Ramblings from the girl in the band

So HI has been busy divy-ing up various responsibilities, working on our strategy, on our next album, on our pitch, on our calendar, etc.

I’m excited to see what 2010 is going to bring. So far we have a bunch of dates shaping up on the calendar. Our newest booking strategy involves setting up “residency” in a few different cities. We’re hitting DeKalb, Bloomington, Champaign/Urbana, Chicago, St. Louis, and Peoria pretty hard this year. If you live in or near these cities, we could really use your help promoting the shows. Our goal is to build up a significant fan base in Illinois, and play lots of music! Keep checking our calendar so you can tell your friends!

So here’s the pitch: Hello Industry is a conscious alternative rock band. Think Queen meets Depeche Mode at a Radiohead concert. It’s highly emotive, high-substance music for people who are sick of mediocrity.

Album 3 is underway. This album promises to be awesome. We promise it will be awesome. We have 9 songs towards a finished product. Over the next month we have a number of weekend retreats where we will be A) leading worship for students and B) arranging/writing the remaining songs for album3.  So excited to see what takes shape.  We’re planning on recording this spring/early summer.  Keep a look-out! One of my personal faves right now is our electronic remix of Stop the Rain from the MaryAnn album. I’m hoping that makes it onto the line-up!

On a more personal note, God has been prompting my thoughts lately to reflect on my true identity, my identity in Christ. This has really been a topic of reflection over the last month. He’s shown me my own depravity in a few specific areas, and wow, Thank you Jesus for saving me. I had an enlightening conversation with my friend Jamie yesterday. Currently, sadly, frustratingly, my joy has been 100% contingent on my circumstances. And while I know that’s not right, I find myself slipping into impatience and wrong thinking: if only… if only…

Praise Jesus for breaking the chains and making us free, so we can be free. I tend to operate in chains, even though I’m free. I forget. But my gracious Father keeps gently reminding me, through friends, through sermons, through scriptures and songs… what gracious love He has lavished upon us! I am His daughter, bought at a high price. This is my true identity. I don’t have to try and strive and try and strive. I’m a mess. I don’t have it all together, as much as I want you to believe it.  And I do. I really want you to believe it. As much as I want GOD to believe it!! It’s hard to admit that. I want to be the responsible employee, but you know what’s missing? The love part of my relationship with God! I would not bother the CEO with my personal problems, I would not expect to have lunch with the CEO! But He’s my Father, my Dad, my Papa. That’s what’s missing when I try to keep juggling all the balls perfectly.

Thanks, God, for not letting me stay where I am, for putting me through the crappy refining process (awful as it is), for smashing my inaccurate picture of You and showing me the REAL You. You must love me.