The Waiting List 20001

THE WAITING LIST The Official Newsletter of The Waiting December 2001 ~ Week Four Issue Number 30 -------------------- Only 1 more day until The Waiting's long-awaited album, WONDERFULLY MADE hits stores!!! ---------- ***IF YOU AREN'T ALREADY CONVINCED THAT YOU NEED THIS ALBUM, JUST CHECK OUT WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING: ...WONDERFULLY MADE just oozes with bright arrangements, catchy choruses and an overall spirit of contentment. If ever there was a CD capable of boosting your mood, this is it. Sandwiched between two of the catchiest, most upbeat songs is the poignant "Sleepless," which dramatically explores the destructiveness and pervasiveness of sin in all of our lives. (Christrock.com) ---------- ...When the last note has played, you'll feel good -- spiritually refreshed and rejuvenated, and sure that what you've heard is The Waiting at its best, but in a much happier, more contented place than they've ever been before. Who wouldn't want to take a trip to a place like that? (cmcentral.com) ---------- …The Waiting shows new artistic depth on "Take Me As I Am," a beautiful shuffling ballad strong in melody and worship. (musicforce.com) ---------- ...The Waiting returns with another 10 pop-rock nuggets served on a southern-fried platter. Per usual, the quartet sings and plays like champs. And this time the lyrics focus on the unadulterated joy drawn from the Christian life. Fun stuff. (Youthworker) ---------- ...the album lives up to its namesake in terms of production and sound. The production, by guitarist Todd Olsen and acclaimed producer Bryan Lenox (Michael W. Smith, dc Talk), is flawless and exciting. WONDERFULLY MADE features the roots-rock worship sound of Third Day and the electronic production values of a Newsboys album. The title track is a fun reminder that God has "fearfully and wonderfully made" each of us by his own design. "A Lot of Love," a thrilling rocker, focuses on how much love it took Christ to die for us. I love the opening line, "Everyone excuse me as I investigate the art of feeling fine." If you think that song's poetic, wait until you hear "Sleepless," unquestionably the band's most powerful song to date (reminiscent of their past hit, "Hands in the Air"). The song is essentially a poem about the disease of sin, and simmers to a boil after an atmospheric beginning. Who knew Brad was capable of yowling with the same passion as Bono from his "Unforgettable Fire" days? WONDERFULLY MADE is a welcome return for The Waiting, a band that seems to have rediscovered the joy of writing songs with an upbeat groove and the straightforward good news of the Gospel. (Christianity.com) ---------- The critics are loving the album so far. In fact in CCM magazine's annual "Critics' Picks" poll, the CCM managing editor named WONDERFULLY MADE her top pick of the year saying "classic waiting sound, their best yet!" ---------- ***IF YOU LIVE NEAR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS, YOU CAN PICK UP A COPY OF WONDERFULLY MADE FOR ONLY $9.99 BETWEEN DEC 24-JAN 7 Long's (Florida) Sweet Spirit (Georgia) Shepherd's Staff (Georgia) Cornerstone (Georgia) Baker Book House (Michigan) both locations Christian Armory (Ohio) all locations Heaven and Earth (Virginia) all locations Northwestern (Minnesota) all locations Lighthouse (California) all locations Christian Supply (Oregon) all locations ---------- WHO WANTS TO WIN SOME GREAT PRIZES??? Here's your opportunity to win some great Waiting prizes--including CDs, t-shirts and even tickets & backstage passes to a Waiting concert!! All you have to do is click HERE and sign up. Just provide us with email address of five of your friends who are not already on this newsletter list, but who would be interested in hearing about The Waiting's new album. This will automatically enter you into the contest where you will be eligible to win the following: GRAND PRIZE (1)--Two tickets and backstage passes to a Waiting concert, an autographed collection of all five of their CDs (including Tillburry Town), an Aquire The Fire CD which features Brad Olsen, a Waiting t-shirt and sticker, plus a unique promotional item their record company created that you can't buy anywhere! RUNNER UP PRIZES (5)--An autographed Waiting CD (you pick which one), a Waiting t-shirt and sticker, plus a unique promotional item their record company created that you can't buy anywhere! It's as easy as that...just click http://www.profoundmystery.org/thewaitinglist/ to enter! ---------- ***EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW Go to www.musicforce.com and click on the "Street Week" logo. You can watch a video interview with The Waiting there that you can't see anywhere else. ---------- ***CONCERT SCHEDULE For more information, please contact Infiniti Management Group at (615) 778-1350. December 30 in Riverside, CA For those of you in the southern California area, you can see The Waiting on December 30 at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA. This concert is free and open to the public. It is a concert plus teaching by Greg Laurie and it is videotaped for a tv show called "Day 7" The show will air on TBN a few weeks after the taping. We will try our best to let you know the exact air date. If you can't be there in person, you can watch it live on the internet December 30 at 6 pm pacific at www.harvest.org . For more info call 909-687-6902. December 31 in Tucson, AZ New Years Eve concert at Calvary Chapel admission is FREE call 520- 573-9933 for details. February 2 in Atlanta, GA The Waiting will perform the national anthem and a concert prior to the Atlanta Hawks game. The event is sponsored by The Fish radio station in Atlanta. Details should be posted soon at www.thefish.com Be on the lookout for more dates and information on the following shows: Port Orange, FL on March 16, 2002 Ichthus in Wilmore, KY on April 25, 2002 Lampe, MO on April 27, 2002 Flagstaff, AZ on May 4, 2002 ---------- To read the new bio and a song by song description of the album by Brad, check out www.inpop.com ---------- MERRY CHRISTMAS!! <top>TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

THE WAITING LIST The Official Newsletter of The Waiting December 2001 ~ Week Three Issue Number 29 -------------------- WHO WANTS TO WIN SOME GREAT PRIZES??? Here's your opportunity to win some great Waiting prizes--including CDs, t-shirts and even tickets & backstage passes to a Waiting concert!! All you have to do is click HERE and sign up. Just provide us with email address of five of your friends who are not already on this newsletter list, but who would be interested in hearing about The Waiting's new album. This will automatically enter you into the contest where you will be eligible to win the following: GRAND PRIZE (1)--Two tickets and backstage passes to a Waiting concert, an autographed collection of all five of their CDs (including Tillburry Town), an Aquire The Fire CD which features Brad Olsen, a Waiting t-shirt and sticker, plus a unique promotional item their record company created that you can't buy anywhere! RUNNER UP PRIZES (5)--An autographed Waiting CD (you pick which one), a Waiting t-shirt and sticker, plus a unique promotional item their record company created that you can't buy anywhere! It's as easy as that...just click http://www.profoundmystery.org/thewaitinglist/ to enter! -------------------- WONDERFULLY MADE FOR $9.99! For the first two weeks (December 24-Janury 7) of the album's release you can buy Wonderfully Made for $9.99 at the following Christian bookstores: Baker Book House (Michigan) both locations Long's (Florida) Sweet Spirit (Georgia) Shepherd's Staff (Georgia) Cornerstone (Georgia) Christian Armory (Ohio) all locations Heaven and Earth (Virginia) all locations Northwestern (Minnesota) all locations Lighthouse (California) all locations Christian Supply (Oregon) all locations -------------------- IN THE NEWS **CCM RADIO MAGAZINE--On December 15, The Waiting were special guests on CCM Radio Magazine, a syndicated program on Christian radio stations across the country. If you missed the interview you can listen to the interview on www.ccmcom.com (click on CCM Radio Link). **CMCENTRAL.COM--has a great article on what the band has been up to and why this record took so long to make! Check it out at www.cmcentral.com **CROSSWALK.COM--has another fab story on the band. Read all about it at http://entertainment.crosswalk.com **TUNE INTO YOUR RADIO STATION--Here's a few more local radio stations the guys will be chatting with in the coming weeks: WCVK afternoon drive (Bowling Green, KY) December 20 WYLV afternoon drive (Knoxville, TN) December 20 WFSH morning drive (Atlanta, GA) December 21 WWEV "Powerhouse" evening show (Atlanta, GA) January 5 **CHECK OUT THE NEW WAITING LIST WEBSIGHT--Click http://www.profoundmystery.org/thewaitinglist/ to go explore it! -------------------- CONCERT SCHEDULE For more information, please contact Infiniti Management Group at (615) 778-1350. December 30 For those of you in the southern California area, you can see The Waiting on December 30 at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA. This concert is free and open to the public. It is a concert plus teaching by Greg Laurie and it is videotaped for a tv show called "Day 7" The show will air on TBN a few weeks after the taping. We will try our best to let you know the exact air date. If you can't be there in person, you can watch it live on the internet December 30 at 6 pm pacific at harvest.org. For more information call 909-687- 6902. December 31 Calvary Chapel in Tucson, AZ New Years Eve concert admission is FREE call 520-573-9933 for details. Be on the lookout for more dates and information on the following shows: Port Orange, FL on March 16, 2002 Ichthus in Wilmore, KY on April 25, 2002 Lampe, MO on April 27, 2002 Flagstaff, AZ on May 4, 2002 <top>

Check out next week's newsletter for info on how you can win some 
great Waiting prizes--including CDs, t-shirts and even tickets & 
backstage passes to a Waiting concert!!

**SOUND OF LIGHT RADIO PROGRAM--The Waiting will be live in the 
studios of the Sound of Light Radio Program on Saturday, December 15. 
This syndicated program airs on hundreds of radio stations across the 
country. Go to www.soundoflight.com and click on "Listen To The 
Broadcast" to find a station in your area, or you can listen to the 
program live on the website. You can also email questions for the 
band ahead of time. Send questions to: mail@soundoflight.com

**WEBROCK.COM EXCLUSIVE--Check out www.webrock.com for a special 
interview with Todd Olsen on the making of "Wonderfully Made" and his 
views on Craftsmanship vs. Creativity.

**CCM RADIO MAGAZINE FEATURE--On December 15, the Waiting will be 
special guests on CCM Radio Magazine, a syndicated program on 
Christian radio stations across the country. Check with your local 
station to see if they carry it. If not, you can listen to the 
interview (after December 15) on www.ccmcom.com (click on CCM Radio 
Link).

**ATLANTA FANS LISTEN UP--The Waiting will be a guest on The Fish 
(WFSH 104.7FM) morning drive show on December 21 from 8-9am. It is 
rumored they will be doing live Christmas tunes, as well as ones from 
the new album!

**MORE FREE STUFF--When you purchase "Wonderfully Made" at a 
Christian Retail store, you will automatically receive a free CD 
called "Hear It First." This features songs from top Christian 
artists like: Relient K, ZOEGirl, Delirious, Newsboys, Phat Chance, 
Steve and The Benjamin Gate, along with 7 other artists! What a great 
deal.

**COMING UP--Be sure to read next week's newsletter for more 
announcements, including a live chat with The Waiting and a 
special "street week" feature on musicforce.com, plus lots more radio 
interviews (maybe in your hometown)!!

The waiting had become interminable. At times it seemed as though the 
reality of the record could never measure up to what was anticipated. 
There are some who thought the idea of The Waiting making an album 
better then Unfazed was improbable. What was left to say about faith 
and belief that the songs from that album hadn't said?

We are about 22 days away from "Wonderfully Made" hitting the shelves 
and our own personal wonderments are going to be tested and compared 
to the real thing. These musings now have been supplemented by the 
release of information by the record company. The combinations of 
these two sets of thoughts can only be proven fact or fiction with 
time.

I have been lucky enough to have been sent a copy of "Wonderfully 
Made". I can say that my expectations have been exceeded, both 
musically and lyrically. The Waiting has made themselves vulnerable 
like never before. The new way in which they use vocals in 
backgrounds and choruses is staggering to think that they have never 
recorded like this before. The use of musical synthesis in concert 
with their backbone style sound has brought them to a new center.

Brad tells us in some of the promotional excerpts, that this IS a 
"wonderfully made" record, that it is a joyous record. But curiously, 
he doesn't explain why, does he? I believe that this new center comes 
from a revelation of sorts in their faith. I believe that Todd 
underscores that faith change in his remarks about seeing God's hand 
weaving beneath everything they've done. Their battle of obstacles 
and belief tests has allowed Him to be faithful to His promise. I 
think that The Waiting has seen God, again, in control of destiny and 
that awakening is joyous.

It is the ability of each of these musicians to play their 
instruments to the same beat, to follow the same music for the song 
to be pleasing to our ears. It is their dedication, and commitment, 
and the use of their talents for the glory of God that has such fan 
appeal. Writing, playing, recording, and producing are all necessary 
to finishing a song. It takes that same amount of devotion and study, 
of prayer, worship and practice that will make you realize God's 
presence in your achievements.

This in itself is not new, for God is the same yesterday, today and 
tomorrow. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, give yourself a real 
shot in the arm. Shift the paradigm of your life so that it finds a 
new center around Jesus, Christ, Lord and Savior. "Wonderfully Made" 
would make a great first step, and to all a God-night.

THE WAITING LIST The Official Newsletter of The Waiting December 2001 ~ Week One Issue Number 27 -------------------- Welcome to this issue of The Waiting List! As we count down the days to the December 24 release date of "Wonderfully Made", we plan to publish weekly updates during the month of December. We want to keep you informed of what's going on with the band as we near the "BIG DAY". As The Waiting heads toward the release of the new CD, the newsletter is also heading towards some transitions. In the coming issues, you will see a more streamlined, band-focused newsletter. Our main goal is to serve our readers by giving them timely, informative, and entertaining news about The Waiting and the newsletter staff is committed to doing our best for you. -------------------- IN THE NEWS **PRE-ORDER "WONDERFULLY MADE"!!---Go to www.Musicforce.com, click on the "Pre-Order" section and then the "Wonderfully Made" album cover. You can preview the album here and even write a review for the website! **SOUND OF LIGHT RADIO PROGRAM--The Waiting will be live in the studios of the Sound of Light Radio Program on Saturday, December 8. This syndicated program airs on hundreds of radio stations across the country. Go to www.soundoflight.com and click on "Listen To The Broadcast" to find a station in your area, or you can listen to the program live on the website. You can also email questions for the band ahead of time. **CCM MAGAZINE NEWS--Be sure to pick up the January issue of CCM for an in-depth article on what's been going on with the band. Also, in the December issue of CCM, check out the annual CCM Critics' Picks for the top albums of 2001. CCM's managing editor, Tracey Bumpus, lists The Waiting's "Wonderfully Made," as her #1 pick, saying, "...classic 'Waiting' sound. The group's best yet." **LISTEN TO "WONDERFULLY MADE" NOW!--You can hear five of the new songs by going to www.inpop.com and clicking on The Waiting's new album cover. You can also read the bio, song-by-song description and individual band profiles at this site. **FREE SAMPLER!!-- When you buy "Wonderfully Made", you get a Hearitfirst.com sampler free at participating stores. -------------------- SONG BY SONG By Brad Olsen A THOUSAND YEARS (Is Not Enough) "Here in this moment let me be found looking for the face of the one I trust" This is a song that came out of a great quiet time I had with the Lord one morning. I was really excited about how blessed we are as Christians are able to go directly to God and experience His love. There are certain times when God really communicates Himself to us, and when that happens you just can't get enough of it. A thousand years wouldn't be enough. The format is not really a worship song. It's more of a rock song with worship lyrics, and it may be my favorite track on the record. I just love the way it rocks. This is another one I co-wrote with Mac Powell. TAKE ME AS I AM "I don't have to be anything more than what's real" We didn't write this one, but it was so good we had to include it. In fact, it is the first time we've used an outside song on one of our albums that wasn't a cover tune. It was written by Chris Estes, Tim Putnam and Ben Gulley. It is very much unlike anything else that we have ever done before. It is about God's unconditional acceptance. As Christians we don't need to feel guilty because God takes us the way we are. It's pretty simple. EVERY WORD "The words from Your lips are altogether pure. And as it is with You so let it be with me" I wrote this song with Third Day's Mac Powell in about 20 minutes and then tweaked it over time. Mac is really good at writing praise and worship songs from straight out of the Bible. In fact, we wrote four out of the ten songs on the record together. Our band and Third Day have been friends for years. Writing a song with another person is an extremely vulnerable process so when you have an already-established friendship with someone, like Mac & I do, it becomes much less of a struggle. YOU BELIEVE "You believe enough for the both of us" This is a song of hope. I once heard a man say that it is possible for us to be so defiled by the world that our own parents will disown us, but even if that happens, God will always believe in our ability to mend our ways. -------------------- CONCERT SCHEDULE For more information, please contact Infiniti Management Group at (615) 778-1350. December 30 For those of you in the southern California area, you can see The Waiting on December 30 at Harvest Christian Fellowship. This concert is free and open to the public. It is a concert plus teaching by Greg Laurie and it is videotaped for a tv show called "Day 7" The show will air on TBN a few weeks after the taping. We will try our best to let you know the exact air date. If you can't be there in person, you can watch it live on the internet December 30 at 6 pm pacific at harvest.org. For more information 909-687-6902. December 31 Calvary Chapel in Tucson, AZ New Years Eve concert admission is FREE call 520-573-9933 for details Be on the lookout for more dates and information on the following shows: Ichthus in Wilmore, KY on April 25, 2002 Flagstaff, AZ on May 4, 2002

