Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston Proper. You are live from the path. And you're listening to live from the path from the Pathway Studios here in Johnston Proper.

Hey. I got I got a connection. We've listening to this song for, like, how many years now? At least six. A long time. Five, six. You guys are singing along. I'm like, I don't I like the first three words. That's like it. Hey. So when we when we decided to use this tune before the beginning of the show, I thought we gotta do this legit. Right? So I sent an email to the band that plays it and their management, you know. And they finally ignored me completely. And I I I thought, man. Go send the bill. Am I doing the wrong thing by thinking, hey, if you can't answer your emails, I'm gonna use this tune.

So we get we get we get flagged for it on YouTube. What do mean? Yeah. So, like, if you look at the show you wanna watch the show on YouTube, there's a link to the to the tune down at the bottom. Oh. So we're we're we're free we're freestyle on use policy on on the YouTube. Oh. Well, good. Hey. If you've not if you've been feeling illegitimate, Mike, you're I'm gonna stop repenting of it. It's been taking up, I mean, minutes outside of my week for the last five years. I probably repented of stealing this tune. I mean, total of forty five minutes over the last five years. That's too much. I think repentance means to actually change, but I'm just, you know Yeah. I don't mean to be stealing this thing. Ten minutes over here, Mike. You continue to do what you're I don't even have a rebuttal. He's right. I just I'm just saying it. I haven't been doing it right.

No. Was thinking about it. One of these days, I'm really gonna do it differently. You don't know, Lord, I should change that, but I just love that song. You know what I'm saying? You've heard it. It's because it's a nice beat. You technically wrote in it. I was just thinking of, like, how many legitimately, how many people could come into the pastor's office and be like, hey, I think I'm repenting incorrectly. Wait, Wait. Did we talk about this the last time? About What is the word What is pent?

No. If repent means to change, what what Does pent mean to stay the same? I've pented of my sins. Yeah, because if it's pent up, pent up of anger means that it stays. That makes total sense. What? To me. Sorry. Think you're playing with my language. I feel like I don't even need to be here. Yeah. I I straighten that out of my mind. Here we go. You've listening to Library Path for a matter of seconds. If you if you know how to make life choices, you've stopped the computer, hugged your babies, and gone to bed.

Here's what I going on the show tonight. Good gracious, Tessa Johnson has here's how I'm gonna tell it. I'm gonna tell it that she has been in Nashville and traveled to come on to the show and then is leaving tomorrow. Now that is that is a 100% accurate except for it leaves out some other parts of when she actually got into town. Yeah. But anyway, we are fortunate to have her back in the studio. It's been a few years, we've got the restraining order lifted, and she's decided to come back into the program. So we're very excited, Tessa. Thank you for coming back on live for the program. Not a problem.

So we're gonna hear from her, figure out what's going on in her life in Nashville. She's she's got a brand new song that she's going to she's gonna perform for us. And we we were talking before the show, and I think we just have interesting stuff to talk about. Stuff that she's kinda run into from a Christian music perspective from a understanding Christianity

and things like depression and anxiety and stuff like that. And so lots of interesting stuff I think to talk about there. Also, we got some advice on Dear Life in the Path. Mike, did you happen to check out some, some preview on the advice? You know, here's what I I gotta tell you. It's it's it's a little rough right off the bat. Someone has apparently gifted an older gentleman has gifted everyone at a party a a nude calendar. Oh, no.

Of which of which he's in it. I can't tell people ask for that, or did he just say, oh, I get an idea. Short the short sentences I've read, it was not a, hey. Is there any chance you could bring a new calendar? Was it like a vintage calendar or like him now? No. Oh, I think it was him now. Oh. He really needs to repent of that. I can't tell if that's funny or not. Well, that's the thing. Because I'm not even sure this is up for discussion. I feel like the ground rules have been laid about you and and your and your nakedness. So I don't know. There's other options here. I'm gonna read through them when the when there's a lull in the show. Yeah. See if I can come up with something better off. What the Lord has covered up letting no man reveal to others. Yeah. I mean, he basically said, look, before you all leave this garden, you gotta do something like that. I mean, I'm punishing you, but you cannot. There

is stuff everywhere. Go fast. Listen to some cars. You're letting your soul cover that. Although, technically, David danced in the nude in celebration.

Was it in public though? Was he hanging up with seems like the streets. Is that is that a cultural plan? Yeah. But no one offered opinions of it. No one said, yeah, that's great or no, that's terrible. They just said it happened, which is very true of most of the Old Testament. They stayed around the dark of the covenant was coming in. I know, sometimes get naked in the streets when I'm overwhelmed, you know, but no, I haven't done that. I mean, when the Christian Booksdale has a sale Pencils at that price. I get I get are 40% off. It's time, boys. Neither of which is constantly heading that direction. So anyway, I'm hoping to redeem it in some way, but that that was the first topic up for discussion. We might buzz through it real quick. And actually, so here's the thing. This so we do we do Dear Life in the Path where people have written, and there is a secular advice. There's the world's reaction to a certain thing. This is the very thing, that is probably right that we take at least a a Jesus swing at. Okay. Fair enough. We're coming from the right direction.

As silly as that question sounds, maybe it's it's worth running through a through a thought. Plus, you never know who's struggling with the same idea. And And then, like, what you might say, they'd be like, you know, I'm glad they brought that up because I was gonna nuke the calendar in I the have to figure out what I'm doing for Christmas now. I was listening to late night Internet radio, and I I was talked out of my nuke calendar. Good. We're here to help. Let's

see. And I think that's I think Hey. Before we ruin the show So just a heads up on what's going on. We we have Jeff Herndell's gonna be in in studio next week. The the connection music festival's coming up. Yeah. It's in Norwalk. Sanctuary Rial's gonna be there. Colton Dixon's gonna be there. Jeff's gonna be there. And so lots of cool artists. I think WeAreLeo's gonna be there. Oh, WeAreLeo's gonna be there. It but we haven't seen them in a few years. No. They're no. No. I think they have They pulled Tessa Johnson on us. Yeah. I think they have the same publicist as whoever else I tried to do on the show.

There's just one guy that's like, yeah, Mike Fuchsia, you come up. I know this gentleman. Wait. Who did I write? I can't it it was Perry Noble. I wrote Perry Noble a couple years back. I got like, man, you should we would love to have you just Skype on the show or whatever. It'll take you, like, fifteen minutes. It didn't even get past the secretary. She's like, mister Noble's not interested.

I thought we gotta get a better logo or something. I don't know. How about getting them flagged by the guy at the front desk? Let's see. So so Ariel's gonna be on two weeks from now. Wayne Stewart's gonna gonna be here. So you know Wayne. Wayne's been on the show and performs a couple times, generally with with Chris Akers, who also has a new album out. Mhmm. But Wayne's written a fiction book called When Totems Fall. You can get the pre order for it on Amazon. Just go out and search for When Totems Fall. Books Five Bones,

we're gonna talk to Wayne and and get some get some information on his on his book. That sounds That guy sets up to everything. Yeah. I'll buy it for 50% off. No. No. Isn't he who did that the worship book too? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He wrote a worship book called Greater, also excellent. It's an excellent book and it talks about, like, our concept of worship limited to Sunday morning is just way too narrow. And we look at our lives as worship and then how does that inform what we do kind of as a collective. And it's a very good book. And so Yeah. Yeah. Check that out. And then we are We're still We can get some technical stuff to work out out, I think. But we're tentatively still on schedule to be at Bash on the Farm. Yeah. I think we're gonna broadcast from Bash on the Farm. It's a Friday, Saturday. We we haven't done, like, a full on telethon style broadcast for a few years. And so we're gonna dust off our junk and try to turn on all the cameras and stuff and be be streaming for a couple years. Could see a live from the path RV fired up. Well, here's the deal. There's no publicist there. And I I just

walked right up to people. Sweet. And when you have, like, two two cameras and one microphone, people are like, hey, they they look legit. Yeah. We we would grab them on the way, but they're they're running by. Well, you're in. Yeah. Hey, we're we're on YouTube. We're on YouTube. Like that cat with that thing where you blow up at the party going Yeah. We've been in contact with Perry Noble. He didn't contact back. That's the way to put it.

