HOUSE PARTY: 2010

Rediscover You - Day 17 - Matthew 17

Nothing is impossible

²⁰ He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Do you ever have those days when you just want to shut down? Life is too much. Everything is overwhelming. You just can't seem to do it all. I have. Actually, this week has been like that!

This scripture is so simple and yet the promise is true - if you have even a tiny amount of faith, you can move a mountain! That's ginormous! Don't give up today. We serve a big God & we can do big things through Him, even with only a tiny bit of faith. Nothing is impossible for you.

Rediscover You - Day 16 - Matthew 16

^{Lose Your Life?}

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. ²⁶ What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

Today's portion from Matthew was a great reminder even for me that a relationship with God is a daily thing. In today's culture we just want instant gratification; do things with a push of a button, etc...I'm surprised we can't buy things by just breathing.

This scripture is saying everyday you have to take up your cross and follow Him. And in kind of a backwards thinking, if you want your save your life, you'll lose it. I know...crazy! Get this, whoever loses their life for Him will find it! If somehow you get everything in the world yet lose your own soul...what's the point? What have you really gained?

Take this as a reminder to seek after God, everyday! It's a daily process!

Rediscover You - Day 15 - Matthew 15

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

The Squeaky Wheel Gets The Grease.

²¹ Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A Gentile^[e] woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”

²³ But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.”

²⁴ Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”

²⁵ But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”

²⁶ Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

²⁷ She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”

²⁸ “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

When I was asking if I should call a radio station that I had applied to work at, my college professor told me a funny phrase that I had never heard before- "The Squeaky Wheel Gets The Grease!"

In whatever we do in life, we can choose to blend in with the crowd or stand out and speak up! Whether it is for ourselves and a job, or our family, or even for God, the ones that persevere will be richly rewarded, just like the woman in the story above. We have the choice every day to stand, will you?

Rediscover You - Day 14 - Matthew 14

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Stand For What's Right.

³ Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ⁴ for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ¹¹ His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.

I don't remember what exactly it was that I got in trouble for, but I vividly remember sitting in the office of the place I worked as a teen getting ready for some sort of punishment and seeing a poster on the wall. It said "Stand up for what's right, even if you are standing alone."

That has stood with me since then, and the story from how John the Baptist died reminded me again that a lot of the time, saying the right thing and saying the right thing is tough and goes against the flow of what everyone else is doing. It might be awkward, embarrassing, or may even be costly in one way or another. It may even cost you your life someday. But never be discouraged in doing the right thing, and asking God to give you guidance and strength to do it!

Rediscover You - Day 13 - Matthew 13

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Don't Choke.

²² The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.

This Christmas has been more stressful for me than previous ones, and I'm not sure why. I think I am worrying more about how I am going to pay for all the things we have gotten for ourselves and others in the last month, is it getting in the way of me living for Christ and following the Word?

Absolutely.

There are so many places in the bible that talk about not worrying about your life, that if you are following God's plan and focusing on Him, that things will work out. I have never really been able to do that... to "let go" so to speak of my life and let God fully handle things.

The accumulation of "stuff" is not what I was put on this world to do. What God really wants me for? Well I should spend some more time with Him to figure that out :)

Rediscover You - Day 12 - Matthew 12

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Words Matter.

³⁴ You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ³⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ³⁶ But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

A few days ago I told my wife that she looked super skinny in this sweater she was wearing... The response of course was "so I don't look super skinny at other times?"

What a good reminder of how every word has meaning, something I have to remind myself daily, especially since my words go out to lots of people. But even though you may not be on the radio, remember that every empty word we say will be judged at one point. Our words have great ability to build up and to tear down, remember to use them to build today!

Rediscover You - Day 11 - Matthew 11

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Find Rest.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

What a perfect verse to find in this CRAZY Christmas season! My wife is constantly reminding me how behind we are in sending out Christmas Cards, getting Christmas Presents.... and we haven't even decorated AT ALL! ACK! Not to mention the parties and the get togethers and the volunteering and you get a time of the year that should be the most merry and relaxed but is the most rushed and stressful!

We know it's not gadgets or toys or eggnog that will bring rest to this season, ironically it is the reason we celebrate the season that brings true rest: Jesus Christ! Take those burdens and just like when you throw all your shopping bags in the back of your van and breathe a great *sigh*, throw the worries of this world on Him and take a deep breath!

Rest won't come to you this season, you have to find it, just remember where to look!

Rediscover You - Day 10 - Matthew 10

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Shake The Dust Off Your Feet.

