Bridges

Natchez Trace Bridge, near Nashville

In a world where bridges get too easily burned, where politics are divisive and Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week, when excuses are far too easy and patronizing phrases are thrown around for the throwers benefit, comes my Pastor, Perry Burgess.

This is a man who, even though he had no idea from where the funding was going to come, spent a great deal of personal energy and wealth to feed and house the homeless people of Athens for the last several years, only to be unceremoniously shown the door himself a year ago and his homeless outreach essentially homeless itself.

Fast forward to the present time. On Sunday, March 18, our fellowship, Walk on Water Church hosted another fellowship, Shabbat, and their Pastor, James Scott in a joint service. The peoples greeted each other as long lost friends, worshipped together with enthusiasm and unity of heart, pushed into the Presence of the Lord and then feasted not only on the Word of God but also on a huge array of food wonderfully made by some of this areas finest cooks.

Pastor Scott brought a great word, "Wait on the Lord" and encouraged all to not get ahead of God. This young man is a hooked up, family man, visionary, with obvious oratorical and prophetic gifts, with a word for this nation and this world. It's not a black thing, it's not a white thing, it's a God thing. Yes, if you haven't figured this out already, Pastor Scott is a black man with a black church. Pastor Burgess and Pastor Scott have come to realize that God has drawn them together for a reason, and plan on meeting again two more times (at least): April 15 in Commerce and May 6th in McDonough.

I highly encourage anyone who is the least bit curious, if the Lord has tweeked your consciousness, or if you just want to experience what was and could again be one of the most awesome Worship experiences of your life.....come. There are bridges to be built.

in the flow.....

Jack

Thank you Mr. President

Now, before you think I fell of the conservative wagon and became a democrat, let me just say the thanks go to Washington and Lincoln, and the inventors of Presidents Day, makers of the 4 day weekend without a trip to Hallmark to get a card.

As we watch gas prices jump dramatically and head for $5 a gallon, and wars and rumors of wars, and the US economy in tatters and many good God fearing people losing their jobs, houses, and ways of life, the best the Republican Party can do is tear each other down over social issues, faith, and their ability/inability to handle their personal lives. Good men run out of the race over such petty things and the choices left less than appealing.

This is the greatest county on earth, for crying out loud. Is this the best we can do to pick a leader? We put more real thought into picking the American Idol. There, I said it.

The big problem....2012, the end of the world (as we know it?).....time zipping by and we look like we could be headed toward Book of Revelation type stuff in the Middle East. What should we do, Randy Jackson? Where is the answer, Steven Tyler? Help us, Jennifer Lopez!

I thank God for friends that challenge me in my walk with the Lord, for colleagues and clients who feel free to talk about their faith, most of all for a Godly wife and kids who are secure in who they are and where they are heading. I've been in the studio this week working on a tune I wrote called Gotta Have Faith, a Southern Rock tune that reminds us...

Gotta hang on when the going gets tough

Gotta stay strong when it doesn't look good

Gotta keep trying when I don't have enough

Gotta know that He'll do what He said He would

Gotta have Faith

©2012 Healing Flow Music ASCAP

The CD is here!

After a lot of work, and three years of writing, producing, and editing, we are proud to present for your amusement and edification, our first CD, self titled Healing Flow.

All of the music on this project is original, birthed out of the Spirit and from the inspiration and experiences that the Lord has brought us through. There are many people to thank, people who have been a part of the praise team as we evolved into who we are today, people like my son Christopher and his lovely wife Angie; (who sings on several tracks) Angie's mother Cathy Miller (who sings on several tracks), many other singers and musicians who have been a part of what we do such as Pete Hedrick, Cindy Jones, Keith Franks, Phillip Council, Steve Murray, Carla Miller, James Luthi, Chris Carithers, Phillip Parsons, and many more through the years.

Healing Flow was "birthed" many years ago, prophesied by Sion Alford and the team from Living Word Fellowship Church and Pastor Heyward Miller, and many of the songs we have written came from inspiration and encouragement of many years of "Fresh Fire" and the great people we met there like Sion, Selena, Mike and their great team, Israel Houghton, Clint Brown, Kent Henry, and others. Many churches were instrumental along the way, like Harvest Chapel, First Love Outreach Center, Redemption Outreach, and Community Church.

We owe a great debt of love to our Pastors, Perry and Angie Burgess and our home church, Walk on Water World Outreach Church for supporting, encouraging, inspiring, and loving us into the praise and worship team that we are. Healing Flow is Jack, Frances, and Daniel Balthazor; Cathy and Hannah Roesch, and Kenny Voyles.

