American Dates

If I told you would you believe me?

This has been a facinating 6 months. Way back a friend reintroduced me to Michael Card's music (thanks Nigel) and so God hauled me back into the fold after wandering for a while. I joined the Michael Card forum and immediately got friendly with TJ Draper amongst others. It's funny how you are more likely to trust people you have contact with than strangers. On the MC board I was introduced to Jadon Lavik, who had a myspace. Then another artist who also had a myspace. So upon further investigation I created my own myspace and stuck some rough recordings on. Soon four people were to enter my life and turn it around like I had never imagined. Living Hope, an acoustic duo from Hull (Robin & Squil) and J. Brian Hill soon became my confidents and mentors and best of all friends. Mikael Nordin introduced me to the joys of my guitar again. And all of them helped me to complete 'Design For Life'.

So what's happened since?

Well coming up I'm in Hull assisting in worship leading with Living Hope and again in March for a joint gig. J. Brian is coming to the UK for a solo tour and is doing dates in Hull and Skegness as part of his itinery. But to top it all off, as if that wasn't enough, Brian's invited us all over to Chicago to perform at his church. I'll be going in May 19th-22nd and will be participating in worship as well as the Concert on the Hill at Sanctuary Church Batavia, Chicago. To say I'm excited is the understatement of the decade. I only wish Tamara were coming with me. God has blessed me greatly and I am in awe of His wonderful presence in my life. He has brought me from the depths of despair into His marvellous light.

Design For Life - Steve's debut album release

It's finally happened after much soul searching and many hours of advice and sitting in front of recording equipment. I have mixed, re-mixed and re-mixed again until I was persuaded to leave them alone. So now you can hear it and if you so desire, buy it. CD Baby is truly a fantastic site who offer great advice and an excellent service for clients. When I bought J. Brian's CD from them their emails throughout the delivery process had me in fits of laughter.

I am so grateful to my God for giving me the songs and opportunities to share them. Our God is an awesome God. I am also indebted to J. Brian Hill, Robin & Helen Thompson (Living Hope), Mikael Nordin and of course Tamara my beautiful wife, for their advice and support throughout the recording process. Pots&Pans is born and I can't wait to begin the next project.

More of You and less of me

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
—Romans 12:2

One of the most difficult steps of faith is summed in these few words. It's like walking on water to us. Yet in reality it is similar to the faith we put in ou rcars everytime we venture onto a busy road. We trust that if we need to stop our car has the ability to stop us. The problems arise when we don't take time to know our car and it's limitations. Or we decide we know the road better than we actually do. That's when it all goes pear-shaped.

Our trust in God has to be like the simple faith a child exhibits when he jumps into our arms from the fifth step of the stairs. There is no doubt in the mind of that child that we will allow him to be hurt. It may seem scary, but he jumps regardless. Are we allowing our decisions to be guided by the doubts and questions or do we trust God to guide us and keep us safe.

We don't have blind faith in our cars. Equally God wants us to be informed in our faith. He has given us the Bible to outline His mighty works. His attributes are there for us to discover daily. Our faith will grow as our understanding of God grows. We will never know all there is to know about God whilst we walk this earth. But there's nothing stopping us trying to find out more. When our minds are receptive to God's word speaking to us through scripture and daily life, then and only then are we allowing God to transform us. To make us into what he desired us to be from the beginning of creation.

A Busy New Year Ahead

Happy New Year everyone. I know it's a bit late, but better late than never. It's been an eventful end to last year. I've met some great friends through the latter part of last year and am looking ahead to working with them in sharing the gospel this year. Future gigs include:

• 29th Jan - Victoria Dock Church - Hull - 10:30am
• 5th Feb - Victoria Dock Church - Hull - 10:30am
• 25th Mar - The Goodfellowship Inn - Hull 7:30pm
• 31st Mar - St. Clement's College Hall - Skegness - 7:30pm

There are recording plans for Easter and Pots&Pans is branching out. Started as a silly production label name for the Design For Life album, it may have it's first experience at producing a professional recording. I've gone into partnership with Mark Humphries of Faithful Sounds in Skegness (my sound maestro). So that may be something to look for in the future. I intend to release simple beginnings properly, which will be entirely an acoustic album. The original recordings were done with poor quality equipment in far from suitable conditions. So it'll be great to re-record them.