I just did the most hilarious/raddest thing ever - I was the featured musician for an elementary school's art day. Springdale Elementary in Columbia has an artist appreciation day every year for the students...sculpters, painters, actors, dancers, musicians, etc....and the kids spend all day going to a class with each artist. Sooooooo, I was the musician and basically I had 35 minutes with K-5th graders all day.
It started with the kindegarteners - i'm pretty sure I scared them. But by the 4th graders we were rocking...crowd surfing, jumping, screaming the words to the songs - they were really into it. The 5th graders was a full out rock n roll show. They were nuts. I had some kids get up and rap, had the wave going on during a song, some kids were jumping off of tables and hanging on the ceiling...it was awesome.
If I had a dollar for every time a kid asked for a Taylor Swift or a Jonas Brothers song, I tell you, I would be rich. What in the world. The 2nd graders pretty much hated me....they sat completely still even during the song I wrote about the mural on the wall of 2 dolphins eating lunch together. That song was gold!
It was cool talking about church and leading worship to those little kiddies. Most groups even joined in and sang some songs with me....it was hip. I wrote songs with each group too. I wrote songs about Chick Fil A, Dolphins, riding a skateboard with Big Bird, and all of the teachers. It was great. It was the most random thing I think I have ever done and I mean that. I have the weirdest life ever.
Josh Ridings Band
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Aussie Mullets
I'm pretty certain I want to go to a Hillsong United worship event every night for the rest of my life. Well, I may die - I would explode. Orrrrrr dehydrate (did some sweating last night).
It was outside. We were on the 18th row with every famous worship leader/band in America. It was weird...I was like a kid pointing and staring at people. (I am picturing myself going up to Steve Fee or Chris Tomlin's guitar player with wide eyes, tongue hanging out, and holding a HUGE circular lolly pop and not saying a word, of course.)
When the music started I began jumping around and singing at the top of my lungs and I didnt stop for 3 hours. Awesome. It was free, real worship. God was there. It was incredible. I was singing words like "I give my life to follow everything I believe in" and "the cry of my heart is to bring you praise" or "living to make your name high" and I began to beg God to make those words real.
Here I am as a worship leader in Spartanburg and I realized more than ever that it is a big deal. I have a big love for the local church. I want to travel and lead and all of that but I love Hope Point. It has shaped me into who I am over the past 6 years. I am not the same as I was in 2003. I want people to experience the realness of Jesus. I want people's lives to be changed b/c of Christ. I want people to feel the nearness of God when I am doing what God has called me to do - lead His people to worship Him.
I was floored last night. I see God moving in Spartanburg and in me and I love it. I want to see His Kingdom come to earth through the local church and I want to be a part of it (what a bold prayer). I feel a stirring deep inside my bones like God is on the brink of doing something big. I don't know what it is but all I want to do is know God more. I want to see people change through Christ.
It was great to dance and sing at the top of my lungs with my friends. I asked God to prune me, mold me, and use me to do great things for Christ. I want that so bad. Only for the glory of Jesus Christ. It was such a good night.
It was outside. We were on the 18th row with every famous worship leader/band in America. It was weird...I was like a kid pointing and staring at people. (I am picturing myself going up to Steve Fee or Chris Tomlin's guitar player with wide eyes, tongue hanging out, and holding a HUGE circular lolly pop and not saying a word, of course.)
When the music started I began jumping around and singing at the top of my lungs and I didnt stop for 3 hours. Awesome. It was free, real worship. God was there. It was incredible. I was singing words like "I give my life to follow everything I believe in" and "the cry of my heart is to bring you praise" or "living to make your name high" and I began to beg God to make those words real.
Here I am as a worship leader in Spartanburg and I realized more than ever that it is a big deal. I have a big love for the local church. I want to travel and lead and all of that but I love Hope Point. It has shaped me into who I am over the past 6 years. I am not the same as I was in 2003. I want people to experience the realness of Jesus. I want people's lives to be changed b/c of Christ. I want people to feel the nearness of God when I am doing what God has called me to do - lead His people to worship Him.
