Last Chance Ladies
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hey Ladies. I just wanted to remind you that tomorrow (Tuesday) is the last chance to enter the SUSIE magazine contest. Below is the info from the last time I blogged about it.
SUSIE magazine, a new national publication for young females has decided to roll with it too! They’ve done a feature about my music on their website. And we’ve even created a contest based upon my song, MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU. All you have to do is go to the contest page and tell Susie what your definition of beauty is. They’re going to select 15 winners to receive a one year subscription to SUSIE magazine, and an autographed copy of my new CD. Ten of those winners will have their submission and a photo published in SUSIE magazine. Pretty cool, eh? That’s not all. The grand prize winner for the contest gets a gift that even makes me jealous. You’ll have to go to the contest site in order to find out. Check it out!!!
www.inorecords.com/jonnydiaz/contest/
My first #1 song
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This blog is a first for me. Of course, I’ve written many blogs before… although I admittedly need to be more diligent with it. But, this is my very first blog written about having a #1 song!! You heard right. More Beautiful You is now the most played Christian song in the country according to AC indicator stations. Now, there are different countdowns, and it’s kinda hard to explain… so I won’t even try. However, all you need to know is that I am blown away by how God is choosing to use this song. I honestly wrote it just intending to play it for youth groups. I knew the message in this song was an important one, but I don’t think I ever realized how needed it really is. Over the last few months I have received countless encouraging emails from girls, moms, and dads. I try to respond to all of them… and even if I don’t… I promise I’ve read all of them. It’s so cool to realize that you’re just a vessel for a bigger plan. God had a bigger plan for this song (all the way to #1), and I’m so glad that his plan beat mine haha. What an honor! Please pray that God will continue to use the song however He sees fit. Pray that nothing will get in the way of his will and plans. Also, please pray for us as we attempt to book up our August and September schedule. I have some great and exciting plans for October and November (that’s a whole other blog), but getting to that point isn’t easy. I mostly play for churches and youth groups… and, obviously, many budgets have been cut drastically. There doesn’t seem to be much funding for fun things like concerts. Any help is greatly appreciated.
So… what should we do to celebrate my first #1 song? Any ideas?
Live performance - More Beautiful You
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This was recorded during GMA week by the good folks at hearitfirst.com. Enjoy!
The Possibility of a Paradox
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The good folks over at Jesusfreakhideout.com have asked me to write one blog per month for their website. Here’s the first of the 3 blogs I’m working on. Hope you enjoy.
The Possibility of a Paradox
A paradox is defined as something that is “contradictory, inconsistent, or opposite.” For example, the statements “War paves the way for peace” and “Freedom requires limitations” are paradoxes. We have trouble processing them. Our minds can only wrap themselves around so much – they like it when we keep things simple. Therefore, when it comes to truth, we narrow things down to two sides. We have right, and we have wrong. We have black, and we have white.
So, when scripture points out the different characteristics of Jesus’ personality, it’s easy for us to be confused by what appear to be paradoxes. For example, Jesus was perfectly strong, yet he was perfectly gentle. Ultimately he displayed these competing qualities simultaneously on the cross. We also read in scripture that Jesus was the “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). I understand how a person could be full of grace – they would deal with others with tenderness and forgiveness. I can also understand how a person could be full of truth – they would know the difference between right and wrong, and would stand for what was right regardless of the consequences. However, it’s hard for me to imagine how someone could perfectly pull off both of these traits at the same time. Can’t tenderness and truth get in each other’s way? Aren’t they sometimes too paradoxical to co-exist? Yet, when Jesus is the person being discussed, the possibility makes perfect sense.
In 2007, I released an independent CD titled, “They Need Love.” The twelve tracks deal with many different aspects of the Christian faith. However, the theme that ties them all together is found in the title track, “They Need Love.” It states that we should love a world of strangers in the same way that Christ did. We should love without question, without hesitation, and without an ulterior motive. And, if we love before preaching and pointing fingers, a platform to share Christ will eventually and naturally arise.
In February of 2009, I released my next indie CD, “Stand For You.” This CD actually caught the attention of INO records. They renamed it and released it nationally under the title, “More Beautiful You.” I understand and agreed with the reasoning behind changing the name. However, I think the original title was a better description of the theme behind the music. The album deals with standing up for the truth. Truth is always narrow. By definition it has to be. We claim that Scripture is filled with truth, and we are commanded to stand up for that truth no matter what happens. And while standing for a narrow truth we cannot waiver, even if others are offended by our actions. Jesus never buckled when he challenged the Pharisees’ practices, even though he often upset them.
