Something happens.  

Your heart could jump through your chest, and somehow you feel like such a thing could not be more true.  Your soul reverberates because there is a truth spoken or shared, and your answer can only be a resounding “YES!”  Your heart pounding, your mind thinking there’s never been a better way to articulate this astounding idea, this life changing thought.  

Well, this happened to me this morning, after dropping my children off at school.  Here’s the story:

A number of years ago, I wrote a song called “Not So Ugly.”  It was, for lack of a better term, a vulnerable offering.  I included it as a bonus on my CD “Running In Circles,” and it was rough.  I recorded it live, with no fancy Pro Tools tricks or auto tune or anything.  It was raw and honest.  ”Jesus, will you love me when I am so ugly.”  It grapples with the notion that Jesus can somehow look through a horrific mess and see beauty.  Well, that song was written, recorded and let out into the world almost 6 years ago.  Honestly, I haven’t listened to that recording in years.  However, when I heard another song this morning, which I’ll point you to in a moment, I was brought to the point of choking tears.  It took me back to the moment in a tiny practice room at the Georgia State University School of Music (when I should have doing anything else - practicing maybe?), the moment when I realized back then what I’ve re-discovered again this morning:  Jesus takes brokenness aside and makes it beautiful.

I cannot explain this any other way, really, than to simply share it with you.  Check out these words:

Will your grace run out if I let you down,
‘Cause all I know is how to run

I am a sinner, if it’s not one thing, it’s another
Caught up in words, tangled in lies
You are the Savior and you take brokenness aside
And make it beautiful, beautiful

Will you call me child when I tell you lies
‘Cause all I know is how to cry

I am a sinner, if it’s not one thing, it’s another
Caught up in words, tangled in lies
You are the Savior and you take brokenness aside
And make it beautiful, beautiful

I don’t know why this is such a powerful thought today.  Actually, maybe I do… I am a sinner, if it’s not one thing, it’s another… They’re telling my story.  And yours…

To hear this song by “All Sons & Daughters” head over here:
http://youtu.be/01KObXjd0qM 

Know that this is the truth.  He sees through our crap today, and every day.  Why must we continue to make him look through the mess?  

On this thanksgiving, because of all the many things that I am thankful for, I feel like I need to tell the world that I’m such an undeserving man. I don’t deserve such blessings and I certainly haven’t earned any of them. But the Lord has blessed me nonetheless. AMEN! There are too many things to mention, but for now these are the things I am most thankful and grateful for:

I am thankful for my son, Justice, who, nearly five years ago, made a father out of me. I’m still growing up and haven’t even begun to figure this whole fatherhood thing out. However my life everyday is an adventure because of my boy, and I thank God that He’s teaching me all about His love and patience through Justice Andrew. He’s gonna be an amazing man… You just wait!

I’m thankful for my daughter, Grace Marie, who lights up my life with every single thing she does. There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t say a “thank you” to God for blessing me with this beautiful angel, especially when I think back to how difficult her entry into the world was. When she finally joined us, our lives were eternally changed. And we’re still being changed by her sweet beauty. Every day!

I’m thankful for my amazing, beautiful wife, Joy Marie. She loves with an awesome, patient and powerful love… A love I, in no way, could have ever earned. She’s seen and prayed me through some difficult challenges and situations, and she’s remained loyal and faithful when she had just about every reason not to be. She is everything to me and she’s given me so much more than just our two children… She’s given me the priceless gift of our beautiful family, and that’s something I’ll never be able to sufficiently thank her for.

I’m grateful for my family- mom and dad, my sisters and grandfather. I am humbled by this bond that I share with these unbelievable people. They do many things immensely well. They minister, they serve, they heal, they grow, they care, they sympathize, they LOVE. I am so grateful and thankful for each one of them : Rick and Connie Mikles, Dawn Midgette; Bethany Mikles (M.D.) :), and John Mikles (who represents my grandparents, 3 of whom have gone to Glory). These people are my blood, and like my blood, they are all a part of my fabric. I cannot change that. And I would never want to.

So on this Thanksgiving (or what’s left of it, anyway) I count my blessings, finding myself amazed once again of all that the Lord has done for me.

Happy Thanksgiving!
mm

A moment of honesty: my kids can challenge my patience, and often do. But it’s mornings like today when they’re so sweet and there is no whining and justice does everything he’s asked… That makes all the tried patience and frustrations worth it. I love my kids. (Now if we could only do something about Atlanta traffic…)

I was being a little reminiscent yesterday and was listening to a recording of my Senior Recital at Georgia State University.  I was reminded that music really comes into its own when its creation, execution and interpretation is shared with one or more.  Sure, it’s easier to do something myself, just my voice and my guitar.  But I lose out on the opportunity to share in the community of music.  

This past weekend I had the immense privilege of playing in a group of amazing musicians (Phil Laeger, Sheena Marquis, Josh Powell, Adely Charles, David Hall, Brad Rowland, Doug Berry, Darryl Crossland and Jeff Marquis).  Some would say, and I would have to agree with them, that this is a sort of Dream Team.  It was.  There were some absolutely thrilling moments when it all came together.  It clicked, and the community of music that we experienced was entirely and wholly pure and ecstatic.  

Let’s equate this to life, shall we… don’t walk through life alone.  It’s easy, and I think we all could easily fall into the “I could really use this time to myself” rut.  It’s also easy to remain in that rut.  So instead of walking through your day today by yourself, find someone to share it with.  You were made to experience and LOVE fellowship, and the intrinsic value of this community experience is second to none, entirely invaluable.