9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. [...] 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.

How do you deal with rejection? Is it something that you fear to the point where you are even afraid to start following your dreams because of the fear of someone making fun or looking down on what you personally believe?

Maybe you rely on other people's opinions too much, like I did as a kid. It was 6th grade, and at that point I wanted to be a Weatherman on TV. Until it was the weather chapter in my science class, and I got a C+ on the test. My parents were out of town so I was staying with a family friend, and when I shared the grade I got with them, the husband said, jokingly, "Maybe you aren't cut out for being a Weatherman!" I took that to heart and gave up on my dream of that time.

Isn't it incredible what a few words can do to change someone's life?

A good reminder both ways, that:

Don't squash other's dreams. Encourage them !
Don't let others try to squash your dreams!

For we are to be followers of God, not man! So live your dreams and let God guide you!

Doesn't Anybody Know The Real Meaning of Christmas?

That's one of the classic lines from "A Charlie Brown Christmas," and I was trying to figure out how I was going to be able to watch it this year now that I don't have cable... Then I found out that ABC.com is streaming A Charlie Brown Christmas for FREE!

So gather the family around the warmth of the laptop screen to share in the classic that is A Charlie Brown Christmas!

Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas here.

(Also, check out this article about why, against all conventional wisdom, A Charlie Brown Christmas was a success and 45 years later is still required viewing)

Rediscover You - Day 9 - Matthew 9

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Who Needs a Doctor?

¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹² On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Reading this is tough for me because it reminds me that it's not the ones that I usually gravitate to that need to be shown love. It's not the nicely dressed, well mannered, clean cut people that just need Jesus (although they need Him too!), it is the people that we might not want to talk to, let alone make eye contact with. It's with the people that don't act like they have everything together, the ones that are a little "rough around the edges." Those are the people that Jesus hung out with, even when everyone was asking why.

The reality for me is, it is the people I wouldn't ever want to show kindness or friendship to, that Jesus was with and that we should show love to as well.

So, next time you are at walmart or the DMV or some other public place where you see someone that you would usually try to stay away from, ask God if he has other plans, and see how you can be used if you are only willing to step out of your comfort zone!

Rediscover You - Day 8 - Matthew 8

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Can You Believe It?

⁵ When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer^[b] came and pleaded with him, ⁶ “Lord, my young servant^[c] lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”

⁷ Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”

⁸ But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.

¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! ... ¹³ Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.”

What has happened in your life because you believed? It is incredible to think of the things that start with faith. Faith in ourselves, faith in others, most importantly faith in God. And it takes more than just saying "I believe."

The Roman Officer's servant was healed because he truly believed that Jesus could heal just by saying the word. Not just SAYING but Believing, and that may be the hardest part.

I am really good at talking. (Good thing I get paid to do that on a daily basis, right?) But, I have said things that I, for one reason or another, have not truly believed. Sometimes it is fear and uncertainty. Sometimes it is doubt and inadequacy. But when I can break through those problems and believe that there is a God that truly cares for me, has a plan for my life, and can perform miracles, then belief comes, faith is strengthened, and lives can be changed!

So, believe today! What do you have to lose, and what is the alternative? Not believing that God is as powerful as he says? You lose nothing and have everything to gain!

Rediscover You - Day 7 - Matthew 7

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Judge, Jury, and Executioner

¹ “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Of all the things I do in my life that is really bad, this one takes the cake. I am so quick to take one look at someone, or hear one thing secondhand, and make a full synopsis of their life and declare them to be "bad."

I find myself doing this a lot when I read a news story about a celebrity and the mistakes they make. I am so quick to make fun of it and say "they should know better" when in all actuality I do things as bad as they do, I just don't have photographers following me around wherever I go.

But if you think about it, that's what God is able to do. Being able to see whatever we do... nothing we do is in hiding or secret from Him. And even though our lives might not be splashed on tabloids in the walmart checkout, we are no better than the celebrities, the homeless, or the prisoners.

Rediscover You - Day 6 - Matthew 6

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. ³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Economic turmoil. Depression. Recession. Inflation. Hyper-inflation. Deflation. I've heard a lot of these words thrown around lately, and yes, times have been tough for many, but even through the toughest times, God provides for his people.

If we worry about food, water, or clothing, we are not being the difference that the world needs. We are being just like anyone else who has no hope!

At church on Sunday my pastor defined hope as "future joy." I think that's a really good way to think about things. You might have a really bad life situation now, but as long as you don't give up that hope, and follow Christ, there is joy to come!