So, aren’t the themes of these two CD’s contradictory? Isn’t it a paradox to say we should love others before ourselves, and then to insist that we should stand for our beliefs even when they might be offensive to others? Perhaps the more we learn about Christ, the more the seemingly disparate messages of the two CD’s will make sense. “Lord help us to trust you even when things don’t make perfect sense. Allow us to be so close to you that what we once perceived as paradoxes become possibilities.”
SUSIE Magazine
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God is funny! Did you realize that? Think about it. When a baby is born it can hardly do anything. It must be slowly taught to do almost everything. However, you never have to teach a baby to laugh. All you have to do is make a stupid face, gesture, or noise, and the baby erupts into laughter (and then waits until you do it again). This is enough proof to me that God has a sense of humor.
Need more proof that God is funny. Well, He chose me, a 26 year-old guy who admittedly knows nothing about females, to write a song that is impacting young (and not so young) girls all across the country. It’s crazy… and pretty funny. But, if it’s God’s plan, I’m ready to roll with it.
SUSIE magazine, a new national publication for young females has decided to roll with it too! They’ve done a feature about my music on their website. And we’ve even created a contest based upon my song, MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU. All you have to do is go to the contest page and tell Susie what your definition of beauty is. They’re going to select 15 winners to receive a one year subscription to SUSIE magazine, and an autographed copy of my new CD. Ten of those winners will have their submission and a photo published in SUSIE magazine. Pretty cool, eh? That’s not all. The grand prize winner for the contest gets a gift that even makes me jealous. You’ll have to go to the contest site in order to find out. Check it out!!!
To check out Contest
To check out SUSIE
Limited Edition sale!!
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So, by now you should know that my new CD, “More Beautiful You” is available on iTunes and in stores everywhere. However, did you know that before I signed my record deal I printed up an indie version of this CD!?!?! There are still copies of this limited edition left. Here are the differences:
1. The CD was originally called “Stand For You”
2. There were originally 13 songs instead of the 11 that made it onto the national release.
3. It was in a trendy cardboard package instead of the stand jewel case.
Best of all, you can now get this limited edition for just $8.99 by clicking the store link!!!!
How to play “More Beautiful You
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New album on iTunes for $6.99!!!
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Hey guys and gals. As most of you know, I recently signed with INO records. They’re an awesome label based out of Nashville and home to The Fray, Mercy Me, Caedmon’s Call, ect. In addition to getting my single “More Beautiful You” played on radio (it’s actually in the top 20 right now!), they also help me with distributing my new CD. So, here’s the great news. As of TODAY… my new CD, “More Beautiful You,” can be purchase at any Christian Bookstore. It’s also up on iTunes for the incredibly low price of $6.99 (for a limited time). Please consider doing two things for me:
1. Go pick up a copy of the new CD. I’m really proud of how it turned out, and I think you’ll love it!
2. Please share this news with your friends on Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter. It helps so much to have your support!
Make sure to email me back and let me know what you think of the record.
Jonny
A weekend with the Amish
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I spent this past weekend with the good folks from Millersburg, OH. We had a great time as I led worship and shared my songs with over 150 men from the area. Then, on Sunday morning, I had the opportunity to share for a local church service. They entrusted me with the worship time, and I shared “Hold Me” and “Sarah Jo” while they took up the offering. You might have noticed a lack of Tweets (the verb form of twitter) coming from my cell phone. Reason being… I was literally in Amish country with no cell phone service at all. Now, not everyone near Millersburg is Amish (my CD sales might have been low… get it… because they don’t have CD players haha), but there were buggies, long dark dresses, and wide brimmed hats everywhere. I learned SO much about the Amish people and their culture. I have to be honest… it just seems really stupid to me. And, no, I’m not scared I will offend any Amish people by writing this… they’re not going to read it I promise. Here are some things I learned:
1. Amish is not a religion. It’s simply a lifestyle that they feel called by God to live.
2. There is no ONE way to be Amish. Each small group of Amish families has a bishop. The bishop decides what rules they’re supposed to follow. Some Amish clans (for lack of a better word) use absolutely no electricity or motors. They can’t even put a reflector on the back of their buggy (even though it’s very dangerous without) because it’s a bright color. Other Amish clans will use tractors, but not use cars. I don’t understand why one type of motorized vehicle is ok, but the other isn’t.