I was floored last night. I see God moving in Spartanburg and in me and I love it. I want to see His Kingdom come to earth through the local church and I want to be a part of it (what a bold prayer). I feel a stirring deep inside my bones like God is on the brink of doing something big. I don't know what it is but all I want to do is know God more. I want to see people change through Christ.
It was great to dance and sing at the top of my lungs with my friends. I asked God to prune me, mold me, and use me to do great things for Christ. I want that so bad. Only for the glory of Jesus Christ. It was such a good night.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Where Hast Thou Gone, 2009?
I really want to be the cool guy who blogs all the time...with interesting things I'm doing and all the cool places I've been - but I am not. It has been a month since I've blogged. You know those times when you blink and a month has passed? That has been May. I can't even tell you what has happened. I have played lots of guitar, lead tons of worship, and put about 5,000 miles on my car.
Ohhh, I haven't talked about the Spring Fling weekend - raddest weekend ever. We had T Shirts and played on huge sound systems and lots of friends came (those are all firsts for us). It was one of those moments when you say "yep, this is what I want to do forever". And I'm pretty sure God has called me to it, which works out really well. We played the Channel in Greenville and it was great. We will play there many more times in our lives. The funniest thing is the t-shirts. I like spotting the Josh Ridings tee in public. Hilarious.
But I have played the most fun/random things lately. A rainy campsite thingy in Greenwood, a baccalaureate service to 15 bored people, a camp in the middle of NO WHERE....the list goes on. But it has been great.
We have a new website rolling out this fall which i've been working on, we're recording in July (which excites me), and we've been doing lots of business stuff (press kits, photography, buying a trailor...yay!, working on spreadsheets..boo!).
Everything is going great. I have seen more of the Lord than I could've ever imagined. May has been a month of tremendous growth Spiritually. I have no idea where it's come from but I like it. The Bible has been fun, prayers have been real...choosing Christ over the flesh has given me life and peace. If you want to read some good stuff, read Romans 8. I have been begging God for big things. I want the Lord to use me. I want to know God.
In other news, I'm headed to Atlanta later for the Hillsong United show. Can't wait. It's going to be rad.
Ohhh, I haven't talked about the Spring Fling weekend - raddest weekend ever. We had T Shirts and played on huge sound systems and lots of friends came (those are all firsts for us). It was one of those moments when you say "yep, this is what I want to do forever". And I'm pretty sure God has called me to it, which works out really well. We played the Channel in Greenville and it was great. We will play there many more times in our lives. The funniest thing is the t-shirts. I like spotting the Josh Ridings tee in public. Hilarious.
But I have played the most fun/random things lately. A rainy campsite thingy in Greenwood, a baccalaureate service to 15 bored people, a camp in the middle of NO WHERE....the list goes on. But it has been great.
We have a new website rolling out this fall which i've been working on, we're recording in July (which excites me), and we've been doing lots of business stuff (press kits, photography, buying a trailor...yay!, working on spreadsheets..boo!).
Everything is going great. I have seen more of the Lord than I could've ever imagined. May has been a month of tremendous growth Spiritually. I have no idea where it's come from but I like it. The Bible has been fun, prayers have been real...choosing Christ over the flesh has given me life and peace. If you want to read some good stuff, read Romans 8. I have been begging God for big things. I want the Lord to use me. I want to know God.
In other news, I'm headed to Atlanta later for the Hillsong United show. Can't wait. It's going to be rad.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
New Josh Ridings Tees!
How weird is it so see your name on a t shirt? Pretty weird. We ordered these to raise some money for recording an album this summer. They make you taller and hotter, or if you're me they make you look like a cube. Check out how good our drummer, Pinky, looks in it. That could be you.
How do you get your hands on this stylish t shirt you ask? If you live in Spartanburg just come by my house or stop me on the street. If you live in an awesome place, send a check or cash to:
Josh Ridings
124 Spring Valley Dr
Spartanburg, SC 29301
They are $15 each plus $5 shipping. We have women's fit (S, M, L) and dude's fit (S, M, L, XL, 2XL). The women's sizes are sized small. If you wear a M, you will wear a L in these. The men's fit normal.
Buy lots of them.
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