day four (& five)...

ok, so the Tualatin (Portland, OR) show was last night... I know I sound like a broken record, but it was a great time. I've included a pic to the right there. From l to r, that's Aaron, Jason Roy (Building), Meredith, Josh, Scottie, Duffy (Aaron's band) and myself. I've gotten the opportunity to sit in and watch the entire sets of both Building 429 & Aaron the past few nights and they've been really compelling. As usual though, the coolest part of last night came behind the scenes...

After the concert was over, a woman came up to me just to say 'thank you'... as she began to speak, her eyes quickly welled up with tears. She shared with me the impact the artists had made on her simply by being 'real'. I think the simple act of walking out to our merch tables afterward and chatting with people communicated a raw authenticity to her that she didn't expect. As we go from city to city, that seems to be a recurring theme that hits my heart. It amazes me the apparent perception--or I may even say fear--that some people have of artists' personalities on the way into these concerts. The legend of the green m&m's seems pervasive--almost accepted--even in Christian circles, and when those stereotypes fall, a sense of relief seems to ensue.

At the end of the day, it makes me more and more aware of the words our church throws around on a daily basis--authentic, transparent, real (Kelley, if you're reading this, I know you're loving it.) It's so important... it's so important. I got the opportunity to pray with the woman I spoke about earlier, and that entire situation--tiny as it was--left a small, though indelible, mark on me.

Today we had the day off... no show tonight. Tomorrow we hit Bend, OR before heading to Fresno. Keep in touch, and I'll keep you posted.