By Josh Weidmann on Thursday, October 26, 2006 10:40 PM

hi josh,

you mentioned a group called "sinful plan" and i was hoping to hear the song you were speaking of.  napster.com doesn't have them listed.  can you provide any help in directing me to a source to hear the song?

thanks,

Mother of a 14 yr. old son & a 12 yr. old daughter   _________________________________________

Dear Mom of a 14 and 12 year old,

Thank you for your email and for the curiosity to find the song I mentioned on the Focus on the Family broadcast.

 The group I was referring to is called “SIMPLE PLAN.” They are a secular band with some explicit content, so consider yourself warned. J

The song they have this is profound and heart breaking is called “Perfect.” It is accessible through iTunes along with the music video for the song. The video is extremely well done and speaks volumes along with devastating lyrics.

Here they are:

SIMPLE PLAN LYRICS

"Perfect"

Hey dad look at me
Think back and talk to me
Did I grow up according to plan?
And do you think I'm wasting my time doing things I wanna do?
But it hurts when you disapprove all along

And now I try hard to make it
I just want to make you proud
I'm never gonna be good enough for you
I can't pretend that
I'm alright
And you can't change me

'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect

I try not to think
About the pain I feel inside
Did you know you used to be my hero?
All the days you spent with me
Now seem so far away
And it feels like you don't care anymore

And now I try hard to make it
I just want to make you proud
I'm never gonna be good enough for you
I can't stand another fight
And nothing's alright

'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect

Nothing's gonna change the things that you said
Nothing's gonna make this right again
Please don't turn your back
I can't believe it's hard
Just to talk to you
But you don't understand

'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect

'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect

I hope this helps you. It is clips like this that use a negative tone to create positive change.

I pray that you will continue to be able to direct your two children to the Heavenly Father. Keep your knees down and your eyes up… hopefully they’ll follow your lead.

Here to help,

 Josh

 

By Josh Weidmann on Thursday, October 26, 2006 7:32 AM

 

Dear Friends,

 

I have some exciting news to share with you! Today and tomorrow I have the privilege of being on Focus on the Family's daily radio broadcast, sharing the message of "Dad, If You Only Knew." to people all over the nation. My prayer is that parents will be encouraged through this broadcast to turn their hearts toward their children in order that their kids may come to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

 

Please join me in prayer for this broadcast . Also, I would be honored if you would take time to tune in and listen. Find out when the broadcast airs in your area by visiting http://www.family.org/fmedia/radiolog/index.cfm. Thank you for your prayers and support.

 

For God's Greater Glory,

  Josh

 

Ps. Here's a picture of me in the studio with Dr. Bill and Dr. Julianna on the day we recorded the broadcast.

By Josh Weidmann on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 3:58 AM

Dear Doug,

Thanks for asking me to share with you how God led me to where I am now. I will try to make it brief…

My walk with God is best explained by short memory of an experience I had with my dad. One night, while we were at home, the electricity went out due to a furious storm outside. The room we were in was pitch black and all we could hear was the wind and the beating of rain on the windows and rooftop. Being only seven years old, I was petrified. I must have screamed or maybe I began to cry, because my dad called out to me, “Come here Josh; I’m right here. It’s gonna be okay.” Simply following the sound of his voice, I crawled across the floor and into his big arms. He held me tight, and even though I couldn’t see him I knew it was him by his touch. I knew I was safe there in his arms. The room was totally black, making it unfamiliar to me, but my dad knew exactly where we were with every step. He carried me as he walked through the dark hallways, slowly lighting candles here and there to shed light on to whatever it was that we needed to see. Eventually, I grew comfortable with the dark because I was comfortable with the one that was there with me. In the small, warm light of the candles, my dad set me down to walk on my own, but he never left my side. My small hand was engulfed in his grip high above my head. He led me and I followed. Nothing else made sense than to stay by his side.

This is a picture of my life with the Heavenly Father.