Worrying can't help things! Only faith and obedience to God can!

Rediscover You - Day 5 - Matthew 5

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Love Stinks.
⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?

What am I doing more than others? Good question. It’s easy to show love to people that you like to be around, but that person that even a mention of their name makes your skin crawl? Well that is a little tougher.

I was reminded of an old college roommate who I didn’t get along with very well during my freshman year of College. It’s the last person that I have ever told that I hated. Yesterday I saw a status update of his on Facebook, and memories flooded back about how much he would drive me crazy.

It’s a good reminder for me that, yes, even that college roommate needed to be shown love, and I would argue, more love than anyone else in my life.

And that’s why love stinks, or true love at least.

Because true love is hard and messy and sometimes it means you are wrestling with yourself about why you even give someone a nice word when all they do is harass you. it’s getting mud (and other smellier things) thrown at you over and over again, and while you are smelly from the mess being thrown your way, you are throwing nothing back but love. Love and prayers. let God’s rain clean the mess and wash the mud away. All you have to do is Love… especially when it stinks.

Rediscover You - Day 4 - Matthew 4

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Rediscover You.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

It is pretty interesting that before Jesus started his ministry, he was sent out to be tempted. He was able to resist it, although you do have to imagine it was still a struggle for him. (saying "he was hungry" is an understatement for the ages!)

We, on the other hand, will be tempted and will succumb to the temptation. Sometimes the same thing happens over and over again and you wonder why you can't get out from the things that get you down. All we can do is cling to that truth that "Man does not live on bread along, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

I haven't done this in a long time, so tomorrow I am going to try to make it without "bread" for a day... and start with that baby step. Maybe you need to try to make it without "bread" for a meal... or maybe it can't be food for you but making it without something else that you find essential to your life (iPhone, anyone?) and join with me tomorrow for God to provide!

Hopefully when I do this small step it will help me rely on God more in other places in my life, too. Wanna join me?

Rediscover You - Day 3 - Matthew 3

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Rediscover You.

⁸ Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. ⁹ Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. ¹⁰ Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

How often have I had the thought that I was safe in a situation because I'm a pretty good person, or that I go to church regularly. John the baptist says the above things to the Pharisees and Sadducees, two groups of people that spent lots of time in Church debating things and acting like they were better than anyone else, but their life did not prove that they had truly turned to God.

It's a good reminder and gut check to me to ask this question every day: "Am I Producing Good Fruit?" Whether at work, at home, or just driving around town, am I proving by the way I live that I have turned to God? It's not enough to go to church or even KNOW what the bible says. I've gotta live it out for it to make a difference at all!

Rediscover You. - Day 2 - Matthew 2

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Rediscover You.
Looking at Matthew chapter 2 today, it goes through the wise men visiting Jesus, asking Herod for directions, then realizing it might not be a good idea to let him know where Jesus is.

This is one of those things that I forgot about Jesus' story. His parents must have thought that now that Jesus was born, that things would start going better. It was already hard enough with trying to explain to people that Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit, and now they have to go to Egypt and hang out there till Herod died.

I can imagine what that journey would be like with a newborn baby, leaving a familiar place to go to a foreign land to escape death, they probably had a lot of questions, including "God what are you doing?"

I end up asking that a lot. When things don't happen as quickly as I would like or happen the opposite as I planned, I throw my hands up in the air and question God's plan.

Just like my 4 year old son who has a hard time understanding why he can't open the presents he sees under the tree at grandma and grandpa's house. I tell him to be patient, and the time will come to open them, but he doesn't understand time like I do, or know what events will happen past the next few minutes.

God has the full panoramic view of your life. He knows exactly what you need and how long you need to do it to fulfill your purpose in him. It is rarely (or ever) in the time I would like, but that doesn't mean God has given up on me, it is the opposite actually. For just like if I gave into my son with his every request, God also knows what is best and guides my heart past the wants of this world to the wants of His world.

The House FM E-mail leaks!

It looks like the government isn't the only organization having issues with people leaking classified emails. Here is one E-Mail from Brent McCoy that might surprise you:

Rediscover You - Day 1 - Matthew 1

Rediscover you. A quest to
re-examine the life of Jesus.

Rediscover You.

When I heard the words of the song by Starfield a while ago, it hit home for me. I'm Andy, and I have been a Christian for a long time. I have had spurts where I have had a regular bible reading time, and I have prayed longer prayers on occasion but never have felt that I was really dedicating my life to Jesus like I am supposed to.