Alright. There we go. Anyway, looks like really good stuff going on. And here's the deal. This show going forward, for at least the next few weeks, I think, is solid. Yeah. So, but before I I blow it up completely, let's let's catch up with Tessa Johnson. So, Tessa, tell me a little bit about So, it's been a few years. You you moved to Nashville. Now Yeah. Now here's the thing. No but most people have a general thought as to the answer to the question, Why the heck would you go to Nashville? But I'm gonna let you say that on your own. What what draws Atessa Johnson to Nashvilleville? Well, got accepted at a school there. I always wanted to move to Nashville because

it just like like it right there. I don't I don't know how else to explain it. But every time I went, I was like, oh my gosh. I wanna end up here some someday. But I didn't know how because it's just kind of the the musician's dream to be there. So then I got an opportunity to go to this worship school there, and literally every door was open for me. I got so many scholarships and things that I didn't deserve. And I just thought, well, now is my time. And I just got up and left and I don't see myself leaving anytime soon. So. You so what what do you dig about that? Like, the the the cold winter scene? Like, Yeah. I mean, everything's so great. Well, not everything. But lots of things are great. There's a lot of cats there? There are a lot of cats, but there it's just the the thing that's intimidating about Nashville is that I feel like anywhere you go, you you have to look good because people just look great everywhere. I don't do that. Walk into certain coffee shops, and I feel like I don't belong because it's, like, hipsters galore. Like, people like, even then they're just so serious when they're they're getting you your coffee. Like, they're they're all just kinda depressed and, like, here's your coffee. And I think, like, man, I feel like I'm too happy to be here. I walk in and I'm like, hey. How are you? Yeah. You know? Just usually brightens up the day a little bit faster than that. For sure. I know. But people, man, they just have this, like, aesthetic about that. Is it because it's because there there's there's heavy stuff in Nashville? Like, there's there's there's big opportunity and big deals and people are just, walking on eggshells a lot of People the just want, like, want to feel cool. I I think everyone has this, like, common vibe about them. But if that's the case, I don't foresee myself fitting in in that area. You might just have to take over a block or so. I might. Yeah. I might. I might have to open my own coffee shop where everyone's required to be just happy and kinda dorky all the time. There'd be, like, like, dudes in there. Yeah. Who else is watching? Because I go, the The meal. I don't think so. Yeah. This is the real me. Yeah. This is the real me. But, no, there are a lot of great great things. I mean, it's it's such a great place for musicians because I feel like it's so easy to collaborate with people, and nobody feels like nobody's too high on their high horse to help you out and to work with you. It's not dog eat dog at all. It's like a it's like a musician's family. So it's great. It really feels like so much of a community, which I If you were to compare, like, especially with the type of music that you play Mhmm.

Is it easier to to find places to play in in Nashville than it is, say, around the Midwest? No. It's really not. Because I feel like the people that are looking to perform are the people who are established and who are gonna get get revenue. You know? And I think that it's a lot easier here to book a gig because of the market's so small. But then you get to Nashville, and it's like, if if you wanna play, then you have to expect an unpaid gig or, like, an open mic night or things like that because that's I mean, unless you are signed by a record label or really have a following, like, they're gonna want you to guarantee, like, bringing people in. So that's that's the one thing that's harder, but I feel like it's also kind of exciting because you meet people, then literally, like, two weeks later, they get like, I met this girl, and I think a week after I met her, Swift tweeted one of her videos, and it got millions and millions of views. And I thought, like, man, it's just crazy. It's a crazy town. That's all it takes. That's it takes is one person to notice you. It really is. It's it's the craziest thing. It doesn't matter. Like, you don't have to be the most talented person. If you get the right person to hear you, that's it, and your career is just off. So it's really cool. It's a cool place to be. Yeah. So so so what's what's your what's your kind of goal coming out of coming out of school? Like what plotting are for your life? Well, that's I mean, that's a scary question because

I Why mean, know are going to bring the amps? I What are you plotting for your don't know, I guess. Yes, amps is fun. Yes. I mean, ideally, of course, I would love to go on tour and to just do music full time. But to be realistic about it, I know I'm going to probably have to work full time for a while until,

again, like the right ears hear me, and I get to start making those opportunities. So it's like, I think just it's taking it in steps and seeing, like, who's gonna hear me and where can I go? And and, you know, it really, like, it feels like a small town because everybody knows everybody and, you know, I'm I'm meeting people who, you know, know a lot more than I do. So it's just it's cool. I mean, who knows? Maybe in the next few months, I'll I'll meet someone. It it can go fast. I feel like I would I mean, I would cheese this whole thing. Right? Like, I would walk down the street singing louder than I should, making eye contact with people. You know, like, somewhere over the rainbow. Just looking at guys, like, do you know stuff? Do you know somebody? Hey. I'm singing over to the rainbow. That's great. Hey. Do you know Taylor Swift? Yeah. Can she tweet this? It's funny, though, because you meet sometimes you meet people who, like, find out that you're a songwriter or something, and then they'll, like, try to, like, sneak their music in while they're they're talking. You'll be like, oh, did you hear that? And it's like, I guess not. Like, they'll like, they'll turn the radio down a little bit and sing a little louder. Yeah. Like, really jam into Taylor Swift, and you think, like, come on. Like, it was okay. If you want does the same thing. Yeah. Yeah. Did you hear that that you mean that time when it got awkward just a second ago?

Or you did that one thing? Yeah. I was there. Wait. Have you I mean, in a low low moment, have you ever done that? No. Not yet. I don't I ever wanna be that me that I'm gonna say for the right time. That's I mean and I've heard that people do that to, like, celebrities too. When they meet them, they, like, try to be be like, yeah. So, like, oh. Anyway, I I sing a little. I don't know. I mean, it's it's fine, I'm but embarrassed from states away.

I mean, holy cow. But people will do that. They have no shame. And I just think like, man, I got to just keep a little bit of that pride. I can't do that. I got to have a little something to do with it. Know. I know when I get to that point, like, okay. Maybe it's time to rethink things. It's like doing a bad job. John Wayne impression at first. Somebody something. You know, like, it's just totally awful. You know, probably comes up in the next semester you're taking a class. They're gonna say, Anytime you may have an opportunity, work it in. Yeah. Well, you know, they're all about self promotion. So but I can't I don't think I can do that. Yeah. I was I was discovered ordering a frappuccino from a hipster. Yeah. I sang the order. I sang my order instead. Blake Shelton's behind me. Oh,

that's too funny. What's your name, darling? Oh, no. This is the time. This is my moment. I'm Tessa. And turns out you're a 25 year old

Chinese man named Blake Shelton. Whoops. Hey. Funny. Actually, that does sound like a fun way to to spend your time in Nashville coffee shop. Shops is like putting your under celebrities' names that everyone because it's quasi legit that somebody might might actually be there. Right? Yeah. And that's true. I walked by Gavin in a coffee shop recently, and I almost, like, passed out. I was, like, surprised. It was legit. Yeah. Legit. I felt like I had that feeling, like, eyes around the back of my head. So I turned around, and I'm looking right in the eyes of Gavin de de Grau. Yeah. And I'm never starstruck, but that one that one got me. I mean, I mean, I've been jamming hands at this theater high. Something. Right? Oh, who knows what was going on? My friend my friend was like, are you okay? I was like, no. No. Gavin de Grau is in here. No. I'm sure I look like an idiot, but what can you do? He's one of my He can't do anything. He's one of my musical idols. I didn't know I didn't even know how to handle it. Act like my name is Chariot. Call call me Chariot. Yeah. Well, he was having lunch, so I didn't wanna go up to him and then be like, hey. Excuse me. I know you're doing stuff up, but I'm a big fan. Because