3. Most Amish families are not allowed to have a telephone in their house, so they solve it in 2 ways. First, they install a land line in their barn (yes, I’m serious), and second… most Amish have cell phones. I have no idea how they charge them!
4. Even the strictest Amish (no electricy at all) still need freezers for their food. So, they run power to their barn or shed and have a freezer our there. They follow the letter of the law saying “no power in your home.”
5. Some Amish teenagers put subwoofers and neon lights in their buggies (no joke)
6. The Amish women are very competitive. They strive to work harder than the other Amish women. Monday is “wash” day for the clothes and sheets. So, Amish women will wake their husbands up insanely early so they can be the first ones to hang the sheets out to dry.
7. Although very few Amish think it’s ok to own or drive a car, they will call for taxi service whenever they need a ride.
These are just a few of the intriguing facts I learned about the Amish people this weekend. Much of it makes no sense to me. That’s why when the teenagers go experience the world during rumspringa, they rarely return home to the Amish lifestyle. It just makes no sense. Although I’m perhaps more confused about the Amish than I was a week ago, one thing is certain. I’m so glad that we have a God who saves us by grace and grace alone. Our salvation is not dependent upon following the letter of some crazy rules. Our salvation only comes from what Jesus did on the cross. Amen and Amen!!!
Somewhere in the Middle
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I have a song I wrote called, “Somewhere in the Middle.” It’s actually one of my favorite songs I’ve written. It talks about how at 25 years old (yes, I just turned 26, but the song still works) I often feel like I’m stuck in this awkward middle stage. I don’t fully feel like a man yet. There’s still so much I have to learn. But, I definitely don’t feel like a student anymore. Every time I hang around college students, I’m just reminded of how old I’m getting haha. Here’s the lyrics…
CAN A YOUNG MAN GUITAR IN HAND
CHANGE THE WHOLE WORLD WELL I HOPE HE CAN
CAUSE THAT’S MY AIM AND I’LL SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS
BUT SOMETIMES AT ONLY TWENTY-FIVE
IT SEEMS THE WHOLE WORLD CAN PASS YOU RIGHT ON BY
EXPECTING APATHY AND LAZINESS
HERE I’M STANDING IN THE MIDDLE
I’LL ADMIT THAT IT’S A LITTLE INTIMIDATING AND FRUSTRATING
MUCH TOO OLD TO NOT SEE PROBLEMS
MUCH TOO YOUNG TO TRY AND SOLVE THEM
SOMETIMES LIFE CAN BE A MYSTERY SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE
AND THOUGH I SING THROUGH A MICROPHONE
I FEEL I HAVE NO VOICE AND I STAND ALONE
LIKE MY WORDS ARE JUST FALLING ON DEAF EARS
SO I HIT MY KNEES AND I PRAY EACH DAY
THAT YOU WILL GUIDE MY PATH AND YOU’LL CREATE
A MAN WITH WISDOM FAR BEYOND HIS YEARS
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS LIFE
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF MY TIME
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE YOU STILL SHINE IN ME
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR HANDS
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR PLANS
YOU MAKE ME COMPLETE
When I wrote this song I had no idea that it would also work to describe my current state as a musician. I very much feel “Somewhere in the Middle.” Last week my song hit the top 25 for Christian music. It was also the fastest growing song in the country!
These things are super exciting, and hopefully indicate that my music (and message) will continue to spread across our country. However, when it comes to getting playing opportunities, I feel kinda stuck in the middle. I can’t go to a small youth group and play for free. I really wish I could. However, every concert I play involves expenses on my part and (most importantly) time away from my wife. I have to be wise about what I choose to do. On the other hand, I can’t simply play shows that pay thousands of dollars like some Christian artists are doing. There is a simple reason for this… no one is willing at this point to pay that much for me haha. So, here I sit, with a relatively slow summer schedule, feeling somewhat stuck in the middle.
So here’s the deal. Every time I ask “where should I play?” I get tons of responses saying, “You should come to _____________!!” I love the enthusiasm, but I can’t come unless I’m invited by the people in charge (and paid too). So I’ll ask some other questions:
Would your church, student group, or event like me to come play in concert?
Does this place have the budget to bring me out? (less than $1,000 for everything I promise)
Do you have connections with the people in charge of bringing me in?
If you answered yes to all 3 questions… I want to hear from you. Let’s set something up!!!! Email me directly at jonny@jonnydiaz.com.
