markmathis

I just finished reading my friend, John Mark’s bulletin about his new album, “the medicine”, and it has spurred some thoughts in me. He and I have been in a place for the past two years where the Lord HAS to come through for us.  Jessie, Jeremy, Luke and myself have been working at Public Radio really hard for the past year or so. My brother and sister in law have a camp in rock hill, “camp caanan” that is trying to get off the ground. My artist friends are all working, Patrick, Sarah, Eric, Chris, etc…  I am going in the studio in a week to record another album. There are so many people that are operating independently in their gifts in this geographical area that it blows me away. My friend, aswan, just signed his band,”papertongues” to a huge deal and tim scroggs is not too far behind. 

  John Mark mentioned “risk” in his blog. The Lord told me a long time ago that “without great risk there is no great reward”. He also said in the bible, “run in such a way to win”. I just want to say that I am proud of everyone that I mentioned and accidentally excluded – don’t lose heart. A big part of what I have been learning in this season has been figuring out how “big” or how “small” I am. Am I a platinum record seller or an independent couple thousand seller? Am I ok with either? Have I learned the secret of being content in the place that God has given me? Am I ok to work a job and still operate in the music that is mine – or am I too proud?

  I just watched a movie, “Basquiat” about one of the first graffiti artists and the first black painter to receive international attention. He had an extremely short run of it, he died of a heroin overdose at 28. He would not work a job that he felt was beneath him(depicted in the movie), he did not value his friends, and he had not battled his personal demons(turned to drugs).  I am not an expert on him or the visual arts for that matter, but I do know that if you want a longevity in the arts and life in general you can’t behave like this. It was a strong warning to me watching this movie. The gifts of God are irrevocable and he had them, regardless of how he lived. You have them too as do I, but we have to stay alive to use them – and we have to stay in a place of “risk”.