Artist Skyrocketing

If you follow the Christian music charts, you probably noticed there is a new artist skyrocketing to the top.  Solomon Ray, from Mississippi, holds the top spot for new single with, "Find your rest".  Most of the reviews are positive, but some have complained that even though the songs are promoted as soul music, Solomon has no soul.  And that would be technically correct.  You see, Solomon Ray is an artist whose image and music are completely generated by AI.  Of course, AI is exploding into every part of our lives.  You can choose to use it or not use it (sometimes), but there is no debate that it is here to stay.  The ethical debates about how far it should go are here and escalating.  While many have commented that it is not right for AI generated music to potentially reduce demand for music from real people, Solomon's creator disagrees.  Christopher Jermaine Townsend is the soul behind the avatar, and he feels like Solomon is just an extension of his creativity.  I think there is a lot to work out, but if Solomon/Christopher can deliver a message to someone in need of it, I think God can find a way to bless it.

Honoring My Mom

This is a different Thanksgiving for us.  My brother died this year, and we are burying my mom's ashes this week in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.  I wanted to honor her at the graveside service, and this is what I came up with.  Special thanks to Caroline for having the idea that got the ball rolling.

For Mom (GiGi)

2500 years ago, in a far away place, there was a young Jewish girl named Esther.   Her parents died early, and she was raised by her cousin Mordecai.  Esther loved to read and study, especially about God. 

Back then, there were two groups of people in that region, the Persians and the Jews.  The Jews worshipped the God we know, but the Persians worshipped a lot of other different Gods.  The Jews and the Persians didn’t get along with each other very well. 

King Xerxes was the King of the Persians, and he was looking for a new queen.  The king found Esther to be kind and beautiful, and he picked her to be the new queen - but he didn’t know that Esther was a Jew.  Eshter was grateful for all the things that her knew role as queen brought to her, and she did all she could to serve her family and all the people in the kingdom.

There was an evil man named Haman that served the king.  Haman got mad at Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, because Mordecai wouldn’t bow down to him.   Haman made a plan to kill Mordecai by hanging him on a tree.  But then he thought, why stop with Mordecai, and Haman devised a plan to kill all of the Jews in Persia.

When Mordecai learned of the plan, he went to Esther and told her that she must go to the King and ask him for help, but in those days, it was dangerous for a woman to approach a man, even her husband, without being asked to.   Mordecai told Esther that she may have been put in this place to save the Jews “for such a time as this.”   

Esther was scared, because as a Jew, her own life was at risk.  She didn’t know what to do so she prayed for three days asking God for direction.  God gave her courage and told the king of Haman’s plan to kill the Jews, and revealed that she was also a Jew.   The King was furious with Haman and had him hung on the tree that Haman had intended for Mordecai, and the King put Mordecai in charge of all that Haman had been responsible for.  Then the king made a new law that gave all the Jews freedom and the right to defend themselves, saving them from destruction.  Eshter’s courage saved an entire people group, the same people group that Jesus would be born into 500 years later.

I see a lot of Eshter in GiGi.

Gigi was an avid reader.  I especially remember her reading along with the bible study group that met at our house.  One of our last conversations before she died was about what our group had studied earlier that week.   I am thankful that she had the ability to do this until the very end.  Gigi loved to read and study - just like Eshter.

Gigi taught kids about Jesus in Sunday School for most of her life.  Gigi served others – just like Esther.

Gigi woke up most mornings thinking of the things that she was grateful for and thanking God for all that He had done for her.   She also asked God for direction in dealing with difficult situations.  Gigi prayed – just like Esther.

I am thankful for all that mom did for me and our family and can't wait to see her again one day.

