In the course of my work, I’ve run across a story that I just can’t get out of my thoughts. My spirit keeps coming back to ruminate over its details, its challenge to me personally.

I’ve spoken with Chris Nesbitt a lot over the past few weeks, and gotten pretty familiar with his incredible story. The independent recording artist and worship leader is giving away his new album, the fantastic “Liquid Worship,” making it available as a free download from his website, as instructed by the Lord. No, Chris is not independently wealthy. In fact, he put his house up to cover the coast of making the album, and at the time he did it he was not at all planning on giving it away. But the Lord had other plans for Chris and his gift. A lot of ‘em.

Another unexpected one involved him moving his family of six across the country, from California to Nashville, again following the leading of the Lord. It wasn’t a flaky, impulsive act, but came after much prayer, reflection and attentive listening. He and his wife have known for years that at some point in God’s timing they would be uprooted from their home and led to a new and unknown place for a new work. What they did not know, and still do not completely understand, is why. However, they have the most important concept down cold: obedience.

I’ve been greatly challenged by Chris’ story. We actually have much in common. Well, not the enormous talent part, but other significant factors that help me to understand the difficulties and challenges of moving a family of 6 across the country without having all the financial and practical logistics in place. And did I mention Chris has teenagers?

What I have been forced to admit to myself is that we do not have that level of submission in common. I did not realize until talking with Chris how I’ve been bending in my thinking, in tiny increments over a period of years, toward a lifestyle of self-rule. My awe and wonder at his story slowly morphed into recognition of the shabbiness of my own. And I don’t say that with excessive discouragement, but with great excitement. It’s never too late to wake up, to stir your spirit toward the Light. I have been inspired by Chris’ example, and that of his family. With a lot of prayer and surrender, I hope in fact to be as obedient and faithful as one of his kids.

To find out more about Chris’ great worship album, visit either www.chrisnesbitt.com or www.liquidworship.com.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 15th, 2007 at 10:49 am and is filed under Staff Blogs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.