A big thanks goes out to the "Big Bison" my brother Lindsey Williams, the man who mixed and mastered this project and whose talents in producing and playing can be heard throughout the CD. We have learned so much in the last three years and we love you and Susan and your family.

Tracks on the CD include:

Treasure, Cover Me, Praise is What We Do, Psalm 5, Healing Flow, Coming Rain, Breath of God, Path of Life, and Praise Your Name. All tunes were written by Jack and Daniel Balthazor and are published and copywrited through Healing Flow Music (ASCAP).

CD's are available right now through Jack and Frances Balthazor and will soon be available online, (as soon as we can get all that arranged) or come see us at WOW Church at 217 Sandy Creek Road in Commerce on Sunday Mornings at 11:00 a.m.

in the flow...

Jack

tis the season.....

I got the opportunity to meet an extraordinary man the other day. Despite some obvious physical setbacks and a very uncertain future, This man Bob was able to join us in singing some of the songs of the season. He and his wife Evelyn had decorated their house to the hilt, with a Christmas tree in every room and snow villages, lights and decor second to none.

I'm glad we took the time to go and meet this wonderful couple and receive the blessing that we did. Too often we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season and think ourselves too busy to give, and I mean in the truest sense of the word.

I'm convinced that if we listen hard enough we can hear the still small voice calling us to "lay down our lives...." No, not necessarily a physical gesture but maybe putting the brakes on for a few minutes, laying aside our schedules and agendas and thinking of others and discovering that we truly will receive far more in return.

Merry Christmas

in the flow....

Jack

Assisted Living

So here we are, fulfilling a promise I made a couple of years ago when my parents went to be with Jesus. Some of their better times in the last few years of their lives were spent at Peachtree Village in Commerce, Georgia. Today we went and did a program for the wonderful residents there and had a great time.

Just a thought about "Assisted Living". Don't we all need it when it boils right on down? Where we get in trouble is when we think we know it all or can do it all, when the Bible promises us that when we are weak, He is strong.

Anyway, we went in with guns blazing and gave them a pretty eclectic program that went something like this:

Cover Me by Healing Flow

I Can See Clearly Now

Glorious Day by Casting Crowns

In the Garden (Watermark arr. with There is None Like you by Lenny LeBlanc)

Christmas Carol Medley (O Come All Ye Faithful, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and Angels we Have heard on High)

First Born by Healing Flow

Silent Night

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

My buddy Greg Roesch, Outreach Pastor of Walk on Water Church (Bowhunter #1) gave a great meditation on Luke 2.

We had a chance to greet the people, including our friend Ms. Dollie Jarrett, Ms. Margaret Brand (mother of one of my mother's best friends, Ellen Smith) Activity Director Morgan Shubert (a former student of mine) and a host of others. Maybe we can go back sometime and do this again.

Our first recording project is finished and in the copying/packaging phase this week. We hope to pick up our first copies on Friday.

Peace on ya! Merry Christmas!

In the flow.....

Jack

I'm thankful

Things I'm thankful for today.....

1. I have a God who loves me.

2. I have a fantastic wife and a great marriage

3. I have great kids (and a great grandkid)

4. I have a loving church family and a Pastor who is truly a shepherd

5. I have Healing Flow, a ministry made up of family members and friends whose passion is to lead people into the Presence of Almighty God.

6. I have family and friends who love me in spite of my faults

7. I have a great job and I serve great customers.

There is a lot to be thankful for today. It's a beautiful day. Love to all of you and Happy Thanksgiving!

My view from a deerstand

yea, I know...it's been a while since I posted here.

A little quiet time in the deer stand, and some random thoughts, if I may....

My dad used to say that he felt closest to God when he was in the woods, hunting. I'm fairly new at this but I am learning the secret that he tried to explain to me years ago. Going hunting, being in the quiet in the still of the night before the sun comes up is more than just a quest for the kill (obvious in that I have yet to kill anything but time so far). It is a time to focus, to listen, to enjoy God's creation in a different context, and to recharge the batteries for the next round of life experiences that are on the way.

People don't always understand fishing, either, in that catching fish is not necessarily the point. Going is not just the what, it's the why as well. (Don't get me started with what, how and why, that is a whole 'nuther day).

Do I appreciate the sport of it? Oh yeah, bowhunting is a trick in and of itself, and in my opinion a much more level playing field than with a high powered rifle. I am well prepared to send Bambi to her eternal reward if she ever gets anywhere near my part of the woods, too. But I share my Dad's love of the peace (and quiet) that passes all understanding.

ok, back to work.....

in the flow,

Jack