that's so annoying. Well, don't that's wanna be How do you actually do that? This has been know. Know. About this is how we for some reason, we always feel like we could just talk to this one celebrity. Right. We could really talk talking about Jesus. You know? And so I I like practice the conversation in car while I drive around, you know. Yeah. Like, John Mayer. Check this out. Yeah. Here's the blah blah blah. Brad Pitt, listen to me. Here's here's the deal. You know? And, like and and but I always think, how would you ever talk to somebody like like that and not just seem like throws of other people who do the exact same thing? Well, don't say their full name first, guys. Hey, Brad Pitt. Hello, mister Brad Pitt. How are you today? My my my daughter's jazz band instructor looked like look looks just like Brad Pitt. I mean, he he honestly that's all you can think about that when Well, that's distracting. Yeah. Yeah. I couldn't play jazz music again. To Disney World. And and everywhere he went, everybody would stop and all these strangers take trying to get autographs and and I I thought, he's just this dude. Right? I mean Yeah. Yeah. He hasn't even, you know, he hasn't have the millions of dollars to go, okay. You know? Know? He said, just leave me alone. I'm just a bandage inspector from Johnston. Yeah. That's right. There's like an unspoken rule in Nashville that you you don't go up to them. So, like, the celebrities will walk down the street in peace in Nashville, which is kinda crazy. But then you think, like, like, well, should I go up to it? What do you say? Like, am a big fan? Yes. I don't know. That sounds like a lonely life. If I like walking up to somebody and be like, hey, friend. How are you? My name's I mean, I feel like I would love it if someone was like, hey. I love your music. I'd be like, thank you. I'd probably cry or something. It's like freaking him out. The like only picture I see in my head is them walking in the middle of the street. And the people it's just people just like honking at them, like, get out of the street. Tom Hanks, you gotta get on the sidewalk. No. Tom Hanks. Oh. No. We don't like Tom. No. Oh, we don't like Tom Hanks. No. We do. Hey. He doesn't live in Nashville. I don't know. No. Tom Hanks, know? As an example. And I'd be like Taylor Swift maybe. Yeah. Oh. She lives there. Yeah. I'll call her for public. I heard Gavin DeGrasse there. Yeah. No. No. I can verify that. Okay. Here's the thing. I I did I I just got something bad. I'm about to just give me a couple things here. Okay. Like, I really liked that Need to Breathe song, brother, and I didn't think Gavin added.

I thought he took away. I didn't think it was better for having him part of it. I I do like the live version better. Mhmm. I like the the one from the in the woods album. Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah. But but I I I don't know. I thought it was was alright. I think, yeah, I think it sounded good. I I think, you know, need to breathe. They're just amazing as they are. So it's like, I mean Yeah. What do you what can you really add? I see what's gonna happen in here. I say something slightly critical of Gavin Dugrat. No one else is gonna join me here. And so I'm gonna need you to write his public. I understand what you're saying though. Okay. Good. Makes sense. Yeah. Okay. We're on the same Okay. I don't know if I know the song, so I'm gonna listen to it, and then I'll get back to you on it. Oh, it's great. You gotta listen to it. You're missing out. Yeah. Okay. That didn't stop you from getting in the conversation today. Well, I'm saying Hey. Stop. Stop. I have nothing to add. Thank

you. I was trying to back you up and let you know that at a later date, I I will give you a heads up on if I agree with you or not. Mister, Mike Foust. That was great, bubba. Alright. So I'm interested a little bit more on I I kind of the I don't know. The the music culture, especially when comes to Christian music and stuff in Nashville. But let's

let's hear a little bit from you. So tell me a little bit about the song Out of Breath. So I wrote that about I was having just a day where I think I I describe it as like a quarter life crisis is where I was like, I'm doing nothing with my life. I'm no closer to my dream. I'm working this job that I hate. You know, I I think everything that 20 go through and I was just feeling like just to add it to the depression I already had. And I wanted to write a song that just genuinely communicated how depression looks and feels. And I didn't, you know, I didn't feel like I knew anything at the time that adequately described how I was feeling. And so I was like, well, I'm just gonna write something myself. And and it kind of played off of

the charismatic churches that I had been in would say things like, you know, if if you're really surrendered to Jesus Christ and you won't have that depression or that anxiety, he'll he'll just take it away from you. And I felt like there was something wrong with me for that and, like, that I I was less than because I couldn't, you know, I couldn't get rid of this anxiety and this depression. And and then I finally came to the realization through, you know, prayer and reading my bible and seeking out advice that, you know, God allows suffering in your life sometimes to help you grow and to help you minister to other people. Because had I not gone through that, I wouldn't have gotten a song. And had I not gone through that anxiety, I wouldn't have gotten music out of that. And I think that the suffering in my life and the anxiety and the depression has all been so important to my journey. So

I just wanted to write about it and write about how scared I am of just getting older and all of those things. That's what that's about. Okay. Sweet. Well, let's hear this. This is Tessa Johnson. You're listening to two Live From The Path, and this is Out of Breath. True. I can't find any peace of mind

to pick me up and leave behind the shadow that is subsequent to everything I do. Every

That's a beautiful song. I love I love you. So much. Here's here's what I here's what I will I will pay for in Christian music is honesty. Yeah. I would pay for that. It was it was excellent. Thank you. Really, really good. Thank you so much. Yeah. That means a lot. And we were talking about that a little bit Mhmm. In our interview. We interviewed John Schlitt from, Petra and the Union of Sinners and Saints, last week. We're talking about, kind of that quote from Bono Mhmm. Which said, there's not enough honesty in Christian music. And, one of the things that John had said was

he that seems true. Although, like, if you if you look what's on kind of Christian radio, it's kinda compressed. Like, there's only certain types of music that actually make it on radio. Do you feel Is that your experience? Oh, yeah. I mean,

to Christian radio actually makes me frustrated. And like, I I I think like, we're serving such a creative God and yet this music is all the same in the same four chords, the same lyrical content. And it's great to be like, oh, God is so good. And I love that that's in music. But but also, like, what if there are Christians out there sitting thinking, like, I am so depressed. And I don't know if that's on on me. And I don't know, like, am I not close enough with God to feel joy in my life? And people need to know that other Christians are right there, you know. Because I've had days where I think like, oh, it's my fault. And, you know, I'm not doing the right thing. But but the fact is, like, God allows that in our lives sometimes. And I feel like God speaks so poignantly to me in my lowest times. And I feel like if people just could know that other people are suffering with them and other people have been there and and been through it, then wouldn't that create even more hope in people's lives than just, you know, the cookie cutter Christian song? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, and here's the deal. It's like, I I think when you start attaching words like,

depression or anxiety Mhmm. Or something that we've named, you'll get people automatically that will that will kick back and immediately say things just like that. Like like, you know, the joy in Christ does not allow that. Right. Well, know, the first of all, the fallen world allows that. Exactly. And God allows the fallen world. So there's a star. And two, like, I mean, it's lot of the things that they they would ignore about a lot of the character examples was in the Bible, and David would have been one of them. Have you read most of the Psalms? There's a constant torture. I can't even feel as tortured as that as that man had. Right. You know what I'm saying? And, like, you can see his victories and you can see his failures, but, like, he he he was just he was tortured on the the things that he Mhmm. Didn't seem to be able to pull off or that his heart was betraying him and stuff that he knew to be true about God. But for some reason, it wasn't coming to fruition within his own life. And so so, like, it it does take a

judgmental seat to say those kind of things. And, like, I'm not gonna lie and say that I don't I don't do that on occasion. And, like, people will will will say that they suffer with these kind of things, and I'm like, man, I I feel like God's got a fix for that. And, like, Jesus is the fix. Like, I can the the exactly what that looks like in your life is is is the way that, you follow him and the and the way that he deals with you. And some of those things are your choice, some of them aren't. Yeah. And so, like, I think some of that's kinda hard hard to get past. And you're right. There's not a whole lot of touching bases on that with Right. The six courses of holy holy holy. Exactly. The whole Christian community, we we feel like we can't talk about it. Yeah. Which is so frustrating. Oh, Yeah. Yeah. I I I talk to people regularly who like in shame tell me, Well you know I'm on anxiety medicine. Know? Yeah. I'm like, That's okay. Yeah. You know? But I mean, and they're like, it's like this big, I'm really confessing something too big here, you know. And it is big to them because because they're in this culture when the doctor suggests that they're like, I don't do anything but that, you know, then they finally give in and do it. And I talked to there are lots lots of people in the church are are on things because they're they're dealing with life. Yeah. And they're trying to get figured out. And and you can't fake it through life. You gotta be who you are. And of course, God can rescue you from that. Sure. God will. And I I don't believe. I mean, I may not. I may suffer with anxiety for the rest of my life. But I also believe that God can take that from me at the right time. But the fact of the matter is, if I hadn't had those feelings within myself, some of the music I write would not be there. Mhmm. And and I feel like I experience God in the most amazing ways when I'm on my knees and on my face on the ground like, God, I just need you to show up. And then he does in the most miraculous way. And I think that it's so important for Christians to to just allow themselves to feel that stuff and think like, just

ask God for help in those moments. And the nice thing is is, like, knowing Jesus helps me with that because I can call on him in those moments. And I know that there's there's hope in that. But that doesn't mean that I'm never gonna be depressed again. That doesn't mean I'm never gonna be anxious again. So I guess, like, I think it's so important to share things like that. And I wish that in the Christian I mean, I've had people I performed in competitions and things in Christian CCLI people will tell me, like, we don't get your music if it doesn't You know, this would not sell. And I think, like, but why isn't there a market for that? That's so frustrating because people needed to know this stuff. Yeah. I think it's important. So you should use the phrase like, why are you a liar? Right. Like,

