| I grew up in a fairly musical family, started playing guitar at age 14, and playing original prog/art rock and jazz live at age 17. This went on for about 5 years, playing in 4 or 5 bands at once, gaining a reputation in town. But in second year of university I started to realize that my life as it was at that time was not very purposeful. At a young age I knew I wanted to do something significant to help make the world a better place to live in. As I grew older I started to see that so many people go out to change the world on a huge scale but ignore their own neighbourhood, in a sense. (I still commend those people on their efforts, and hope they perservere in that until they accomplish something great). For myself though, I soon adopted this phrase "wherever you go, there you are" (from Buckaroo Bonzai, I believe :P). In other words, helping my next door neighbour is the same as helping someone halfway around the world. (although I understand that people in North America have it WAY too easy). Anyway, I thought I would go into chemistry, maybe become a doctor, maybe try to heal people, and thus make the world a better place. But as I went through school God really drew me closer to Himself and caused me to understand that all the problems in the world are because of man's fallen state, and that healing the physical body is much less important that healing the soul. The only healing for us spiritually is through Christ. So I decided that whatever I would do with my life I would follow God and try to help people in a way that if they were to die the next day, it would benefit them for eternity. I quit all my non-christian bands, and finished off my degree, then ditched chemistry. I considered going to seminary, or to study theology, but God didn't lead me there. After two years of wondering what I would do, God basically told me that I was to do music now. Sounds weird eh? Maybe not...if you've had God speak to you, it's not so strange, but if you've never heard God in that undeniable way, then it probably sounds pretty nuts. Think what you will. So I bought a synth and a drum machine and got to work. Troy Balec joined up to do vocals for a while, but we decided God was leading us down different paths. So here I am, convinced that God has me doing this for a very good reason, though I don't necessarily know what His plans are. It would be foolish to assume the Cedars of Lebanon is going to "make it" huge or something just because "God spoke." All the work is worth it if it helps bring someone to know Christ as their saviour and friend. Nothing would give me joy as much as knowing that someone has come to know and love God as I do, especially if somehow I was involved in that process! So listen to the tunes, read the blog, and I hope you are encouraged and edified by the work of my hands, which I would like to believe reflects God's work in my life and heart. Love in Christ, Jon |
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