Mark & Megan discuss the message of Casting Crowns' song "Just Another Birthday" and offer advice for teen & young adult women and parents. "Just Another Birthday" is on the album Come To The Well, available in stores and on iTunes http://bit.ly/crownswell







Comments
Your songs are so instructive and meaningful. Thanks for your inspirational ministry. I see that 6th grade look that Mark referenced pretty often, but this song has opened an opportunity for dialogue between my 12 year old daughter and me. Keep up the great work in His service!
Wow!! When I first heard your song “Just Another Birthday”, I was mesmerized with the melody and the beauty of the song. It wasn’t until I really listened to the lyrics when I felt the song shook me to the core. Hidden emotions that were buried for a very long time resurfaced & flooded my face with tears. I felt the song was written about me. I know it wasn’t really about me because there are countless of girls who are & were in my position. You see, I grew up without a father (& a father-figure) in my life. I left my dysfunctional home when I was sixteen, got pregnant when I was 19, & celebrated a birthday (& liberation) when I was 21 with my then 2 year old daughter. God knew what I needed being a young, single mother. I was broken and needed help and he brought people into my life to help me, guide me, and encourage me to be the mother that I am today. It wasn’t until 7 years ago when I meet Jesus and feel to my knees when I fully realized what God did in my life then. I am 35 years old now and happily married with 3 wonderful children. My eldest daughter, who walked with me through the hardship of being a single mom, will be 16 years old in April, and she loves Jesus and lives for him daily. My husband (he adopted my daughter when she was 6) is one of the greatest gifts God gave me. He was one that God sent into my life to show me what love really is. He is an incredible husband and an amazing father who values and treasures our children dearly. Though the song brought back hurt and pain that I never wanted to relive again, it certainly opened up a heart full of gratitude for what He did for me 16 years ago and motivated me more than ever to help those who are young & pregnant. Thank you for your ministry and your gift of music. It inspires and moves me to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Blessings,
Vanessa
(Jeremiah 29:11)
Being in Grand Rapids MI on Feb 16th 2012 and hearing this live really brings it home. My dad was present physically but emotionally very absent which caused me to think I needed to find the love of a man elsewhere. At 19 I found myself expecting and scared so I made a decision to terminate. Feeling more empty and more alone than ever I found myself falling for the same man and was pregnant at 21. Having my daughter at 22, I realized I didn't want her to feel like I did for so long so 2 weeks after she was born I excepted Christ and WOW my life has never been the same since. It hasn't been an easy road but know but I have found the one who is the Father to the fatherless. As she now turns 14, she is a constant reminder of the precious gift and child of God that she is and how faithful God has been and continues to be. I hope for her the chains are broken. She has an amazing step-father. When she was only 6 months old God gave a gift of a spiritual leader. This man has shown us what "GRACE" really looks like and humbly gives all the credit to Jesus. It is music and stories like this that remind me God is working all the time to gather his precious cargo and bring it back to him.
Thank you for letting God use your voices to sing and tell the stories of so many. I am truely blessed to have music like this and concerts like the "Come to the Well" tour that remind me day in and day out that birthdays are just another gift I need to treasure.
Walking with Jesus & Praising him in the Storms
Nicole Fleming
that was good.. I love that song.. you guys are such a blessing! and I pray for all of you everydsy! your such a blessing to others..and to me.. you keep up the good work,and when my mom is talking to me.. I get anoyed..but she is giveing out great advice!! May god bless you guys trought out the whole enitre year!! I love you guys.. love emilee=)
My daughter was six when her momma and I met and got married. Even though there is none of my DNA in here, she is mine!!!She is so much like me that people do not believe she is not my biological child. I have never considered her as anything but my own. We went through all of the eye rolls and other teenage dramas but somehow we made it. She has been married since 1994 and I have a 14 year old granddaughter who is in the midst of puberty so the eye rolls and drama are her forte now. I thank God that I have a fantastic son in law who loves his family and takes time for them. All three of them are active in their church and love God. My wife went to be with the lord in 2008 but i know she is looking down and smiling at my girls. I love them more than life itself and am proud of my family!!