If you feel that way as well, I invite you to join me on the journey to rediscover Jesus and how we should live like him. We will go through the book of Matthew starting today and going through the Christmas season.

Matthew 1

A lot of genealogy! Usually this is where I start speed-skimming, but I wanted to try to examine it deeper and try to understand why it was put in there. I noticed one big thing, that it goes out of its way to mention an illegitimate child in the lineage of Jesus in 1:6 -

David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).

The story behind that, David saw Bathsheba one day and had to have her, even though she was married to Uriah, one of David's most loyal commanders. So he has an affair with her then sends Uriah to the front of the battlefield to cover up the infidelity! It sounds like something straight out of some movie, but that despicable act was still used to bring Jesus to this world!

If you have ever felt like the mistakes you have made mean you can't do good things for God, let this be a good reminder that no matter what you have done in the past, it is never too late to Rediscover Jesus and life a life that touches many!

Jenn's Top 5

Here is Jenn's top 5 songs on The House FM:

You can download them here -

Amazon.com Widgets

Watch Out For This Facebook SCAM!

I got this e-mail in my inbox yesterday:

I have noticed that some of my facebook friends have been sending me wierd messages with links to mysterious websites, then later they will write back and say "Sorry my account was hacked!" This e-mail is one way that hackers get your information. This e-mail I received had an attachment that if I had opened it, would have installed a virus on my computer.

You may see e-mails like this regarding banks and other websites that you may have a login at. I found some great advice from The Computer Tutor about what to do if you get an e-mail that you may think is suspicious, but are not quite sure:

Remember this one thing: your bank, or any other reputable institution, will not send you an email asking you for your personally identifiable information. If you think you have actually received an email from your bank, don’t click on any links in the email. Just open up Firefox or IE and manually type in the bank’s web address. From there, you can safely log in to your account and see if there are any notifications that require action on your part.

I'd Like To Order A Capp-u-keen-o

..and this is what the guy at McDonalds said to me:

I had NEVER listened to Christian music before that day...

Here is an e-mail we received a few days ago about someone finding our station and God using that to change the life of her entire family:

I am an unmarried mother of four wonderful boys...I have been with their father for 11 years, but we never tied the knot. Two months ago we separated. I had prayed for years for God to guide me as to what to do with our relationship, leaving seemed to be the answer. While channel surfing one day, I heard Beckah Shae's song Life...I really liked it. Several days later channel surfing again, I heard it once more. This time I was singing the lyrics. It wasn't until the song was over that I realized it was a Christian song...I had NEVER listened to Christian music before that day. From that point on everytime I got in my car, I would check 89.7 to hear "my Song", and in doing so I learned to love a ton more songs. To make a long story short, I listen to nothing else, and because of that, my ex, and father of my children, began to listen as well. Then we began to pray together, then the whole family began to pray together, then we reconciled, with the help of God, and plan to get married because we want to now live our lives the way God wants us to. SOOOO, I want to say thank you for playing the truth. Thank you for being God's vessel or tool. A tool that helped fix a problem, helped fix a family of six, and reunite them with God...I wanna cry now because I am filled with such joy and I am so thankful for the love of Jesus...God Bless You all...

Keep this family in your prayers, and if ever want to send us a note, just click here.

Moving...and the all important boxes

Andy is moving and he's been so busy that ... he BOUGHT BOXES! I know! (Growing up, I literally jumped in dumpsters, with my Mom's prompting, to get boxes in the back of Hobby Lobby.) So, we got some suggestions on the House Party Monday of where you can get boxes for FREE:

McDonald's French Fry Boxes, just go up the the register & ask them!
Department stores
Aldi has awesome meat boxes, ask them the day before and they will have some the next morning.

Do you know of any places that you can get free boxes?

I'm guessing this is what Andy's house looks like right now :)

Stand up for what's right.

I don't know if you have heard of the group of people that go around the USA protesting military funerals. They claim to be "Christian" and that it is God's judgment that our troops are dying, so they go to the funerals and picket them with large signs saying "God hates this" or "God hates that" and even "Thank God For Dead Soldiers."

I would think that most of us would agree that what they say isn't right, and paints true Christians in a horrible light. There has been many attempts to limit their picketing, including a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court.

~~I can't find the ruling, but I believe that the court decided that the picketers had a right to free speech, no matter how horrible it may be.~~ UPDATE: According to Worldpress.org, It looks like this case will be decided sometime next year.

So the question is, if the courts and government can't stop them, who can?