I'm sorry, but there are some days when I'm like, you know, I'm like, I don't wanna be singing happy songs I wanna cry and feel sad. And that's okay. So Well, know, the deal is they they've chased people away. They they it won't sell because they haven't allowed it to. Well, You know, mean, it's like So you're not gonna go there looking for it. It's not even it's not even quality. That's the frustrating part. It's like like, I I listen to as a Christian, I will listen to non Christian music because it's so good and because the things that people are producing are so, like, cool and unique and and but I but I don't know any non Christians who would just wanna turn on Christian radio because it's great music. Like, they have to be to get to get pretty much the gist of the next hour. Oh my gosh. Yeah. And I you know? And of course, some of those songs are needed and some of them are so important. And I think that the people who are making that music, like, that's awesome. I mean, they should be making that music. But there needs to be more stuff added in, and there needs to be more, more diversity in in what we talk about. I think that too many things are taboo and, like, that can't be spoken. Well, that shouldn't even become close to taboo. You know what And, like, it it seems almost that this is terrible. You But feel like the Lord's ever disappointed, like, hey, man. I produced all the lyrical content you're using. Right. All you have to do is come up with a tune.

And it's you you still have you still have the exact same, you know, whiny, chorused out flames guitar playing one note through the whole tune, and then you said holy five times. It's like, guys, I already wrote that. Actually, the Yeah. The downfall of music, and then this is this happened in in secular music for a while, and then they kinda got rid of it. But Christian music, like, really latched on to it. It's the noise guy. It's the guy with the guitar whose job is to go Right. Like, create the the haunted house noise. Yeah. Mhmm. But, like, in a in a positive mood. Yes. Oh my gosh. Like, a mixolydian haunted house. That's right. It's this guy's job. I'm Kurt at the positive haunted house. So he's he's got like he's got 20 pedals and a sweet rig and like nobody knows his last name and he And he knows one newt. One Oh my gosh. He's been making a living with Nashville last thirty years. And here's the don't hear me wrong. Gear guys impress me. I I stink at knowing gear. I've been playing bass for twenty years and like I I don't know how to work much of stuff. Like turn things on, thumb bass with thumb, turn stuff off, walk away. That's what I know. I like there's some really impressive gear folks. It's just like we,

like we kinda sold that. And it's that that's just the vibe. It's like some a pound and beat, and then the no and then Greg the noise, man. And like every song has kinda got that that pitch to it. Mhmm. Yeah. I mean, if I hear another Chris Tomlin song, we don't need any more of those. I'm sorry. Chris Tomlin's doing a great job for himself, but I don't need another Chris Tomlin. I've I've I need something else. Here's the thing is we wouldn't you wouldn't be using Chris Tomlin as a as a description of things if if there hadn't been 1,700 other people who then took

Chris Tomlin's gig and then reproduced it. Right. His his stuff could have been unique, you know? Yeah. His stuff could have been completely unique. And it probably was at one point. Yeah. But now it's just so overdone. I'm so sick of it. And I can't listen to Christian radio without getting upset. I heard a song the other day on Christian radio. I don't even remember what it was. But I I remember thinking, I probably could have written this when I was 12. This is not good. And yet it's on Christian radio because it has, like, a catchy melody and really simple lyrics. I And mean, why aren't we challenging people? Why can't we get someone to write something out of the Deuteronomy? It Right. Exactly. And and here's the thing. It's like, that that's one of the things was interesting with what John said is that he said there there is a bit of a chasm between

a lot of times what the artists want to produce and ultimately what is produced. Right? So so even if you listen to this, are these guys writing this stuff this way? Well, I that it I for at least from his perspective, and and and it sounds like perhaps you two degree test it too, is that like just because you're hearing it doesn't mean that like, that's what they wanted or like that was kind of the choice to come into that. You do get that in the secular there too. Wasn't that Prince's whole thing? Like he changed I don't know enough about Prince, but like he went to the artist formerly known as Prince. They were trying to control his music, you know, and he's like, I'm not I'm Prince, I won't do that, you know. He was also ape crazy. But Yeah. Just like across the board nutty. Well, yeah. Yeah. But I'm just saying I guess my point is it's it's it's on every It is. Level. What I mean people will write what sells. And Yeah. Unfortunately, like, party anthems and just pop things like that will sell. But I think in in the secular music industry, what what they're doing right is they're allowing a little bit more. Like, they're allowing these unique artists to come on board, like, and, you know, some of it is just pop garbage.

And but I think some stuff that they're putting on the radio right now is really cool and should be there. I think artists like Ed Sheeran and people like that, who have real artistic integrity are doing great things. And I wish there were more people like that on Christian radio. I see. And I I think I think some of the like, a lot of the, the Internet streaming services are helping to bolster that Yeah. I got I got caught up on the the Amazon modern folk station. I can't get off of it. You You know I'm saying? These dudes are right. I mean, they're here's the thing. They're songwriters. Right? Right? Oh, yeah. Like, there's nothing that blows me away. Not that people that play music that they wrote. Like, I I I just I absolutely love that. And I'm not a big folk guy. Right? But, like, like, I get on this modern folk station and I I I literally it's been on for three weeks now. I cannot turn it off because I know they wrote the song. Right? Just by the way that they sing it, and I know they wrote it. And like, there's something about that that says It's so personal. You created something and you gave it to me. Mhmm. You didn't create it and give it to someone else to give it to me. You created it and you gave it to me. And there's something about that that just inherently has it's it's it's worth my time to either either suffer through it if I hated it or sit there and and listen to it over and over again because I loved it. But the fact that you made it and you gave it to to me, it it makes me pay attention more. Right. And I I wonder if like, that's probably where your best opportunity is. This is kind of,

like, can say people can discover music on the the net, but, I mean, that's that's like swimming in the in the fountain. Right? Like Oh, yeah. Yeah. You just like, there's no way that's terrible example because nuts are small. Yeah. I was it it what was in my head was coins in a fountain. Yeah. That's not what he said. What I said was swimming in a fountain. And, like, that's a small bucket. It went completely off the table. More like swimming in a ocean, I think. Now, I can't think I like an ocean. Anyway, because you you like, and actually just discovering things is difficult on your own. So, like, this kind of this managed eclectic thing where, like, these niche stations, although you can actually kinda get a little bit pigeonholed in it, it like, algorithms don't care. Like Right. They're far less concerned about what's playing on K Love. Right? Like, it's just it's it's it's grabbing from its stack and saying, how are people reacting to this? How how do we get this stuff in front of other folk? And and so, like, you're actually likely to come across really good music. We in fact, we've had a number of folks.

We've I mean, 25 bands here that no one like, broad stream no one's heard of and should because that because they're very good. Yeah. But but there's, the the market for them is kind of, again, managed eclectic. Like, it's showing up on Spotify playlist on Amazon stuff. Not because people are going to Amazon and saying, I wanna listen to this person, but because they're saying, I'm I feel this way or I wanna wanna kinda I'm I'm moving in this direction. What do you have for me? And then that stuff can kind of, like, plug in. I'm moving. Yeah. Yeah. Which means this is probably the best

and like even kind of thinking about how Christian talk radio has to to work. Like like nobody has has conversations for an hour. Like we'll talk about something for for an hour. People don't do that. You don't you you have ten fifteen minutes. People have drive times and short short attention spans and like in fact, I I was done. So this is this is, I don't know if I could told you guys this. So I talking to the station manager, and this was just before we stopped being on the radio there. We were talking about the refugee crisis, about whether you take in Syrian refugees or not. And I was they had talked about it on one of the shows there and I said, look, you're not having a full conversation.