THE WAITING LIST The Official Newsletter of The Waiting November 2001 Issue Number 26 Greetings all Waiting fans! The month of November brings us closer to the release of the new Waiting cd! That special day is December 24th! Read on to find out more news on the band and on the new songs. Please keep all of the guys in your prayers. Have a good November and we will see you back here next month! God bless, The Waiting List Staff -------------------- This is dedicated to all the staff and readers directly impacted by the recent tragedies. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time.) SIGNS, SIGNS, EVERYWHERE ARE SIGNS by Lisa Alexander On September 22nd, President Bush ordered that flags resume flying full-staff at dusk. In a ceremony at Camp David on Sunday morning, September 24th, our President participated in the raising of the American flag-- a sign to the nation that we should collectively stop grieving and go back to business-as-usual, with heads held high. And although we are trying to get back to business-as-usual, many of us won't be looking at the flag as a sign of normalcy or a sign that we should go on. We are going to be looking at the flag, saying to ourselves, "Normal just doesn't feel right." We aren't looking for a sign that says, "Okay, everybody. Back to the way you were for the sake of the country." (In fact, most of us are probably sick of being asked to return to normal.) We're looking for hope, for a sign from God that says, "I Am with you. This is My Will. I will take care of you and you will be okay." But it's hard to see signs from God when you're trying to find them. I've found that signs from God can only be seen when you're not expecting them to show up. In March this year, I was perusing the David Letterman "Top Ten Archive" Web pages. I ran across the list for January 17, 2001, "Top Ten Things We Learned From The Clinton Years," and found an interesting lesson-learned in the number-two spot. "You can be Vice President in the most prosperous time in America, run against a dumb guy, get more votes and still lose." Although it was so high on the list, I didn't think it was funny at the time. I thought it was poignant. I thought it was a blatant sign from God that said, "Trust me. This is the guy you want. I've got something special in mind for him." So it wasn't an image of the Virgin Mary in an orange grove in Florida. It wasn't a bleeding crucifix in The Mall of America. And it certainly wasn't Jerry Falwell attending Lilith Fair with a Tinky- Winky doll under his arm. It wasn't any of these very unlikely events that we might think to be miracles in our sight. It was so subtle. It was somebody's attempt to makeus laugh. And I saw it when I wasn't even looking. From that moment on, I put my faith in God that the Bush was the right man for the job no matter how the media criticized him or how much the late-night talk-show hosts ragged on him. It didn't even matter that I hadn't voted for him. I felt God had big plans for this man and that sometime within his four-year term, he'd prove me right because I was sure I had seen a sign from God. So many good things have happened since September 11th. Long lines around the nation's blood centers, people flocking to places of worship, the outpouring of monetary donations for the victims, and our nation recognizing a whole day for prayer are all examples of the goodness that sprang forth from the ashes of this tragedy. But these aren't signs. They're indicators of the attitudes toward the people of this nation and their God. Good people doing good deeds and triumphing in the face of adversity are blessings, not signs from the Almighty. Signs from the Almighty won't be captivating enough to make the news or thought-provoking enough to warrant commentary from Andy Rooney on 60 Minutes. Many of us have gotten back to our usual routines as best we can despite the negative repercussions. We might be facing job losses or cuts in pay. We might be concerned with our own mortality or the mortality of loved ones. Or we might still be grieving from the loss. From time to time, we feel overwhelmed and helpless. We start looking for signs from God that we will get through this. We put our faith in God and others for the long haul, but we search for quick answers to set our minds at ease. But as I said before, signs from God can only be seen when you're not looking. The weekend after the bombings, I went to visit my best friend. When I left, she handed me a cassette tape of The Waiting's performance last year at the Lamb's Church in New York City. As I drove away from her house, I popped the tape in, searching for "Fearfully, Wonderfully" in hopes of getting a head start on a devotion for the October edition of the newsletter. The tape was a recorded live- broadcast, and it had started with a series of commercials. The third commercial I heard was for a morning show that was hosting Joyce Meyer's as speaker. The part of Joyce's program that played during the commercial almost made me stop my car. She said, "There are times in our lives when we are being attacked so strong, that for that period of time, we cannot make progress. If you're in that place right now where you feel like all you can do is just hold on, I want you to know that God is pleased with you that you're not givin' up." Joyce's powerful words stuck in my head like gum on a shoe. I thought that I was meant to hear those words to comfort me in wake of the tragedy. But come Monday, I realized those words would mean to me what they did in their original context. Come Monday when Boeing announced it would lay off thousands in its workforce, I became that person who was in that place right then who felt like all she could do was just hold on. I don't usually care about what happens with Boeing, but come Monday, me and every contract worker in my office paid attention to the news and concluded that if Boeing lost business, our company would lose business too, and then we'd lose our jobs. When I got home from work Monday evening, I was suddenly overwhelmed with concern for myself. Fear and worry reared their ugly heads and I could no longer hold back the emotions I'd been suppressing all day. I went to the bathroom to wash my hands and calm myself, but instead I sobbed angrily, "Why, God, why? You know my track record--I keep taking these contract jobs, hoping for something permanent someday. If I don't get the job I just interviewed for, I'm gonna be out of work AGAIN. Nobody's EVER going to hire me. Nobody wants me NOW 'cuz I've had too many jobs. I'm gonna have another black mark on my record and no one is going to consider why I left--just that I left another job in less than a year. God, I know other people have it so much worse, but what about me? I've waited so long and for what? To waste my life? It's not fair! It's not fair!" Silently I rinsed the suds from my hands. I shook off the excess water, made a fist, and slammed the knob on the faucet down to stop the flow of water. The bathroom suddenly seemed brighter. I looked up to see the bulb, which I thought burned out three weeks earlier, glowing softly above the mirror. The blow to the sink must have jolted the connection back together. "I'm sorry," I said, guilty for my selfish worry and my fear-driven anger towards my Lord. "I'm sorry." After that, I looked at the bathroom light bulb as my little sign from God that said, "I Am with you. This is My Will. I will take care of you and you will be okay." In my anger, I had never demanded a sign--lamenting was all that came from my heart and out mouth. But it was a sign I got when I wasn't looking. It is a sign I continue to look at as I take it day by day. And I also look at it as if it is saying "God is pleased with you that you're not givin' up." Last Thursday I went to my Web development class hoping that the evening would give me a chance to escape from all the negative emotions weighing down on me. Towards the end of the class while the teacher was diligently lecturing, I found myself shamefully reading the new entertainment guidelines for a changed America on the Modern Humorist Web site. The guy behind me saw my screen and started reading over my shoulder. In a classroom of only 15 people, it was nearly impossible for both of us to hide the chuckles and smirks from reading such lines as, "Robin Williams is still excommunicated from the community of civilized comics. We will not distinguish between Robin Williams and the entertainment executives who harbor him." It felt so good to let go of the need to grieve and worry out about finding work. I walked out of class feeling the weight of the world rise off my shoulders, a sure sign that I was ready to move on. As I sped away from the school parking lot after class, the newest version of "Smooth Criminal" was playing on the radio. Although I know these aren't the words, I heard, "Annie, are you okay? You're okay, you're okay, you're okay, Annie." And, like I had been doing for the last two weeks, I related the song to the recent events. For a moment, I was Annie. We were all Annie. We've been hit by a smooth criminal, but we're okay. Flags flying full-staff show that. Laughter related to the recent events proves that. The light in our eyes and the rejuvenated love we have for our fellow man, our country, and God our Father advertises that to the world. But the light in my bathroom is confirmation enough for me. Everywhere are signs. Don't look for them, they're there. -------------------- WEAVING HAND OF LOVE by Tom Doyle One of the more interesting personalities of the band is their capability to write seemingly offhanded lyrics that evolve into conversational centerpieces. This should not be a surprise to any fans of the band. The lyrical mastery of the Waiting is legendary. Those lucky enough to meet the guys find further evidence of this ability as their conversation epitomizes this trait. All band members are quite witty in their own rights but the one who comes to my mind as being the most peculiar is Todd. He has a sense of delivery and combines dead pan expressions to emphasize the lucidity of his statements. You can almost hear the suppressed comments in his comments. Words that will definitely apply to the fact that their record is (finally) complete (yay), sentiments that definitely applies to the fact that this may be the best Waiting record to date. I think though, knowing Todd as I do that his emotions are powered by a somewhat higher source. The comment is "you don't always feel the hand of love weaving everything together until you look back on it." Now this is not so unusual, we all fall victim to that. If things are not going the way we care for it to go, we wonder where God is. Or if we face some trials, our faith is tested to make us wonder what God's plan is. We don't necessarily notice while it is going on, that we have ventured from the Word into our own misunderstandings. Once again, I will tell you that the Bible supplies everything we need for guidance in our daily lives. Verses Genesis 50:20 and Jeremiah 29:!1 both are instructive for our understanding of God's intention for all of His children. Psalm 40:5 goes to acknowledging God's purpose and desire for us as part of His plan. Todd, too, acknowledges that looking back at EVERYTHING that has happened to them as a band ministry had God at its core, carefully guiding and shining His light on their pathway. 20 Far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil, for he brought me to this high position I have today so that I could save the lives of many people. Gen 50:20 (Living) 11 For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11 (Living) 5 O Lord my God, many and many a time you have done great miracles for us, and we are ever in your thoughts. Who else can do such glorious things? No one else can be compared with you. There isn't time to tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalms 40:5 (Living) --------------------- Todd wanted to give you guys his thoughts on Jaquire King "the guy who mixed Wonderfully Made": For those of you who don't understand the term ˜mixing," I'll give you a short lesson. When you record the vocals and instruments on an album, you record them all separately. Mixing is one of the last steps in the recording process. It is putting all the different instruments and vocal parts together at the correct levels or volumes. It is also when you put all the extra stuff on like echoes and reverbae basically all the bells and whistles. The guy who mixed our new album was Jaquire King. He has worked on records by Smashmouth, Third Eye Blind, Newsboys, Switchfoot, Tom Waits and a lot of other bands and movie soundtracks. The Smashmouth record he worked on, ˜Astrolounge" was one of my favorite records of the past year or so. So, when I heard he was mixing our record, I was thrilled. I am so pleased with what he did on ˜Wonderfully Made." The mixes are original and creative. Sonically, they are amazing. I hope when you guys get the album, you'll be as happy with it as I am! ----------------- SONG BY SONG by Brad Olsen WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY "I love You, I love You. What else can I say" This song was born from a case of writer's block. I had been working with the same piece of paper and pen for days and couldn't come up with anything. I couldn't think of another way to say how I felt about God. So, I finally just broke down and said the same thing that has been said millions of times before. But it is never a cliche when you are talking about how great God is. It is never a cliche to tell Him that we love Him. THE REST OF THE WORLD "Love God with all your heart, your mind and soul" This is a classic rock kind of song that I've always enjoyed doing. I think we really hit the nail on the head with this one. It breaks all the complicated things down to their simplest form. If your life gets too complicated, you just have to remember to keep it simple. And the simple thing we are supposed to do is love God, love each other, and share the peace of God with the rest of the world. A LOT OF LOVE "Everyone excuse me as I investigate the art of feeling fine." I was reading the crucifixion story. We've all read it a million times, but I just realized how much love it took for Christ to do what he did to get us all in the family. That's what this song is about. It took a lot of love to save me. Our friend, Michael Johnston, from the Smalltown Poets, added some background vocals to the song. -------------------- IN THE NEWS For those of you in the southern California area, you can see The Waiting on December 30 at Harvest Christian Fellowship. This concert is free and open to the public. It is a concert plus teaching by Greg Laurie and it is videotaped for a tv show called "Day 7" The show will air on TBN a few weeks after the taping. We will try our best to let you know the exact air date. If you can't be there in person, you can watch it live on the internet December 30 at 6 pm pacific at harvest.org. For more information 909-687-6902. ---------- The band just taped a special video interview with musicforce.com. They will be featured in their "Street Week" promotion beginning December 21. ---------- The Waiting's first radio single is the title track to "Wonderfully Made." It hits radio stations this week so be sure to call or email your local station and request "Wonderfully Made." ---------- Todd Olsen will be doing a live web chat with webrock.net on November 15 at 8 pm central. You can check out their website for more info and see how you can submit your questions early. ---------- The Waiting will join dc talk, Jump 5, Kindred 3 at Carpenters Home Church in Lakeland Florida on November 9. Ticket info is at 888-859- 8877. ------------------------------ GUESTBOOK FINDINGS Special thanks to Kelly Burns for compiling these! Fans…. Far and wide, young and young-at heart. Hi! I picked up your CD 'The Waiting' during the July holidays this year and I have to say, having never heard of you guys in my life before it was such a blessing to discover you! I've let all my Christian friends know about you, and they all agree that your music is absolutely fantastic! 'How do you do that?' made me laugh, 'Heaven is home' made me cry and the entire album is basically just great! If you ever decide to tour the world, make South Africa your first stop! From what I've read in your guestbook, we could really benefit from your ministry! Praying for you & keep it going! Venus venusdemilo_16 <codie@webmail..co.za> South Africa - Monday, July 24, 2000 at 08:57:55 (EDT) Konnichiwa from Japan! I hope that the tour is going well, be encouraged! My last host mom listened to the cd and loved it. Who knows maybe next year you can tour Japan too! See you soon! Carolyn Kelso <Up4God@hotmail.com> nagasaki, Japan, - Thursday, November 13, 1997 at 20:50:24 (EST) The waiting is an outstanding band and I am hear to praise you for the work you do in spreading the word of God and letting Christians enjoy worship. I would also like to ask you a little favour PLEASE COME AND TOUR THE UK!!! thanks andy Andy Clark <andy@waknut.fsnet.co.uk> Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshi SCOTLAND - Monday, June 19, 2000 at 15:45:08 (EDT) My husband and I saw - or rather experienced - The Waiting at the Carrowinds Crossfire concerts 6/3/2000 and they were wonderful... a great rocking edge but still so worshipful! My husband really got into the words and was at the merch table scouring for the songs he liked. The only other person he EVER did that for was Rich Mullins (and it was lovely to hear Brad sing the chorus of "sometimes By Step". We are in our 40's but love The Waiting and their awesome sound. Sarah Shaver, Charleston, WV Sarah Shaver <kmom93@yahoo.com> Charleston, WV USA - Monday, June 05, 2000 at 16:43:31 (EDT) Hi...nice page and cool sound. I also like the name :-) When will you play in Switzerland...would be nice to see ya on stage... Waiting 4 Robert <waiting4robert@yahoo.com> Solothurn, Switzerland - Well I have never seen you guys love but I think "Hands in the Air" is perhaps one of the best rock songs written in the '90's. It speaks to me each and every time....it inspires me to teach my Sunday School 7th grade youth too. Hope to catch your show soon. I may be the only 37 year old guy into your music, but that won't stop me from going!!!! God Bless......Bruce in northern Wisconsin. Bruce LaCrosse <BrutusLX@aol.com> Mosinee, WI USA - Sunday, May 16, 1999 at 14:08:31 (EDT) Salutations! Guess you guys don't hear much from the far flung east where God has planted me. ("where's singapore?", art thou asking?). Anyway, this is the very FIRSTest time i'm signing anyone's guestbook... take it as an honour!! Just want to say that I like your lyrics tremendously (especially "hands in the air" ...AWESOME). They speak volumes. In case you're wondering, i got to know about the waiting thru' a local christian radio station we have 'ere (one of a kind). Actually, it transmits from Indonesia as i think in multi- ethnic singapore, a station like this is not quite permitted(?!?)So you americanoes out there, thank our Lord and appreciate how good you all are having it! Well, that's all i've got ta say. Will be WAITING for more fab music from you guys then. God bless! Lih Woon Loh <1mustardseed@geocities.com> somewhere off the equator, Singapore - Monday, March 16, 1998 at 11:43:44 (EST) Just wanted to let you know that I think you guys do an awesome job. The lyrics are great. By the way, I am a 42 year old mother of five and grandmother of four. Just thought you might like to know that some of us "older" folks enjoy your music too. Carol Griffith <davidcarol@mindspring.com> Franklinville, NY USA - I'm writing all the way from a small coutry town in Australia just to let you guys know that you are terrific. The way you are spreading the gospel through your music is an inspiration. Especially since I am a lone Christian with my group of school friends. I find it hard - but you guys really inspire me! Thanks a lot! I really want to know ( or more likely suggest..) WHEN ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO TOUR AUSTRALIA!! Yours in Christ - Naomi xo Philippians 1:3 Naomi Hayward <hayward6@bmr.com.au> Gloucester, NSW Australia! - Tuesday, March 03, 1998 at 05:05:52 (EST) I just wanted you to know what kind of impact you guys have had in the life of one little 7 year old girl in Alabama. My family and several of the youth from our church attended the Powerlife Concert in Tuscumbia where you guys were the last to perform (man was it worth the wait). My 7 year old daughter just had to be up front while you guys were on stage. A couple of the guys from our group took her front and center only to realize she could not see. Not wanting her to be disappointed they took turns holding her on their shoulders the entire time you guys played (at one point your tossed your water bottle from the stage, just missing her). Stopped to check and see if you hit her with the bottle made her feel real special. After the performance as you were signing autographs she was one of the last ones in line. You took the time to come out from behind the table to make her feel special. Now all she wants to be when she grows up is "A Christian Music Singer" like the guys in "The Waiting". She is even trying to express her love for Jesus by writing her own music. Christmas List "Guitar and Amp"!!! Pray with me that this dream never dies. Tommy Calhoun <taccm1@airnet.net> Rogersville, AL USA - I was able to see the guys at Spirit West Coast. Brad is so full of joy--it's irrepressible and contagious!! I think I sang, shouted, jumped, and danced the whole time (and I'm a 42-yr old mom of three!!) Their "concert" seemed more like worship to me. I'm a fan now!! I'll be praying for them as they tour. And I sure hope they come to California again...soon! Elisa <eggem@aol.com> Fresno, ca USA - Monday, August 02, 1999 at 18:58:51 (EDT) Hey,The Waiting!! I only want to say,that you are super. You are my favourite band and I love you. I have never been to a concert from you, because I live in Germany. Please come to Germany one time. It would make me feel so good!! Can you send me more Informations about you ? Love, Janina Janina Zeisbrich <0277262598-0001@t-online.de> Herborn, Germany - Friday, June 18, 1999 at 13:43:10 (EDT) Hi, My name is Tori. I just saw you last night at New Life in Pismo, Ca. I liked your band. Do you remember me? You told me I was the prettiest little thing you've ever seen. I liked the song unfazed the best. Your new friend, Tori (age 9) Tori Roper <rope89@iolwest.com> Templeton, Ca USA - Sunday, April 25, 1999 at 19:41:51 (EDT) -------------------- THE WAITING AT BIG SPRING JAM (Or.... Who Do You See Through The Haze?) By Lorry Guffey Greetings, Waiting Fans! It is my great pleasure once again to report on a concert by our favorite band, the guys from The Waiting. Of course, it turned out to be much more than just a "concert", but I have yet to come away from an evening with The Waiting uninspired. First, let me set the stage... Big Spring Jam is a yearly event held in Huntsville, AL. There are stages for every genre of music, from classic rock- n-roll to country. (There's even a children's stage.) Thankfully, a few years ago, the First Baptist Church of Huntsville decided to sponsor a Christian music stage. This is an outdoor event, and the crowds are enormous. Artists featured this year were from diverse ends of the musical spectrum, from The Doobie Brothers to Chris Rice. The sun was setting just as Brad and Todd began The Waiting's sound check. The moon had risen full and bright by the time they finally took the stage that Friday night. It spotlighted an enormous American flag that had been draped down four stories of one of Huntsville's downtown buildings. The night sky darkened as clusters of young people began to congregate as close to the stage barrier as they could. Excitement was high, especially for me, because it had been months since I'd gotten to see the guys play. I would not have missed this night for anything, since The Waiting was playing so close to home. They took the stage with more than the usual energy, announcing a new album and a new baby all in one night. Of course I was busy soaking everything in, when the Holy Spirit began speaking to my heart. I listened to Brad singing the words to "Unfazed", and I realized how relevant the lyrics had become. Big Spring Jam is held the last weekend of September, so the events that took place earlier that month were still very fresh on everyone's mind. I hope you will indulge one more commentary on those events, a commentary as seen through the lyrics of this great song. "I see you through the haze/ So I remain unfazed." As I stood as close to the stage as possible, I remembered the haze.... that boiling mass of gray debris that enveloped everything it encountered on the streets of NYC as the World Trade center buildings collapsed. The chorus of "Unfazed" spoke of great promise, even in the midst of such an "earth-shaking" event. Brad encouraged us to stretch our faith... to determine to see Jesus through the haze, whether it be physical or emotional. I wanted to pass this encouragement along, for since that night, even more has happened that could be considered by some as "haze". There's the haze of war. The haze of anthrax. The haze of lies being told (and retold) by our enemies. (Not to mention the deluge of our own people trying to explain why all of this has happened!) I submit to you all that we CAN manage to see only Jesus through the haze of these trying times, but it may take a bit of work. It will take us turning off CNN, and digging into God's Word. You see, CNN promotes a doctrine of fear, while God's Word promotes the doctrine of Faith. Fear is actually putting faith in your enemy's ability to defeat you, or cause you harm. I would rather gently nudge you in the opposite direction. Here are a few verses just as seeds to plant in your heart that will, if allowed to grow, push out those negative thoughts of fear, because, as we all know, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God". The book of Psalms is full of reasons to trust God, so that is where I will start.. Of course this is not a definitive list, and I'm sure each of us has our favorite "Fear Not" scriptures. I list these here only as a place to begin. Psalms 23 Psalms 27 Psalms 91:5 Psalms 112:7&8 Isaiah 41:10 Isaiah 41:13 Isaiah 51:7&8 Luke 12:5 Romans 8:15 1 John 4:18 These are all verses that will encourage us, as we realize that God is still on the throne. I am sure that each of us can find even more in our own study, and I hope that we will endeavor to do so. Last of all, I encourage us to look at the date of the attack on America in a different way... the way of faith. Everyone else coins the phrase, "The events of 911", the numbers we dial in case of an emergency. I have determined to look at those numbers in the light of Psalms 91:1: "He who dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." The whole 91st Psalm is one of protection and peace. I pray that that is what you will find, as I did, upon hearing the lines to "Unfazed". See HIM through the haze! The moon still shines! The stars seem brighter. Lord, we see YOU through the haze, and we [choose to] remain unfazed. Amen!

