day six...

Bend, OR - another great church--amazingly cool people, great hospitality, fun concert, right? But tonight, at least for me, the highlight had to have been 'Crazy Tony'... I'd love to say that he heard my music and I somehow was able to change his life with the divine truths contained in the songs that God has giv---yeah, the truth is, God's been working on this guy for a long time and two weeks ago, he gave his life to Christ. wow... if you've forgotten what it's like to be in the presence of an on-fire, brand-new, loving-life-and-his-newfound-salvation believer, meet 'Crazy Tony'...

He comes by my nickname for him easily enough. After feeling like he really wasn't going to be able to pony up $15 for a ticket to the show, someone asked him if he'd like to setup. During setup, someone asked him to be a stagehand. After those two events transpired, Tony was found running around and jumping up and down backstage like we were U2 or something. A signed CD from Building, one from me, some mangled drumsticks that he took around with a Sharpie to everyone backstage he could find--those all excited him to his core, but it was all within the framework of the most exciting thing of all... his recent decision to follow Christ. Amidst the stories of his chest full of tattoos made in prison with guitar strings, the motor of a walkman and soot from candlewax for ink... stories of following his wife to OR after she walked out of a material-filled life with an alcoholic husband who never abused, but somehow always ignored his family... stories of a man who was sent to prison for one, but served five... this man made an impact on me.

He's back with his kids--a stay at home dad, after leaving his 6-figure salary and checking into a rehab. Mom works at Home Depot, and Tony says he's never been poorer, and he's never been happier. This man, draped in the robes of newfound salvation, is primed to begin changing lives of people that I could never even get to look at me, much less listen to one of my songs... The body of Christ is a beautiful thing, my friends, and Crazy Tony is now a proud member! This is why I do what I do... watching what God can do in His people is an amazing, inspiring thing.