You're having a ten minute sound bite conversation and people are saying what they wanna say and they're getting it out. And whether the things are true or irrelevant, you're not having what what you need to talk about to actually soak it in kingdom perspective is we need to talk about this for an hour, and we need to be honest about things we're talking about. But you're trying to tuck this conversation into fifteen minutes, and so you're just not having full conversations. And that doesn't interest me. Like, I I can easily look up someone's bookmark. I can find your sound bites. Can find your talking points. It's in, like, I can I understand them? They're they're probably true, but they meet the gray line of somebody else somewhere Right. And and you're not talking about that. And so I said I said, that's one of the things that our show is able to do is just because, like, we don't like, we don't we don't take breaks. We just talk. We're we're talking for, an hour and a half. And so I I was kinda seeking the virtues of why this was a good idea. And at the end of that conversation was, like, yeah. So

We're gonna need you not be on this radio station anymore. And I thought, well Wrong time. That's what makes our show unique.

Yeah. Uniquely not on the air anymore. But but but was the truth. It's like I'm far more interested in a half an hour, forty five minutes hours conversation where we actually can kinda dive into the gray a little bit as opposed to like this is this is what we have to do to survive. And so there but there's truth in that in drive time radio. There's truth in that on Yeah. A K Love. There's truth in that on, like, what those folks can can actually do because they're having to make money. If if that's the right,

that is their right motivation to stay on the air to do some good. But from a purist perspective, if we can be optimistic here, it is that that doesn't necessarily have to drive what we we do in Christian art. Right. But that means you you do have to be a bit creative on where that gets exposure. Right. Because if there's not money behind it, there's certain people that aren't impressed. And, that's that's stinks to to a certain extent, but there's there's some truth to it. And there's realities to why money does those those things. Yeah. Something has to pay for the transmitter and the power and the guy that runs the knobs. Yeah. So,

there's realities in those things. And maybe maybe there's there's probably a point where, like, is it unfair to expect certain things out of a commercial commercial radio by by the term commercial radio is inherently cost money. Yeah. And has to and has to seek money out. So I mean I mean some of that is because it's like we drew the line at at worship music. You know I'm saying? Like like we said, we want we want vertical music only. No horizontal music. Like, no people like me. You know what saying? Like, there's there's there's there's a cliche where they say, you know, I need to know how to do this or I'm feeling this way and I don't know what to do. And everyone says, turn to Jesus. And like, that's a right it's the right answer. Right? But like, since Jesus was sinless, you know, like, having his having the people that follow him that share that same experience with with you where you've sinned and failed or you feel like junk. You know what I'm saying? Or what, like, life is actually having an impact on you. You'd like the sinful world that Jesus came to redeem us from is actually impacting you in such such a way that you're like, I I just wanna know

that that other people that follow this God that I follow don't think I'm crazy. Or like they have experienced any of this. You know? And so like like we've we've drawn the line and like I'm with you. You you wanna keep horizontal stuff out of your worship upset? I'm with you. You know what I'm saying? We're talking to God on Sunday. We got stuff to do. We're worshiping and praising. Right? It's not about you and me and how we how we stink. You know, but like, I I don't see any reason you can't have horizontal tunes about a life living living in pursuit of the kingdom of Christ and like having your experiences ring true to me. Right? That is nothing more than what a testimony is. When someone gives up and says, this is how Jesus wrecked my life and brought me right back into where I was where I was. Horizontal songs are just that way. This is what my dealings with Jesus were, and this is how it turned out. That's that's really all, like, early Christian music was. Like, eighties. I I say early.

Early modern. Right. You know, I remember, like, was like when it a revival too. That's Yeah. I know. It's important to remember, like, that's when Christian music was blowing It up was like, like, mid nineties. Suddenly, was like, woah, someone made, like, songs we could actually just sing in church. And then so I started buying of those CDs. That's how they started getting more and more popular. And then the new one would come out and everybody got excited and they So this was your fault,

What about, like, four? Dan Rude Christian Radio. They found a Rude Christian like ours. Like, we you know, you're doing the band and everything and and which was new to two, you know Sure. In church. Mhmm. And so so that's how because then yeah. I remember at one time, I I I kinda looked around and thought, wait minute. That's all there is now. There there is no, like, regular tunes. Right. You you know? And and They're out I mean, basically, we're saying, look, there's room for it to come back. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think that Jesus never really played it safe. And if we're really going to be trying to act like Jesus did, then why why are we playing it safe in Christian radio? I think that there are things that need to be heard. And, you know, Jesus walked into places and flipped tables and told people like, hey. Why are you spreading all of these lies and things like that? And I think it's it's a lie to believe that you're just gonna be joyful all the time when you're following Jesus. Because that's not the case.

And so, I don't know. I think it's important to just have more people who are just completely honest when they're having struggles in their life. Sure. I agree. Is it wrong to make a shirt that says Chris Tomlin, we're coming for your tables? No. Is that I'm I feel like it might be misinterpreted.

Yeah. It might be. Yeah. I do it in a bumper sticker. Right. It sounds like I could just be a vindictive rental company. We're coming for your tables. You've had these too long. We want to have them back. We have a wedding next Sunday. Hey. You've listening live from the bathroom and hang out with Tessa Johnson. So, Tessa, if someone wants to check out your music, where might they go? You can go to facebook.com/tessajohnsonmusic.

And, I'm in the process of recording new songs now that will be on iTunes shortly. So just go to that Facebook for updates or you can follow me on Twitter at I am Tessa j. Instagram, I am Tessa j. Hey, man. You snagged I am Tessa j? I did. Yeah. That's awesome. I know. Bet there's another Tessa j that's just upstream. It's real burned on But I'm Tessa j. I'm Tessa j. Everyone's always called me that. Sorry. I got it. I've had s. Yeah. So Okay.

Hey. Shoot. Now I feel like do we have time to take a break so I can go snag a guy in Ben F? Because I didn't I didn't even think of that. Yeah. We already talked about this. Because of your pride issues in the past, I've bought every website that you could possibly get from. Oh, yeah. The truth part of your today. Nate, did I tell you about so I was I I did a weird weird conglomeration of events. I

was a judge at a poetry contest for that was put on by, like, a youth NAACP

event. Sure. You're absolutely the guy I would've chosen for that. That's what I'm saying. Right? Weird conglomeration of events. Very cool. Like, some very cool poetry coming out of this. Like recently? Yeah. Like like three or four months ago. Yeah. So here's what I think. I think one of the one of the judges couldn't make it. And so in a pinch, they they asked me and I came and did it. And I was it was very grateful because like,

I'm a bit separated from that. I'm a bit separated from kind of raw raw art that the art that I get is is polished. That's right. Like someone's issued it someone's ran it through somebody but like like you know junior year poetry, like, comes at you raw and fierce. And so anyway, there's some it's some excellent entries here. But, like, one of the girls signed

her entry thing, like, her signature you know, people would say, you know,

sincerely or with love or whatever. And her her signatory thing was at best, comma, her name. And I thought, like, at best, Ben Foust. And then I thought, boy, that is I feel terrible stealing that, but that just seems like like an awesome way to sign off on something. Sounds cool. Yeah. Like, when I'm at my best, I'm a bit boost. Yeah. Don't meet me on my off day. I'm boobba.

Hey, would agree with that last statement, first off. Ben, I care about you as a friend, and I'm gonna say that is way too edgy for you. You are not cool enough to be at best Ben Foose. See, that's what I thought because this girl was this girl was really cool. Yeah. You are I'm sorry, man. Like, I I call it as it is. You're not that cool. No. Well, that's good. That's why You're cooler than I am, and that's why I will never use that also. That's what I need. Horizontal songs about this. Yeah. Keep me in line. This says, you ain't cool enough to do that. I'm gonna sign myself at best to get boobs. That'll be fun. Actually, Mike, you I two weeks. You're gonna be out of town. Right? Yeah. Do it. Okay. So that means you have a little bit of free time at night. I need you to write a song for Christians called, You're Not Cool Enough to Do That. That's the chorus. I'll have this done in a half hour. Okay. I've

got all kinds of ideas. You only need three chorus. Boobah, can I borrow your diary? Of course. Always. At rest, boob. At best, John Boobah. Do you guys have any footprints bookmarked with? My favorite one. I was gonna make a shirt and said, Chris Tomlin, we're coming for your tables. You're not cool enough to do that.