Welcome Waiting Fans! Here is the issue we have been promising. In 
this issue you will be finding out all about the new Waiting cd which 
will be releasing on December 24th. So, go ahead and read on!

As the Waiting get ready for the release of thier new 
album "Wonderfully Made", the fans too must get ready to help promote 
the album. Word of mouth and grassroots type promotion will be very 
important in helping the album be a succsess.

Atlanta-based band The Waiting has completed work on its third major 
label recording, Wonderfully Made, which will release December 24 on 
InPop Records.

The group has been writing and recording Wonderfully Made for the 
past two and half years. Grammy nominated producer, Bryan Lenox 
(whose production and engineering credits include Sonicflood, Michael 
W. Smith, dc Talk, Rebecca St James, among many others) produced the 
album along with The Waiting's guitarist, Todd Olsen. The album was 
mixed by Jacquire King (Smashmouth, Third Eye Blind).

"Before we wrote one word or one note of this record, we sat down as 
a band and decided exactly what we wanted this record to say," said 
lead singer Brad Olsen. "It screams hope and joy and strength and 
fun. That's what we feel about our relationship with Christ. This is 
the happiest, most joyful record we've ever made."

The Waiting's lead singer, Brad Olsen, co-wrote four of the albums 
ten tracks with Third Day's Mac Powell, a long-time friend of the 
band.

"Third Day and The Waiting have been friends for years and years," 
said Brad Olsen. "I can't tell you how easy it was to co-write with 
Mac. You have to be so vulnerable during the songwriting process, so 
already having an established relationship with him, produced some 
amazing songs."

Wonderfully Made also marks the first time The Waiting has recorded a 
song they didn't write or co-write. The song "Take Me" was co-written 
by Chris Estes, Ben Gulley, and Tim Putnam. Other highlights of the 
album include "Sleepless," a song co-written by Brad Olsen and 
England's well-known worship leader, Chris Falson, after a man killed 
numerous people in an Atlanta daytraders' firm -- including a member 
of Brad's church. Even though the song was written and recorded long 
before the World Trade Center bombings, it eerily applies to the 
present day situation of the nation. The Waiting's bassist, Clark 
Leake, wrote "Diamonds" after a frustrating day setting up his new 
computer. The album also features a vocal appearance by Smalltown 
Poets' lead singer, Michael Johnston, another long-time friend of the 
band, on "A Lot Of Love."

"I've known The Waiting for a while now after touring with them on 
the Step Up To The Microphone Tour," said Phillips. "Over the years 
we have built a friendship and a respect for each other so it felt 
very natural to go into the studio as a team. I am impressed at their 
diligence, hard working character, and openness to try new things. 
Because of this we now have an album we are all very proud of. I look 
forward to the future with anticipation because it was such a great 
combination and things can only get better."

In addition to completing work on their new album, Brad and his wife, 
Shannon, recently gave birth to their first child, Dillon Matthew. 
Brad currently serves as a youth pastor at River of Life church in 
Atlanta.

The Waiting is Brad Olsen (lead vocals), brother Todd Olsen (guitar), 
Clark Leake (bass) and Brandon Thompson (drums). The band has five #1 
number one singles to their credit including the single, "Unfazed," 
which remained #1 for six weeks. They have received three Dove Award 
nominations including Rock Album of the Year for Unfazed and The 
Waiting. In addition, the band was voted the #4 Favorite Concert 
Performance and the #5 Favorite Group by the Release Magazine 2000 
Reader's Poll. The Waiting has completed major tours with Sixpence 
None The Richer, Newsboys, Third Day, Smalltown Poets, and Big Tent 
Revival, among others.

I was having a bad hair day, one morning. I stood in front of the 
mirror and worked on my hair forever and couldnâ€™t make it do what I 
wanted - so I pulled out the shears and cut it all off. I hopped in 
my car and while driving down the road I saw a Hooters billboard on 
my right and a fitness perfection thing on my left. I got really 
irritated with the way so many lies are being told every day about 
what makes a person worthy or beautiful. This song refutes all those 
lies. God told the truth and He said that every one of us was 
fearfully and wonderfully made.

I wrote this song while we were on a road trip. I was sitting in a 
hotel and I turned on the news. The lead story was about one of the 
lesser-known shooting sprees - a guy shot up a day trading place in 
Atlanta where we live. One of the guys that he killed was a member 
of our church. I didn't know him very well, but it affected our 
church in a major way. I remember thinking, ˜How many shooting 
sprees do we gotta have? I was starting to lose track. I get really 
irritated that when I turn on the news it's all this analysis about 
teen angst, or what parents failed to do. And all those deficiencies 
may have contributed, but the root cause of all of it was just sin. 
I wanted to somehow say that in a song. It's dedicated to all the 
shooting spree victims. It is even more poignant now with what has 
happened at the World Trade Center. Sin keeps rearing its ugly 
head. Even though Jesus died to take care of it, we still manage to 
make our way back to it.

Clark wrote this one. It's about not being too attached to 
possessions: your money, your things, your clothes, your computer. 
After all, it is just a computer. Even if you spent a million 
dollars on it, it is still just a computer. It's not really that 
important. This one is turning out to be a favorite in our live 
shows.

"We decided at the beginning that we wanted to make a record from a 
position of strength in Christ. We wanted to scream from the 
rooftops that we are full of joy; that we are happy and we are 
strong. I think we have done that. This record screams hope. It 
screams joy. It screams strength, and power and fun. And it doesn't 
just say it through the glimmer of hope during difficult 
circumstances that many of our previous records have done."

The man talking with the pride of a new papa is Brad Olsen, the 
frontman and primary tunesmith for the Atlanta-based foursome known 
as The Waiting. And the record he is bragging about is Wonderfully 
Made, an impressive ten-song collection of original songs that 
celebrate life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Produced by 
Bryan Lenox (Michael W. Smith, dc talk, SonicFlood) along with 
guitarist Todd Olsen, Wonderfully Made is The Waiting's first new 
album since their groundbreaking, Dove-nominated Unfazed, and their 
first on the inpop label.

Bolstered by critical acclaim, five #1 radio hits, and a pair of Dove 
Award nominations for Rock Album of the Year for their two previous 
projects, The Waiting celebrated the close of the 20th century by 
retreating to their native Atlanta for a period of introspection and 
inspiration. Now, with Wonderfully Made, The Waiting enters the 21st 
century in a decidedly more exuberant mood, ready to speak frankly 
about life as it should be.

The result is an album full of songs that are at once every bit as 
introspective as you have come to expect from The Waiting, but that 
are brighter, richer, more light-hearted than ever before. "We did a 
large portion of this album at home in Atlanta," Brad explains. "When 
you get the fellows together in that atmosphere it is going to be 
more relaxed."

"And we spent a lot of time digging down to the roots," Todd 
adds. "I think that is what is showing up here. It wasn't so much 
off-the-cuff songwriting as digging in and really getting at the root 
of who we are."

Despite the mood shift, the band still comes out swinging for the 
fence on "Wonderfully Made," the infectious title cut, which was co-
penned by Brad and Third Day's Mac Powell. (In fact, the duo wrote 
four of the albums 10 cuts together). "Young people are struggling 
with the lies they are constantly being fed," Brad says of the 
impetus for the song. "They are struggling with the system that 
exists to fit them into some kind of mold, and they don't feel like 
they fit. We need to let young people know that they are wonderfully 
made inside and out. And it is Christ in them that makes them 
worthy, so they don't need to struggle with feelings of 
unworthiness."

A remarkably upbeat album musically, for all its lyrical weight, 
Wonderfully Made investigates and celebrates the events of life-both 
good and bad-that make it worth living. From the awe-invested 
prayer "Every Word" to the angst-ridden cry for mercy "Sleepless" the 
album grapples with complex emotions while compelling you to move-to-
the-groove of some of the coolest music your stereo has tasted in 
years.

Simply put, The Waiting are communicators. Through a canny 
combination of brilliant songwriting, intuitive musicianship and deft 
production Wonderfully Made gently reminds you that while life is at 
times a messy affair, it is possible to live joyfully. And now I can 
see that Your love's not such a mystery, Brad sings in "Take Me As I 
Am." I don't have to be anything more than what's real.

That joy is evident on each of the ten tracks that make up 
Wonderfully Made. You can hear it in the tones of Brad's signature 
vocal stylings. You can feel it in Brandon's elastic drumming and 
Clark's rock-steady bass. You can sense it in the textures of Todd's 
swirling guitar riffs. Yet rather than being swept away by such 
evocative emotions, Wonderfully Made is anchored by the unyielding 
professionalism of producer Bryan Lenox.

"The tracks that I sang for him have a life to them that I didn't 
even know I was capable of doing," Brad interjects. "He is so 
specific about what he wants, and he works you until he gets that 
specific thing. The concentration that it takes to do that is 
amazing."

The band is also quick to heap accolades on A&R director, Duncan 
Phillips (drummer for Newsboys). "He has been indispensible to us, 
pushing our cause and also not letting us put out anything that was 
not exactly right," Todd says. "His standard is so high - things that 
we might have let pass he wouldn't let pass. It is really good that 
we have that kind of support."

"Most of the days we were in the studio, Duncan was there, integrally 
putting in his opinion as we went along," Brad adds. "He is a strong 
musician and songwriter, so he obviously he had some pronounced 
opinions. It isn't the most common thing for A&R people from labels 
to be that involved for that extended period of time."

"You don't always feel the hand of love weaving everything together 
until you look back on it," Todd says of the interval. " We 
definitely feel a sense of expectation. And I can look back now and 
see how God has been working on all of us in everything from our 
personal lives to character issues to our musicianship. This record 
really has our thumbprint on it. This is our best work ever. We 
feel very on-the-cusp, very excited, and a little breathless - like 
we are on the bubble and ready to pop. But I don't think we feel 
everything we are going to feel, because when it is all over and done 
with, and we look back, that is when we are really going to see that 
strong hand of love."

----------
Brad has a duet on the new Acquire the Fire CD...it's one of my 
favorite worship songs by Chris Tomlin called "The Wonderful Cross." 
GREAT song, and I can't wait to hear the full version with Brad 
singing it. You can hear a little clip of it at InPop's website by 
clicking on Acquire the Fire, or go here:

----------
To read some online news about what The Waiting have been up to and 
to get updates ... click on the links below:

Check it out, a nice little article on about.com, if you get a chance 
write the guy and thank him for the article.

THE WAITING LIST The Official Newsletter of The Waiting September 2001 Issue Number 25 Welcome Waiting fans! The start of fall brings us a little bit closer for the upcoming new album! Things are starting to move on The Waiting front - keep checking us out for updates. Have a great month. The Waiting List Staff -------------------- SIX FEET OF HOPE by Tom Doyle Arguably one of the most powerful songs in the Waiting's discography is from the Green cd or The Waiting. The song of course is "Hands in the Air", writing credits to Brad, Todd, Clark and Steve Hindalong. Its saga sings of the perils of good versus evil, of trying to do things on our own as opposed to having God's help. There are some great phrases of praise throughout this song. Its words set the example of what God expects from us, the phrase, "if I raise my hands so weak and thin and frail, will You reveal the light of mercy in Your eyes", both asks and answers the question, for indeed He will! Another of my favorites is, "been toe to toe too long, I'm tired of fighting You. I see You were too strong, cause I am black and blue", again attesting to the fact that I suffer black and blue rather than turn to Jesus for His help. One of the more peculiar lines in the song comes just before the black and blue line, just before that submission. "Now in the garden I carve out six feet of space. There make my will comply, lie down upon my face". If the meaning was obvious, it sure slipped by me. In the 3rd verse, the 45th chapter of the old testament book Ezekiel it talks about "measuring off a section in which shall be the sanctuary, the most holy place." Before, when I mentioned the writing credits you did not see my name, but I believe this is one of the most important stanzas of the song and clue to a successful relationship with God. We need to measure off, to carve out a place where we can meet God, where we can seek out His wisdom and guidance, to find His grace and mercy. This great song is deep with instruction, for it is only after we carve out that space, seek out the Lord Jesus, and submit to Him, that we can revel in the fact that He is in control of our lives. Lives that we see as being hopelessly out of control. So the next time Todd Olsen's guitar string mastery blends and complements the wonderful English horn intro into Brad's opening vocals of Hands, think of this. Remember that as much as this is a psalm of victory for believers, it also becomes a handbook of instruction. We all must seek the six feet of space, the sanctuary to come and meet God. Amen! -------------------- DEAR WAITING... I had the pleasure last winter to worship w/ you guys at The Helms Center at Chowan College in Murfreesboro,NC. I'm 36 and and know what its like to live as a defeated Christian and baby Christian. Progression is nice! I don't know what you remember from that venue, but I believe the Holy Spirit was moving in that place. I know we're in the sticks up here in this area. Many people know nothing of Christian music other than the Gaither Hour, God Bless Em, I Iove it too! I witnessed the biggest moving of the Spirit that night in this area. The praise & worship you all do is powerful. It was a smaller crowd than you're used to playing to but the impact to the ones there in attendance was deep. Speaking of deep, your e-mails are especially challenging in a great way. Most people I associate w/ don't seem to draw much from lifes disappointments as comes thru in your growth thru your trials. I believe like you all obviously do: God wants to take us to new heights from the lessons we learn in this life on earth. P.S. Congratulations on the InPop Music thing! In His Love, Craig -------------------- No Time Tom Doyle The summer has sure passed by quickly this year hasn't it? It seems as though I was just meeting my June deadline, and going to Creation... having our pool installed... and now it is the middle of August already. Did anyone catch the Temple University study on communications? It determined that it would take 20 minutes or so to convey a thought of 600 words face to face or by phone. That same effort to share that thought via email would take over 1 hour in mostcases. Pc's were supposed to lighten our lives and make it easier to communicate, saving time. H E L L O! It may amaze you that recently I had finished my work week on a Wednesday morning. Because I was well... exhausted... I thought I might enjoy God's wonderful creation of Thursday and float around in the pool for awhile. I lay there floating to and fro and as life works, I was thinking about all the things that I did not have time for. Maybe it was the fact that I was listening to that great Clark Leake song, "No Time For That". In Clark's song, of course, He talks about the types of things that we all do in placeof turning away from God. Things like pride or holding on to broken relationships will keep us from seeking the Light. My thoughts ran differently, I was thinking of all the things that I think I have no time for. MORE Bible study, emails, working on websites. All these things get lost or replaced by things I find more important to do. People who have time to read me know that I often turn to the Bible to guide what I write. Well, that Thursday I was reading in one of Todd's favorite books of the Bible; Ecclesiastes. (Everyone knew that, right?) King Solomon, in chapter 3, relays to us that there is a time for everything and verse by verse the book identifies that there is a time for various activities. Verse 11 sums it up in its entirety: "Everything is appropriate in its own time...even so, many cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end." I really like what Clark conveyed in His lyrics, the reminder that we spend all too much time engaged in lifestyles that prevent the best relationship with God that we can foster. The realization is that we (should) have no time for that type of behavior. Give control of your life to God, surrender your will to His. Amen! -------------------- GOD LOVES OUR MESS by Tom Doyle I am one of the lucky ones. I have the equipment to have made videos of some of the Waiting's Concerts. I then was able to make a cassette of the audio portion, essentially I have a "live" Waiting cassette. Without a lot of details or explanation I found myself listening to a concert that defined the moment I bowed before the Cross. This was the second time I had seen the band, this venue, in Sept.1997 was a small college in Pennsylvania. The crowd was lively and energetic and they enjoyed the show as much as I. There I learned that Christians were not isolated folks found on Sunday in church pews. It was at this college that I learned that Christians were everyday hard working fun loving people sharing a love for their Savior. Brad was in the middle of the stage and Todd was playing softly, a church hymn. Brad is preaching: God looks down at each one of us when we've been out messing in our dirt, when we've been out getting in our mess. Getting dirt all over us not necessarily on the outside but on the inside. God looks down at us and He knows every dirty thought and He knows every dirty speech and every dirty thing we've ever done. And He looks down at us and He says come into the fanciest room in My house. Don't clean yourself up up and come and don't bother to go get a shower and then come, come just the way you are dirt and all. (the crowd applauds) He continues: SO we are here to encourage tonight, there is no body in here better than anyone else. Because God also said this in His word, Jesus said this, He said there is no one good but God alone. No one is good but God says come into My house, just the way you are and don't come timidly but come boldly, come fearlessly, don't be afraid, come right where I am, come right where I am. We want to encourage anyone who's feeling dirty tonight, everybody's in the same boat, maybe you got something going on in your life. Maybe you got some kind of habit you're dealing with, some addiction or problem you're struggling with, everybody's in the same boat, just come as you are, just the way you are and meet God. God did provide a way and that is through the blood of His only Son Jesus Christ. That is the way and there is no other way than through the blood of Jesus Christ. If anyone wants to know about Jesus or how you can come to know Jesus, how you can join the family where God lets you come into the fanciest room in His house, no matter what condition you are in. If anyone wants to know about that you can talk to the band about 5 min after the show. For those who have seen the guys in concert you know that this is a Waiting ritual, that this is really where you can see their ministry in action. After a short respite they walked out onto the floor of the arena and spoke endlessly and tirelessly with fans. I was so overcome by what I witnessed, this was the part of the show I should have taped. Listening to the tape of this concert again was as convincing to me as it was when I made the choice to give my life to God. He really wants you to come to Him, in fact He is waiting for each and everyone of us to come home. That is the greatest thing about knowing God's message, it never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, His wants for us will never change. In this period of anticipation as we crave for the new cd we can think of the past. Reliving memories of times gone by can rekindle, refresh and renew our desire to follow Jesus. Thank you guys for giving me these wonderful memories. -------------------- IN THE NEWS The guys will soon be having a photo shoot for their upcoming INPOP release. ---------- You can find a new Waiting song, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made on INPOP's sampler called "Our Bundle of Joy". ---------- Brad and his wife, Shannon welcomed a baby boy into their family recently. Please keep them in your prayers. -------------------- CONCERT SCHEDULE Look for a separate message with the updated schedule in it. -------------------- WORD OF INTEREST If you would like to submit articles, letters, etc...email us at TheWaitingList@hotmail.com