I feel so blessed to have had the chance to hear this song in the car today. Ive been struggling because in a few days I am turning 22... all the men in my life since childhood have disappointed me... from my father being emotionally absent, from my brother doing harm towards me. When I was 19 I found myself at a crisis pregnancy center talking to a woman about my religion and about my plans... that day I surrendered myself to God. Everyday has been a struggle, being a single mom is so rewarding but, it is hard. Im beyond blessed to have him. But every birthday I pretend its just another day.... accept this one... it will be different, God has blessed me with a wonderful little man, someone I can call my own. thank you casing crowns, I owe you!!!
This song brought me to tears. When I first heard it was my 19th birthday which was 3 days ago. I have grown up with out a father. I was 16 when I had my beautiful daughter Kylynn. I found myself searching for love from guys I barrely knew. A year after my daughter was born I stoped looking for that love in guys and found it in God. My daughter and I are growing up together and I thank God every day for her. God has shown me what love is and what a true father is. Thank you for the amazing song
Love Always
Morganna & Kylynn
This song brought me to tears. When I first heard it was my 19th birthday which was 3 days ago. I have grown up with out a father. I was 16 when I had my beautiful daughter Kylynn. I found myself searching for love from guys I barrely knew. A year after my daughter was born I stoped looking for that love in guys and found it in God. My daughter and I are growing up together and I thank God every day for her. God has shown me what love is and what a true father is. Thank you for the amazing song
Love Always
Morganna & Kylynn
i cried the first time iI heard this song. it was my 19th birthday which was just a few days ago and it was just my daughter Kylynn and i. i grew up without a father. i had my daughter when i was 16 and i always looked for love in all the wrong places. but through me having my,daughter i found God and his love and forgiveness. God is the father to the fatherless. Thank you for this amazing song
God Bless
Morganna & Kylynn
Greetings from the Philippines. So great to finally make it on your website. I am truly inspired by your band. Keep it up!
Hey I enjoyed the Concert Last Night=D It Was the best one Ever!! It was SO Nice Meeting you all.. But I really liked the song Just Another Birthday I am so thankful that I have a dad in my life. Mark You are such an amazing guy being a youth pastor and touring at the same time is awesome. Last night I noticed that You really like being a youth pastor and also performing for us=D Thank You Again for coming to Fort Wayne Indiana!!
you both are so inspiring. this song brings be to tears. I thank you all for the songs you write, they help me out so much. I only see my dad every once and a while. He was absent while I was growing up. My parents got a divorce when i was little. I'm 13 now and am still struggling with this but the songs that you all write make me feel so much better and help me turn to the Lord. thanks so much!
Wanted to share with ALL of you the presence of JOY and God's Love towards me...I dropped off some paperwork to finish our application process for a Habitat for Humanity home. Went to On The Border for a Chile Relleno, I think one of the best in Missouri. I was brought up in Phoenix, Az., so the southwest mexican food rocks and will always taste the best to me!
I thought of taking one of my kids to lunch with me and I heard "NO" go by yourself, you need quiet peace. It has been caotic and very stressful in my thoughts of my housing situation and finances. Rachael's bleed on her brain last year, which just allowed things to snowball. When walking in to the restaurant I felt the comforting peace of Jesus holding me by my right hand. I even shared with my waiter that tomorrow the 22nd is my birthday and I am celebrating early and my birthday guest was my best friend Jesus and the memories of my beloved parents that are now in heaven celebrating!
The waiter was having a very stressful start to his day and upon greeting me, he accidentally spelt salsa on my sweater, I was already enjoying my time there with Jesus, so I replied graciously "No Problem, it's OK." He took very good care of me while I was there and I even received a birthday dessert of my choice on the house!
Mark Hall, I want to let you know that God is using you and he connected with me through this song. My daughter is 11 years old and I would really love for you to meet her. I will be attending the "CASTING CROWNS" concert on March 22 at the Indepedence Events Center. I spoke to Sue at K-Love today and gave her my personal information. God bless your day and you. Lora
YOur song "Wedding Day" is the most awesome picture of what Jesus does for us. I love it. I listen to it like 5 times a day or more. It paints the picture that most of us live and cannot see very clearly. I love the chorus especially. This song will go far to help people, mostly women I think to see that Jesue sees us in a different light than we see ourselves. Thank You for your beautiful words.