Alright. Anyway, so yeah. Yeah. Go go go to Facebook and and Twitter. Did you say Instagram? Heck yeah. Yeah. Wait. Wait. So are is there is do you have a chosen flat platform that then passes to everything else? Or do you hit each one individually? I hit each one individually pretty much. You know, I'm I'm a big fan of Snapchat though. I get really into Snapchat. I didn't think I would be one of those people, but unfortunately Like playing the face thing though, don't you? Yes. Oh my gosh. But I want to do the dog filter because everyone does that. And I think like like, I'm not gonna conform. Yeah. Is I'm be a part of the radio filter is what it is. Yeah. Dog face. Three

of the five people in this room are not cool enough for Snapchat. Just heads up. You guys figure out which ones. Feel like I'm one of them at Best Buy Fooks. Hey. Wanna trade faces? It's called face swap, Dan. Fuck you.

Did you say trade faces? Yes. I have a Snapchat. I'm a 24 year old dude. Of course, I have a Snapchat. It's called face swap, not do you wanna trade faces? I I think one of us has just outed themselves as not cool enough Snapchat, but I do it anyway. Hey. Do you wanna do that thing where I get your face and you you get mine?

At best. Dan, you have an Instagram? You know, that that's the one thing I don't have. Oh, okay. You gotta get Instagram. I would love to see Dan Hudson's Instagram. I would follow you in a second just to see what ends up on there. Me too. Pictures of that red solo cook up and then your yard work? Hashtag bacon Monday. Hashtag bacon Tuesday.

Hashtag bacon Wednesday. Hashtag you were thinking bacon Thursday, but I'm already helping you out. Before Friday. Hashtag do you wanna trade your faces? Which is a terrifying hashtag. That's awful. Also, you need to add that. Yes. I do.

Really? Face off reference. That was that's at best. I think we're writing this song for Mike right now. You're welcome, Mike. Were you wait. Were you hesitant to to jump on Snapchat? Yeah. I was. Because I feel like I don't know. Everyone was on Snapchat. It seemed like to be this thing, but now I'm, like, kind of addicted to it. But I literally will just tell the dumbest stories on Snapchat. I act like an idiot. I I sometimes I looked terrible. I will just say say, you know, anything to make me laugh really. I'm just making myself laugh and like, hey, if people think it's funny, that's great.

I like I like your thought process. You know what? Wham. That's great. Oh, I'm hilarious. I'm convinced that I'm my own biggest fan when it comes to my comedy. I think I am I think I'm so funny. So it's all like counsel. Right? I I haven't gotten past Facebook because every new one that they come out with, I just assume there's dirty things on it. Oh, there's so many. I can't get involved with it. You know, they're like Instagram. I'm like, that's gotta be the dirty one. It's always gotta be. I don't know. I used to, like, sign up for them right away, but I never go back. I'm always afraid that, like, I'm excited about it. I downloaded it, and then someone will on my phone. They're like, Instagram. That's where the dirties are. And I'm like, I didn't know. I just I just did it because because other people was You

can do Instagram, but just don't do anything good. Don't search the popular stuff. Oh, because that's where the dirties are. Be dirty. You know? Any social media platform can be. That Dan, and that's your one person you're following. And then I am Tessa Jay. That there's the two people you could follow on Instagram. Right. Instagram is the best. We we had a guy that followed us on Twitter. And, I like to tell when someone follows us, like, I I think they're trying to to fish for us to follow them back, but I don't do that stuff. Oh, I don't either. I go to check them out and see, like, if they're legit, and then I'll then I'll creep on them. I would know if they're following, like, thousands of people. Yeah. Like, you're just trying to get a follow. I'm not doing it. Yeah. You're set up this time. Not this time, sir. You're following for it. So there was a guy who I think interacted with us on YouTube, like, commented on some of the show, and it was from, like, a foreign guy. I think it's Randy or something. And so he followed he followed us on Twitter, and so I went to go check it out. I thought, oh, cool. Like, what what else is he of interested in perusing live from the path radio on on YouTube?

And this guy had to have followed 50 I here's this I assume they're very sketchy neighbors or Oh. Porn ladies. Okay. Oh, sketchy Where

do you live, sir? That's not a Twitter account. Sketchy neighbors. It needs to be And so, I'm like, I mean, I I it was I mean, it was right. That's the only other thing he's doing. And then listening to to Life From The Path, and I thought, good. But how I make this go away? Like, I don't know how if this is gonna show up in in my my I have, accountability software. Like, can they read the page?

And so, like, I instantly like, I don't know what to do about this guy. And I thought, well, I that's good that he's following the show, I cannot I can't follow this man back. I I don't need to know what he's up to. Exactly. Yeah. This is just gonna be one of those things where we just kinda we we go out and not take in. Yeah. That's I that's figured out that there's this place on Facebook where you can go and it's like unapproved messages that you have. Oh my gosh. That was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made. I have some of those guys that There's get on like people from like Africa and stuff that will message me like, hi princess. How are you today? And I'm like, princess, I don't know you. Or they'll be like, really, really bad English. I think just like, what are you doing? You must have found me on Instagram. That explains that. Yeah. Just things like, how are good today? And I think, I don't know how to respond to that. I agree. Yes.

Me too. I don't know. Yeah. That's that's not the good stuff there. But I tell you what, speaking of the creepster, here here we go. Okay. Dear life from the path. During a recent family dinner, my uncle presented an odd gift to everyone in there. Oh. But keep it keep it tucked in, bubba. He's he's in his mid fifties and involved in the community and government of a small town. He and other public figures quotes So

far you're just describing me. Go fuck. Let's see how far this goes. Chamber of Commerce forward. Mid fifties. He and other quote public figures, most of them older, decided to publish a calendar. On each page, there's a nude photo of an aging community luminary

posing with a strategically placed office Oh, no. Covering his or her quote, goods. Well, now this is decidedly different than what I thought you'd introduce, but continue. To to say the least, the photos are not flattery, funny, or particularly modest. Oh, no. Not only did my uncle give one to every family member, including my 80 year old grandparents, but he took pains to point out his photo. The awkward silence that followed ruined and otherwise not nice family dinner.

Did this gift cross the line? Is there a rule of etiquette regarding risque pictures of oneself? How do I make sure I never have to see any other family members in their birthday suits without my consent? Let me let me ask miss Look, people. Is it is it So so there's count people have done calendars like like this, like fire Yeah. Firemen and, like, people trying to raise money for communities. Okay? Chamber of Commerce members. Yeah. Of Commerce. Only the coldsters.

Yeah. But it's people you wanna see, know, like maybe you shouldn't, but it's people that the masses would like to see. That's the difference here. And I feel like this is just like the creepy uncle. Everyone has that creepy uncle. And this is just this guy who's like, hey, guys. I got you a present. He gave it to his family. Well, was creepiest thing to do. This is the thing I I don't understand though. Like, the grandparents, that would be his mom and dad. Oh, no. And so, like, what do they do? You made this. They're like, okay, John. We've seen this. Wow. This is done impressive. We've

seen it when it was better. That's Oh. No. And we're Wait a minute. This is gonna sound like I'm defending it. Please don't. I gotta I gotta word this carefully. Yes. You do. I I I believe the author of this

note has been playing back and forth on on the words. It's it's it's not in their birthday suit. It's it's their birth. I mean, it's it's almost like a They're new. They just have something in front of it. Yeah. Like that. Who's a comedian in every movie? Always running in his underwear. I can't think of his name. All of sudden I don't get those guy ill.

I don't get those. Will Ferrell. Will Ferrell. Yeah. I mean, there's nothing attractive about that. I mean, I was kinda like, I I'm assuming that's what they they were trying to do. Yeah. Probably. They weren't I mean, I wouldn't do it personally, and I wouldn't want it personally. No. I to Ben's point, clothes are specifically designed to protect your naughty bits. And this calendar is basically doing the same thing. Yeah. Except with with plants and plant posts, I guess. Don't know. Mean, it's just It becomes bad when you give it to your family. Yeah. That's the creepy part. That's the thing. It's like keep it to yourself. I mean, when you're old Sell it, raise money. I hope I this way when I'm old. I'm like, I don't care. Do not give me that calendar. Here's the thing though. This can't be a surprise. Old guys do not give a pudding pop about this kind thing. They're just like, I don't care. I don't Maybe he's strategically choose pudding pop. That's right. That's why I'm Maybe he's just that kooky old guy who's like, yeah, I'm weird. Whatever. Yeah. That's the same guy that goes and picks up the paper with nothing on it and goes, I went to NAM. I thought we were afraid inside.