THE WAITING LIST The Official Newsletter of The Waiting August 2001 Issue Number 24 Hello all Waiting fans out there! Summertime is almost over with and we hope you have had a great summer. We hope you enjoy reading this issue and that Lord continues to bless your life. Stay tuned to this newsletter for contests, album and concert updates. Blessings, The Waiting List Staff -------------------- ISRAEL by Lori Walden "I wrestle with the wind/I wrestle with the waves/And the rope's tearing my skin and still/Within the storm/Within the sea/Within the rage/I can see You." The Waiting--"Israel" "Father God, I am SO tired of dealing with all of this stuff...I feel like I'm about ready to drown in all the things that I have to do, and I'm just ready to be done with it all. Take it from me please!" That was kind of where my prayer was headed one evening. I had just returned from a meeting for the Christian music festival that I am a part of, and I had more than surpassed my breaking point several times that night. One too many things had gone wrong, and I was ready to quit. I'd had enough of everything that was being thrown at me and was tired of having to put up with it all. When I'm upset, I try to get away from everything, and that night getting away meant jumping in my car and driving to clear my mind. As I put "Israel" on in my car, I began to sob along with Brad's vocals. I was wrestling with and struggling with so much that night, and I was tired of doing it alone. By the time I'd reached the end of the song, I found myself having to pull over to the side of the road as Brad sang "I'm the very soul my Father holds forever in His hand." Then suddenly, it hit me. *I* didn't have to do this alone. I was looking for ways to get rid of my problems, instead of realizing that my Father is always with me and is always here to guide me. He yearns for me to place all my burdens and my struggles in His hands. How many of us can't relate to being tossed by the wind and the waves of everything that life is throwing at us? We can't do it alone. God knows without Him, my problems and struggles would consume me. But we have the promise of Christ within us, and He proved that we don't have to face ANYTHING alone. As it is written in Nahum 1:3b,"The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm..." God was there with me in the midst of my problems and my struggles. He was just waiting for me to lay all my burdens at His feet so that He could provide me with His peace that exceeds all understanding. -------------------- THE MOOGS OF THE WORLD by Lisa Alexander No, I don't handle big changes well. I've filled my big-changes quota for the year. The one that put me over the top came a few weeks ago when I switched jobs. I had to leave the comfortable familiarity of my desk in the school library once the school year ended. So a job change was inevitable. Only because I know that God's timing is perfect did I never question my decision to leave three weeks before the end of the year. I remember my first day praying, "Oh Lord, help me. I'm back in a cubicle." I'm not sure what took longer for me to adjust to--the exponential increase in responsibility or the exponential decrease in the number of humans I came in contact with during the day. No wait, it was getting used to my phone never ringing and resisting the urge not to answer someone else's. I missed my desk in the school library, the students, the staff, the persistent ringing of the phone, and the abundant quantities of school pizza and sloppy joe. Good-bye land-of- milk-and-honey, hello life-as-a-Dilbert cartoon. For three weeks I had no computer, no login ID, no e-mail, and no Internet access. I was shuttled back and forth from department to department in an effort to get me up to speed before my supervisor went on vacation. The fourth week I was left alone with the bare essentials to finish the weekly project while my supervisor went to Europe. All I had were my chicken-scratched notes and a guy that could spend an hour with me before everything was due. And I had prayer. Believe me, when I found that my computer wasn't working, I made camp in another person's cubicle and prayed hard that somehow I would get through the day without having a nervous breakdown or throwing a computer out the window. I even contemplated borrowing a co-worker's "With God All Things Are Possible" knick-knack to calm myself. I made it through that day with my sanity intact and the project (nearly)complete. Slowly the stress at work eased up after my supervisor returned from vacation. I didn't like this life change and I yearned even more for my desk at school. But I understood that I had to be here. For two weeks after, "Break my legs if You must, but keep me close to You," was my mantra every time I turned on the computer at work. Eventually I broke into a weekly routine. Download the file. Rearrange the data. Make the pretty charts and tables. Then show the final product at the weekly meeting where a bunch of men and women throw around terms and acronyms in a barrage of cryptic dialog. Lather, rinse, repeat. Just another easy routine on my weekly to-do list. As weeks past, the conversation in those meetings became more comprehendible. I didn't realize how capable I was of following along until someone brought up an example of a company called Moog and how measuring the performance of Moog was different than measuring the performance of other companies because Moog produces their product differently than most other companies. Everyone nodded in agreement that companies like Moog that didn't fit the comfortable mathematical mold posed a considerable problem if their differences couldn't be considered and adjustments couldn't be made to compensate. My supervisor replied to this comment by saying, "We have to be able to adjust to the Moogs of the world." And it dawned on me. All the changes I'd experienced didn't fall into a comfortable mathematical mold, just like Moog didn't always follow along our company's trend line. This wasn't a eye-opening revelation about life, just a subtle reminder. A reminder, not just in business but in everything, that life refuses to follow exact trends and that we must be ready to adjust to the changes. A reminder that life is not as simple as "we're born, we live, we die." Oh contraire. We're born, we live, we change, we die. We change. From conception to decay, we change. The Lord our God that created life made it that way. Whether we want it or not, change will occur. The Lord God from Whom we seek a relationship with made it so. If we ask for Him to be a presence in our lives, we should ask Him to be a presence during change. And if we ask for Him to be present during change, we should know that He will be there, close by waiting to help us through the adjustment period. Each time I sit down to lunch at work, I bow my head and thank the Lord for my job. I am grateful for the changes and even more grateful that when I look up, I can see His fingerprints everywhere--at my desk, in my home, on my car payment, in my loved one's faces, and in the mirror as I brush my hair before work in the morning. Send me the Moogs of the world. Break my legs if You must. I'll adjust. 'Cuz I'll be close to You. -------------------- THIS DESERT LIFE by Kellham Porter Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. --Hosea 2:14,15 This scripture seemed to be a perfect metaphor of how Christ often deals with me. There are times where He deliberately leads me into "the desert." I think the desert would be a place where I'd be dry, famished and radically uncomfortable. In such times, I have to admit that I'd also be much more attentive to the voice that sustains me. I have to remember that when I go though these times--dry, famished, and radically uncomfortable--He will speak tenderly to me and equip me for what is to come. Because my attention and dependency are totally on Him, He is able to show me the sweet things about His character I often do not see because I am distracted in the comfort of usual surroundings -------------------- IN THE NEWS The Waiting's INPOP debut album is set to release on December 26th. The album is tentatively called "Fearfully Wonderfully Made". ---------- Please keep Brad and his wife, Shannon in your prayers as September is when their baby is due to enter the world. ---------- Check this website out! You can send Waiting webcards to friends and family. Staff member Thomas Doyle invites you to check his site out. Cheryl Angileri contributed to the graphics and photos. www.angelfire.com/nj/crosslinks -------------------- CONCERT SCHEDULE 08/17/01 Franklin Springs, GA Emmanuel College 706-245-7226 08/22/01 Waco, TX Baylor University, 254-710-4276 08/25/01 Lawrenceville, IL Bridge Festival, 217-563-2360 09/22/01 Arlington, VA Catholic Diocese of Arlington, 703-660-5740 (closed concert) 09/28/01 Huntsville, AL Huntsville Heritage Festival, 256-880-6405 09/29/01 Greensboro, NC Peak Performance, 10/03/01 Meridian, MS Eventz, Inc., 601-552-0971 10/13/01 Valdosta, GA Perimeter Road Baptist Church, 912-333-0746 10/27/01 Glorietta, NM Calvary Chapel of Durango, 970-259-9476 12/28/01 Macon, GA rescheduled 8/18 show 12/31/01 Tucson, AZ Calvary Chapel, 520-294-5733 -------------------- WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Any ideas or articles or anything you would like to submit? Email us at TheWaitingList@hotmail.com

THE WAITING LIST The Official Newsletter of The Waiting July 2001 Issue Number 23 -------------------- Hello Waiting Fans! It's been two years since we first started gracing inboxes with our newsletter. In appreciation for our readers on this joyous occasion, we thought we'd do something special. First, Tom Doyle fondly looks back at The Waiting List and how it has contributed to The Waiting's ministry. Next we bring you a noteworthy article, written by Tom Doyle and Rebecca Howard,that never made it to print because of change in the band's touring schedule. And then we top off your reading pleasure with three of our favorite articles from past issues. Don't forget to check out the end of the newsletter for this month's newsletter and concert schedule. Have a great rest of the summer! The Waiting List Staff -------------------- THE MISSION OF THE WAITING by Tom Doyle Well, what to my wondering eyes does appear, but the two-year anniversary issue of The Waiting List? Truly amazing! I do not think any one of us could have seen this day when we started, but then again, were there any doubts? Of course, there were some. . . like every month, but faithful to the cause we pressed on. A completely e-mail based, volunteer administered, semi-official offering of Waiting news and writers' opinions. An assembly of autonyms whose diversity is enhanced by geographical and cultural backgrounds. . . and some of us are old, too. With all those differences and all the opportunities these two years have afforded us, the direction of the stories are endless. Writers' stories have been about concert reviews, personal accounts, even a little fantasy. There have been issues about individuals in the band, stories about the fans, media news, and most importantly the spiritual inspiration and encouragement realized by writers and fans of the band. From writing lairs all over the land stories are concocted, using untold resources, to develop thoughts and ideas into comprehensive, readable, and somewhat entertaining essays. You could imagine that the techniques we use in writing also vary quite a bit. The results define a style and personality unique to the persons writing. What canals us together is a thread that is carried from The Waiting Ministry. It is the urgency to carry God's News forward, to encourage believers and to initiate the curiosity of searchers. That thread also commands a desire to "gussy-up" that message. This is such a foolish effort,for there is nothing we can write or sing that could add anything to the beauty of Jesus as Savior and Redeemer. So those of us so bold as to carry the message through this particular format can only hope to seed, can only hope to stir a curiosity. I don't think any of us write with an outlook of having the key to open one's eyes, but do hope that through our efforts we provide some cause for readers to smile. We have always urged fans to join us and submit their own Waiting stories, and will continue to do that. It is nearly impossible to see The Waiting in concert and not have anything to talk about. We have all been there and never tire of hearing of the antics. So jot down a note or two and package it off to The Waiting List. It has been a wonderful experience for me over the past two years. The special relationships that I have shared would not have been possible without having been given this chance to write. The biggest advantage for me though has been in having to research the Bible and be in God's word as I try to entertain you. There is NO better way to live. -------------------- PETRA WITH THE WAITING by Tom Doyle and Becky Howard (Note: This is an article that was to be published in the October 1999 issue.) The house lights dim and The Waiting take their places on stage. The intro music ends and the click of Brandon's drum sticks mark the time of the opening number. On cue, the first chords are struck and the stage lights burst on, illuminating the performers. Waiting and watching in the darkness behind the scenes will be an old favorite to many in the audience - Petra. A few descriptive terms are used to define Petra's style - rock, pop and funk. Petra can boast of a loyal and time-tested core of fans. These fans have accustomed themselves to a rock-and-roll song base with lyrics as hard and steadfast as the rock of faith they stand on. Their message of the Gospel is delivered in hardcore, straightforward music that acts as a testimony and a proclamation of their belief in their lives. Petra is one of the oldest Christian rock groups in existence and helped pave the way for much of the Christian music we enjoy today. They have done this by providing great rock music with strong Biblical lyrics. They have continued to uplift, excite and educate Christian audiences since 1972. Petra has embarked on a career selling 6 million copies of 22 recordings, as well as capturing 2 gold records, 3 Grammy awards, 9 Dove awards, and 10 consecutive CCM Readers' Awards. For many Christian bands, Petra is a focus point, musically and spiritually. They have been pioneers, crusaders, and groundbreakers for new roads. Without question, Petra is a major reason Christian music is one of the fastest growing genres of music in the recording industry today. They continue to tour with an audience of all ages. Whether you check out Petra for the first time or after years of enjoying their music, it is clear that they are still going strong. Both The Waiting and Petra share the same goal --- to bring the Gospel to people through music. God is the focus of everything these bands do. Every performance is presented for the glory of God. This draws the two bands together. The latest releases from these bands, Unfazed and God Fixation, differ in music style but are similar in content. Both albums certify that there is nothing on Earth that should deter you from seeking a relationship with the Lord. Regardless of life's tough decisions, temptations, and questions, God's Way is the only acceptable way. As fans of Petra and The Waiting congregate in concert halls this fall, clearly it will be the fans that benefit. It will be an interesting fan mix,widely diversified in ages and backgrounds. The fans will hear the greatest of all stories - how Jesus' love and mercy allows us access to Heaven. This story will be told in rock and roll fashion with a varied compilation of music as diversified as the fans that flock to see them. Regardless of the bands musical diversities, there is no compromise, no negotiation and no wavering. Asking Jesus Christ to be your Savior is the only thing that matters in life. Through Him, everything is possible. Hearing that alone is worth the price of admission. -------------------- MY CUP RUNNETH OVER by Anonymous *Note: the quotes in this text come from "The New Millennium Version of Psalm 23," by an unknown author, taken from the Internet. "The Lord and I are in a shepherd/sheep situation, and I am in a position of negative need." Another week and I am driving. I pop in my Unfazed tape and fast forward to "So Much of Me." I've waited too long to deal with this, and I am going to do this right. So an hour before arrival I prepare myself. This is my preparation, my routine for counseling. For years I have been fighting depression. I have tried to live with it,thinking that if I could just ignore the stresses in my life, they would eventually go away and I could function normally. As a result, I ran from the problems I could run from, and I made situations worse where I couldn't get out. My shame and my pride kept me from speaking the truth to those around me. I would tell others what I thought they wanted to hear instead of telling them what they needed to hear. I was so afraid of failing that I didn't try to succeed. "He restores to original satisfaction-levels my psychological make- up." I start with "So Much of Me" and work my way to "I Am" (However, I skip "Easy to See" because I want to hear the message of "I Am" more.) I listen to the words and think about what the lyrics mean and what I should think about before my session with the therapist. This routine usually goes (in the order in which I hear them) I am worthy and needed. Don't worry. The Lord will help you through your anxieties. Be listening if the Lord speaks. His message is important. The Lord will stay close to you during hard times. Your emotional life wasn't meant to be in a constant state of disrepair. The Lord will build you up again as something stronger and more desirable. "Surely it must be an ongoing non-deductible fact that your inter-relational, emphatical, and non-vengeful capacities will pursue me as their target focus for the duration of this non-death period." It took me about a month to realize what was wrong in my life and what I needed to work on. After spending many hours trying to think about why I had problems, I came to many meaningful conclusions. The truth really will set you free. You can use the mistakes of the past in your favor. And God will be beside you no matter what. Yes, suddenly is does seem so easy. I know I still have a ways to go before I am better and that I will have to fight with it from time-to- time throughout my life. And when that happens, I will try to remember what those lyrics mean to me and know that I will get through it. -------------------- HOW I HAVE FUN WITH THE WAITING by Alan Hall Hi. I'm Alan. I've been driving the truck for The Waiting for about...7 or 8 months. It's fun. Here's a short list of some fun things I do with each member: Clark - hold an entire conversation using only quotes from movies or old BBC shows. Todd - convince him that there are good guitars made outside the U.S. Brad - discuss the relative merits of a certain early 80's Yamaha keyboard or the lyrics of a certain Canadian drummer. Brandon - arbitrarily pick three items from an office supply cabinet and see how fast he can use them to wire power to his PC from the tail lights of a car. ---------- OUT OF THE LOOP by Lisa Alexander Let's set the record straight, once and for all. The Waiting does not use tracks in their live performances. What many hear and mistake for tracks are really loops. Recently I sat down with Brandon Thompson after a show to talk about loops. Many fans know him as The Waiting's drummer. But many don't know that he uses loops as well as drums to keep the beat and enhance the band's performance. "Okay. So what's a loop?" you ask. It's really quite simple. A loop is the repetition of a sound used to keep a beat. In The Waiting's case, it's a prerecorded sound byte played over and over again during a performance. Got that? I thought so. . . .If you're anything like me, you'll want an example before you can even say "Clear as mud." So what about that example? Okay. Say the following phrase five times fast: thud, thud, thunk. Feel the beat? The phrase you just said was the sound byte, and when you repeated it, like a cycle, it became a loop. But how do tracks differ from loops? Brandon explained to me that tracks are recorded pieces of music or vocals used to fill in sounds during a performance. Singers without a backup band play tracks of accompanying music. Bands sometimes play tracks of recorded vocals if they don't have backup singers. And besides, loops aren't the music- they're the beat. Loops can be as simple as a tambourine beat or as complex as several layered prerecorded sounds that have been distorted so much that you wouldn't recognize any of the original sounds if you compared them. You can make a loop by recording a sound yourself, or by taking a prerecorded sound and changing it in some way, like speeding up the tempo or changing the pitch. Loops generally last from one to eight seconds before being repeated. (That's one to four measures for the musically literate.) Loops are a recent addition to The Waiting's music. Before Unfazed, the band didn't use recorded loops in their shows. All the sounds they produced in their performances came from instruments on stage. But right before the production of Unfazed, Brandon approached Bill Baumgart, The Waiting's AR (artist and repertoire) agent and the executive producer of Unfazed, with the idea of adding loops to the new album. From there, Unfazed's three producers starting working with Brandon to create loops. And a new sound was born. Most of the songs from Unfazed have loops in them. The band even went back to Blue Belly Sky and reworked the old favorite "Look At Me" so it would have loops in it too. The band refers to this version as "Look at Me 2000." You can see Brandon on stage running the loops during performances. He has a small computer and a portable anti skip CD-player that he plays a loop-CD on. Both these machines are wired so the loops can be heard through the speakers. Brandon loves using the loops. He feels it enhances his playing as well as the band's. For those that might question the use of loops instead of real instruments during live shows, Brandon said to them, "We can play all the music. It just helps the show sound more like the album." Just try to imagine what "Unfazed" would sound like without the metallic drum sound throughout the song. Brandon also added, "The purpose of using loops isn't to fit into a mold, but to add a new flavor to the sound." With production of the new album starting soon, Brandon is getting ready by massing his own "loop library," a collection of different sounds and audio snippets that might be used on the next album. He wants to be more involved in the loop creation this time. Brandon couldn't say for sure that loops will be used in the next album, but just in case, he'll be ready. I recall from the Toledo Zoo show, a man asking Brandon when he was going to write a song. To him I say, "Just because you don't write the words, doesn't mean you're out of the loop." -------------------- MEDIA NEWS Word from INPOP Records is that The Waiting's album is tentatively scheduled to be released on December 26th. -------------------- CONCERT INFORMATION The Waiting will appear September 28th at the Big Spring Jam in Huntsville, Alabama. The festival is a 100 act, three-day event. (September 28, 29, 30). Third Day, Plus One, Chris Rice, etc. Also appearing on other stages will be Smokey Robinson, The Doobie Brothers, Kansas, Wynonna, etc. Updates can be seen at www.bigspringjam.org ---------- The Waiting is coming to Greensboro, NC on Saturday, Sept. 29th. They will be part of the Xtreme Festival, which is an all-day outdoor festival. Other artists currently include Jennifer Knapp, Project 86, Wide Awake and Silers Bald. There will be 10-11 large inflatable games with a skateboard ramp available for skaters. Manna Skateboards will be doing stunts and tricks throughout the day. You can go to our web site at http://www.xtremefestival.com for more information. ---------- The Waiting will be in concert at Perimeter Road Baptist Church (PRBC) in Valdosta, Georgia, Saturday night, October 13, 2001. They are scheduled to go on between 8:30-9PM following a tentatively scheduled local band. This is one of several of our October Kick-off events in our new Worship Center seating over 800 people. The Valdosta area is just not used to seeing this kind of Christian music of this magnitude at a local church. Make plans now to come see this awesome Christian band break in a brand new Worship Center. A love offering will be given. Check out the church web-site, http://www.prbconling.org or contact the church, 229-333-0746, with any questions. ---------- Worship in the New Year: New Years Eve Concert Starts at 8 PM At Calvary Chapel 5170 Julian Drive (behind Palo Verde Ramada Inn) Tucson AZ 85706 Phone 520-573-9933 -------------------- CONCERT SCHEDULE August 18 Austell, GA Six Flags 6pm Ticket Information: 770-936-5234 sfinch@mabelwhite.org August 22 Waco, TX Baylor University Ticket Information: 254-710-3517 cyndi_ballew-patton@baylor.edu August 25 Lawrenceville, IL Bridge Festival 9:15pm Ticket Information: 618-945-8001 pizza_guy1@hotmail.com September 22 Arlington, VA O'Connell High School 3pm *This is a closed concert. September 28 Huntsville, AL Big Spring Jam 7pm Ticket Information: 256-533-1953 donnjennings@aol.com September 29 Greensboro, NC War Memorial Stadium TBA Ticket Information: 877-770-7325 peakperformances@juno.com October 13 Valdosta, GA Perimeter Road Baptist Church 7:30pm Ticket Information: 912-333-0746 mike@prbconline.org October 21 Springfield, OH Maiden Lane Church Family Life Center 7:30pm Ticket Information: 937-323-9747 apex@maidenlane.org October 27 Durango, CO Ft. Lewis Concert Hall 7:00 pm Ticket Information: 970-259-9476 durango@calvarychapel.com December 31 Tucson, AZ Calvary Chapel 8pm Ticket Information: 520-573-9933 youthdude@qwest.net

