Natalie Grant Hits the Road This Fall with Jeremy Camp on The “Speaking Louder Than Before” Tour. Joining these powerhouse vocalists on stage will be BEC Recording artist, Bebo Norman.
Tickets for the 30+ city tour go on sale this Friday, July 10th in addition to a special iTickets / iTunes promotion. For those who purchase tickets via iTickets from July 10th until July 24th, they will receive a code for two free downloads at iTunes. The codes will be given out for each ticket purchased (not per order). Dates are listed below and you can check out www.nataliegrant.com/tour for ticket information.
I have one of the best tour managers around, Mr Chris Farnsworth. He’s the nuts and bolts of my touring operation. Chris is smart and talented, and an all around great guy to tour with. But one of the things I know he didn’t expect to be a part of his job description was the madness of having twin toddlers on the road. I’m hard enough to take care of (*wink*), but it’s a whole ‘notha level with kids on the bus. But he doesn’t complain. He carts the extra luggage around and has even taken out a poopy diaper. Haven’t gotten him to change one yet, but I’m working on it – haha! Seriously, this guy has worked with some of the biggest names in Christian music, but he’ll still call around to see if there’s a playround at the local McDonald’s.
What about you? When you’re asked to serve, what is your response? Do you say yes, even when it’s below your “pay grade” and requires you to clean up somebody else’s…poop? (for lack of a better word-teehee) Believe me, this is not something I have mastered. Especially given the nature of my job, people are doing things for me all of the time. It’s very easy to get used to someone serving me. But we are called to serve others.
Ouch. That’s a tough one. Oh sure, it’s easy to give lip service to helping the needy and being an advocate for the down-trodden. But what about serving those who are not easy to serve? What about helping someone else get ahead, even if it keeps us from advancing? What about serving in secret, even when it means getting no credit or recognition? Read how Paul puts it in Philippians 2:
“If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” (The Message)
Serving can sometimes be adventurous and exciting. Often times serving can be monotonous, mundane and may even feel like what we’re doing is “beneath” us. But in the end, it’s always fulfilling, because we’re doing what we were created to do. The above video, as silly as it may be, illustrates my point. My sweet tour manager does whatever he can to make my life easier, even if it’s not in his job description. And his simple little phone call brought a dance of joy out of my daughter, Gracie. And bringing that joy to her, brought joy to him. That’s one of the many benefits of being a servant. Bringing joy to other’s is quite rewarding. It may even make someone feel like dancing. Careful, it may make you feel like dancing.
Pray this with me: Help me, Lord. Help me to serve, expecting nothing in return. Help me to find opportunities to promote others, even if it keeps me in the shadows and puts the spotlight on someone else. Because ultimately, when I choose to live this way, it puts the spotlight on You. Remind us all that’s it’s about making YOU famous.Amen.
Hi everyone!
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. We did. Great food and even better fellowship. It was an awesome day.
But now I’m in Houston. The Casting Crowns Christmas Celebration begins tonight. It doesn’t feel like it’s time for Christmas. Does it to you? All I know is that it’s time to pull out Harry Connick, Jr.’s cd, my Christmas Crooners cd with Perry Como (my fav) & Jim Carrey in The Grinch, which happens to be my FAVORITE Christmas movie. I also love It’s A Wonderful Life.
What’s your favorite Christmas music and Christmas movie?
Hope to see you guys on the road.
Ho, Ho, Ho
Natalie
Catch Natalie Grant on the Casting Crowns Christmas Celebration:
Casting Crowns with special guests Natalie Grant, Denver & The Mile High Orchestra, Avalon, Michael English and pureNRG, are all gathering together along a choir and orchestra to worship and celebrate in 14 cities this November and December. For more information, click here to watch the tour video.
Grammy winning, multi-platinum recording artists, Casting Crowns, has invited a truly diverse group of artists to create a rare holiday celebration that will engage every age, from Disney fan favorites pureNRG and the big band orchestra sounds of Denver and The Mile High Orchestra, the powerhouse voice of Natalie Grant and amazing vocal arrangements of Avalon and the passionate sounds of Michael English. “I want to see people rediscover the worship that Christmas songs have in them,” says Mark Hall, of Casting Crowns
Okay, so I played the Iowa State Fair last week with Michael W Smith. While I’ve worked with him several times before, I SO do not see myself as a colleague, as i am still a fan. i mean, as a very young girl, “project” was one of the first albums my parents bought me. of-course, “the big picture” was a regular in my household, and “go west young man” was a staple in my car. so, needless to say, my palms still get a little sweaty when i’m around him. okay, not really, but he is SO cool.
I showed up uninvited at the front door of his bus. i wanted to see if i could get “in”. watch the video to see what happens. i think this one is pretty hilarious. thanks to my sweet friend, tiff, for putting it together and of-course, including the soundtrack for it. it makes perfect sense, since smitty and i are now friends forever.(*wink*)
you’ll get it after you watch it.
i mean, as a very young girl, “project” was one of the first albums my parents bought me. of-course, “the big picture” was a regular in my household, and “go west young man” was a staple in my car. so, needless to say, my palms still get a little sweaty when i’m around him. okay, not really, but he is SO cool.