Look away, Myrtle. Okay. I I flipped the fence. I'm in support. I mean, I think it's just a poor taste, funny, fundraiser. Yeah. But, I mean, I don't think there's anything immoral. They're they're not they're being

sexual and and and True. It's creepy funny. It's just creepier to give to your family. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Like, this would have been like a gag where they like left them out at the I don't know, hall of commerce. I don't even know what Oh, yeah. So for the hall to have. Absolutely. City Hall. It's like, And they did it as a Christmas present to each other. Whatever. Like, funny gag, I guess, that's fine. But it's it's creepy to give to your family. I don't know why they don't love you. And then he went as far as to point it out to them. By the way Yeah. Pay special attention to page 12. Have you seen July yet? Because July is hot. You're gonna like it. First of all, you don't know that he said that. Yeah. And like, I I feel like, yes, I'm insinuating that, but I feel like that's totally what he If you're gonna here's the thing. If you're gonna give away a calendar like that, obviously, you're gonna put to answer the the right question, which is why are you giving me this this partially nude mail calendar, I'm on page seven. Yeah. It's it's an answer to an appropriate question, which is why are you handing this calendar out? Yeah.

So But still If you're going to hand it out, giving it to your family and telling that you're in it makes total sense to me. That's creepy. But whether you should hand it out, I think, is continually debatable. I mean, should we vote? Because, I mean, I'm a yes. You're yes for the whole situation? Yeah. I'd say we make a new one. I like all of this. Gentlemen, No. Do you think it gets worse is it worse than than seeing a guy in the in the in the speedster hanging out at the pool? No. Those speedsters don't leave much to to imagine. But you expect him to be there, you know? I wouldn't expect to get, you know, a calendar from my uncle and I'd be like, what is this? So here's the thing. To do what you want, but don't give it to me. That's what that's my thoughts. An expectation thing. Right? Where at the pool, I expect to see Speedster.

Yeah. But the local fire hydrant, I expect to just see a fire hydrant and not a nude man crouching behind the fire hydrant. Yourself for that going to to be that descriptive. Now, like, can't It's one of my mind works. I pictured a nude man, but we're going behind the fire. Don't know. Is wrong.

I'm in support. Let's see what the secular has to say. Okay. Okay. Secular says, personally, I think the premise of the calendar is a hoot. Yes. We're secular. Wait

a minute. Good job, boys. While your uncle may have wanted to shock the family, I'm sure he didn't intend to offend anyone. A movie was made a few years ago about a group of older women in an English village who did something similar to raise money for charity. I'm sorry your family was offended, but I'm sure they'll recover and so will you. In the future, don't accept any gifts from this relative unless they have a warning label. What? About the no, thank you. You keep that at check.

Talent George, you and I both know you burned me a couple years ago. That's true. That's gotta be once in a lifetime. You better get your candles and socks next year. Even wrapped in a in a in a box that looks similar to a calendar shape. But, yeah, you know what? No. This isn't a record. No. It's not. No. Oh. Okay. One more. Here we go. Yep. Dear life from the path, my friend quotes Sarah invites herself and her two children over to play with mine from from time to time. When it's time to have a snack or eat, she and her kids make themselves at home, especially with the milk. Life of the past, I work seventy hours a week. My children eat cereal often and love milk. But because of my schedule, I don't get a good chance to go to grocery shopping as often as I should. I am a single parent. How do I politely tell my friend that it's fine to make herself a at home, but getting both of her children refills of milk without asking me is taking it too far? She knows I can afford it, but I'm uncomfortable asking because I don't know how to draw the line.

Buy more milk. Yeah. Pick up two cups. Be generous with your milk. Yeah. When you go shopping, just get extra and just be like, milk is cheap. These kids are hungry. Let's do it. Yeah, man. You're working too much. Like, if they're Yeah. If they're eating the Single bowl. Chop Seventy hour. You know? I'm putting that up. But, if they're just drinking milk, unless they're drinking, like, the whole gallon in which that's just rude. Your kids are rude, I should share that with them. Probably not healthy. Yeah. See, and that actually goes back to conversation we're talking about before the show started about about people discipline and people speaking into the lives about how you raise your children. Like, if if one of my kids goes over there and and and puts the I don't know, the the crazy dump on the milk in someone someone's house. Like, I I would totally expect the guy that that owns the milk to say, hey, man. You're drinking too much of the milk. That's outrageous. Mhmm. You know what? Like, that's not ridiculous to say, and I'd actually welcome it when it's apparent and say, hey, man. They were being ridiculous. You stated as much, so I don't see where the problem is. Yeah. Actually, of the neighbor kids was over at the house a couple of days ago, and he was making some kind of whining noises with his with his

this is like this. What is that? I said, hey. I said, hey, man. Can you not use that lady's voice in here? I'm just driving him into nuts. Like, if you wanna do that, then you can go do it outside. And he goes, okay. And then he didn't do the rest of the night. I thought, perfect. Problem solved. Problem. That's easy. Don't use that that wine and lady's voice in here. Alright. Do you find do you find it would be that uncomfortable to say, hey, your kids Bogart and the milk? I would look them in the face and go, hey, man. You and I both know you don't need half a gallon. Calm it down. Yeah. If they're your friend, I mean, just be like, hey. You know I love you. I love having your kids over, but they're eating a lot of my food. Don't have a lot of time to replenish it. Yeah. It's a pattern. I mean, first time or two, you kinda go Yeah. It sounds like this person comes around often enough to make mention of it first off. It's an uninvited person that goes, hey, I'm gonna bring my two kids over. Are very comfortable bringing their kids over to their house. You should be comfortable

going, hey, Martha, can you please stop having your kids drink all my milk? Yeah. Or or like I said, just buy more milk. Yeah. If you don't wanna bring it up, there you go. Hey, your kids dig milk. Like, if I can do that makes the kids happy and I don't have to sweat the actually, we've been talking about that a ton with my with my oldest daughter is the right way to solve your problem is just to dig on whatever the other side is. Like, sister wants to have this. She said, well, you can either argue with her about it or you can give it to her and now you were gracious and she's happy. Isn't that the win? Right. There you go. And so the win is buy some more milk. Mhmm. Done. And and frankly, like, broader point, like, we we are doing kids slightly a disservice by, like, running it through their moms. Why don't you just just look at the kid in the face, treat them like like a human being, and maybe like, hey, man. You're drinking too much milk. Either give me $5 or stop drinking so much milk. Those are the options on the table. What do you have do if the kid hands you a 500? I would give a I would say, here's the milk. Actually, I would probably start watering the milk down. I would keep two gallons of milk, but I would make it the the gallon of milk in the front out of a fourth of a gallon that I had last time and fill the rest with water. And then he and then he would stop drinking And mister Fooster, did you switch to skim or silk?

No. I just thought you were drinking all my milk, so I started to water it down. Yeah. That's what I would say. No. I put water in that milk, so you would stop drinking it. Because I'm I'm too much of a pansy to deal with you directly. Because I asked you nicely the first time, and you have disobeyed me again. Yeah. You would not react that passive aggressively. If if the kid if you told the kid stop Bogart in your milk and he started drinking your milk, you you can't tell me you tried to sabotage you. No. I wouldn't. Would I some people might. I wouldn't do that. You're right, man. I apologize for trying to voice for myself as passive aggressive. I'm sure you're not. Here we go. Segular says, I assume you can communicate with Sarah outside of her drop in visits to your home. The next time you talk, text or email,

explain that you love her company and she's always welcome. But because of your seventy hour work schedule, you don't get to the market as often as she does. So when she brings her kids, please also bring a quart of milk with her. To to do that is stating the facts. It isn't rude, and it isn't asking too much. If she's your friend and not a user, she will comply. Here's the thing. It's like, I would feel very awkward if I was at my house and then the neighbor showed up and they're like, we brought a quart of milk because you're too cheap to let us drink milk. Right. That sounds like the most,