THE WAITING LIST The official newsletter of The Waiting June 2001 Issue Number 22 Welcome to summer and to the latest issue of The Waiting List! There isn't a lot going on media front but look for it to really heat once the new album is released. Read on and as always if you would like to contribute something to the newsletter, email us at TheWaitingList@hotmail.com. The Waiting List staff -------------------- HUMILITY OF PRIDE By Tom Doyle I would so like to share with you how I have gotten here. (No, not the stork story) Some of you who read this will understand when I say YOU have brought me here. I would like to make an illustration of humility and pride. I learned a very awesome lesson from the guys during the very first few times I saw them in concert. I want to say that I watch the shows from the floor, as a fan, not from backstage or in the wings, so I see what the fans see. At the first show, Todd welcomed us and hung around with us, as we watched a very young Smalltown Poets do their set. He very clearly was not as excited to see me as I was to see the band. My emotions could not be contained; the show was so energetic, so spirit filled. The guys came from backstage to greet the fans, and that was when the lesson was summarized. They very easily could have reveled in their fans' adoration, to accept the accolades with glee. I found that NOT be the case, in fact I was dumbstruck at how gracefully they handled a very tempting situation. They ALL were soft-spoken, sensitive, understanding but not accepting of the fans exuberance. This attribute has remained with them in the four years I have been following them. There are many Bible verses about humility and as I read through them, I found an interesting thread. There are no less than six verses that say that being humble will result in being exalted. "Exalted" sounds like quite a word and it surely is. It means to elevate, to lift up; to glorify praise or honor. Pretty lofty prize for being humble, for expressing humility. SO I took a look at humility and found some amazing things. One vision saw humility as "the great paradox of Christianity that it makes humility the avenue to glory." A closer look at humility shows freedom from pride and arrogance; lowliness of mind; a modest estimate of one's own worth; a sense of one's own unworthiness through imperfection and sinfulness. I wondered which of these explanations would fit the profile of the band. What was contributing to their humility? "Freedom from pride or arrogance?" No, no one escapes from that. "Lowliness of mind?" I hope not, not too low anyway. "Modest estimate of worth...." Quite possibly, this could be it. "A sense of unworthiness through imperfection and sin." There, . I think we have it. I am quite sure this is the driving force for their humility. Even as we see them perhaps, differently, THEY know of their imperfections. I love the way "My Pride" shows in stark contrast, our traits. Our insistence to navigate life's obstacles on our own, without God's help. The honesty in the line, "I used to put You to the test, Used to barrel out my chest," defines our everyday actions. Later in that verse comes the line, "It looks like You've finally put me into a place where I realize, it's time we got together, a Father and His son." This verse is so very important to learn. He puts you where you are to reduce your pride, to give you humility, and to bring you back to Him, where He is lovingly Waiting. On the ride from the first concert, I wondered why they were so subdued. Where did they get their influence? Well the answer was Jesus, who had plenty to have a big head about, but didn't. When Jesus performed His miracles, He and the disciples did not do a happy dance or slap high fives. Jesus humbled Himself in prayer. Amen. Verses: 1 Sam 2:7 Isa 26:5 Matt 18:4 Matt 23:12 LK 14:11 LK 14:18 -------------------- EVANSVILLE, INDIANA By Dena Griswold Brad's wearing blue jeans, a white shirt and his current signature "geek" glasses, Todd has on his familiar brown shirt and black pants and Clark is clad in black jeans and a black and gray shirt…it could be Louisville or Circleville or Wheaton or one of a dozen other venues the band has played in the past few months. But this is Evansville, Indiana; it's a Friday night show in a Midwestern city, kids are enjoying themselves, and it feels like "home" to me. I've kidded the guys recently about their wardrobe—about the fact that all of my photos from the past six months look like they were taken at the same show and the only thing that differentiates one venue from another is the color of the carpet or the backdrop. Every show is different and memorable to me in some way or another, but those distinguishing features don't always show in a photograph. Tonight at Camp Kramer's, there is no carpet and really no backdrop, but there's a warmth in the atmosphere that makes it special. The Camp Kramer's summer concert series is an outreach of New Beginnings Christian Fellowship in Evansville, IN. The church is located at 5- acre Kramer's Lake and the summer plans include several concerts; swimming and watersliding will be included in the admission price. No one is swimming tonight, though; it's April 27 and way too cold yet to be in the water. The Waiting headlined the inaugural show; as an area favorite, they were the perfect choice to finish off an evening opened by SpinAround and Sundry. From my vantage point tonight beside the stage (where I can get some really great photos!), I can see the faces of the kids standing at the front of the stage. They're smiling, singing along with the songs they know, laughing at Brad's stories…and worshipping the Lord. It doesn't matter that this isn't a technically flawless show; it doesn't matter that the band is working with a substitute drummer (Chris Coleman from Sundry is again filling in tonight) and there are a few rough edges here and there, but the sound is, as always, GOOD. And the message is always the same—God's all-encompassing, ever- forgiving grace and love. I move around to the front of the stage to snap some photos from that vantage point. The crowd isn't large, but The Waiting has a solid fan base in Evansville and they are here tonight, obviously enjoying themselves. I'm always amazed at Brad's energy and his rapport with the audience and tonight is no exception. He balances precariously on the edge of the stage while singing "Hands in the Air" and all attention is on him as he sings the powerful lyrics…"But now I understand a loser's due to win, How every dying man is sure to rise again, So I raise my left hand one, I raise my right hand two, Under the morning sun, my spirit cries to You…" There IS a comfort in familiarity—and I find comfort in hearing these songs over and over, just as I find comfort in wrapping myself in a familiar passage of Scripture again and again . It really doesn't matter if The Waiting wears the same clothes at every show and my pictures all look the same; what matters is what's inside anyway. What really matters is that The Waiting sings about truth—truth that doesn't change its wardrobe to fit the current style trends, truth that is solid and strong, truth that is based on those very Scriptures that I hold dear to my heart. -------------------- WAITING IN THE HOLDING TANK By Tom Doyle I was surfing the net, and will give two internet plugs here, one to about.com, a site that has a surprising amount of Christian links (clicking on "Music" will allow you to then click on "Christian Music"). The second is ChristianityToday.com, because when I got there I found an article about The Waiting by Michael Herman, called "Breaking Out." I was truly amazed, for instance, and the article points this out: in the first week, "Unfazed" sold three times as many copies as their three previous records combined! That is an incredible fact, three times as many in the first week. The article refers to an industry standard that suggests at some point a make-or-break record, but they desire to achieve that before the record is released. I am not interested in kicking at the Christian Music Industry, but aren't they supposed to know better? Especially toward those of us in a faith that suggests we not concern ourselves with such things, leaving it instead to the Master to decide our fate? This post-"Unfazed" article opens by venturing an idea as to why they were being held in the Christian Contemporary Music's holding tank. If I were a wagering man, I'd bet that there are a few fans that are still wondering that. When Brad was interviewed, Michael asked what it was about this collection of music that hit the right spot with the Christian music audience. "It is the lyrics," Brad explains. "They're almost child like, but in a good way." Excuse me, did I miss something? I have heard about Waiting lyrics spoken about in various ways, but "child- like?" I'd have to disagree. The rest of the article was more about the personality of touring, a look past the glamour to reveal a joy of touring with bands like Third Day and The Newsboys as part of the "Step Up to the Microphone" Tour. Those friendships set a perfect example of how we are supposed to go through the journey of life; with friends at our side. Teen Mania was a part of that tour as well as the importance of having "real Pastors" on the road with them, helping them in their own spiritual walk. I don't know about you, but I never think about these guys needing help in their spiritual walk. It was interesting to read about the different traits of Brandon, Todd, Clark and Brad and if you read this before going to find the article, can you place the traits with the correct band member? The most organized, laid back, unique, dedicated, energetic, hot tempered, strong willed, goofy or determined? The last paragraph is my favorite, it talks about the many gifts and flavors that come from the diversified background of The Waiting, all intended to be a pleasing aroma to God. As we agonize over the release of new music, and as we wonder what it will reveal to us, I cannot help but think of the quality of tracks, of gifts and flavors that may have hit the editors' floor. I wonder what is being held in CCM's holding tank, will we ever know? One thing we can be sure of, it will be a pleasing aroma to God. -------------------- IN THE NEWS The Waiting is still gearing up their debut album on INPOP. No official release date has been set but keep looking back here for the date. As soon as we find out, we will pass along the information from you. Todd says that their part of the new album will be completed by the time you read this. The guys put a lot of hard work into the album and they feel this is the best The Waiting album yet. -------------------- CONCERT SCHEDULE 7/14 Fowlerville, MI 8/18 Atlanta, GA, 8/22 Waco, TX 9/1 Chicago, IL 9/8 Lilburn, GA 9/22 Arlington, VA 9/29 Greensboro, NC 10/13 Valdosta, GA 10/21 Springfield,OH 10/27 Glorietta, NM 11/10 Winchester, VA 12/31 Tucson, AZ. As soon as contact information becomes available for these shows, we will email the information to you.

THE WAITING LIST The official newsletter of The Waiting May 2001 Issue Number 21 IN THIS ISSUE Welcome to May! We have a very special announcement, but to read it, you will have to go to the IN THE NEWS section. We are still looking for your submissions to be posted in The Waiting List. Email us at: TheWaitingList@hotmail.com. Have a great month and we hope you enjoy reading this issue! God bless, The Waiting List Staff -------------------- DEAD IN CHRIST by Tom Doyle Well it has happened yet again to me, the burning bush has appeared! Of course not literally but just the same. I was doing some background work for the Waiting Reel website, listening for sound clips. I was listening to Blue Belly Sky, and no this isn't one of the clues. On the song Dead Man, the whole band corroborated on writing one of the more curious songs on the cd. This whole cd has threads of new Christians discovering the differences between right and wrong. I don't know exactly what the guys had in mind as a storyline. From my experience, I was once a dead man, dead in the spirit not knowing anything about Jesus' ways and truths. And even in the spirit I see many ways that I am dead, not seeing God's hand in my life. Isn't that the fundamental difference between believers and searchers? Isn't it the ability or the desire to see how Jesus works in life? I see this song as for the most part as defining life's temptations as we encounter them daily. "Woo my eyes, sweet little lies", all trying to convince me that I am not, or can't follow Jesus' desires for me. Those desires for us are numerous. He wants only good for us, for us to be confident, to never be fearful, anxious, or stressful. But for that to happen, Jesus wants an interaction, He wants to be alive in our life. What an awesome, amazing offer He makes us. Believe in Me and all these things will be added to you. Romans 6:4 says Your old sin-loving nature was buried with him by baptism when he died; and when God the Father, with glorious power, brought him back to life again, you were given his wonderful new life to enjoy. Col 3:3 ,4 adds You should have as little desire for this world as a dead person does. Your real life is in heaven with Christ and God. And when Christ who is our real life comes back again, you will shine with him and share in all his glories. Rev 1:17 (Living)17,18 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead;but he laid his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! Though I am the First and Last, the Living One who died, who is now alive forevermore, who has the keys of hell and death--don't be afraid! These verses rock don't they? Rest assured these and many, many more can be found in the Book of all books, the Bible. Don't be a dead person in Christ, let Jesus into your every day life, He will make you live again! My favorite line of the song comes in the last verse; the line illustrates how persistent God will be in trying to get your attention. "Wake up," You whisper; "Wake up," You say; "wake up," You tell me; "Wake up," You scream. Hey, hey, hey, hey. Oooops sorry, God has plied me with every one of these admonitions. I'll bet He has for you too. Amen. p.s. After I wrote this devo, I bowed for prayer, to thank Jesus for His inspiration. As I prayed, He Dim'd me, I asked that He open my ears and heart to every word He speaks. I can see another devo at work here, Praise Him! -------------------- THE WAITING IN CLERMONT or (Inspiration From an Unexpected Direction) by Lorry Guffey I recently had the opportunity to travel to Clermont, GA for a concert that included our favorite Christian Rock band, The Waiting. I went for two reasons: the first being that I hadn't seen a Waiting show in almost a year, so I was overdue. The second was the opportunity to meet someone who had become very special to me through the internet; the legendary person... one of my favorite Zonies... the recently married Jan the Fan, along with her husband, Eric. As you can see, it was an opportunity that was just too awesome to pass up. And while I had the belief that I was going just for fun, it turned out that God had a plan, something He wanted to remind me. As He has done so many times before, He decided to use Brad, Todd, Clark and Brandon to do that. While in the midst of the excitement of a frenzied youth rally, Brad took a quiet moment to remind us that there are many people around the planet who are so much more unfortunate than we are. Little kids who don't have even the certainty of food to eat on a daily basis. Now, you may think it strange that God, in His Wisdom, chose THAT moment to speak something to my heart. I mean... it's the commercial thingy that many of us have found ourselves tuning out. (Or at least I have...speaking solely for myself!) That seemingly obligatory plea for help, from the underprivileged to those who have way, WAY more than enough. But then Brad said something that went straight through my heart and soul. He quoted a statistic on just how many of those underprivileged children actually die, EVERY DAY, from starvation. With the Holy Spirit moving, my watery gaze shifted, on cue, to the mass of youth clustered down front, at center stage. I wondered how many of them just might die of starvation of another kind, starvation of the spirit. Surely they had come to a feast, though unbeknownst to them. They thought they had come for fun, like me. For entertainment... to be close to good friends. But the band, in reality, had been feeding their spirits all along. Nudging fledgling souls to dig deeper into the things of God. Suddenly it hit me. I had been spending so much time on the things that just do not matter. Jobs, commitments, other responsibilities that can't be shirked. But I had shirked the greatest responsibility of them all... to be ready with food when the spiritually hungry cross my path. God says seek first His Kingdom, and other things will be added unto you. I had run into a wall that said, with great clarity, I had been doing things backwards: running after the things, while the statistics mounted. How many of those youth could possibly die spiritually, if each one of us is too busy chasing the wrong goals? Thankfully, the Guys are committed to doing their part. I wanted to take this moment to thank them each for being faithful. For being THERE with the Message, even if it comes during an unexpected moment of the show. I pledged my heart to greater faithfulness that evening, tearfully repenting for getting things backwards. Thanks for being such wonderful encouragement, guys! The Holy Spirit is shaping souls through each one of you, whether they are at their first Waiting concert, or their 50th. In case you were wondering, the music was awesome. (Forgive me for falling into a "that goes without saying" attitude for just a moment.) Every song was delivered with conviction and power. I had an awesome time getting to listen to backstage banter, as well. Meeting Jan and Eric made the whole weekend perfect. Let me urge you to go ahead and GO, the next time The Waiting is in your area (Or thereabouts!) You will not leave the same, if you allow the Holy Spirit to use this band to set out the banquet table just for you!! -------------------- HILLSIDE 2001 by Trilisa Perrine Ouch. I'm sitting here trying to figure out how to best tell all of you about The Waiting's recent show in Louisville, Kentucky, and quite frankly my sunburned arms and face are keeping me quite distracted. Even though I was already feeling the effects of leaving my pale Chicago skin exposed to all that UV radiation during the early hours of "Hillside 2001" at Bellarmine University, when the guys took the stage my searing pain was all but forgotten. That seemed to be the theme of the day. Earlier in the day Seven Head Division played through high winds that blew over microphone stands and scattered the drum set, not to mention dealing with a broken guitar string. Jesse Sprinkle joked about the winds as he pulled his set list out of his pocket while singing lead for The World Inside, and later enlisted an "assistant" to hold pieces of the drum set in place while playing them in Morella's Forest. Although the winds caused a bit of commotion, the music was great. By evening the wind had died down significantly, and Sundry played an energetic and entertaining set without any instruments or pieces of the stage flying through the air. And then the moment we were waiting for -- Todd, Clark, Brad, and Brandon took the stage! The Waiting made it through their sound check without any chaos, but the peace was not to last. Brad's mic went out, there was a dead battery at some point, and Todd's guitar suffered a broken guitar string. However, you never would have known it from the way they played. From Brad's warning to "never bet a zonie" to his Kentucky farewell ("home of the best chicken") and the greatly anticipated performance of "Calico Jack," the guys appeared to be unfazed by the technical difficulties. The atmosphere was that of a family get together, where the little things (such as broken guitar strings and sunburns) end up taking a back seat to the real reason we were there. Awhile back I was trying to explain to a friend why I really love going to Waiting concerts. You know, the infamous question -- "Why exactly are you driving 300 miles to go to a concert?" I mentioned to him that when I walk out of one I feel as though I haven't just listened to some great music (which, of course, I have), but I have also just worshipped God with my brothers in Christ. While Brad likes to tell stories about what life was like before he became the svelte rock star he is today, it's obvious that God is truly at the center of their music, and He is greatly glorified by their efforts. It was great to hear some songs from the soon-to-be-released album, such as "Diamonds to Dust" and "Fearfully, Wonderfully Made", as well as favorites like "Speak" and "Unfazed." But I have always had a soft spot for "Number Nine," so it was a special treat to hear it performed live that evening. Well, I really need to go rub aloe on my shoulders to help heal this sunburn now, so I'll close with this -- I was once again blessed by seeing The Waiting play, and I thank God that these four men have followed His calling to share their gifts and talents with all of us. -------------------- THE WORDS THAT ONCE MEANT SO MUCH by Tom Doyle (They still mean a lot, they have just taken on a deeper definition than they once had.) I started thinking of this a few weeks ago: If you have been touring for a number of years, singing probably 260-300 shows a year, you might encounter a peculiar problem. Think about all the times we pledged allegiance or prayed the Lord's Prayer. Do these phrases have the same meaning now as they did when they were first learned? Do we embrace the significance of the words, or just mutter them from memory? This band, The Waiting, through its lyrical wizardry, has written some incredible songs, full of marvelous phrases. I have wondered how it must be after singing so many nights in a row; do the choruses become meaningless, lifeless melodies for the guys? What a shame, I thought, a pity to have their excellence muddied from the repetition. Surely they have figured out the key to keeping it fresh: that through some divine intervention they have discovered a sure-fire method to preserving the power of their message... of God's message. Imagine being tired and performing in the town that happens to be last in an extended stint on the road. In reflex to the announcement of the band's introduction, the guys respond to Brandon's stick countdown. Immediately they find themselves in the midst their first song. Concert goers of the recent past will know the opening song as "Never Dim". Do you think the use of this as their opening number has been so haphazard? Do you think that the decision was happenstance? Yeah, me too. But there are some telling clues in the content of the song. When the band pulls into your town, they are well aware that this may be the first time you have seen them play. It may be the first time you have heard this song, and that dynamic provides enough energy to make it sound as if it were the first time they sang those words. The lyrics are speaking and if we will be still and listen, they will speak to our hearts: "I look at You ,Your eyes are clear and bright/ I see your face it's an amazing sight/ Your glory Lord is still a burning light/ the light that all our faithless hands/ could never dim." That is the key to remaining fresh for the multitudes. Good lyrics written about God can never grow old, they can never become stale, they can never dim. -------------------- FROM THE FANS Hello, I would like my story about my experience at a The Waiting concert. My name is Jennifer Golden. My godfather, Mark Koehler invited me to come a The Waiting concert held at Notre Dame High School. I told him Iwould like to go. At that time I had never heard of The Waiting or of "Christian-rock" music. I really enjoyed the concert and I loved the music. After the concert was over, the band autographed pictures for people. I was in the front of the crowd so I could get my ticket signed since I didn't have any pictures or anything else. The people behind me kept getting their stuff up there before I could hand him my ticket, so I just stood there waiting patiently for a while. Then I finally got a chance to get my ticket signed. Brad asked me what my name was so I told him that my name was Jennifer. He signed it and then passed it to Brandon for him to sign it and then it on to Todd and Clark. When they were all done signing it, Brandon gave it back to Brad and then he gave it back to me. After a few moments I got out of the way of the other fans and went to the back of the crowd. When Brad realized I was gone, he called out asking where I was. I stuck around for a while after the crowd died down. Most of the people had left I got to talk to him more. Brad hugged me when I met up with him. Brad made me promise him that I would get the UNFAZED cd, so I did. Before I went to the concert I didn't really completely understand all the beliefs, but after listening to their music it helped me understand my faith better. I believe listening to Brad and the rest of the band sing that night has changed my life. I kept my promise to Brad and now I have 4 of their cds. -------------------- IN THE NEWS News from INPOP RECORDS, The Waiting is in the studio recording their album. They are working with producer, Brian Lennox. This is their best album yet! No official release date has been set. ---------- Tom Doyle recently found this interview involving The Waiting. To check it out ... click below: http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/waittext.html ---------- Congratulations go out to Brad and his wife of almost four years, Shannon. They are expecting a baby in the fall. Please keep them in your prayers during this important and special time. -------------------- CONCERT SCHEDULE May 12 Covington, VA WalMart 540-997-9276 Saturday, May 19 Duluth, GA Church of the Hills, PCUSA 8pm Ticket Info: 770-813-9009 Contact: hpalmer@ga.prestige.net Saturday, May 26 Circleville, OH Crossroads 2001 8:30pm Contact/Ticket Info: grantpeg@earthlink.net Wednesday, August 22 Waco, TX Baylor University 11:10 am Ticket Info: 254-710-3517 Contact: cyndi_ballew-patton@baylor.edu

