God's favor is an awesome thing. Having favor with God is better than knowing Bill Gates... better than being friends with the president of Sony Music... better then being tight with the pastor of the largest church in America... better then being boys with Kirk Franklin... better than being basketball buddies with Donald Trump... better than having $25 million in disposable assets... God's favor is amazing. I love what Psalm 30:5 states... God's favor lasts forever - even if he gets angry with you for a moment; the anger doesn't last long. That's why the psalmist followed it with saying that weeping may endure for the night but joy comes with the morning. Joy returns because God's favor is still there!!

Okay - I just had to make my declaration of faith!

The South Carolina tour is coming together quite well. We are booked for Thursday (Beaufort), Friday (Huger - my home town) and Saturday (Eutawville). We are very interested in securing a stop for that Sunday - April 9th. If it happens - great. If not, we will be coming back late Saturday night. It's going to be lots of fun. I'll get the chance to sing before lots of people that I haven't seen since my childhood. I am so excited!! It's going to be a great tour. I believe that many people will be blessed and souls will be won for Christ.

One of the aims of a tour is to sell CDs. So, we will be pushing the sales. I believe that we will have sold out of our first order of CDs by the end of this tour. It will be time to re-order. Hallelujah!!

So, we are still gaining radio momentum. We were added to a station in Sumter, SC. A promo pack just went out to a network based out of Atlanta, GA. Someone is going to walk a promo pack into K-Love. Wow!! If all of that pans out it will be time for national distribution. OH, MY GOD!!! It's the favor of the Lord.

I am so proud of my wife. Sharon is amazing. She has put so much of this together. I'd be lost without her. And - she is so GORGEOUS!!! She just came back from her beautician, sporting one of my favorite hairstyles on her. WOW!! What a knockout!!!

We were looking online last night at dog breeds, trying to figure out what breed is Cain. We stumbled across a breed called the Bavarian Mountain Hound (BMH). It looked like a match except the face was a little different. But we were able to recognize that Cain's head is shaped like a hound. Still, his body is shaped a little like a Rottweiler but his coat is exactly like the BMH - so the BMH is the closest match so far. He is nearly 30 LBS already and he's only about 15 weeks old. He has grown from 4 lbs to nearly 30 in only 2 months. That's scary!! But, Rocky is still the boss. As long as it stays that way, we're okay. Also, Cain is nearly complete with his potty training. He now let's us know when he has to go to the bathroom - and he's not going every 30 minutes anymore. YAAY!!

We have an engagement tonight in Virginia Beach. I look forward to it. It's going to be fun!!~

Shalom!

Wow! It's been a long time since I stopped to post to my blog. Things have been very busy - which I see as a great thing. You know, there are problems and there are good problems. For an independent artist to be busy is a great problem.

We are preparing for our first 4-city tour! It's very exciting. We will be visiting 4 cities in South Carolina... Beaufort, Cainhoy (Huger), Eutawville and Sumter. It is also possible that we will be making an appearance in Raleigh, North Carolina on the way back home. That would be absolutely wonderful!!

Planning the tour is very meticulous work. There is the tour budget. This is what dictates EVERYTHING. As an indie artist, I don't have a record label backing the tour. This is a totally budget-dependent venture. If the money doesn't balance out, I go in the hole. So, I have to foresee the expenses and ensure that the trip will pay for itself. It is by the grace and wisdom of God that I am leaning this stuff on the fly.

I thought about getting a manager but decided that I am not making enough money yet to pay someone 25% of my earnings.

I was nominated for the IGMA (Inspirational Gospel Music Awards) New Artist Of The Year award. That's exciting!! Voting occurs online on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 from 12:00 AM until 11:59 PM. If you like my music - please vote for me on Wednesday at this site.

Well, let's get personal. Cain is growing at a nearly frightening rate. We expected that he was going to be about half Rocky's size. Not so!! It appears that he will be Rocky's size or larger. At 3-1/2 months old, Cain's paws are almost as large as Rocky's. Now, remember, Rocky is an 80 lb pit bull. We still don't know what breed Cain is. One vet thinks he has a little labrador retriever in him. Another thinks he has some pitbull in him. Honestly - we don't know. But, at least he's cute! Well, with this comes the concern of Rocky's alpha male personality. If Cain develops any sense of control, it's going to be ugly when he gets big. So we have to let Rocky dominate Cain now so that Cain won't challenge Rocky later. I know it seems cruel but Rocky really loves Cain and is very careful not to hurt him. But, at the same time, Rocky makes sure Cain remembers that he is the boss.

Lastly, I went to the Kirk Franklin - Mary Mary concert last night at the Hampton Coliseum. This is the "Hero Tour." It was amazing!! It was the best concert I remember ever attending - and I've seen some of everyone in concert! This was simply amazing!! If this tour is coming to your town and you haven't gotten your ticket - don't miss it!! It is a must see!!

Love to you all!!

So much is happening so fast!!

I've had a couple of radio interviews since I last posted - WGPL and WFMI. While at WGPL we were put into their rotation as well as the satellite rotation for Willis Broadcasting. Their satellite rotation gets played on all of their stations in 10 different states. This means my little project is now on its first satellite network. Hallelujah!!

So, now I'm working on Music Choice - the people that handle the music being played on the cable and satellite TV music channels. That would be another huge accomplishment. I'm also working on Salem Music Network. That is the company behind "The Word in Praise." They would put us in over 30 markets. That would be another huge thing.

Is it possible? Yes! Why? Because nothing can stop the favor of the Lord. I have seen by experience that when you are on the Lord's side, he makes even your enemies come to peace with you. The heart of even the king is in the hand of the Lord and, just like the waters, He can turn it whatever way he wants. God truly has the power to direct the hearts of man and he does so to make ways for his children. So, yes it is possible. I am on the Lord's side. And since God is for me - who can be against me? Hallelujah!

Okay - I just had to get that out.

I've been invited to go on a Mission trip to Africa - the Congo. I am so excited!! I've been wanting to go to Africa for several years. I look forward to the Lord making this happen for me. I've got to work at getting some sponsors but I know that the Lord will provide. This trip is not to promote the CD - although that opportunity will probably present itself and I will be ready. The purpose is to assist another man of God with his vision while I learn about what the Lord is doing outside of America. My whole life has been between these two oceans. I want to see what else is there.

Please be in prayer for me.