GLENN'S PODCASTS!

NEW GRANDSON!

Wendi and I were blessed for a 3rd time this a.m. -we have 2 incredible grandsons... and here is the newest! His name is Noble, and he, his Mom and Dad are all fine, the entire family rejoicing. God has blessed us again and we are deeply thankful to Him. -Glenn

THE GIFT OF SILENCE

When I was in my teens and even earlier I loved radios. I always had a few of them, AM and eventually FM as well as shortwave. Well, truth is I still love 'em.

I always loved hearing other people's views from overseas and always listened to music then. Like many boomers I listened to music almost non-stop on a little transistor radio that was small enough to put under my pillow for all-night tuneage. Blues, r&b, soul and rock music played all night long.

I came to follow Jesus, joined the ministry and for quite a few years I didn't listen to much music much at all. I just didn't have time or really, the desire. In the year after I joined what became JPUSA, Wendi and I were married and I was more and more focused on her, Rez Band and people's needs around us.

In the past 10 years or so I began once again to listen to the radio off and on all night. I have a couple small transistors that work well and don't kill batteries very quickly. But the big change from my youth is that I still only rarely listen to music. It's news I want to hear, news and talk. More than ever I want to know what people are thinking, what they need or at least think they need, how they feel about events in their world, town, and lives. That's something that never left me, but besides relationships and other means, both the internet and radio help me keep up to speed with people throughout the world.

In my early years and especially before I began walking with Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I needed the security of noise all night. It wasn't that I was afraid of the dark (though I had been very early on) but rather that I didn't want to be alone with my thoughts in a quiet place.

That changed many years ago and in large part due to my daily relationship with my heavenly Father. I'm happy to sit in the woods, in a boat or anywhere I happen to be really, and just read His Word, listen to Him speak in my mind and heart, talk slowly and quietly with Him rather than just think to myself.

It's about prayer and also peace- and until I had such peace with God I didn't have it within. That restless, even fearful crazy person I had been just doesn't live here anymore :)

The other thing I've realized is that now on the occasion that I'm alone at Cornerstone Farm or off in the woods or whatever, I can be very much at peace with complete silence. I don't have to deal with extreme thoughts or the enemy's tempting voice, or certainly not very much! That's a rather huge change from my old life, back before Jesus entered in.

I expect, Lord willing, to do a couple quiet retreats this year. Retreats of the sort where I'm simply alone in a quiet place for a day or so, just reading, praying and enjoying direct time with the Lord. Such focus and such a sense of rest and security wouldn't have been possible for me years ago. Now it's something I desire and when such occasions present themselves I'm glad and blessed to have them.

Growing up in Christ and finding in His presence a place of security doesn't just happen overnight. It takes time, but if one is willing to sacrifice one's personal agendas, if we seek and walk closer to Him, He brings us to a place of comfort and peace even when we're alone and all is totally silent.

Ever closer... that's God's desire and my desire both for myself and all who seek to grow in Him!

ANOTHER VID From TORONTO Show...

Please scroll down for my comments earlier today about this past weekend and another video in Facebook... but here's yet another one a bro. did and put up on YouTube. Greetings!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mRzb6Gk72s

-Glenn

TORONTO, P12 MESSAGE

Back home in Chicago. Nothing like sleeping in your own bed :)

Thanks for prayers and kind emails, etc.: the TO show with Daniel Band was a blast! Benefited an African missionary, met lots of old and some new friends, Wendi joined me for a couple REZ unplugged tunes (she sure sang/looked purty :) I brought some acoustic blues and it was -excellent- to hear DB rock the joint. Very cool.

This morning I noticed a Canadian bro. whom I'd met that night had posted a vid of a couple of my live songs from Toronto up on Facebook. Have a look/see if you like. Further, I put the gist of my message from that night (in written form) up on our Project 12 site (http://www.project12.us) as they'd asked me to speak at the end of the show. A great crowd and really good chats afterwards as well.

So, here I go into pastor's meetings, web update work, more demoing for Fulton Co. Blues at the end of the week and... we'll see! Thanks for stopping by. -Glenn