THE WAITING LIST The official newsletter of The Waiting April 2001 Issue Number 20 IN THIS ISSUE Spring is here! Read on to find out what The Waiting has been up to. The new album will be released in the coming months. It will be well worth the wait. The staff of The Waiting List is looking for talented writers to contribute devotions based on Waiting songs, experiences or people who just like to write about The Waiting. Be creative! Send your work to TheWaitingList@hotmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you. Have a great month and see you in May! The Waiting List Staff -------------------- UNFAZED by Nicole Gough Almost every person I know listens to music when they are at home. All of those who listen to music have a song that "gets them through the day." By listening to the lyrics and keeping them fresh in their minds, my friends seem stronger and more confident about life. I don't have one song, I have a few. But I think the only song that can really help me through anything is "Unfazed" by The Waiting. The first time I heard them was at a Newsboys concert at Newark Symphony Hall. I remember that night wel. It was the first concert my youth group went to. The Waiting opened up for the Newsboys, and the only song I really remembered was "Unfazed". It had a catchy chorus and meaningful lyrics. It was almost a whole year before I heard that song again. I was at Autumn Blaze, an annual Christian concert, and I was in a bad mood. As soon as the Waiting took the stage, my mood lifted, and everything seemed better. Things have changed since that memorable night in Oct.99. Unfortunately things changed for the worst, and I felt like I could not deal with the problems that came up. It was this song that inspired me to stay strong. This song seemed to say, "Don't let things get to you. Don't give in to problems, stand unfazed." Whenever I was a victim of someone's hate or ignorance, I remain unfazed. I finally realized that if I trusted God enough, I could have the strength to stay unfazed. Whenever I became frustrated, I turned to God. The song says to find God and you can stay unfazed. Although we are surrounded by a haze of problems every day, God is always there. He always will be there, and, if we learn to trust Him, our problems are not as horrible and unsolvable as they seemed before. Many times I find myself with a problem that gets bigger and bigger the more I think about it. The thing is, if I just let God handle my problems and try not to think about them. I can stay strong and unfazed. To me the song is simply saying to trust God and give Him all problems and everything will be okay. So, whenever I am in a predicament that seems impossible I remember the words of "Unfazed" and everything seems much clearer and things get better for me. -------------------- SHEPHERDS GATE by Tom Doyle Well, every now and then, there comes a story and I swear, this is absolutely true. I was a stranger in a foreign land, an enigma, walking into a gymnasium in southeastern PA—searching, and then finding, what I didn't know I was looking for. I walked in, through open doors, and on the stage at the microphone was the family member known as Bad Brad. (He won't admit to it, but we used to call him "Baaaaaad Braaaaad",like a sheep). Little did I know that, before that night was out, I would be a member of the flock, following the one Great Shepherd. Upon seeing me, Brad instantly stopped playing, and looked as if he had seen a ghost. "What are you doing here?" Isn't that just like Brad…what was I doing there? I wanted to tell them that I was following them to Christ, he and Todd O, but the words wouldn't come out. It was only the second time I saw them in performance, and I was just run over by the happenings. The promoters at the show welcomed me like I was one of them, sitting me down at their table at the pre-show meal. Everyone just seemed to have such an attitude of servanthood, bustling about, making sure all details were taken care of. We made small talk,chatting about family, in between their pre- show responsibilities. Brad asked me if I cared to pray with them. Panic attacked, as I had yet to understand how rewarding prayer can be; I was scared I might have to say something. Brad unwittingly was pulling me into His world. So unassuming were they, to think for one moment that I had not joined God's Kingdom. The Waiting was there with two local warm-up bands, and the crowd of about 20-25 people gathered in a circle. I expected to hear a plea for a good show, for excellence in performance; wow, was I wrong. The prayers were centered on one theme really, that God's message shine through in their music. That the Lord grant His will to touch any one of the "fringe" kids that might be in the audience. I look back now, and realize that I was one of those "fringe" kids,kids of God. He was praying for me, and for you, fans who gathered to hear The Waiting's music. This certainly stunned me...to think that they would use their prayer time right before going on stage to pray for the listeners and not for the performers. I kid the guys now, telling them they needed to pray for the listeners because the music was in need of divine intervention! (Anyone who has read me before knows I am totally moved by their songs.) I took my place in the crowd, up in what Brad referred to as "the bleacher seats." I guess I can look at that perch and realize now, my choosing that vantage point was just to be closer to God. I video-taped the entire show, including Brad's ministering to the crowd. On that day, he used a verse from Hebrews to explain that we can come to God's care at any point of our lives, NO MATTER what our condition. So if you are feeling worthless, useless, or faithless, God doesn't care. I can hear in Brad's voice the passion and belief he has for this verse. In his caring, pleading voice, he is imploring those in attendance to throw it all off and come to God. Brad did not know (they rarely get to hear about results) that at that moment this band was making the single most profound change in my life. At that concert, my heart was opened and the Holy Spirit moved in. Just as any Christian, I have struggles daily with the temptations of the earth; when I fail, I remember this verse and I give it all up to Jesus and the fear, the pain, the guilt melts away. I am telling you it just falls away, and my heart is opened and healed again and again. Praise God! As a personal thought to ALL the members of the Waiting--Brandon, Clark, Todd and Brad, it is so easy for me to identify Brad as "The Waiting." I know he is uncomfortable with this, and certainly my appreciation goes out to each of you, because your ministry has touched many, turning disciples at every juncture. I thank you all so much for bringing me (again and again) to the Shepherd's Gate. God Bless you always. Amen. The Verse: Hebrews 4:16 (from The Message) "So let's walk right up to Him and get what He is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help." -------------------- PUT HIM FIRST by Tom Doyle Recently band members were asked to comment on the following question; "What are you doing to put Jesus first in your lives?" At first I wondered if it shouldn't have read "What MORE are you doing to put Jesus first?" I mean, aren't they all doing just about the maximum; singing every couple of nights, ministering at every stop to the saved and the unsaved while working feverishly on new songs, records, personal appearances, etc? I had a friend quip that sometimes it feels as though to be a good Christian it is expected that you walk on water. And when you keep your eyes on Jesus, that is possible, everything is possible. The second thing I thought was that I can't wait to hear how they are going to blow off this question. They would surely, I thought, hold their lives up as proof of their placing Jesus first in their lives. Well, I was wrong. This month we will look at Brad and Todd's response to this question, and it will be followed in the near future by those of Brandon and Clark. Brad says for instance, that he is letting go of things he puts first in his life. He is determined not to hold on so tightly to things, to his goals, his dreams or ambitions. He understands that God must be #1 in his life to be able to achieve anything else. Not exactly the thing you would expect to hear from a Christian rock personality now is it? Todd followed his brother with these comments: for him it was just the same old journey. An on-going struggle to get close to God. He wants to be content with the happiness he now enjoys. Todd said that on a daily basis, he was doing practical things like attending Bible Study groups when home in GA. The road can be so draining that you get very tired. Attending these Bible studies is a way to reenergize himself spiritually and emotionally. Todd also remarked how much the band was like a family and how they began to get uncomfortable when they were away from each other for too long. Being together is fellowship for them. I don't know about you, but that wasn't what I thought I would hear from Todd either. The very interesting part of this entire discussion is that both of the Olsen brothers initially had the same statement, saying, "Boy, now that's a hard question." Knowing what they do every night, why would this question be so hard? Because trying to be like Jesus, they are humble enough to think that what they do isn't so very special. I beg to differ with them, and if they need proof, they only have to read their web-site's guestbook to be shown. They struggle with the same doubts about their faith as any of us do, but they know that the focus has to be on the Lord. That is all any of us have to do to: keep Jesus first in our lives, keep our focus on Him. -------------------- FROM THE FANS One of the most amazing songs I have ever heard is "Hands In The Air". I have been a devout Waiting fan since "Blue Belly Sky" and have traveled many miles to see them in concert. A while back, at the Ichthus Festival in Wilmore, Kentucky, I had squeezed my way to the front and was eagerly awaiting the next performance by my favorite group, the Waiting. On stage, the band was scurrying about, putting the final details into the setup. Brad started singing some songs for the sound booth, one of which was "Hands". He started with the second verse and some of the most powerful words in the song, words that I had heard before and even memorized, yet not tasted their full flavor. "If I raised my hands will you grab me by the wrists, and will you try to pull me from the fray? And even if my fingers join together into fists, will you hold me firmly anyway?" I watched Brad as he sang, and was completely blown away by this song. The thought that when we raise our hands to Almighty God, we many times are raising them in worship, but sometimes in a way that pleads to Abba Father to lift us from our circumstances, and still other times when we don't know what we think of God and our fingers are balled up into fists, as if to say, "Why?" The Lord, all the while, is holding securely to our wrists, unwilling to let go. That moment changed my appreciation for the lyrics. "Hands in the Air" remains one of those songs that I put into the CD player when things around me are hard to understand, and when I need reminding that God is holding my wrists. Because I am a Child of God, I am unable to be excluded from His love..."For I am convinced that neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." -------------------- MEDIA NEWS Currently, the new cd is still being worked on. The Waiting is excited about the songs and they believe it will be the best Waiting cd ever! Please keep the guys and everyone else who is at work on preparing the new cd in your prayers. ---------- While in Colorado Springs for a concert, The Waiting were special guests of a local Christian radio station. The guys did a live performance of Fearfully, Wonderfully, which is off of their forthcoming album. ---------- Prepping for the new album is still underway, including an upcoming photo shoot and several concert appearances where they will be playing some songs off of the new album. ---------- Three more installments have been added to the "Superfriends Save the Day" story. Just go to http://www.dragonbbs.com/members/1570/sstd1.html to read up on the continuing fictional saga. Discover the horrible thing that happens to Michael of Smalltown Poets. Learn why Brandon has to lead a blind- folded Clark around the museum. And find out how a room full of video games could end the rescue mission altogether. Remember, folks, fiction means make-believe. This story never really happened. But it sure is fun to pretend that it might have! ---------- On April 7, 2001, Bellarmine University (Louisville, KY) will hold its annual Hillside Festival. The festival is a daylong musical event held outside on – of course – a hillside located on campus. This year the festival includes a large number of Christian bands, a first for Hillside. The line up includes: FC Groove, 7 Head Division, The World Inside, Morella's Forest, Sundry, and last but not least, THE WAITING. There will also be a few other local artists. The fun begins at 11am and lasts until 12am. The cost is only $5 for the entire day. To get more information and directions to Bellarmine check out our listing at www.itickets.com. I hope that all of you can make it out! ---------- Don't forget to mark your calendars!!!! Spirit Radio and Camp Kramer's are excited to announce "The Waiting" coming to Evansville, Indiana Friday night, April 27 at 7:00pm. Also performing with the Waiting is "Spinaround" and "Sundry"!! It will be held out at Kramer's Lake. For more information go to our web site www.spiritradio.org . Come out and show your support for local Christian Music!!! Please encourage everyone you know and especially those who don't know the Lord to come out on April 27th. Our sole goal and objective is to see the lost saved!! Please help us to spread the word! -------------------- CONCERT SCHEDULE Saturday,April 7 Louisville, KY The Hillside Festival (Bellarmine University) 9pm Ticket Info: 502-473-3179 Contact: jmartinez@bellarmine.edu Friday, April 13 Houston, TX Six Flags Astro World TBA Ticket Info: 713-796-2813 Contact: toverstr@sftp.com Thursday, April 19 Jacksonville, FL Murray Hill Theatre 8:30pm Ticket Info: 904-388-3179 Contact: mhtvic@aol.com Friday, April 20 Cocoa, FL First Christian Church of Cocoa 7pm Ticket Info: 407-791-4420 Contact: chris.marsden@fcc.edu Saturday, April 21 Port St. Lucie, FL Thunder Skate Skating Rink 8pm Ticket Info: 561-776-8888 Contact: wdcrowder@juno.com Sunday, April 22 Tampa, FL First Presbyterian Church 7pm Ticket Info: 813-229-0679 Contact: jimcazin@tampabay.rr.com Friday, April 27 Evansville, IN New Beginnings Christian Fellowship Church 7:30pm Ticket Info: 812-886-9230 Contact: Heather.Schaad@centraltower.com Saturday, April 28 Wheaton, IL Wheaton College 7:30pm Ticket Info: 800-288-0808 Contact: michaels@jamusa.com Saturday, May 19 Duluth, GA Church of the Hills, PCUSA 8pm Ticket Info: 770-813-9009 Contact: hpalmer@ga.prestige.net Saturday, May 26 Circleville, OH Crossroads 2001 8:30pm Contact/Ticket Info: grantpeg@earthlink.net Wednesday, August 22 Waco, TX Baylor University 11:10 am Ticket Info: 254-710-3517 Contact: cyndi_ballew-patton@baylor.edu

