to South Litchfield Baptist Church because their pastor is one of my favorite people in the whole world.

Yes, we are back to visit Dad and Mom and our dear friends at South Litchfield Baptist Church on March 23, for a 7pm concert.

This time Levi will join me, (Nathan), Elisabeth and Jonathan to lead worship. We will feature some of our own original songs and arrangements as well as a few of our favorite songs by Keith & Kristyn Getty. Seating is limited, but come early and join us for a concert of worship and praise.

No, the above photo is not up to date. This visit we will introduce our latest addition to our family, Hudson Kenneth Pierpont. This is a picture of him smiling.

Thank you, Pastor Michael Breznau, for the invitation to unite in worship with the crew from Evangel.

We are praying for Dan Nichols and youth workers as they seek to minister to the hearts and lives of teens. I am confident the Lord will bless.

This morning I read an entry from my journal from over 20 years ago. It said, “We can’t make plans for God. Sometimes we cannot even know His plan. We just have to pray, wait and obey.” I was pretty young when I wrote that, but it has proven true. So I ask you, have you prayed? Are you obeying Him? Then rest from your worries and wait with confidence on the Lord. We all have anxieties, and it’s good that we face them rather then try to ignore them. But, the question is, have we cast them on the One who cares for us?

Have you ever known someone who doesn’t seem happy unless they are miserable? I realize that I do not have a nature to worry, so I say this with respect to those of you who consider worry a spiritual discipline. Do you really trust God to do what is best? Has He possibly left some details for you to cover that are too much for Him? Seems to me that it may be a matter of trust. If we really trust Him we will put our confidence in Him. When you embrace God’s will for your life even a storm can be trusted to His care.

1 Peter 5:7 gives you a reason to trust because Christ cares about you. He cares so deeply that if you were to know how much he cares it would touch your heart and bring peace to your soul. He is working out a plan for those who love Him and it is a good plan. You’re gonna like it. So stop rubbing your feet together like a child impatient to get up from a nap. Turn your worry into preparation for the journey, but stop stewing about the details. That’s for Him to decide.

Our only worry should be the matter of our sin. If our sin has been covered by the blood of Christ we are assured to find peace at His “mercy seat.”

While you think about that why don’t you read these lyrics and listen to my arrangement for the “Overshadowed” collection of my Lord’s Day Meditations. I hope it will help you relax and find the grace to trust Him and let Him relieve you of your worries. – Nathan

“All Your Anxiety”
Is there a heart o’er-bound by sorrow?
Is there a life weighed down by care?
Come to the cross–each burden bearing,
All your anxiety–leave it there.

No other friend so keen to help you,
No other friend so quick to hear;
No other place to leave your burden,
No other one to hear your prayer.

Come then at once–delay no longer!
Heed His entreaty kind and sweet;
You need not fear a disappointment–
You shall find peace at the mercy seat.

Refrain:
All your anxiety, all your care,
Bring to the mercy seat–leave it there;
Never a burden He cannot bear,
Never a friend like Jesus.
by Edward Henry Joy, 1920;
Arranged by Nathan Shipley Pierpont Copyright 2005

I know my folks would go to the ends of the earth to make sure I lived for Christ. I am committed to loving my kids as long and as far as I have to. I will never, ever give up on them. They have been given back to God and regardless of the struggles they may face, I will love them as long as it takes.

One of my children’s friends just caught on the other day that I didn’t do concerts in huge concert halls to thousands of screaming fans, but to crowds of 30-300 people in churches throughout the Midwest. I rarely performed for more then 400 people at a time, but we reached nearly 10,000 people a year.

In 1995 we began as humbly as you can. An opportunity to perform a concert in my grandparents church, a humble demo tape, a two-bedroom apartment, a mailing to a handful of churches. One or two funny stories, a couple of my own songs and a collection of my own piano arrangements.

After a mailing generated nothing, we realize that we were better off to call Pastors on the phone and patiently form relationships with these faithful stewards who carefully managed what they asked of their people. Pastors were so gracious. We began to receive invitations and the schedule began to fill. After two years of work we enjoyed a full year of 72 concerts. We had some wonderful experiences and were almost always invited back again. The last year we did the ministry full-time we mostly performed in churches as returning guests. It was nice to know that we already had friends where we were going. It was also nice to know ahead of time the best way to set up my equipment on the platform.

It was a couple years before Elisabeth and Jonathan began singing with me, but now they are a special feature of our concerts.

Before we joined the pastoral staff at Northeastern we produced a couple of recordings. I still come across people who remember some of the lyrics to my songs as well or better then I do. I hope to produce a piano CD and eventually a trio CD with Lissy and John.

Though we are committed on Sundays, we still take every opportunity to minister in other churches for special meetings or concerts. Feel free to contact us if we can share ministry with you, especially if we’ve been to your church before.

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