“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce…”
“The White Ribbons!” Close...
“The White Ribbon Band!” Almost…
“Zach and the White Flags!”
“The White Almond Band!”
Seriously…the white almonds?
But it’s true. We have been introduced internationally by each one of these names — and many more.
Which brings us to our point — after years of performing and sharing the message of Jesus around the world… our name is changing.
But first, it’s very important that we explain WHY.
I was utterly spent.
Slouched against the inner door of the crowded ministry van, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.
But sleep wasn’t coming.
We rounded a corner on the winding mountain highway at nearly 100 mph, pressing me against the window. I watched numbly as dusty farmland sped past outside the glass.
We had arrived in Macedonia late the night before after nearly 30 hours of travel. I had fallen into bed immediately, only to be jolted awake at 3 AM with jet-lag. We had stumbled to the van shortly after 7 AM and crammed inside with the rest of the team…. so I was physically tired.
But it was more than that. I was just… spent.
Read MoreI was standing in the the same place - under the same spotlights - that I had been standing in several years before.
I felt - and heard - the same rustle of nervous energy from the crowd of young athletes seated in front of me.
A lot had changed since the last time I had stood up to speak at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Sports Camp for the state of Iowa.
The world had changed - we had experienced a global pandemic, we had been rocked with uncertainty, chaos, and upheaval, and many of the young people in front of me had become wounded, disillusioned, and jaded….
Read MoreFour years ago.
The polished blonde wood beneath my feet reflected the glare from a row of stage lights suspended high overhead. Despite the coolness of the auditorium, a bead of sweat had begun to trickle down my forehead.
I wiped it away with the back of my hand and looked out at the crowd of young people seated in front of me.
The air felt… electric.
Read MoreSimply traveling internationally during this season of worldwide upheaval is incredibly challenging, requiring multiple expensive tests and checks at almost every border crossing… and the number of ways that we could have been stopped on our recent trip to Zambia was daunting.
But it was just one of those things - a door to share the love of Jesus that we were confident God wanted to open.
And He DID…
Read MoreThe great evangelist Luis Palau went home to be with Jesus on Thursday, March 11.
As part of the Palau “Next Generation Alliance” our ministry has been strongly impacted by Luis’ legacy. His commitment to help emerging evangelists opened doors for us to reach a large number of people over the last eight years and his life was a true inspiration to us…
I knew that it was crucial that I stayed awake this afternoon so that I would be well rested for our festival performance the next day - we absolutely needed to be fully alert and ready to go by that time.
But I was finding it impossible to fight my urge to sleep.
Read MoreSo this is it...
Filmed in Biarritz, France, and Midwest USA, it's the heart behind everything we do and the message that has changed us forever…
