A Promise for 2009

Hey guys! Its Wes with your friendly Rock The Cross update. I come to you with a message that is short and sweet. I promise you that 2009 is going to be the year that you aren't going to want to miss whats going on @ RockTheCross.net! God is going to use us in a mighty way. Starting next Tuesday, be prepared for the updates. They are going to be coming fast and furious! On tap we have interviews with Red, Adam McGinnis, Fireflight, and more, as well as reviews of Red's forthcoming release , Innocence and Instinct. So tell all of your friends that a new day is dawning. And the date of that dawn is February 3rd, 2009. Thanks for all of your support!

W

Help Support Randy Miller from the Myriad in his fight against cancer....

As some of you may have heard, Randy Miller, the drummer for the band The Myriad, had a large tumor removed from his left chest/shoulder area which has now been diagnosed as Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma, an extremely rare cancer of the bone. Unfortunately, during the meeting with the specialist at Stanford this week, he was informed that the tumor removed was just the tip of the iceberg. The tumor is much larger than they originally thought and it extends into his shoulder and arm. There is also a tumor in his left pelvic area and thigh and still another large tumor located on his right adrenal gland which is possibly another type of cancer altogether.... More at www.rockthecross.net in the News section

Light Gives Heat Fundraiser... A Post for friends

Consider buying a handmade, Ugandan necklace for a loved one this Christmas. These necklaces, part of Light Gives Heat's Suubi (HOPE) project, provides the women of Jinja, Uganda their only source of income. These women, mostly widows, have escaped the over-20-year long war currently going on in Uganda and now seek to provide income for their families by making these beautiful necklaces out of dried up paper.

One half of the cost of these necklaces goes directly to these women and the other half goes to Katie and Dan Snyder, owners of Katie Snyder Photography, who will be spending the month of January in Uganda, getting to know these women, photographing them, and hearing their stories, in effort to return home and publish a book about this unique community to raise awareness of their strength, their perseverance, and their hope.

You can learn more about Light Gives Heat at www.lightgivesheat.org and more about the Snyders' mission at www.katiesnyderphotography.com. You can also buy these necklaces directly at: http://www.photobiz.com/portfolio/layouts/1/gallerym.cfm?eventID=177953&galleryID=259383.

Grammy Nominations

As a rule, I usually shy away from Awards shows (especially the Grammys), mostly because it is a "hey look at me" night for the entertainment industry. But this year, I am taking special interest in the Gospel (cant they think of a better name for them) catagories. A special congratultions to all of the bands and individuals who were nominated including:

After Edmund (after their first album)
Brandon Heath
Casting Crowns
Leeland
Stephen Curtis Chapman
Sanctus Real
TobyMac

and many more! What's the most awesome about all of this is that we have After Edmund, who just released their debut album, on the list. What a high honor for these guys from LaGrange, Georgia.

For a complete list of nominees, go to:

Grammy Nominees 2008

Get Up!

Something that I have been struggling with is the time that I should have my devotion/quiet time every day. You hear so many preachers and teachers talk about fitting your bible study into your day when you can. And that worked for me for a while. But I started reading about it and I'm not sure thats really 100% bibically sound.

Now as a disclaimer, I am not a Bible scholar by any means, but I know how to cross reference, use google and youversion.com(my favorite online bible), and read(been doing that for 24 years). I am actually sitting with my eldest daugther right now, getting ready to take her to school, so I'm kind of in a situation where I could be studying early in the morning. As the question/conviction has risen, I have begun to do some research. Turns out, as usual, that Jesus set the example for us. In Mark 1:35: And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Other verses that support this are Luke 21:38 and John 8:2.

Then, in Psalm 5:3, In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. and in Psalm 88:13, But I cry to you for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you. . Even the great heroes of the Bible like Samuel, David, Gideon and others, always rose early to meet what God had planned for them in the day.

I guess what I am saying is that maybe, just maybe, we are truly supposed to "rise early to meet HIM who created us". Just a thought.

I know this seems more like a Devotion, than a blog, but its really just the first thing on my mind this morning..... and I NEVER have "thoughts", this early....


W

Check out JesusBranded

Hey guys, its Wes from Rock The Cross. I wanted to pass along some info to you guys about some great folks I know, the guys and gals at JesusBranded! The biggest reason I support them is that they have some awesome shirts and hoodies that have great messages that go along with them. My personal favorite has to be the Tens Against Thousands shirt! Alot of "christian" apparel isn't really "cool", but these guys have some incredible designs for men and women.

They are also involved in several outreaches including The Orphanage Project:

"When we were nothing but a vision and a sketchpad, a young woman believed in us enough to donate her life savings as the seed money for JesusBranded. Her investment was not made for personal gain, and she asked for only one thing in return - that we help see her vision, The Orphanage Project, come to life.

The Orphanage Project will be a world-class school and orphanage bringing God's love to the forsaken and forgotten children of India while equipping them for a brighter future. Though right now it is only a nine acre parcel of land on the outskirts of New Delhi, once built, the project will care for hundreds of children, be entirely self sufficient, and will act as a model for similar projects around the world.

Unexpectedly, soon after making her investment, God prompted the woman to quit her job as a rising young lawyer and serve as a full-time missionary in Faridabad, India with no financial backing.

We are committed to supporting her as she does the work of the gospel, and a large percentage of the profits from our sales will go directly toward The Orphanage Project.

Check back for updates, and drop us a line if you'd like to get involved.

Thank you for partnering with us to make this happen.

www.theorphanageproject.com"

All in all, they really have their act together. Check them out and tell them that Wes from RocktheCross.net sent you!

www.jesusbranded.com
Wes

Top Albums of 2007

December 31st, 2007
Hey guys and gals! Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents worth for what I thought that the top 10 Albums of 2007 were. Here they are, in some particular order. There is a tie for first place, mainly because I was a little to lazy to pick out a favorite.

10. The Send-Cosmos/The Almost- Southern Weather
9.Toby Mac- Portable Sounds
8.Fighting Instinct- Fighting Instinct
7.Casting Crowns- Altar and The Door
6.Jeremy Camp- Beyond Measure
5.Relient K- Five Score and Seven Years Ago and Let It Snow Baby... Let It Reindeer
4.The Showdown- Temptation Come My Way
1.Anberlin-Cities/Falling Up-Captiva/Demon Hunter-Storm the Gates of Hell

Happy New Year To You All

WB
wes@rockthecross.net