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10 Questions with ... Mikey Howard
September 2, 2013
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Members:
- Mikey Howard Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
- Eric VanZant Lead Guitar, BGVs
- Austin Miller Drums
- Cliff Williams Bass, BGVs
Discography:
- Just Say Jesus 2013 BEC
- Alive In You 2011 BEC
- 7eventh Time Down EP 2010 independent
- World Changer 2006 independent
1. Brief history....birthplace, childhood, schools, jobs, current hometown
Eric, Austin, and myself grew up in Mount Vernon, KY. Cliff started off life down in Florida and made the move up to KY in middle school where he and I met playing football together. We started our first band when Austin was just 11 years old!
2. What does a normal/routine day at home look like for you, when you're not on the road? Morning to Night.
I wake up around 8 spend about 30 mins with Jesus. Then I read about 10 pages of a good book. Then I do a short jog through my town. When I get back I usually take a look at our garden with my wifey and little girl. After that my day could be filled with anything from song writing to studio work to emails with our manager to all day swim time with the fam!! My nights are usually spent walking through our neighborhood with my wife and daughter. She loves riding her bike!
3. What's the song that you just can't get out of your head right now? Why do you like it so much?
My friend David Glenn has a song out right now called Relentless. And it's a great reminder of how God's love for me is never ending in spite of all my sin. Love this song right now!
4. How do you juggle life on the road with wanting to be home? How much do you travel, what are the challenges?
That's a tricky one being on the road is how I do ministry so I know I need to be there. But my priority is always my family so I always want to be home! Ha. It's always tough not getting to go on our walks at night or pray together before bed stuff like that. Right now I guess we are doing between 80-100 shows per year plus the travel days. So I guess just try to imagine being away from your own family that much and what that would look like for you. That will probably give you a better idea than I ever could trying to explain it.
5. What's the biggest "God moment" that you've ever experienced, personal or professional?
That's a big question. I guess when I finally gave my life to Jesus. I grew up in church and walked up front at about 7 or so. I walked through all of my grade school and middle school years being the good kid that went to church and had it together. But really on the inside I was far from God. The fall of my freshman year of high school I was tired of pretending I called my youth pastor on a Friday night and told him I needed a heart change. I told him I needed Jesus. I can't explain all that Jesus has done for me! He is why I do what I do. Come to a show and let me introduce you to my best friend if you are reading this and don't already know Him! Trust me it's a game changer!! :)
6. What's the last book you read?
Right now I'm reading a book by pastor Judah Smith called Jesus Is____. I'm 3 chapters in and so far it's the most challenging book I've read in the past few years.
7. Tell me about how you became a believer. What caused you to want to serve God in full time ministry?
I was at a DCLA convention worshipping with a few thousand other people and just thought, "I want to help others experience this too!" That's when I made the choice to do ministry.
8. Take us thru 2-3 songs on, "Just Say Jesus". What's the "story behind the song", how is it impacting audiences?
John 14:6 Jesus said I am the way the truth and life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
We want to keep our focus on Jesus. It's so easy to let shift to other things as problems in life come our way. We hope the song encourages people to first turn to the only name strong enough to save!
Another track I love to talk about is "The One I'm Running To".
It's about people who are facing so much adversity in their lives that they just want to run away. But they don't. In the song they make choices in spite of what they are going through, in spite of all they don't understand, even though it's not what they thought it might be. They make a choice to trust their faith, stand on God's promises and run to God! It's moments we all have faced. As I hope people who are going through those moments hear the song and make the choice to run to God!
9. If you could go back and change any events/decisions in your life, what would it/they be, and why?
I would have married my wife quicker! :)
I also wished I would have would have loved people more in school. I wish I would have been more kind, and more encouraging and I wish I would have sought out the lonely kids more. I think that's what Jesus would have done.
10. Person you'd most like to have a discussion with, living or dead.....Deities are excused from this question
Wow tough one. Hhmmm... Jesus's mother. I want to hear about his child hood! That would be fascinating.
Bonus Questions
1. Favorite Bible verse....or life verse. Why?
I'm really liking the passage in Luke 19 about the chief tax collector Zacchaeus. It blows me away that Jesus invited himself over to this crooked, hated, awful dudes house spent a few hours with him, ate and had a conversation. And this tax collector in a moment changed everything. He went flat broke in a moment for Jesus and didn't even care. It's amazing what a true encounter with Jesus can do to a person. It makes me wonder how many times I've missed the boat in this area of my life with people who just need to see Jesus in me. Challenging stuff.
2. Funniest or most embarrassing moment?
- My funniest moment involves a smart water bottle, 3AM, and an elevator.
- Eric's has something to do with his britches.
- Cliff literally fell through a stage while we were rocking once.
- Austin's is probably documented on socialcam.
3. What artist or pastor has had the greatest impact on you, and why?
My youth pastor, mentor, and friend Scott Stayton. He just never stopped showing me, my friends, and my town Jesus. He showed me what it looked like to be a servant leader.
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