People taking a stand, like in this video:

It reminds me of the quote, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." We may look at things in life and think, what can I do? You and I can both stand, and I bet you will find that you are not alone, just like the residents in Weston, Missouri did.

Are you getting ripped off at the Sonic Happy Hour?

The Andy files investigates if you are really getting all the drink promised to you at Sonic. If you have something you would like the Andy Files to investigate, comment below!

Give 5

For the month of November we want to give you a chance to give back to people in your life, or maybe even complete strangers. We call it Give 5. It could be 5 minutes of your time, $5 to someone you pass on the street, 5 meals to a family that's struggling financially, praying for 5 people, or getting us 5 Frosty's ... because we really like Frosty's. Get creative! Then call us up on the House Party & tell us about it!

P.S. check out our House Party Facebook!

Andy's Top 5 Songs!

Check out the video of me talking about the Top 5 Songs that I love on The House FM:

5) Relient K - Forget and Not Slow Down
4) Family Force 5 - Dance or Die
3) Sanctus Real - Lead Me
2) Warren Barfield - Love is Not a Fight
1) Tenth Avenue North - You Are More

Download mp3's of my top 5, and help support The House FM by using the widget below:

Amazon.com Widgets

Will Jenn Eat the McRib?

Jenn thought she got out of being a part of the House Party yesterday when she was going to the Matthew West concert. I made her work though, and find a McDonalds that had the McRib to see if it was edible... Would Jenn even try a bite of the McRib?

Find out by clicking here.

Have You Seen The "Worship Baby" Yet?

Check out this video:

It really makes me think about these verses from Matthew 18:

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” ² Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. ³ Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁴ So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Interview with Brandon Heath!

I got a chance to talk to Brandon Heath about his awkward album cover, his new song "Your Love", and how excited he is to tour with Jars of Clay. If you'd like to see him, he will be in Enid on Saturday! Get the details at TheHouseFM.com !

Click to listen to Andy's interview with Brandon Heath

How to get Skunk Smell off of your dog (or any bad smell off of any pet)

This is my dog, her name is FDR (don't ask...). Last weekend, she had a disagreement with a skunk and since then has been smelling up our apartment! I, being a guy, figured spraying febreeze on her would do the trick. It didn't. But I got a lot of great advice yesterday about things that will probably work better to get rid of the horrible smell on my dog:

Shaun from Stillwater says Head & Shoulders works.

Sandy from Seminole suggests to go to the vet where there is a special shampoo made just for that.

And I also received an e-mail from Scott with very detailed directions:

You can use a solution invented by Paul Krebaum, an Illinois chemist:

1 quart of hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup of baking soda
1 teaspoon of dish soap

Combine the ingredients at the time of use. This solution works to remove skunk odor because of a chemical reaction initiated immediately upon combining the ingredients. If it sits for too long, it will become ineffective.

Apply the mixture to the affected areas, let it set for about five minutes and rinse. If you need to repeat the process, you must create a new solution, as the chemical reaction quickly expires. Avoid getting it into your pets eyes, nose and mouth.

Thanks for all the advice! Hopefully now I can stand to have my dog in the same room as me :)

Interview With Kirk Cameron!

Andy and Jenn talk with Kirk Cameron about when he found Christ, what it is like being a Christian in Hollywood, and if there will be a Fireproof 2 / Left Behind 7 / Growing Pains Reunion anytime soon. Wanna see him this weekend for the Love Worth Fighting For Conference? Click here for more info.

Interview With Kirk Cameron

So, Chris Tomlin is branching out a bit from worship music

... He's got a new attitude and a haircut to go with it, check out this video:

One way to keep your poor car warm during those long winter months...

Now I just have to decide on a color...

UPDATE:

Carol from Virginia brought to my attention that there is something now for the ladies as well - CARLASHES!

Free Music From David Crowder Band

This would be perfect to get you going and pumped up for a big game or whatever you need to conquer throughout the day! Here is a song that David Crowder did for his alma mater:

After hearing Baylor Football's "Rise Up" commercials this summer, Baylor alumnus and award-winning recording artist David Crowder was inspired to not only write but record a new song, also titled "Rise Up."

Download "Rise Up" by David Crowder Band here.

You HAVE to finish!

First, watch this video and learn how NOT to catapult a watermelon:

Second, it drives me crazy when people go on these shows and seem to give up at one bit of trouble! Sure, she got a watermelon to the face, but she was able to sit and complain about it so why not keep going? She seems *shocked* that they are making her still do it! YOU ARE PLAYING FOR A MILLION DOLLARS, SO START ACTING LIKE YOU WANT IT! It reminds me of the bible verse about "winning the race" :

Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 1 Cor. 9:24

Yeah, it's going to be hard and you might get a watermelon to the face, but isn't the prize worth it? In our lives what is the most important thing and what will bring us the most joy? Run today, and if you haven't run the race in a while, get off the couch and do something!

