Brat Fest 2023 Recap

I’m still tryna wrap my head around yesterday. Words can’t even articulate a fraction of what transpired yesterday. I’ve played Brat Fest in years past, but something about yesterday was just different.

My family came up from IL. My Mom even brought a lyric board she made at home! My brother brought his kids (1 & 3 yo) so that was their first time ever seeing Uncle Josh perform.

Being together with all my brothers-in-Christ from all over the country (Texas, Michigan, Indiana, Mississippi) and being able to minister together was apostolic in nature. Praise and glory to God

What people see on stage is one thing. What goes on behind the scenes the whole day is another. I’ve been told by numerous people (including a good friend who’s been watching me perform over a decade and my brother Nicky who’s been touring together with me the last 2 years), that that was the best performance they’ve ever seen from me. I’ve had people tell me they felt The Holy Spirit moving. Y’all, I’ve been performing for 2 decades. For me to be having my “best show” even after 20 years is mind-boggling to me. But…it’s all God and His Spirit. Y’all, I had a mini-CHOIR throe down with me!??

But again, what is seen on stage is one thing. What happens behind the scenes is another. The fellowship with the brothers is on another level. I was blessed enough to be able to host my brothers this weekend in my modest home and it blessed me highly being around and with them, breaking bread together. We were blessed enough to have many run-ins (like we usually do) with people seeking and needing prayer. People in tears, broken, sick, people in grief. We got to lay hands on them and pray for them and continue letting The Spirit sow seeds where need be. We crossed paths with and got to pray over bands who were multi-platinum artists but had to stop and encourage us to keep doing what we’re doing because “God is real”. A woman who drove by Denny’s cuz she saw our bus so she wanted to stop by and encourage us. Nicky asked her if there was anything we could pray for and she almost broke down in tears, so we all unbuckled our seat belts to get out the bus and circle around this woman to pray (minutes after rushing out of Denny’s because Nicky had to get back on the road to Indiana, a 5-hour drive, which now became irrelevant in the face of this troubled woman needing prayer.)

I always feel like Jesus’ disciples walking with Him when we’re together and then when we have to part ways, I feel a sadness like the disciples who all dispersed after Jesus’ ascension to individually be “On Go” (Go making disciples of all nations). The only regret all of us brothers shared was that we wish we would have come to Jesus sooner in life (although we know His sovereign will and timing is perfect.)

At the end of the night, I had a guest in town, who was helping us all day and around for most everything, in tears. In tears because she got to witness the comrades, brotherhood, and fellowshipping that took place firsthand, and it inspired her. A bunch of tatted-up ex-felons, dope fiends and drug dealers, sex and porn addicts, who’ve been delivered and now loving and living for Jesus, The One Who snatched us from the pits. Constantly hugging each other…telling each other how much they love one another, continually throughout the day.

Like brother Bryann T says. It’s more than just music. It’s WAY more than just music. These brothers are On Go continually. And I love it. I love them. I love doing life and ministry with these brothers The Lord has blessed me with. Words can’t even begin to articulate how blessed yesterday was. Yeah, my performance may have been on another level according to lots…but the whole weekend was on another level. And I can’t wait to bring this ministry tour to a city near you next.

Anyways, I don’t want to turn this post into a promotional post other than promoting Jesus and what He did this weekend right now. But we look forward to seeing, meeting, and praying with you all as we get ready to embark on this tour.

Thank You, Jesus, and everyone else for blessing us on this mission. I love and appreciate you all Continue to be blessed in Jesus’ name.

-Rip

My favorite worship songs right now

Love Requires Sacrifice

I saw something beautiful at the gym today that almost made me want to cry. This is my 3rd time seeing it, so I know it happens on a more consistent basis: I saw 2 brothers (or cousins, I’m assuming they’re family), one was blind and the other one was helping guide him; guide his walking, guiding him where to grab the weights. He even walked him over to the urinal so the blind brother could use the bathroom in the locker room (this all is very reminiscent of when my uncle took my Dad in after his stroke.) But it was just the purest form of Love and I had such an awe and respect for these brothers. Why is Love so powerful and beautiful??

Because: LOVE REQUIRES SACRIFICE.

No matter how you chop it. Love requires sacrifice. Whether it’s your children, your spouse, your family members. Whoever it may be. It requires your sacrifice to love them. A sacrifice of your time, your money, your sleep, your wants, your desires. You can’t love without sacrificing something of your own.

This is why Jesus, as God incarnate, sacrificed Himself. No one forced Him. He laid down His life willingly, as He made clear speaking about His life: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again” (John 10:18). Glory to God.

And this is ALSO why, if we are to love not only God but our neighbors too, we must die to ourselves and lay our own lives down. See, our lives aren’t about ourselves. This is why everyone who rejects Jesus doesn’t want to accept Him. Because they know what is required: Sacrifice of self. They want their pride, they want their greed, they want their lusts, and sexual immorality. This is also why we don’t need to “love ourselves before we could love others”. That’s the biggest lie ever told by the world. In fact, if we love ourselves, we CAN’T love others.

I say all this because by nature our flesh is very selfish, mine included. But I’m inspired every day by acts or TRUE LOVE and it only motivates me to want to get to that place as well. Lord, help me to continue to die to myself. I can only do it by Your strength.

Let’s start loving others, doing what’s best for them without regard for ourselves

God bless; hope this message blesses u today.