An Artist that Moves Me

I’m a musician. I live in music city. I’ve been here for nearly 4 years. I’ve been to tons of performances. Only count 4 of those performances have stuck with me. One was the 2^nd to last show that Nickel Creek played on their final tour as a band. They are brilliant musicians and the fact that I saw them play one of their final performances as a group made and already gorgeous experience all the more epic.

The other three concerts were John Mark McMillan. Twice at a little church called the Anchor Fellowship and once this past Tuesday at 12^th and Porter downtown Nashville.

Photo Credit my friend and fellow Franklin Vineyard Worship Leader, Mark Young.

I’ve been listening to John Mark since my sister-in-law casually put on the album Songs inside the Sound of Breaking Down during a road trips out west with the Michael clan in 2005. All that I thought I knew about worship and songwriting went right out the 15 passenger window when I heard JM shout/sing “Son of David, Don’t Pass me by. Cause I am naked. I’m poor and I’m Blind!” in his song “Closer” I couldn't stop listening to the album.

In 2007 John Mark played at the Call in Nashville. He told the story of how he wrote the song “How He Loves Us”. The story is intense. And powerful. I wasn’t there in 2007 as it was the day after my wedding, but I’ve seen the raw and gritty video of his performance and was deeply touched. Here's a "clip" (it's 10 mins. long but doesn't have the whole song)




About a year later my sister-in-law sent me a link to a video and said “you have to watch this.” Work was slow that day so I clicked the link. Turns out it was the same song “How He Loves Us” but sung by a girl named Kim Walker. By the end of the song I was sitting at my desk at work weeping (silently…which is pretty awkward... and another story altogether.) overwhelmed at what I had just heard. Rocked to my core I realized what true encounter with Jesus in worship was for the first time that day.

There is massive anointing on this song…and on this girl.



Since Kim recorded the song, John Mark has sky rocketed. He has put out another amazing album, The Medicine, and is working on a 4^th to be released later this year. He is signed to Integrity Music. David Crowder has recorded “How He Loves Us” and the deeply poetic and emotional song with so much truth is sung in most churches today.


The concert on Tuesday was awesome. I’m a little disappointed that he didn’t have his new album available during his tour (so main stream of him to wait till after the tour to release it), but the bits he played during the show proved that it will not disappoint.

John Mark is not the greatest singer in the world, but i've decided thats part of what I like about him. He writes the truth of Jesus mixed with the ugly and gross parts of life that Christians often try and hide and in doing so, has opened up a whole new revelation of Grace mixed with passion. He has changed the way my generation worships and i freaking love it.


What music is moving you today?

Sing My Love

Another highlight of this past weekend at the Touch Healing Conference was the worship on Saturday night and Sunday Morning. It was led by John Mark McMillan and his wife Sarah McMillan. During this time the heavens opened up. I have never experienced such jubilant and fiery worship. I literally shouted at the top of my lungs several times just because I couldn't hold it in and I was so overwhelmed with happiness! I was in total abandonment wrapped up in passionate worship with my King and Creator!

One song in particular really spoke to me, it is called "Sing My Love" by Sarah McMillan. There is a line in the song that says "He always knew me" that brought me to heart wrenching brokeness and extreme joy at the same time. God ALWAYS knew me, not matter how far or how close I am to him and that tore me apart thinking about how fickel I am but, he was always there and knew me better than I knew myself. For some reason as I thought about that line I was brought back to the 5th grade when I broke my leg in a car accident. The Dr. told my mom that I had powerful lungs. As I thought about that, I felt like the Lord told me he gave me powerful lungs for a reason and that was to praise him! Even if it is just in shouts of unpretty praise!

I encourage all of you to go to Sarah McMillan's myspace and listen to it, or buy the cd. Here are the lyrics

Words can never say, the way He says my name
He calls me lovely
No one ever sees, the way He looks at me
He sees me holy
Earth can never hold this love that burns my soul
heaven holds me

I can't hold my love back from you
I can't hold my love back from you
I've gotta sing, I've gotta sing
Sing my love

You would not believe, the way He touches me
He burns right through me
And I can not forget every word He said
He always knew me
Earth can never hold, the way he burns my soul
Heaven holds me.

I can't hold my love back from you
I can't hold my love back from you
I've gotta sing, I've gotta sing
Sing my love

Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord
My soul makes, makes it's boast in the Lord