He called me. There was nothing I could do but to answer by going near to Him. Going in any other direction or even staying still seemed foolish and downright frightening.

He held me. When I longed for purpose, love, acceptance, and a kind touch…He gave it to me by holding my entire being in His grip. I may not know Him by His looks, but I know Him by His touch on my life.

I can never see what is next, but He always takes the next step with me.

He has a way of shedding just enough light in my life on my situations through prayer in and His Word to give me peace to take the next step.

Now that I’m in ministry, I have to walk on my own…but never alone. I still live every day terrified of the darkness and the storms that surround me, but I walk in confidence with Christ, knowing that He’s leading the way.

I don’t say all this to sound profound or poetic. I just explain it this way Doug, because my calling to follow Christ has been an experience that cannot be recorded or accredited to steps or processes. God simply called and daily calls, and nothing makes sense but to stay by His side…no matter what may lie in the darkness of the unknown.

I hope this is encouraging to you. Praise God for calling us, right!? Amen.

Praying for you bro.

 - Josh

 

By Josh Weidmann on Monday, October 23, 2006 12:32 PM

Perhaps you have heard these before, but this week was my first time to see this list in full. A friend sent it to me in hopes that it would help me understand marriage a little bit better :) ...

Q: HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHOM TO MARRY?
A: You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you
like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep
the chips and dip coming.
-- Alan, age 10

A: No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to
marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who
you're stuck with.
-- Kristen, age 10

Q: WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
A: Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by
then.
-- Camille, age 10

Q: HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
A: You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling
at the same kids.
-- Derrick, age 8

Q:  WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
A: Both don't want any more kids.
-- Lori, age 8

Q: WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
A: Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know
each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette, age 8 (isn't she a treasure?)

A: On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually
gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin, age 10

Q: WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?
A: I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the
newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
-- Craig, age 9

Q: WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
A: When they're rich.
-- Pam, age 7

A: The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess
with that. 
- - Curt, age 7

A: The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry
them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
-- Howard, age 8

Q: IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
A: It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need
someone to clean up after them.
-- Anita, age 9

Q: HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
A: There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
-- Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favorite is........
Q: HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
A: Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a
truck.
-- Ricky, age 10

Thanks for the email Jessie (and Terri).

By Josh Weidmann on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 3:20 PM

She was blonde, perhaps no taller than three and a half feet. She eagerly raised her hand when I asked for volunteers from the audience, so I chose her and asked her to come forward.

I was speaking at the Harvest Christian Academy this morning to kids in kindergarten all the way through the 8^th grade. Not exactly an easy span of ages to communicate to.

This girl must have been in first or second grade. She smiled from ear to ear, proud to be chosen to stand in front of the audience full of her peers. Upon getting to the front I had her remove her shoes. Then I took a box of tacks and poured them all over the stage. She gasped as she looked down on them, knowing that I may ask her to do something that could really hurt.

Her face expressed what her mind was thinking: Wait…I thought this was going be fun… why did I volunteer for this…

Standing on the other side of the tack-filled floor, I asked her to walk to me. She glanced up at me with a perplexed look that stated, are you kidding!?! I stopped her…and blind folded her… and then said, “Okay, now you can’t see the tacks… so walk to me.” She froze.

I then walked around the tacks and put my hands on her shoulders and said, “I’ll help you get the other side, follow my instructions…take two steps to the right…one step over your shoes…one step to the left…phew… you made it!”

My point was that we must live by faith and not by sight. There may be some real tacky situations we get ourselves into, but with God’s leading we can make it through. It requires trust. It requires dependence. It requires tender feet and a tender soul.

I think at times in my faith I have often hesitated: Wait…I thought this was going be fun… why did I volunteer for this…

Right when I’m about to quit, God comes close.

My point may not have been completely clear to the energetic, bustling room. But if anything, I got it… and the girl may have as well. We must live by faith to feel the weight of the hand of our Savior on our shoulders.

Be comforted, weary soul. He is near.