Hi guys! Just as many of your other songs this one really touches people's hearts. I took my 14 year old to the concert in Charlotte,NC on the 10th. All she could do was lay her head on my shoulder and cry her eyes out. I know my 18 year old would have the same reaction as well if she would listen to it. Their father and I divorced when they were 10 and 6 and their little brother was about 3. He never was really involved in their lives even when we were married, our marriage was horrible and abusive I kept trying to make it work for them but decided for them and for me it would be best to not raise them in an unhealthy environment like that. But even now his lack of attention, time, and affection has had a negative influence. A fathers role in the lives of his children is a very important one and my heart breaks for my older three, their stepdad is there for them and loves them...but some how it's just not the same. I pray they realize that their heavenly father loves them more than they could ever imagine and that can make up for their earthly father's absence.
Hey Mark, not sure if you ever have time to read these posts but i have been reading the blogs and watching your interviews for about two hours now (stalker much) and i find it so amazing that you remain so cool and normal and approachable no matter how many interviews you do and no matter how many dove awards the crowns win. thank you for being such an inspiration for me and thank you for being an awesome role model for myself, and my future children. and also, thank you for the Air Force One M&M's haha.
No matter how dark the night may get,
just remember that the Son will always rise.
-Cole
Mark: I apperceive you are a adolescence minister, but your songs, belief are just as accordant to us "54" year olds. You are my admired band. You allege for God to us all. Thank you so much.
http://mensagensparaorkut.org/
I have been blessed to volunteer at several concerts this year and have been a volunteer at Ichthus in Wilmore Kentucky for the past 5. I would like to volunteer in Chattanooga on April 6th, but I dont know who to contact. Is there someone who could hook me up?
I saw Casting Crowns in concert @ GIANT Center in Hershey PA....
AWESOME!!! I really enjoyed the song "Just another Birthday" Megan, you have a beautiful voice. Will come to see you again when you come to PA.
I had an amazing father! I unfortunately didn't make such a great choice for my daughters father! He is in her life he just chooses not to be active in it. He does a good job making everyone think he's a part of her life but I see her everyday and I know how she feels about him. She just turned 16 and he made last minute gestures but she knows it's the day to day gestures that matter, not flowers and gift wrapped excuses!
I am the 19 year old girl in the video, making that decision without my daughters father! But with the total support of my father! And I'm also the 21 year old who found God through the birth of my gorgeous Amazing daughter!
I drug her to your concert last October because I really want her to be touched by God somehow! When you started this song tears filled my eyes and I looked at her and she was tearing up too! Every once in a while I hear her playing this song and I hope shes having her moment with God!
After the concert she posted a picture to Facebook and a few weeks later she came to me very excited because Casting Crowns commented on her picture! She felt like you weren't just a big band who doesn't appreciate their fans!
Thank you for this song and for touching my daughter! I can only pray something touches her father in time to save his relationship with her and before he messes up his relationship with our son who is 5! That is my daughters wish is that he doesn't hurt her brother the way he's hurt her!
I like how you wrote this song, I think it could help a lot of familys. You guy are amazing.
Hello! Your songs inspire me every time I listen to them. I cry every time I listen to this song because Father to the Fatherless reminds me of my life, knowing that I never really had my father around. Thank you for being such an incouragement and an inspiring group of people, praising God every day and loving him all the time.
Samantha Banks,
12, Jefferson City,MO
Hello! Your songs inspire me every time I listen to them. I cry every time I listen to this song because Father to the Fatherless reminds me of my life, knowing that I never really had my father around. Thank you for being such an incouragement and an inspiring group of people, praising God every day and loving him all the time.
Samantha Banks,
12, Jefferson City,MO
Sorry, but to which bible verse is he referring?
Hi guys i love your songs they really speak to me. i love god with all my heart some of your songs match me perfectly. im glad god brought you to my ears and my life may god bless you all.
:D
James Caldwell (18) From Scotland
I was touched by the Lord with the lyrics of this great band. I definitely love Who am I which was the first song i heard from the band and since then the song became one of my favorite song. Lyrics, melody ,amazing!!! It will lead you to a quick realization and to the hands of God. Keep up the great work of spreading faith and hope.
faddylinvb0811
The blog is really appreciable and i like to keep on visiting this site once again that it would help me in further thanks for sharing the info.
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