Back to the recital… I had the amazing joy of sharing life for 5 semesters at GSU in the school of music.  I developed a camaraderie with some insanely talented individuals.  One such individual was Tim Redman.  He was a hard nut to crack when I first met him.  I thought he was the quintessential trombone nerd (as I once was!).  Once I got to know him, however, I discovered that I could not be farther from the truth.  I was rather surprised to learn that he had a profound love for the music of Radiohead.  He knew it all.  And could tell you all about the meaning of it all.  For one of his recitals, he very wittingly arranged “Exit Music (For A Film)” for solo trombone, accompanied by trombone quartet, acoustic guitar, bass and drums.  It was then, and it remains now, one of my favorite performing experiences.  How clever and artful and crafty!  It was a moment of genius.  

Tim would probably tell you that creating this arrangement wasn’t hard for him to do.  And maybe it wasn’t for him.  But it was a piece of history in my life, and the lives of many others involved, that was, for lack of a better word, glorious.  And it was glorious because it was a joint effort.  We were a community, sharing our gifts with one another, for a greater purpose.  On our own, we would have offered bland, nonsensical music… the bass trombone part wouldn’t mean much by itself, and neither would any other part.  It only works when we’re in it together.  Harmony really is an amazingly beautiful thing.

Below is a link to the video of this piece at my recital (however, I really wish you could experience the performance from Tim’s recital… the one he arranged it for originally.  It was magical!)  For the record, Tim is the 2nd from the right in the trombone quartet (the other 3 are also dear brothers and friends, from L-R: Bryan Lokey, Jimmy West, and at far right is the inimitable Dr. Tom Gibson.  Rhythm section is: Drums - Neal Giedd, Bass - Justin Spengler, Acoustic Guitar - Kyle Hale).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k06VirnTYw

We were a family, even if only for a singular performance, and this will remain one of my all time favorite experiences in my short life thus far.

Thanks Tim, for the inspiration!  And thanks to anyone else who has shared your gift with me in one way or another.  Let’s not live our lives alone!  Let’s be a part of something harmoniously beautiful!

Alrighty… so sorry that it took so long to get this to you.  But here is thank you gift number 1.  if you watched my little video over and over again, please accept this first little token of my appreciation.  

To download, click on the little downward pointing arrow just above the big orange “play” button.  

http://soundcloud.com/martymikles/lead-me

Thanks again, everyone!  More goodies coming later!

I love you!

So the results are in, and it turns out that I was not chosen as a finalist.  No hard feelings here though, as the finalists that were chosen are extremely good!  Thanks to everyone who watched over and over again!  Stay tuned for series of thank you gifts!

“our hearts are overwhelmed to think that God Himself

would call us to come just as we are

the grace we have received has caused our hearts to see

the sacrifice held in our reluctant hands

in view of His mercy, for all He has done

in light of His glory, in awe of His love…”

it’s still a work in progress…

Last night I sat in a committee meeting that was addressing what we might be able to do make our weekly worship services more inclusive, flowing, and smooth.  

It got me thinking this morning… all you church folks out there, what are your worship services like?  Are they inclusive?  Do they flow nice and smooth?  Just curious.  I’d love to know your thoughts.  

There’s a lot more where these thoughts came from.  Stay tuned for some of my thoughts!

I’m sitting in the meeting that serves as the official beginning of the leadership of Commissioners David and Barbara Jeffrey. He’s preaching and he’s bringing it! (At least that’s what I can tell from the moments I pick my head up from typing this!)

I wanted to write a little bit about the history that I have personally with these fine people, the Jeffreys. To put it plainly, I wouldn’t have the job I currently have without the vision and foresight and dreaming of David Jeffrey. Everything having to do with transMission would all be a distant and unattainable dream, a lofty idea, if it weren’t for the guts of David Jeffrey.

You see, back in the Summer of 2003, Lt. Col. Jeffrey was the Program Secretary in our great territory. The ministry of the music department fell directly under the leadership and direction of the Program Secretary (it still does). The Jeffreys were at TYI that summer and my best friend and predecessor, Phil Laeger was leading worship that week with the help of some good ole Florida boys (Street Corner Medix!). They introduced and led the song that Phil arranged, Send The Fire (fitting that transMission lead the same song at this installation tonight). The Spirit of God fell in such a strong way at TYI that the words to that great song really seemed to latch onto the hearts of those present, including the Jeffreys’.

After experiencing that movement of the Spirit that week, Col. Jeffrey, upon returning to THQ, took a bold idea straight to the administration, telling them that the territory needed to produce an album, and that it should be a direct result and representation of the spirit of worship that he saw and caught a vision of at TYI.

That led directly into a budget (which Bernie Dake so diligently put together!), which led directly into an assembly of songs (most of which were used at TYI, the list compiled by Phil Laeger). And David Jeffrey signed off on this crazy idea all the way through the process. He pushed it. He backed it. He supported it from start to finish. And the result - Total Youth Invasion: Send The Fire! By the time the CD was released, a new job was created that Phil Laeger filled, in the position of Territorial Worship and Music Evangelism Specialist. What would then follow in the coming months and years was all that transMission would eventually get the opportunity to create.

Hopefully you can see how this all works out. I’d have no job. transMission, which is a direct result of Commissioner Jeffrey’s original vision, wouldn’t exist.

So, here’s to you Commissioners David and Barbara Jeffrey, our new fearless territorial leaders. I’m going to love working alongside you guys! I know that I’m already blessed to have a past with you in it, but I’m really looking forward to all that is still before us, knowing now that you’re commanding this ship.

God bless the Jeffreys!