Love.Truth.Faith.Hope.Justice.etc

So I got my Hillsong United tickets on Wednesday, only 77 days left! (I wasn't crazy enough to count this out myself, I promise, I just discovered that my phone has a countdown feature). Their new album, All of the Above, has already been released in Australia, as far as I know anyways, and it should be released here on approx. April 10th. It's something like their 5th or 6th album but its their first studio album. I was kind of apprehensive about it being recorded in studio vs. live because one of their trademarks is the live sound and the presence of the crowd singing along, sometimes overpowering the band themselves. I have heard one of the songs off of it though and it sounds really good... I'll definitely be getting it as soon as it comes out. The new song that's been released is called "Solution" and after looking at the lyrics (the copy I heard wasn't very good quality) it's a really big indication of where the band is going. The idea of social justice is coming out in a big way, and for good reason. How many times over the last week have I heard people talking about boycotting maritime products because we participate in the seal hunt when Sudan is being torn apart from the inside out? My ranting aside, the opening bit is:
It is not a human right to stand on fire
While broken nations dream
Open up our eyes so blind
That we might find the mercy for the need
Pre-chorus
Hey now, fill our hearts with your compassion
Hey now, as we hold to our confession
Chorus
Woah, God be the solution
Woah, we will be your hands and be your feet

The rest of it is just as powerful and leads me to my next point... the I Heart Revolution. 'All of the Above' is the first part of a three part global project. The second is the I Heart Revolution, a documentary of sorts that will be released in 2008, but until then you can check out the website @ www.iheartrevolution.com. I've just been overwhelmed lately with God impressing upon me the need to act, to love those around me. As much as I would like to go on a missions trip to Africa, I know that God has me where I am right now for a reason, and while I know he's preparing me to go somewheres at some point, now is not the time, and he's called me to be his hands and feet here, where I am. When people talk of missions, the first thing that usually springs to mind is the idea of going away from where you, but the broken and unloved are everywhere you look. I see them every week in my church, in my youth group, in my drama team, in my school, my work place and in my family as they are in yours as well and we've been called to love them as Jesus would too. It always used to tick me off during the missions time at camp when they would ask who had been on a missions trip, but it was always only those who had travelled abroad who were asked to speak about their experiences. That's why I loved that during our recent missions night at church, special attention was paid attention to the idea of local missions. How on earth can we travel half way across the world to show the love of Christ if we can't do it in our own backyard? I'm counting myself in with a group of likeminded people who don't want our generation to be remembered for it's iPods and Youtube, but rather that God moved in a huge way through us and made us radical enough to change the world we live in. Anyone else up for a revolution? The time has never been more right.

Montreal, here I come!!!!

So Hillsong United is going to be in Montreal on June 1st and as you can tell from the title of this blog, I will be there. I'm not sure how yet, seeing as my car died last week (yes, Howie is no more but I'll write more on that later) and I have no idea where I'm going to be working this summer etc... but I will be there for this concert. Hillsongs are one of my favorite bands and have been the most influential in my own musical style as well, and seeing as they're from Australia it isn't like I can see them whenever I'd like to. Anyways, if anyone else is planning on going let me know cause I need a ride too! Have a great weekend!