HOT Blog

07/21/07 – Wild Adventures in Valdosta w/ Third day – It’s going to be hard to describe exactly what this evening meant to each of us. In many ways it was a dream come true… we finally hit the “Big Time”! As long as the four of us can remember we have dreamed of performing in front of thousands of fans… the roar of the crowd drowning out the music. We pulled outta Hapeville, GA on Friday not knowing what to expect, or how we would be received… since virtually no one knows who we are. But, God had gotten us this far and we trusted in Him to get us through.Friday turned out to be a very productive day. However, it took us 12 hours to make a 4 hour trip. The band’s manager, Monte, president of Damascus Road Entertainment, joined us on this trip. And, I had the pleasure of riding with him for the majority of the trip. It was great to finally get to spend some time with the man that is pouring out his blood, sweat, and tears to help further the ministry of House of Thomas. Time flew as Monte and I shared what God has done in each of our lives. A friendship was formed that I hope continues for years to come.

After we ate, Robbie did a phone in interview with Q 101, a Top 40 secular radio station in Albany, GA. We also had an opportunity to stop by WTIF 107.5 in Tifton, GA. The hottest DJ in the entire South East, Nugget, was gracious enough to have us in the studio for close to three hours. He spun three of our tunes off the Without A Doubt cd; Most Holy, More Than Just Alive, and The Way We Do. That was another dream come true… hearing our music on the radio is always cool. We took calls from several listeners and played weather man during the evening drive-time. We met the sweetest soul, Lisa, while at the station. She quickly won our hearts. It’s safe to say she has become one of our biggest fans. We Love ya, Lis! After we left the station… yep… you guessed it! It was time to eat again. Nugget and his better half, Amanda, joined us for dinner at Long Horn Steak House. Dinner would have probably been much better if we were actually awake. After over an hour wait… we all were pretty much toast. It had been a very long day. This Rock Star life is tough work. After we ate… we headed a little further South in search of sleep..

Show day! We all gathered in the hotel cafeteria for breakfast Saturday morning. We had plenty of time to kill before heading to the park. But, you could tell everyone was anxious to get going. It was finally starting to sink in that we would be performing in front of thousands of people and opening for the biggest name in contemporary Christian music that evening. We made ourselves eat a waffle or two, then loaded up and headed to the park. As we pulled into the backstage area… the excitement was beginning to build. It’s so cool to be able to go all those places security normally keeps us out of! We did have quite a bit of free time to explore the park. We were unable to set up our gear and sound check until 3pm. But, walking into the amphitheatre and seeing the Third day set being erected was pretty incredible. I love the production side of a concert. I could sit for hours and stare at gear, lighting, sound systems, staging, and all that mess. So, I was in hog heaven! And, to think H.o.T. would be ministering on that very stage was pretty exciting.

With several hours on our hands we decided to tackle the park and brave a few roller coaters. We needed to let the kids blow off some built-up energy… they were off and running! Robbie, Ronnie, and Jeff all had their families with them. So, they all ventured out to spend some quality time together. My family wouldn’t arrive until later that evening. I grabbed Monte, our manager, and we headed over to check out some local talent. WTIF in Tifton, GA was sponsoring an Indie talent concert during the day. Plus, it was so hot and sticky… I just wanted to sit. The slightest movement had me sweating. Oh, Have I mentioned the South Georgia nats?! Nasty! But, that’s a whole other story. Monte and I heard some great new music from artist in the local area. One group in particular, Latter Rain, really made an impression on us. Aside from great music, it was evident that worshipping God and sharing His amazing love with others was their greatest desire. They really were not interested in becoming the next big band… they simply wanted to use the talent God gave each of them to change the lives of people for the Kingdom of God. Once we had the opportunity to meet the guys it was even more apparent just how eager they are to serve God. They are the kind of young men God can use to change a dying world!

It was getting close to 3pm. We all met back at the amphitheater for one last on-air interview with WTIF. Nugget and crew set up a remote broadcasting booth and gave us another opportunity to show radio land just how goofy we actually are. After the interview we got our chance… THE STAGE WAS OURS! We began setting up our gear and ran through a quick sound check. I have to say it was way cool to be standing on the same stage that the rock stars that are, Third day, would be performing on. We finished up and headed backstage to freshen up, change clothes, and just relax for a few minutes. Once we all were dressed we gathered together for prayer. This is always a special time for us. Four guys that love God, each other, and have a passion for music that has been burning since we were kids… we put our arms around each other and praised our God for giving us such an incredible opportunity. It was an emotional experience… the Holy Spirit joined us in that tiny room. Jeff and I are softies anyway. It doesn’t take much to make us tear up. Again, we were about to be smack-dab in the middle of a dream come true. Here we go…