THE WAITING LIST The official newsletter of The Waiting March 2001 Issue Number 19 IN THIS ISSUE Spring is almost here! The Waiting continue to be hard at work on the forthcoming album and the staff of The Waiting List is looking for talented writers to contribute devotions based on Waiting songs, experiences or people who just like to write about The Waiting. Be creative! Send your work to TheWaitingList@hotmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you. We hope you enjoy this issue! God bless, The Waiting List Staff -------------------- HEAVEN IS HOME by Dena Griswold Heaven haunts me. Not heaven itself, I guess...just the fact that, of late, I've too often been struck with the stark reality that heaven DOESN'T always wait for a life to be fully spent in this world. Sometimes, it sneaks up on you, rather like a wolf in the underbrush, stalking its prey. At those times, it's easy for me to view death as the "enemy" rather than the fulfillment of God's plan for His children's passage from one realm to another. "The biggest man I knew was barely days away from dead..." I'm 37 and my peers are dying. A high school classmate has breast cancer and a six-month old baby...and a poor prognosis for recovery. A guy I used to date just underwent two 14-hour surgeries for removal of a tumor at the base of his skull that had twisted its way throughout his neck. He will recover, but the process will be long and difficult. Another schoolmate just put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger, leaving a 15 year-old son with a million "whys?"—and no dad to answer the questions. A dear friend has cancer...and his brilliant mind and charismatic personality are no match for the disease that will slowly drain the life from his 26 year-old body. "His last breath he took, he read from the book, it said everybody dies." I don't understand...and I am angry. People are supposed to get old and THEN die. This is all backwards, and I don't like it. My mantra, of late, seems to be "where is God in all of this?" I don't want to hear the pat "answers" that people so self-assuredly toss my way—"God's ways are higher than our ways" or "Well,God must need them in heaven worse than we need them here" or "You mustn't be sad. They're better off now." "Heaven is home..." Yes, it is, but I want it to be my retirement home. I want my friends beside me as I walk through this life. I want to live as long as I can here before I'm rewarded with safe passage to the other side of the river. I want...I WANT—and I'm struck with the selfishness of that statement. I'm selfish,plain and simple. I love my friends and I want them here with me; I want life—and death—to be the way I think it should be. It hasn't occurred to me before now that these "friends of mine" are also "children of God," dearly beloved, bought with an astronomical price exacted from the very heart and soul of the Father. OF COURSE, He longs to draw them near—of course, He longs for their homegoing,like any father would. Would I begrudge any father his right to holdhis children? No matter how much I love my friends, God's love IS infinitely stronger...He loves them wildly, passionately, perfectly--and all heaven dances with reckless abandon when a child is set free from this "body of death." Heaven IS home...it is HOME. This life is all we have right now, but it's not forever and it's NOT home. "If a body that suffers is done with sin"...we all suffer. We all die. We all grieve the loss of loved ones taken, in our eyes, "before their time." But the One who ordains Time itself also ordains OUR time. We all sin. We all deserve death...and hell. But the One who created hell is the One who loves us with abandonment…and offers us grace. We all make a choice...and we all wave goodbye. But the One who created heaven stands at the gate, arms open to welcome those who have chosen to make heaven their final destiny. We all wave good-bye, some from this side of the river, some from the other. And the One who wraps His arms around us in comfort as we watch others go ahead of us is the One who sustains us till it's our turn. "What matters most is the way you wave goodbye..." Today I stand on this earthly shore, watching with tear-filled eyes as my friends disappear through heaven's gates—and it matters how I wave. It matters that my heart is both heavy at my loss and joyful at their inestimable gain. It matters that I wish them safe passage; it matters more for my sake than for theirs that my heart is at peace with their departure. Someday, it will be my turn to stand on the flipside of this life, my turn to slip my hand into my Father's as I step through the final doorway into life eternal, my turn to bid temporary farewell to my watching friends, and it will matter to them that they can smile at MY homegoing; it matters that they know heaven is my home. Heaven IS my home. "What matters most is the way you wave goodbye...and if heaven is home." -------------------- MEDITATION OF MY HEART by Tommy Doyle I want, for one second, and for one reason, to revisit the Superfriend's Tour. We all shared in the fun and excitement as we followed The Waiting from city to city, listening as they electrified town after town with the show. But you know, we missed a very importantaspect of what was happening. Through it all, Waiting fans were treated to a new level of music. Four songs from their much- anticipated CD were featured. As I sit here reminiscing a month and a half after the tour(well, actually updating one of the features on a personal website), I began to think of the songs, especially one in particular-- "Every Word". I wonder exactly what they could have meant by those words. I mean, understanding the spoken word is really hard enough at times. Trying to understand Bible verses adds a level of complexity to it, especially when written with the romance and beauty of Psalms. It is nearly impossible when that style of writing is then set to music. Out of Psalm 19, the 14th verse, the song "Every Word" is born."Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my rock, and my redeemer." From the stage, Brad gives honor "to the greatest songwriter of ALL time, King David." That verse is the opening line for the song and is the subject of my pondering. Taken apart, the verse ends with a very strong acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord, Rock and Redeemer. I agree wholeheartedly with this assertion, unless of course, I find myself trying to achieve something that is WAY beyond my control. Perhaps trying to cope with serious illness, or death, or the break-up of another young couple, or yet another unwanted teenage pregnancy. But for the most part when life allows me to keep my focus, I agree. Scripture will tell us that, only if our heart is right, will it be acceptable in God's eyes. While in most of our eyes there is a huge gray area surrounding "a heart being right", in God's eyes, it is about as direct a command as can be made. The beginning of that verse defines "let the words of my mouth", the explanation is clear. But, is the application SO easy? Think for a moment, not only of what you say, but also how you say it. Think about all the times you have been tired, or mad, frustrated or disillusioned. Can you say that every word you have ever spoken is acceptable in God's sight? Every word ever spoken (or to be spoken) to every one. That's a tall order, and I know where I stand. The last part of that phrase, "the meditation of my heart," made me shudder. In the research I did, I read that in the days of King David, the heart was thought of as the center of one's being, the wellspring of life. This phrase, as far as I can determine, means every thought. While some of us may have been disciplined enough to not say some things and I dare say only One in history can make the claim that EVERY word was pleasing and acceptable. Imagine every thought, past, present or future, being pleasing to God's sight. I would like to say that I have some inside information on the direction of the new CD, but in the meditation of my heart, I can't. As I review the titles of the other three songs and remember what I can of them, I think I see that The Waiting is prepared to take us to a higher level of worship. "Diamonds to Dust," "Fearfully Wonderfully," and "Takes a Lotta Love," combined with "Every Word" challenges us to (as Todd might say), "jack it up a bit". Intensifying your relationship with Jesus Christ is an exciting prospect, and with the much-anticipated rumors of duets with neighbors and fellow soldiers in the CHRISTian music wars, it promises to be a record dedicated to "The Art of Feeling Fine." --------------------- SHAKEN TO THE CORNERSTONE by Tommy Doyle I thought that my writing binge had passed for this month. That seems to be the way things runs for me; a flood of words regularly seems to precede the coming of the full moon. All that changed as I was listening to the most recent offerings from the Supertones and Tree 63. I was also reading the Dec/Jan "Release" magazine. I had somewhat skimmed it, looking for some mention of The Waiting. My disappointment quickly forced the magazine back to my desk. Tonight, I chose to read the Smalltown Poets article by Nancy VanArendonk. She did a great job covering the most important aspects of the changes SP have gone through. Todd Olsen is quoted, briefly, early in the article. (How did I miss THAT!?) Later in the story, Todd again appears and makes a remark that opened a flood of ideas for me. He is quoted as saying, "I picked Mike (did he really call him that?) to be my best friend because I thought, 'Now, here's a guy, that's a lot closer to God than me, so I want to be like him.' That's why I wanted to be involved with him." At first, I guess I was stunned; did I read that right? Man, I thought, I have been watching the guys in The Waiting, learning from the examples they are setting and now here is Todd saying he wanted to be involved with Michael. Did that mean I was settling for The Waiting? I quickly thought about an article that defined all the fans that looked to the guys in The Waiting as their inspirational icons. Were we all settling for less? I searched my Biblical recollection and my fears were quickly abandoned. I mean, after all, wasn't John the Baptist looked to as the greatest leader of all time? Didn't he have to set everyone straight by telling them that there was among them someone whose shoes he couldn't tie? Whether it is the ministry of The Waiting, Smalltown Poets, Third Day, Sundry or Tree 63, we cannot lose sight of one fact: through all the folks involved in these ministries, we need to take from them the message of a Lord and a Savior, Jesus Christ. Whether it's Michael, Todd, Brad, Brandon, Clark or Miquel, the focus is the Father. Todd makes an awesome point, though he probably didn't intend to. He wants to surround himself with people he feels are "closer to God" than he is. (Didn't Michael remark he thought Brad needed God's presence less then all the others on the Superfriends Tour?) When the disciples sat chattering about who was the best, Jesus set them straight. But scripture encourages those in the faith to surround themselves with others also in the faith. Even if you are a big rock star! CHRISTianity is such that you crave it more and more. I want to know everything about God's Word………….now. I think Todd illustrates this and the article itself is testimony to those musicians and their passion to also want (and need) to keep Christ foremost in their lives. Have you seen the great new commercials on TV from Partnership for a Drug Free America? The ones that have kids saying, "my anti-drug is" and they follow that by saying music, or dance, or sports. How bout one that says, My anti-drug is GOD! Certainly there are some among us who can make that claim! -------------------- FROM THE FANS If you would like to add your comments or have questions for the band members? Email us at TheWaitingList@hotmail.com. Look for this column in future editions. I was at a concert at Judson College in Illinois. I won two tickets off of the radio, because I thought, hey, The Waiting, I like them, why not give it a shot? So, I took my best friend, who is a big Smalltown Poets fan. I thought we would have a blast! I went into it thinking it would be this big concert, really crowded. I was delighted that the concert was in a little church, so not many people could fit. I mean, I would have loved it if there were a million people there, but I was glad at the number of people. My friend and I got to go up right next to the stage, front row. We had prayed before hand that we would be there not for the bands, but for the worship. Our prayer was definetely answered. When the Waiting came on, I was so excited. I could tell it would be a night filled with the love of God. Right when they got on the stage, I could feel God in the room. I loved it. So, right from the beginning, I was worshiping. It was great. Clark kept looking at us, considering we were right in front of me. I looked at their sheet telling them which songs they would do, and he said "Hey, no cheating" and covered it with his foot. It was great! Brad kept looking at Val and me, and winked. It was like they knew us, and we were best friends. That was a really cool feeling. There was this one song that they did, I think kind of by accident, that made me bow down on the ground and totally cry for God. Before I knelt, I had my arms up and my eyes closed. I opened them for a split second, and there was Brad, right in front of me. By that time, the Waiting was by far my favorite band. I couldn't believe it! But, I closed my eyes again to continue worshiping. The next time I opened them, he was on the other side of the stage. After the concert, I got all the members to sign 2 shirts and a cd. Val and I talked to Brad and his brother for a long time, too. I was really excited, because I got to give Brad 2 hugs, and hug everyone else in the band. Val mentioned to one of the guys that it was a great worship time. We were pretty much speechless at his humble response: "We just play. God comes and does the rest." It was awesome! So, I just wanted to say thank you guys, I love your cd's, and "Hands in the Air" is the best song in the world. I use it whenever I want to totally surrender myself or anything else. I love you guys! I'll be at your concert on April 28! I really hope I get to see you! Amy Krueger ---------- Dear TW, I first herd The Waiting a few months after Blue Belly Sky was released. I can remember clearly the first time my ears had contact with their music. I was strolling through the music section at our local Christian book store and saw a cover that stuck out at me. I remembered seeing it before but as of yet I had not listened to it. For what ever reason...(God)...I listened to the demo. I was elated at what I herd. I only listened to The Way You Look At Me and half of Truly Amazing. I was hooked and have been ever since. I still remember driving around town just to listen to The Waiting. No destination, just a tune in my ear and an encouraging word in my heart. It seems like such a long time ago. I still look back to those days with a smile; I could tell you more stories of listening to The Waiting (like the time their seconded album came out and I rowed out to the middle of a lake with just my headphones and flouted on the tunes of their new vibes). I wait with anticipation of their next album or the next time they will play in my area. But the reason I write is not to revel in my listening-to-The-Waiting stories, but to tell a different side, a side that took long years of studying God's Word to find out. You see, the other day I was driving home from my college, The Master's College, a Christian liberal arts school, and listened to Blue Belly Sky (my favorite album to a very close second [some times first], their self-titled). There wasn't anything different about this. I often put The Waiting on when I have a bit of a drive. But for some reason I was mesmerized by the lyrics, more then the usual mesmerization that takes place. I drove slow so I could hear the whole album. Song after song I listened intently to the words pouring out of the speakers. I was putting two and two together. Moments before I stepped into my car that day I got out of a Bible class on the book of Romans. I had just herd one of the most heart stopping, life giving, soul searching lectures I had ever herd, and it wasn't even a sermon! What made it so intense was its biblical truth. From ear to ear in that class room the Words of truth were echoing in every ones minds. That lecture has changed and will continue to change my life. It was this life changing experience that left me pondering even while I was listening to The Waiting. I pondered about God's love for me and how he separates my sin from me, like a divorce, and declares me righteous. As I was thinking, lyrics such as "I love the way you look at me, you lift the vial and you repeat your vow" entered in via The Waiting. Again I pondered about how we are just before God because of the death of Jesus Christ, even as sinners. Then The Waiting, "where blood falls from your fingers and the debtor's debt is paid, the broken man is mended and the lowly man is saved." I was basking in a see of Biblical truth. I have gelled with The Waiting before but not like this. Every thought I had was complemented by the words I was hearing. The ride was sweet. The ride was too short. I got out of my car wanting to do it again. I have always loved The Waiting's lyrics. They speak to me every time I listen to them. But that time...that time was different. I was in a deep state-of-mind when I started listening to The Waiting that day. I was thinking so hard I was getting a head ache (I didn't mind, really). Yet, at that depth of my spiritual intellect when The Waiting started to sing I stayed at that dept. I didn't need to wake from my thoughts to tune into the words. The words spoke...right at me...at a deep spiritual level. My point, simply this, The Waitng's lyrics deal not only with the mundane every day, tip of the iceberg thoughts, but with the truth that leads to life, love and happiness with God the Father. It's a message not watered down by hip music. It's the difference between espresso and decafe coffee, they both have the same taste, but one is stronger then the other. And I like my lyrics like I like my coffee, strong. I love The Waiting. I play guitar and am elated at the music I hear. But I also study the Bible and am more excited about the lyrics I hear. To those who listen to The Waiting, keep listening. To those who don't, start. To The Waiting: I love you guys, keep following the LORD with all your heart. Till next we meet... In the mean time...I'm listening. A Fan: Eric -------------------- MEDIA NEWS Presently, not much is going on in the way of media news. The guys remain in the studio working on their next album release. Todd sent in the following on the album progress: The album is much the same-- everything down is really different and amazing (to me anyway!), but we still need 2 songs-- so perhaps we all need to pray in that direction. We have plenty of songs, but we need two special songs to put it over the top! The other songs are pretty much done, but we're still trying to write 2 more gems to complete the record. No official set release date yet, but my guess is summer still.(unless it is delayed by songwriting) We will keep you up to date. --------------------- CONCERT SCHEDULE Saturday, March 3 Marysville, WA Marysville Pichock High School Auditorium 7 pm Ticket Information: 979-846-1788 Email: connie@hopefest.org Saturday, March 10 Colorado Springs, CO Palmer High School Auditorium 7 pm Ticket Information: 800-965-HOPE Email: discsam@aol.com Saturday, March 17 Clermont, GA Concord Baptist Church 7 pm Ticket Information: 800-397-2425 Email: messickman@aol.com Saturday, April 7 Louisville, KY Hillside Festival-Bellarmine University Noon/9pm performance Ticket Information: 502-473-3179 Email: jmartinez@bellarmine.edu Friday, April 13 Houston, TX Six Flags Astroworld Performance Time TBA Ticket Information: 713-796-2813 Email: toverstr@sftp@.com Saturday, April 28 Wheaton, IL Wheaton College 7:30 pm Ticket Information: 800-288-0808 Email: michaels@jamusa.com