Worst Hairstyle you ever had?

Tim Tebow may be one of the greatest College Football QB's of all time, but that doesn't exclude him from rookie hazing in the NFL. He was given the classic "monk cut" on the left, which I don't think will be making a comeback anytime soon. I was trying to find a picture of my worst harstyle, which was part of my most awkward teenage years: Junior High! I had this super gelled part right down the middle. so much gel was used where there was no way a hurricane could move my hair. It kinda looked like this:

Also as a young child there is a short video clip of me with a shaved head during the summer. I was wearing a striped shirt and driving a lawnmower... it looked like I was uncle fester.

What was your worst hairstyle you are willing to admit you had?

Interview with Britt Nicole!

We talk to Britt Nicole about what she does in her downtime, her new acoustic EP, and what social network she went on kicking and screaming but now loves it!

Britt Nicole Interview

My Andy Hunter Road Trip / Concert Adventure!

So, I got to take a trip to see my favorite Christian DJ, Andy Hunter, this weekend. Here’s some video of my glowstick moves. (warning: this video may cause you to have much more confidence in your own dance moves!)

Here’s some video of the man in action with the crowd going crazy! There was lots of dancing going on as you can see:

All in all, if you have ever wanted to go to see a christian DJ and wondered what the event would be like… one word: AWESOME! I can’t wait to do it again :)

If my parents had only shown me this video when they were trying to convince me to join band in 5th grade...

I would be a lifelong trombone player:

(can't see the video? click here)

Skillet adds a new member to the band...

Check it out on their latest "Skillet Podcast"

(if you can't see the video, click here)

Interview with Manwell of Group 1 Crew!

Andy and Jenn interrupted Manwell's four wheeling in Alaska just long enough to talk about the concert coming up tomorrow at Frontier City, their new CD coming out in September, and what simplicity looks like:

One Last Hurrah for the Summer?

We were going to the lake, but got sidetracked and found this instead:

The Funny thing is that we had driven past this little spot many times and never even knew it was there! You never know where adventure or treasure awaits you!

Start NOW: Drive Thru Difference

For the month of July, the House Party is going to challenge you to change your life - spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
Check this blog every weekday for a simple task to do that will change your life!

Today's Challenge: Drive-Thru Difference

"Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." John 12:26

Here's an opportunity for you to make a difference this weekend...it's the Drive-Thru Difference! Click on the appropriate link below for your listening area, print off the letter & be ready to make a difference as you go through the Drive-Thru this weekend! Simply pay for the person behind you, hand the clerk the letter & know that you've made a difference! I can't wait to hear the stories of how you've made someone's day!

For N. OK on 89.7 click Here

For OKC on 88.5 click Here

For Downtown OKC on 103.1 click Here

For Norman on 98.5 click Here

For Seminole on 89.1 click Here

For Bartlesville on 105.7 click Here

For Edmond on 100.1 click Here

For Stillwater on 105.9 click Here

If you listen online click Here

Start NOW: Talk to someone you haven't in over 7 days

For the month of July, the House Party is going to challenge you to change your life - spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
Check this blog every weekday for a simple task to do that will change your life!

Today's Challenge: Talk to someone you haven't in over 7 days

"You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17

Friends. I'll admit, I'm running a little low in that department, but maybe that's why we have this challenge. With our crazy lives, it's easy to go a few days (if not a month) without talking with our friends. That's how friendships fall apart. So, set aside some time today - just a couple minutes - to have coffee with a buddy or call a friend who moved away. It can be anybody. Your brother, co-worker, even your Mom! If you haven't talked with them in the last week - make it happen!

Start NOW: Tell 1 Person About The House FM

For the month of July, the House Party is going to challenge you to change your life - spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
Check this blog every weekday for a simple task to do that will change your life!

Today's Challenge: Tell 1 Person About The House FM

"Then he said, "Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God's good news to one and all.'" Mark 16:15

This was God's command to us! Personally, it seems impossible for me to drop everything to go to the jungle in nothing but my fruit-of-the-looms. The ministry of the House FM is reaching all over the world though! You can be a part of spreading the life-saving message with others & fulfill this command! Tell one person about The House FM today & trust that God will use it to change their life!