yeah, awkward way to do that. It's like, hey, I would feel awkward as the mom. Mhmm. Not even just the person show, who had someone bring over milk. I feel awkward as the mom that showed up with, like, a half gallon. It's just like, like Oh, yeah. Hey, good to see you. I brought some milk with me this time because you told me last time it was really a problem. Don't know. I mean, I I would and my first thought was yes. I agree. But then I think sometimes you go go to people's house, you bring stuff, brownies, whatever. Yeah. He brought milk instead of Parents especially have saved boys, they just come loaded with stuff anyways. That's true. Because boys will terrorize that kitchen. You know what I'm saying? You just better show up with a six pack of granola bars always. And then just be like, go get in the back seat, Tom. You know where they're at. Don't take take all the food from the people. Yeah. Right. Let's see if there's room to grow from the In either case, yeah, there's a way to tactfully to do this. And when I say tactfully, it just means honestly. Why don't you just say this stuff and say, hey, man. Your kids drinking all the milk. And second of all, you need to stop working 70 a week because you're using it as a fulcrum for every problem you have. Yeah. And so I listen. I grew up a single mom. I get it. Right? Like, I I know where you're coming from. I get what you're saying. I know it's not the the the life that, you know, the other people have the luxury or comfort of of having someone to count on. Right? But that does not automatically equal seventy hours a week. It doesn't have to equal that. And so I would I would take every fiber of your being and try to fight that down as to something reasonable. Your children want want you more, you know, they they might say they want to play PlayStation, but they really want you. You know. Children

are fools. Yeah. Right? They want things all the time. And then they stick their head in in a small crevice that won't come out. And then, like, they they couldn't have saw this five minutes ago when they got their head stuck up in the playground, and then the little brother's out there with butter trying to grease them up and pull them back out. And you think, do why I trust these kids are picking on anything? Exactly. Like, they can't do anything right. Ben, you wanna do one more? Yeah. Let's do one more, and then we'll we'll do one more song from testing, and we'll call our cold as a night. Okay. Oh, boy. This seems to be gossipy wedding talk. Here we go. Dear life from the path, was I spreading gossip by telling my former husband that our granddaughter's wedding was off? We had just returned from their engagement party. It is my understanding that one wants to cancel while the other wants to to go through with it. The wedding is a year away, and this and this has been the talk of the family for the past six months. Apparently, there has been trouble in paradise because she had an affair. As a result, they're now going to counseling. Our granddaughter said that she was going to move back in with her mother for a while. So

I was I was gonna recollect what happened here. You you wrote someone to ask if you were gossiping, and in the process, you basically told everybody the story. The answer was yes. Do you think it's possible that I shared all these explicit details with my families? Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Do you think I was gossiping? Yeah. I do. Yeah. Yeah. You were guilty of that, definitely.

Yep. I would agree with Any dissenting opinions? No. No. I think that's pretty that's straight up clear as to what's going on. Yeah. I mean, maybe by telling her former husband that the wedding was off, I don't think that's gossiping. That's a fact. But then all the things prior to that or I mean after that are yes. Well, and and here's the thing. People always why did you even tell them? You know what I'm saying? Like, just I I I don't get it. Like, I struggle with this on occasion with bringing up things about other people that that, like, it just has no place in that conversation. It was merely to kick off the conversation.

But it was interesting and we could also both agree that said an individual is an idiot. And that's why I brought it up. That's for the sole reason. Because I want to have a connection with the person I was talking to and we can both agree that they this other person made the wrong move. Like like, that is the worst way to start a conversation and is beneficial to no one. Right. And like, that is exactly what's happened here. Oh, by the way, did you hear the news about Sarah? Well, Sarah's having a rough time. Blah blah blah blah blah. You didn't need to say any of that. Right? And we even do that with the with our prayer circle sometimes. It's like, well, you should pray for Sarah. Her husband's teet daughter, she's having a hard time. Okay. Know, you could've just said pray for people in my family, and people would figure it out. You know what I'm saying? So, yes. The truth matters. You're you're a straight up gossip, and you brought it up for for no one's attention but your own. I agree. Gossip. And and in the meantime, if I understood the gossip correctly, she's living with her fiance while having an affair with someone else.

And now they're going to counseling. That was that was the the granddaughter. No. Right. Isn't that the the one getting married, the granddaughter? Yes. They then moved back to her mom, and the grandma,

who was divorced, was telling her ex husband. Right? There's three generations No. You've added something. Okay. I added some. I added a generation. They're like rabbits.

Here's a here's a secular advice. While news is that the wedding may be off, should it be the privilege of the engaged couple to reveal, agreed. I don't think telling your former husband there's trouble in paradise and what is entailed was gossip. Disagree. It is not a secret within the family and her grandfather is a relative regardless of the fact that the two of you are divorced. You know, I'm I'm just straight up confused by whatever's going on here. By the way, it's still a year away. There's a lot of details. I can't keep track of the family members. Frankly, yes, you were gossiping. Yeah. I mean Yeah. Yeah. Stop it. Okay. Alright. That's hey. If you have a a pertinent problem in your life, and

You need someone to be judgmental. I suppose. Yeah. Yeah. Go write us in. Yeah. Send us an email at [email protected]. You can go hit up the website lifeandthepath.org and check out past clips from the show, including past performances by Tessa Johnson and others. And the two fellows we got coming up in the next couple weeks, Jeff Farendale and Wayne Stewart, some clips outside on the site. And the interview with Tim Timmons is out out there. The John Slitter interview is out there. Hey. What what is it? We're trying to get a hold of Timmons because what what's he doing, Mike? He started 10,000.

What so what is that? He's he's basically covering the time. Like, what how many minutes was there in a week? I can't remember what it was. But it was just like whatever the minutes are in a week, minus the amount that you're at church on Sunday, the rest is ten thousand minutes. And so it's what but, basically, what is your what is your life look like following Jesus? Yeah. He he said, what if what if we read this kingdom like it's a twenty four hour, seven day a week kingdom? Instead of trying to stuff it in an hour and a half or whatever on Sunday. I love Tim Timmons. I know. Alright. Alright. We'll see if we can get him come on and talk to him a little bit more about that because I'm interested to see he's he's blogging it, I think, out there. He's doing some composing things. And so check that. It's 10000minutes.tom.com. Yep. Check that out but yeah like I said there's hey and and Arandale Arandale was on the c p w I saw that one he's on the early morning television show on the channel twenty three today

promoing and hey most highs on his new album Is it? Yeah. So he's got his new album out, Moe's Ties on there. I'm excited to talk to Jeff. Jeff get kinda get caught up with him. So so he'll be here next Monday. And then then Wayne, Stewart is, author of When Totem's Fall, his, first fiction work. You can get that on Amazon, coming right up, the following week. And then just a week after that, we'll be back on the farm. That sounds good. Lots of stuff going on. Alright. So we've been talking with Tessa Johnson. And remember, can find her, I am Tessa JJ on Twitter and Instagram and Tessa Johnson Music. Right? Mhmm. On Facebook. Good. And hey, go out and like that stuff so that you can hear when her tunes are coming. We're not gonna be available on iTunes. And and like everything else, Spotify and stuff or just just iTunes? Yeah. It'll be on Spotify too. I haven't decided what other platforms yet yet, but we'll see. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. What to think on it? Snapchat. Test it, and ask about Yeah. Amazon. That's the best place to goes on. Alright. So let's, let's let's, send the show out on a, on a musically interesting note. Tell me a little bit about the song Broke My Heart Again.

So I wrote that song when, a really awesome person broke my heart, I thought, you know, there aren't really any songs like that about people who

still have a lot of respect for the person who broke their heart. So that's where that came from. Hey, man. You're right. You're right. There are. There's, like, a lot of how much that guy stinks or how much I'm moving on or whatever. Right. Right. Which I could be elements to the tune, I suppose. But, like Yeah. But otherwise, like, recognizing, hey. That's just not didn't work out. Right. Right. Okay. That's what it's about. Alright. Sweet. Well, you've been listening to Live From The We're gonna send you out with Tessa to Johnson. Make sure you hook hook hook up with that on social media so can find out what she's doing. Is broke my heart again. You've been listening to Live From The Path. Tessa, take it away. Would

you change your mind? If night turned to day, would that make you stay?

If the clocks turn back to where we begin, If the stars align, would you change your mind?

If I turn today, will that make you stay? If the clocks turn back to where we begin. If the clocks turn back to where we begin.