THE WAITING LIST The official newsletter of The Waiting February 2001 Issue Number 18 IN THIS ISSUE Welcome to the February issue of The Waiting List! We hope 2001 has gotten off to a successful start! The guys are still in Nashville working on their current cd. Look for cd out in stores sometime this summer. This issue brings you a devotion on How Do You Do That from their self-titled project. A member of The Waiting List staff recalls her journey to Texas to catch a Waiting concert and everybody's favorite writer, Tommy Doyle, writes about how "The Waiting" isn't necessarily the hardest part... Enjoy reading and we look forward to bringing you future issues! Have a great 'rest of the month.' God bless, The Waiting List Staff -------------------- HOW YOU CAN DO THAT by Lisa Alexander Forgive and forget. So many times I've heard the phrase and it never dawned on me what it really meant until one Sunday at church when the pastor spoke about God's gift of forgetfulness. "Awesome" does not even begin to describe this gift. "Amazing" doesn't give it justice. But for the person who is burdened by the heavy load of guilt, the words "overwhelming joy followed by the most satisfying feeling of relief" come to mind. The good Reverend spoke of two things that God does when we ask Him for the forgiveness of our sins. First He forgives us for the things we've done wrong, and then He forgets about those things. The all- knowing God forgets? Not possible. Not the God Who knows the hairs on my head, Who named every star. It's an inconceivable notion, once you sit down and try to reason it. For humans who are used to carrying around emotional baggage, the concept of forgetfulness can be easier to understand than forgiveness. They may forget about a sin they committed or that someone committed against them. "I will forget that it ever happened" is a common motto of emotional-baggage carriers. They stop being angry or stop feeling guilty--for a little while. And then one day when something triggers their memories, either conscientiously or subconscientiously, the anger and guilt return full force, impairing their usefulness and leaving them open to psychological problems. So much for forgetting that it ever happened. If we learn anything about God's Will from the Bible, we should learn that God wants us to follow all of His instructions exactly and not skip steps. Think of all the Biblical people who found that out the hard way--like Jonah who got swallowed by a whale or Lots' wife who turned into a pillar of salt. While skipping steps in this age may not get you covered in the digestive secretions of an ocean-dwelling vertebrate, the debilitating feelings of guilt and anger can make you as useful as a statue of sodium chloride, an inanimate object that serves as a warning to others. Trust me, "object that serves as a warning to others" is not a desirable position. From the Bible, we are taught that God sent His Son to forgive us of our sins and that He wants us to ask for His forgiveness. We are also taught that God wants us to forgive those who commit sins against us-- that includes forgiving ourselves, for one can commit a sin against ones' self. God also wants us to forget about these sins. This is God's Will. And we can do God's Will by following His instructions and not skipping any of these steps: 1. Know that God forgives you and will forget about your sins. 2. Forgive yourself. 3. Forget about the sins you've committed. 4. Forgive others. 5. Forget about the sins others have committed against you. The first step is probably the easiest. It's easy to ask someone else to forgive you. God will forgive you and then He'll forget about your sins. But then comes the second step. This step is probably the hardest for people to do, especially for people who continuously punish themselves for their mistakes and carry around guilt as if it were an important accessory to their wardrobes. It's hard to let go of guilt if it's such an intricate part of our lives. But you must learn to forgive yourself before you can forgive others. After you get past the second step, the third step will come to you naturally. You might never forget that the act you committed was wrong, but you will forget that the act in particular was a sin for which you could never be forgiven. You won't dwell in the past. You'll have learned from your mistake and you will move on and avoid sinning again. If you have truly learned to forgive yourself, you will not struggle with the fourth and fifth steps. Sure, you'll probably remember from time-to-time about the transgression, but anger probably won't be associated with these memories. If you have trouble completing the fourth step, it probably means you missed the second step. You'll need to go back and find out why. There you go--a five-step program for God's Will. If I've made it sound too easy, I apologize. Only the first step is easy. The rest of it will be a hard-journey that takes a lot of practice, and in time you'll find that you CAN do that. -------------------- BRYAN, TEXAS CONCERT by Dena Griswold "Drive straight to T-E-X-A-S". Those words echoed in my head at least a thousand times as I made the over twelve-hour drive from Illinois to Texas last weekend. Twelve hours alone in a car - plenty of time to think, plenty of time to anticipate seeing The Waiting at the Hot Hearts Conference in Bryan on Saturday, plenty of time to look forward to visiting with my Dallas-area "zonie" buds. My fellow TW loyalists and I made the additional three-hour trip from Arlington to Bryan EARLY Saturday morning...there aren't a lot of reasons for which I would leave a nice warm bed at 5:30 on a cold, gray Saturday morning, but The Waiting is definitely one of them. We popped "Blue Belly Sky" into the CD player, stopped at a 7-Eleven for some coffee and juice, and headed off towards central Texas at a time when most "sane" people were still safely snuggled in bed. (That's one time when the Dallas-Forth Worth area traffic is nearly non- existent...I'll have to remember that. I'm much more comfortable with the country roads of Southern Illinois than the four-lane, bumper-to-bumper rush-hour traffic in Arlington!) The conference was held at Central Baptist Church in Bryan; over 1000 registered for the two-day event which featured a mix of music, special speakers, praise and worship and other activities for junior high and high school youth. Since the only part I actually witnessed was The Waiting's concert, I shouldn't really say that was the BEST part of the conference, but...The Waiting's concert was the best part of the conference! (No bias whatsoever, I assure you.) For those of you who have been to a TW show, you know that it is a quality production from start to finish. From the opening chords of "Unfazed" to the final notes of the ever-popular, FUN cover of the Jacksons' "I Want You Back", the show was strong, focused, and powerful. There is no band I would rather see in a live performance, and this performance was no exception. The line-up featured a good blend of the "old stuff" with just enough of the "new stuff" mixed in to leave a die-hard fan like me awaiting the next CD with renewed release-date anticipation. Every show I attend, I am always reminded anew of the professionalism and commitment that the guys in The Waiting bring to each show. No matter what time of day or night, no matter that they have just crawled off the truck after sometimes LONG, difficult hours on the road, no matter what their circumstances, no matter what the size of the audience...I've seen them in now too-many-to-count performances, spanning several states. In an intimate coffee-house setting, at large festivals (Cornerstone and Godstock), in churches, and during street festivals. The quality of each performance NEVER varies from "excellent." The music never fails to stir my heart, Brad's words never fail to renew my passion for pursuing God's path for my life, and the post- concert fellowship never fails to remind me just how FUN it is to get together with friends and laugh for awhile. I came away from the Bryan concert with a spirit refreshed from hearing God's word poured into my life in MY language; what a blessing and a privilege. So, yes, it WAS worth the fifteen hours of road time...give me a couple of weeks to recuperate and I would be all for doing it again! -------------------- THE HEARING (NOT WAITING) IS THE HARDEST PART... by Tommy Doyle This winter has proven to be quite a test for those loyal to The Waiting. The frenzy of the tour subsided, and a quiet, as stark as prayer time at a church service, took up residence. The encompassing lull surfaced in all aspects of the ministry. The band took a much- deserved vacation from the public scene, surfacing only to work on the new album. The newsletter staff has been scrambling for fresh ideas and new content for the newsletter. The irregular delivery of late is proof that a renewal of commitment is needed and the staff has made a new pledge to keep the newsletter current. It is so easy for fans to be swept away in the joy of The Waiting's music. Their songs include sufficient amount of pop-music "hooks" to reel us in, but they also endeavor to feed more sophisticated tastes with lyrics that enrich our lives. As one staff member recently remarked, they are some of the best songwriters in the industry. Is it any wonder that we are beside ourselves waiting for their new offering? "The Waiting is the Hardest Part" is certainly a fitting title for this particular period in the band's relationship with its fans. The anticipation swirls, stirred by the performance of a quad- sampling of songs at recent shows. The incessant delay of production of the new project has fans' curiosity piqued. The recent trends in new Christian music show groups diversifying their styles. Rap, reggae, punk and ska are current popular sounds and those listening to Brad should notice a different approach, a repeating of words again and again, a chant. Hearing a new Waiting record, perhaps highlighting a different style, is a very enticing prospect. What intrigues me more, though, will be beyond the first hundred or so playings. I will listen to the songs time and time again before I ever "hear" them. The fact is, for me, I am still hearing things for the first time from back in the "Tillburry Town" time zone. When "Unfazed" was released, I gathered my family together without any other distractions and played it through, then played it through again. We sat together and listened to the songs. After a few days, I pulled it apart, following along with the words, replaying parts. I have sat, time and again, playing it as soft as a hymn and then ear-piercingly loud, all in an effort to "hear" the songs. This phenomenon of hearing, while listening repetitively, is alluded to in Scripture. In Luke 4:21, Jesus is quoted as saying, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing". Isn't that so true? You read and reread Scripture and Bible stories and then finally it makes real sense. God knows that His Word will come to us in different ways and different times. So, too, will the lyrics from some of the best songwriters in this business come to us in different ways. Isn't it great to know that God so waits for us to have His Word fulfilled in our hearing? Wow. The Waiting isn't always the hardest part. The quad-sampling of Every Word, Fearfully Wonderfully, Diamonds to Dust, and Takes a Lotta Love will be joined by others, and though they WON'T be, they COULD be called, Genesis, Exodus, Galatians or Ephesians. The songs, like Scripture, will be listened to again and again, and one glorious day, we will hear the message, REALLY "hear" it. And on that day, a change will happen, and our life will never be the same again. Amen! -------------------- MEDIA NEWS You can check out concert performances of your favorite artists - including The Waiting! Click on the link below! http://www.hob.com/live/concerts/000621waiting/ ---------- There is a new Waiting Zone! Come over and join us on the zone and make some new friends and discuss The Waiting! http://pub37.ezboard.com/fccmchatfrm43 ---------- Want to write or submit ideas for The Waiting List? Write us at TheWaitingList@hotmail.com. --------------------- CONCERT SCHEDULE Saturday, March 3 Marysville, WA Marysville Pichock High School Auditorium 7 pm Ticket Information: 979-846-1788 Email: connie@hopefest.org Saturday, March 10 Colorado Springs, CO Palmer High School Auditorium 7 pm Ticket Information: 800-965-HOPE Email: discsam@aol.com Saturday, March 17 Clermont, GA Concord Baptist Church 7 pm Ticket Information: 800-397-2425 Email: messickman@aol.com Saturday, April 7 Louisville, KY Hillside Festival-Bellarmine University Noon/9pm performance Ticket Information: 502-473-3179 Email: jmartinez@bellarmine.edu Friday, April 13 Houston, TX Six Flags Astroworld Performance Time TBA Ticket Information: 713-796-2813 Email: toverstr@sftp@.com Saturday, April 28 Wheaton, IL Wheaton College 7:30 pm Ticket Information: 800-288-0808 Email: michaels@jamusa.com

THE WAITING LIST The official newsletter of The Waiting January 2001 Issue Number 17 IN THIS ISSUE Here is the latest issue of The Waiting List! Please accept our apologies for it being late. The guys in the band are hard at work in the studio finishing up work on their latest record. More information can be found here in the upcoming issues. This January issue is a special issue. It will be concentrating on the ministry of The Waiting. Please read on and we hope you enjoy this special issue. We would like to invite all of you to write in with your thoughts or personal experiences with The Waiting. If you have a devotion or an article you would like to do please email us at TheWaitingList@hotmail.com. Many blessings, The Waiting List Staff -------------------- BLOOD OF THE REDEEMER by Tommy Doyle This month's assignment caused me to do a double take. "Could you write a devotion on "The Blood of the Redeemer"? That isn't a Waiting song is it? There must be a mistake. If you didn't see the recent Waiting Tour would you even know what I was referring to? The more I thought and prayed on it, the wiser the challenge of writing it has become. The value of having something isn't in keeping it, but in giving it away. Jesus gave away His life so that we all might live. He gave away His blood so we might be redeemed of our sins. In John's (19:34) account, a soldier, finding Jesus dead, decided not to break His legs, instead piercing His side with spear, causing blood and water to gush out. This fulfilled the words of the prophet Zechariah 12:10, "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first-born." This scene as portrayed in the movie "Ben Hur" showed that it started to rain (reign) and that the mixture of blood and water ran together into tiny rivulets flowing and streaming into rivers, finally spreading to the entire earth's oceans. This symbolic vision offers that the Blood of the Redeemer is available to everyone. In Luke 24:47, Christ provides the basis for this, telling His disciples, repentance and forgiveness of sins preached in His name to all nations! In Matthew 28:19, this passage reads: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." As you can see, it is Jesus' instructions to go out and share, give away to all, the Message of God's intentions, God's Will forus on earth! Make no error here, when The Waiting sings to us, they are doing as God commanded. They are giving away God's Good News,Every Word for the glory, love and edification of Jesus Christ, their Savior, Lord, Rock and Redeemer. Amen! PS: Special thanks to the Rev. William A. Hanson, for his guidance. --------------------- WHAT THE WAITING MEANS TO ME by Lorry Guffey I would have to begin by saying that there is a very comforting thread of hope that runs through the songs The Waiting sing, a theme that even though we are made of clay, God loves us, and He is not despairing because of our human condition. I love the message of grace, and the sense of delight in Him that is infectious. I love the joy that I see in the band when I am fortunate enough to experience a live show. It's like a big party, where a bunch of friends get together and cheer one another on, with The Waiting as our chief cheering section. This is not to say that The Waiting's music glosses over the struggles we face as Christians. What I hear as I listen to their songs is encouragement to continue on, even when times get hard, or when it seems impossible to serve God. There is an awe that He even bothers with us anyway, but a joy in the fact that He does. I like that sense of reality, that our God "Steers His eyes to see the bride beneath the harlot's skin, the virtue underneath the sin." Because we are clay... prone to miss the mark, but our Father was aware of that before He ever made provision for our salvation! I can't begin to tell of the times I've been encouraged tocontinue on in my walk of faith, even though I missed the mark big time, just by loading the stereo with my three CDs by The Waiting. Whenever "The cross that I carry should slip from my hands,"I am encouraged by that sunny voice that tells me to "Get on my knees and pick it up, pick it up, pick it up again." I've said it before, but it bears repeating: I don't know where I'd be spiritually speaking, if I had not been introduced to the ministry of The Waiting. Their songs go straight to my heart. The Holy Spirit continues to use them to strengthen me, and I am so thankful that He does! And thankful that The Waiting continue to do what He'scalled them to do. Thanks for being faithful, guys. You mean more to me than I could ever put into words. -------------------- IT'S TO SATISFY by Tommy Doyle I remember first hearing about writing this article, and wondering if I had the talents to do it justice. The idea was to accurately define the level of ministry that has actually occurred over the career. When I review the songs they have written it clearly is representative of them, of where they are in their lives, in their beliefs, and in their walk with God. So, I wonder if The Waiting Ministry can be defined by saying that it is based on the lessons they themselves have learned. Only partially would that be true, upon observation, it becomes somewhat larger than that. Fans will recognize that the struggles written about in Tillburry Town are quite symptomatic of a generation nearing the end of its rope. From issues as serious as corporate irresponsibility to intimate struggles of families trying to grow up together. But the winds of change are blowing. One of the great Waiting stories is how they came to be in Christian Music. They recant that they had this passion for music on one hand and a passion for the Lord on the other. They sent demo tapes out to an equal number of secular clubs and churches. They anticipated the returns but the answer was definitive. All churches returned their inquiries while no secular establishments called. Amazed as they were, it was clear where they were going to apply themselves: in the service of the Lord. Blue Belly Sky takes to the music scene and the Waiting is now validated in its seriousness. Fans and critics alike are stunned by the lyrical wizardry of band members. The thrust of this record is paralleled by the thrust into their faith. Its song titles ring out in the wonderment of God's amazing gifts to us. They have ownership of this record and their direction, and the fan base grows dramatically. It is hard to say whether it is the music or the ministry that is the leading wave. Brad quickly gains a reputation of insisting that they work to the best of their abilities in everything they do. This allies the band with fans who are riding the crest of spirituality, driven by the examples of band members to "do everything as though they were doing it for Jesus." Their guestbook is inundated by testimony from impassioned fans emulating their studio and concert ministry philosophy. Concert shows look to instruct and encourage fans, to show the way to the open doors of God's house. It is their stated goal that fans walk away from the shows with a better understanding of a relationship with God. Waiting fans are doing just that, interacting with band urgings, jumping up and down, singing, and worshiping. Countless letters pour in expressing the joy groups are finding in Waiting's music. Even if they happen upon a largely secular crowd, the frankness and honesty in their music transcends barriers and envelopes the hardest hearts. People echo what the Waiting has ascertained, that they are a big smile band. Fans have watched them arrive at venues moments before show time and captured the audience so that by show's end, no one could remember the anxious moments. I have given some thought to their delays being built in, to heighten the sensation, but I have also seen the confuzzeled look on their faces as they for an instant wonder why these things happen to them. The fans crave the underplayed, underpromoted band because of their resiliency. Not many could face the adversity of these guys and continue faithful, eyes transfixed on the goal of praising Jesus. Fans convey their own confrontations and how "Hands in the Air" or "Do Lord" or, "It is Enough" provide the insight or encouragement to see that their problems are nothing when given to God. Some of the correspondence is striking, from the innocence of the young to the more involved issues of mature listeners. Band fans talk of how God has become a more prominent figure in their lives, more alive and real, crawling out from between Bible pages to become the front and center figure in their lives. The band has no concerns about revealing their shortcomings in life, to align themselves with a fan base that lives the same hurts. One person wrote," your music always lifts me up- Its like there are really people out there struggling just as much, if not more than me." So through the message of the ministry there come a realization that we all struggle, AND that some struggle more than I do. This person continues to speak about specific songs, IS THIS THE DAY and GIVE IT UP, both as revealing innermost thoughts and as God speaking directly to them. Another fan issues a review that illustrates our relationship with God, that no matter what our condition, God does not despair. This same person goes on to speak of the joy seen in the band and that the Waiting become the fans chief cheering section offering encouragement when it seems impossible to serve God. This contributor offers that they are encouraged "by that sunny voice" as we are exhorted to get on our knees and pick up that cross, again and again. "This band saved my life, rescuing me from dying spiritually, for without spirit, you are dead." Pretty powerful statements, but completely in line with all of the correspondence we read. The Waiting or Green Album as fans have dubbed it. If this group of songs isn't for many the apex of faith, then I am not sure there will ever be one. Many songs will rise when fans are asked to define their favorite Waiting song, Do Lord, and Hands in the Air all draw huge fan approval. The record, perhaps by design illustrates an amazement for what the Lord can do, defines real struggles, My Pride, Number 9, Put the Blame on Me, and Heaven is Home offer insights into all our hearts hurts. Indian Summer, Beautiful Blood, Never Dim, and Hands just insure us of God's saving grace. Messages like this serves a strong purpose. One fan was moved to write and offer that the Waiting's music forged them to be a stronger person inside, a stronger believer. It is so heart warming to see there is a mutual support system for fan and performer alike. The band feeds from the encouragement they realize at shows when person after person shares their victories with them. Blue Belly Sky is re-released, packaged with three new songs and a cover song. The new songs mark the difference between a true and false God. Still So Pretty can be construed to be a song about the land God has graced us with or to immortalize the haggard struggles of continuous travel and to present that it all is "Still So Pretty". The touring is arduous and its rigors begin to take its toll. Their post concert ministry has become fabled and fans do not miss the opportunity to meet the band, to make alliances and friendships. Church leaders are surprised and taken back by the ability of the band to "connect, celebrate and minister." The fans marvel at the humility of the guys and many are in awe that they have an uncanny ability to remember by name those that have been with them in concert before. Talk is common about the normality of these people living in an abnormal world. As I have written before, Unfazed, in retrospect turned out to be a most prophetic and testing album. There is no way, when they entered the studio armed with a bevy of outsiders to write and record that they could have foreseen the fact that they were about to go on a journey, a test of faith. The guys were about to be rocked, and this record defined most of the emotions they would have to live through. It would have been next to impossible to "program in" the obstacles they encountered. The lessons band families learned were to numerous to recount. Fans, too, struggled, heart broken, to come to grips with what was going on. Missed shows due to illness, transportation malfunctions, people changing, many situations not even remotely in their control hampered them at seemingly every turn. Fans joined forces and closed ranks refusing to let them become martyred. It helped that the songs on the record were spiritually strong. They offered tremendous inspiration and I can't imagine what it must have been like going onstage to offer these songs night after night. Fans were bolstered by lyrics that refused to let a spirit be broken. One wrote, speaking of Unfazed, that EVERYTIME (emphasis added) it was heard it reminded them that no matter what happens, God will never go away. That even in the darkest of times, Jesus remains right beside you. Imagine too, another person, rewarded by being given a copy of Unfazed during a radio station promo. Other items had been thrown into the crowdwhen this person was handed their copy. This individual, never having heard the band, couldn't stop listening to the "phenomenal beats and powerful lyrics." Further exclaiming,"The Waiting makes music that is actually cool to listen to, yet actually has a real message." Another email suggested their lyrics as tangible, real and practical (brick on brick, I'm building still). The comments continued: I Am reminds me over and over again that God is in control and that I live and have my being through His power. Company You Keep defines for one fan that God loves the unlovable and keeps company with sinners like me. They add that they convince themselves that they must carry the guilt over sin with them as punishment instead of "Giving It Up" and that this burden causes one to doubt their forgiveness. Easy to See is one fan's favorite, exuding that when they are in the spirit of worship they never want to leave God's house. The band ought to be warmed to the heart to hear that! Yet still another opinion claimed that So Much OF Me helped them realize how much God means to each and all of us. Fans have risen to the same heights as the band. The starvation for information is considerable and somewhere in Ohio two young people are co-planning a relief for that void. Last July of 1999 The Waiting List Newsletter is published, it is a fan based compilation of stories, media news and events and devotionals for fans. Fans clamor for its contents and staff expands to accommodate the expectations. It seems that no one coming in contact with this ministry leaves without experiencing dramatic change. A new record looms on the horizon and is much anticipated. The present tour treats attendees with a savory sampler of four songs. While most have not been benefited by hearing these songs enough, the earliest returns are that the provision is there for continuing, for raising the standard bar of worship. Consistent is the lyrics; poetry made by and served to a loving God. And while the frustration level has now effected their studio ministry, we are patiently Waiting to be blessed yet again. If their music has gone mostly untouted by the industry that fact has not daunted the fans. People like you and me continue to be inspired. We know that you give a lot to people and probably don't get a lot back. I know you guys were very tired and far from home and things did not go quite the way they should have. Nonetheless, I was impressed with the level of commitment you had to the fans. Brad took a bunch of local musicians and just went out of his way to model Christ's love. That is what spoke louder than all of his sung words. A group of only fifty or so people showed up, but you still put on a show as if there were thousands. You get the crowd into it and don't forget that we're there. I give my life over to Christ every time I hear it. You have a Christ-like passion that you carry for lost souls and underprivileged children. All of the sudden it hit me... He's describing you. I also admire their attitudes.They were dude friendly after the concert, you approached US, thanking us for showing up... hey, THANK YOU! I was extremely impressed by their approachability and their willingness to hang out with their fans. I've let all my Christian friends know about you, and they all agree that your music is absolutely fantastic! Thanks for always making me feel welcome to worship with you. The minute I finished reading this to my wife, she remarked that it didn't seem like my writing and indeed it was not. It is a compilation of items and statements made by fans. Their personal declarations indicate a comparability of opinion. We can say it a thousand different times, we love your message, your music, and the way you present it every night, in every town you stop in. It would be awesome enough to have this ministry strike deep in the soul of individual lives, single persons moved by your records or shows. This ministry stretches its points far wider than that. When you perform you throw a stone into a calm plane of water and all you see from stagefront is the initial circle of rippling. But like we all know, the water mirrors concentric circles radiating outward. From the knowledge of experience and bolstered by the literally thousands of offerings from fans, it is determined that the word you so freely give is taking root. It has caused many relationships and friendships to begin. Folks and people who would never have ordinarily met, impacting each others lives, encouraging, inspiring and sharing God's love between them. So for the Waiting, rest assured that the ministry you work and suffer so hard for is bearing fruit that goes to seed and flowers again, regenerating itself in the spirit which you bring to us in your music. ** top **