Show time! It was 6:30pm and time to hit the stage. I’m sure it’s safe to say that along with the excitement, each of us felt a little nervousness. I remember praying, “Please Lord… let these people like us.” Nugget walked out to introduce the band and the intro cd started playin’. And, it was almost as if God was going to test us from the get go! Something was wrong with the cd… all we heard was a thunderous wall of static. We couldn’t hear anything. Robbie walked over to me and said, “Count it off… let’s go!” I gave the four count and we were off and running. We slammed into So Long and it sounded gooood! The static faded and the subs started pounding. I was loving life! Ronnie and Jeff were working the crowd like nobodies business. Those two covered every inch of that stage. And, Robbie… well… he is a rock god! I don’t even remember looking up… I kept saying to myself, “This is so cool, this is so cool. Thank you Jesus!” And, all the worrying about the crowd not responding… shoot… those guys jumped right in with us and never let up. They picked up on the lyrics quickly. You could see and hear them singing right along… what an incredible feeling! We got’em singing along on A Song Just For You and dancin’ in the aisle by the end of More Than Just Alive. We flew through our thirty minute set in what seemed like two minutes. We had a blast rocking out and leading close to 8,000 fellow brothers and sisters in worship to God. Each of us left the stage with the biggest grin across our face… we done good. We were not boastful in anyway. But, we were proud of ourselves… we worked hard and it paid off. I say, ‘If anything is worth doing… it’s worth doing well!” God wants our very best. I believe He wants us to be confident in everything we do for Him.

We headed directly to our merchandise table to hopefully meet a few new friends. As we walked through the crowd, we were flagged down by a young girl in a wheelchair. Although she was physically challenged, in the best way she could, she let us know how much she enjoyed our music. I don’t remember her name… but, I do recall she had the biggest smile on her face. And, she could have lit up the sky with the sparkle in her big beautiful eyes. It’s amazes me how God can take normal everyday people and do great things through them. We’re nothing special… just four regular guys. But, we have a willingness to be used by God and a desire to use the gifts He has given to praise Him in return. It’s very humbling to be used by God to touch someone’s life. I don’t feel that I’m worthy of such a blessing. But, me and the other guys are very grateful to God for what He has done through the ministry of House of Thomas. It leaves me speechless.

We made our way over to the merch table and were surprised to find an ever growing line of folks waiting in front of our table. We signed cds and shirts and took pictures for nearly an hour and a half. It was amazing to hear people open up to us about how a particular song touched them, or reminded them of a special moment in their life. There were several women who shared their own testimony about the loss of an unborn or birthed child. There was a youth group that rededicated there lives to Christ and made a decision to get off the side lines and be More Than Just Alive. We had a couple share their story of divorce and how they decided to give their marriage another try after experiencing the service that evening. Hallelujah! God is good!! I’m tearing up just writing about it… told you I was a softy! We met so many wonderful people.

As much as we love performing… meeting new people and making new friends has become our greatest joy. We were created for fellowship. God’s two greatest commandments were love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and body. And, love others as you love yourself. I speak for myself, Robbie, Ronnie, and Jeff when I say… our desire as a ministry is to serve others. God gave some people the gift of preaching, teaching, or speaking. Our pastor says God gave him the gift of hanging out. Some people are great leaders. God gave the four of us a passion for music. We use it as a tool to spread the love of Christ. God gave each of you a special gift. We are all ministers. And, God commands us to use those gifts to shine His light on a dark world.

House of Thomas is not a band. We’re a family ministry that is committed to taking the love of Christ where ever God leads us. H.o.T is so much more than just the four guys you see on stage performing. We are a group of dedicated Christians loving God and loving others. There is no way we could minister effectively without the love and support of the unselfish, giving people we have standing behind us… The Lee family, The Brooks family, The Merkison family, The Love family, Our pastor – Alan Parker, New Vision church, DRE – Monte Silva, Consumed Artist Agency, Aaron Moon, Wild Adventures, Third day… thank each one of you for making our wildest dreams come true. We love you from the bottom of our hearts.

And, to all the new House of Thomas fans we met in Valdosta… You’re the best. Each of you were such a blessing. Please continue to pray for our ministry. You’re part of the family now… so, you gotta help us make a difference. Keep in touch… we’ll see you soon!

Dream, love, and live!

Devin

Our set was performed as listed below:

So Long

Beautiful Day

A Song Just For You

Tiny Hearts

You Got Me

More Than Just Alive

5/30/07 – Wow! What an incredible night of worship. Jason Hall and Mt. Vernon Baptist Church hosted their “5th Wed. Night Youth Concert” and went all out! The evening was packed with incredible muisc from several emerging Christian artists. A highlight of the night was a rockin’ performance from Soul Sister Sally. This new band is held together by the slammin’ beats of Andy Williams… drummer for Casting Crowns. Vocals were some of the best I’ve heard. And, the guitar work was incredible. But, not quite as incredible as Robbie Lee! Keep your ears and eyes open for SSS! Andy, also led the youth in bible study. Which, resulted in 3 youth giving their life to Christ. Now, that’s what it is all about!

The absolute best part… Dairy Queen sponsored the event and provided everyone with dinner. Thanks, DQ!

House of Thomas was blessed and humbled to be given the headlining spot. We took the stage to a wall of screaming youth… The kids never showed signs of tiring. We had a blast! The staff and kids at Mt. Vernon were awesome. Everyone was so gracious and genuinely fun to be around. We definitely hope to be asked back!!! Thanks Jason. Our set as performed is lisetd below.

In Everything, Shine! – Robbie, Ronnie, Jeff, Devin

So Long
Beautiful Day (U2)
The Way We Do
A Song Just for You
Set Me Free
Tiny Hearts
Dare You to Move (Switchfoot)
You Got Me
More Than Just Alive