6 7

 At 64 years old, there are plenty of times when it sounds like my grandkids might as well be speaking in a foreign language.  And that surely applied to the first time I heard them using the expression  "six seeeveeeen".   I have asked them what it means and few have been able to answer, but I have discovered through intense internet exploration, that it is a phrase popularized by highschool basketball player, Taylen Kinney.  You might think that Taylen is 6' 7" tall, but he is actually listed at 6'1".  He lifted the phrase out of a rap song, and for some reason, when he posted this video, it went viral.  Instead of dismissing the cultural phenomenon, one smart pastor in Charlotte, NC created an outreach to kids in his church based on the meme.  The program was based on Psalm 28: 6-7, and every time the two numbers were mentioned, a high school student with a jersey reading 6-7 popped up on stage.  The kids went crazy and began to anticipate the arrival of "the numbers".  I can't guarantee that every student there memorized the verses, "Praise be to the Lord, for has heard my cry for mercy.  The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him."  But I am pretty sure that their hearts leapt for joy on that particular night at church.  Props to the pastor that instead of criticizing culture, used it to engage the students in his church and connect them to something true and powerful.  Praise God.

Student Behavior

 

I posted in February about a revival that took place at the University of Kentucky that was organized by UniteUS.  Over 7000 attendees, mostly students, were at the event.  UniteUS hosted its first revival at Auburn University in 2023.  The success of that event led to more events at college campuses around the country.  On Tuesday of this week, UniteUS was at the JS Dorton arena in Raleigh, and over 6000 people attended.  If you are curious about what all the excitement is about, UniteUS will be at T. Ed Garrison arena in Clemson on this coming Tuesday, 11/18/25.  As of the writing of this note, registrations are still available at this link.  With all of the negativity from and about young people in the news and social media, I love seeing the other side made possible only by the power of Jesus.

Breaking A Habit

 

Those of you who know me, know that I am a routine guy.  New habits are very hard to start for me, but once I start them, I am relentless about keeping them.  I am thinking mainly about good habits, but regrettably, it goes for bad habits, too.  As it applies to my faith, I have started and kept some pretty good habits, but  sometimes it feels like those habits were learned by rote.  I don't regret learning them, and it is better to keep them, than to never have started them, but keeping the habits shouldn't be the point.  I heard this worship song led by Jesse Harris, and the lyrics hit home for me.  It is a love song to Jesus.  "I want to know You and be known by You."  I want to do that more, but I don't want to make it a habit.  I want it to just be who I am.  I hope you have a few minutes to listen to this one.

The World Needs Relief

 

We have had quite a bit of rain in north Georgia over the past few days, which has served as a major annoyance for many of us.  But what we have seen doesn't compare to what those who live in the path of hurricane Melissa have experienced.  Buildings have been destroyed and lives have been lost.  As Christians, it is often difficult to know how best to help those in the affected areas.  Some are called to visit the area to help and have the means to do so.  Many more of us have the capacity to support relief efforts which are already in place.  World Relief is an organization that started after World War II to provide aid to those affected by disasters.  They have worked in over 100 countries and served 3.3 million people over the last 80 years.  Their approach is to partner with churches in the affected areas, making them stronger to cope with the recovery and their ministry after the disaster is over.  They have staff in Haiti and are partnering with other organizations in Jamaica.  If you are in a position to help, your time and/or money will be used wisely at World Relief.  Click here to donate.

Lasting Legacy

 I posted last week about the death of my brother Craig.  I mentioned that our full lives did not allow us to meet face to face as much as I would have liked.  On Sunday, all six of Craig's grown children spoke at his memorial service.  Each one did an amazing job relaying special memories of him.  Craig was a storyteller.  He was funny.  He was loyal.  He was loving.  He was a faithful follower of Jesus.  Over 500 people were in attendance and many of them posted what Craig had meant to them on social media.  Craig was a giant in the Georgia film community at the highest levels.  He was largely responsible for helping pass legislation that allowed film companies to receive tax credits for producing films in Georgia.  These efforts caused Georgia to be one of the top states for film production following only California and New York.  All of these efforts were in parallel with his primary responsibility of running his own film company.  More interesting than any of that to me, was the number of younger people in the film industry that talked about the time that Craig had spent with them to mentor them as they were getting started in the industry.  The fact that I was unaware of much of this work points to one of the most impressive character traits of Craig.  He rarely talked about his accomplishments in the industry or his work with people trying to get into the business.  His humility in going about his work was amazing.  As I learned all that Craig had accomplished leading his industry and his family, it made me want to be a better person.  I have started small habits this week that I hope will continue forever.  Thank you Craig for the life you lived.  You will live on in so many of us.