chad had Subway. Sissies.

We all had trouble sleeping that night, since our bodies felt like it was Sunday afternoon. I think I got about two hours or something.

Monday morning we went downstairs for an interesting breakfast. Some sort of corn flakes with warm goat's milk, a variety of juices, eggs, coffee and toast. I'll admit that I stuck with the eggs, coffee and toast. They were all delicious.

Then it was off to wardrobe and makeup. Did I tell you why we're here? No? Well, we're here to shoot a video. So at least two hours a day is spent in hair and makeup. I think I've had more makeup on this week than in all of my life leading up to this point combined.

After we're all as pretty as we can be (which is not saying much), we go out "on location." That's a technical production term.

Monday we drove for about two hours to the mountains. Brown, gray, rugged mountains. By the end of the shooting, the sun was setting, and the almost-full moon was rising right behind us. Amazing.

That night, we had dinner with some Americans who live and work here. At first I was bummed that we were eating at Chili's, since we can do that anywhere. But then we walked out the back of the restaurant to a beautiful waterfront. I was quickly OK with it.

When we got back to our hotel, we had far less trouble getting to sleep.

Speaking of our hotel, it's an interesting place. Each room has a full kitchen with a stove, a washing machine, a refrigerator and an electric tea kettle. There is also a doorbell. It's like a little apartment. The walls are bright peach, and on one of them is a sticker with an arrow pointing to Mecca so Muslims will know what direction to face when they say their prayers.

Yesterday, we stayed in the city for shooting. We walked around the market and met some of the people. There are people here from all over the world. I think we met people from five different countries yesterday. And every one of them was friendly and gracious.

The city itself is beautiful. The architecture is so different from what we're used to. And the people! Well, they're everywhere. This place is hopping. Don't stand still on the sidewalk if you don't want to get run over by a guy pulling a rickshaw full of boxes or a woman shopping for her family.

Last night, we had a little free time, so Sam, my husband and I took a cab around to see some sights. We ate at a little sidewalk cafe, where I had more pita bread and hummus. Each version is better than the last. I really do have to start making that stuff at home.

Unfortunately, Chad is nursing some sort of stomach thing, so he stayed at the hotel. I haven't seen him yet this morning. I'm really hoping he's a lot better.

Well, my stomach is growling. Time for some more eggs, toast and coffee. It's also time for another two-hour hair and makeup session.

I'll try to write in at least one more time before we leave. And when we get back I'll tell you more about why we're here and what we did. It's so exciting. Can't wait!

Love,
Laura

2009-02-16T10:17:00.000-08:00

Click Here to hear a devotional from Chad!

Click HERE to see the video Chad is talking about (Warning - this video is on YouTube. No Other Name is not responsible for any content on this website.)

2009-02-12T12:22:00.000-08:00

Click Here to hear a devotional from Chad!

2009-02-04T08:09:00.000-08:00

DATE: February 4, 2009
REUNION TOUR

I made a huge decision a few weeks ago. I'd been putting it off for some time. I had convinced myself that all I had heard was hype and that this fad everyone was talking about was not for me. But then I did it. I caved to the pressure. I joined Facebook. And it's the best thing I've done in a long time.

I have a strange dichotomy to my personality. On one hand, I love reconnecting with old friends and finding out what they're up to. On the other hand, I'm terrible at actually keeping in touch with people. I just never pick up the phone or send that email or write that letter. (Does anyone write letters anymore?)

When I go home to Florida, I love it when my mom has a story about an old high school or church friend she ran into at Wal-Mart. Guess who had a baby? Guess who got married? Guess who got a great job? Guess whose picture was in the paper? Guess who got arrested? (Just kidding. Maybe.)

Well, Facebook allows me to know all that stuff. In the last month, I have:

-- Talked to my best friend from high school on the phone for the first time in years. We talked about how she is pregnant with twins after trying to get pregnant for 10 years. (I found out when she posted the sonogram pictures on her Facebook page). We praised the Lord and cried together.

-- Chatted online with another dear friend from high school. She graduated from UF, so of course, we talked about Tim Tebow and the Gators being National Champions.

-- Chatted online with the wife of the leader of the youth group I was active in throughout high school. She and her husband were a great influence on me then. I also found out she lives in Tennessee! So we're planning to meet halfway for dinner soon.

-- Chatted online with a college buddy who I found out is making a living as an actor in South Florida. I had no idea!

-- Exchanged updates with dozens more friends – about big stuff like children and jobs to little stuff like what they had for breakfast.

I've asked myself why I've been so much better at keeping tabs on people in this format, and I think I have the answer. Time.

Every time I've thought about contacting any of these people before, it's been "Well, I don't have time to talk on the phone an hour tonight. I've got too much going on." Or "I don't have time to type out a long email."

But with Facebook I can read their profile to find out what they're up to. I can see pictures of their spouse and their kids. I can send them a quick note to let them know how great it is to hear about them. And if something big happens in their life, I'll find out about it. And it really doesn't take up that much time. What a comfort and a warm feeling it is. Just to know they're there. They're well. They're happy. God has been faithful.

There are a lot of things to look forward to about heaven. Peace, joy, beauty, Christ Himself. But one of the biggest for me is the non-existence of time. It's hard for someone with a Type A personality like me to imagine such a place. But in heaven, my biggest obstacle for maintaining important relationships will have been removed. I can take as much time as I like with anyone I like. And face to face too. Not via a telephone or computer screen.

I can't wait for the ultimate reunion. But for now, Facebook is a good substitute.

Love,
Laura

2009-01-19T09:34:00.000-08:00

THE REAL DEAL

So the first month of this brand new year is more than half gone already. Whoa.

It's snowing outside my window right now. This Florida girl still can't get enough of watching snow fall.

It looks like 2009 will turn out to be a good year for No Other Name. We have a single headed to radio very, very soon. And we have some really exciting projects in the works.

Last weekend took us to East Tennessee and our friend Tom Mooty at West End Baptist Church in Newport. We'd never sung there, but Tom is very dear to us, and his church was just wonderful. That night, we were in Cookeville with our friends at Poplar Grove Baptist. It was nice to visit with them and hear their tremendous pastor.

We are so blessed to do what we do. So humbled that people want to hear us sing. I've been thinking the last few days about that, and about making it real. Singing well is one thing. Of course, we strive for excellence. But singing for Christ is something else.

One of the best singers I've ever heard passed away last Friday. His name was Kenneth, and he sat on the second row, left-hand side of my church for as long as I've been there. He was a fixture. Always there, always smiling, always singing.

Kenneth did not have a beautiful voice. In fact, he had a speech impediment and at times was hard to understand. But it was impossible to be near him during congregational singing and not be moved by his enthusiasm.

He did not have witty things to say during the "fellowship" time on Sunday mornings. But he was very wise. He was quick with a smile, and his hugs sure made you feel better.

Kenneth did not have a college degree, and he couldn't drive a car. He had to get rides to and from church. He had to ask for help with some simple tasks. But he wasn't dumb. In many ways, he was the smartest man in the room. He was smart enough to trust the Lord. To take Him at His Word, even when the doctors said "cancer." Kenneth never complained. He never questioned God. He just came to church. And sang.

As our pastor said last night at our celebration of Kenneth's life, perhaps God sent His most special angels to come get Kenneth Friday afternoon.

And I like to think that when they got back, He said, "Quiet now. I want you to hear some real singing. Hit it, Kenneth."

Thanks, Kenneth, for your example. May I live and sing more like you.

Love,
Laura