'65 Mustang Restoration (it's a familiar process)

Turn Around Official Music Video (Johnny Rowlett)

Ya know, I have had a few people make me feel bad about "pushing my music" when there are so many bigger issues going on in the world... So much hurt and pain that makes my little exciting things pail in comparison. I have to admit this really did bug me for a min. But then I felt like the Lord gave me an encouraging word. I need to share it with all of you that are out there giving the Kingdom of God all you got. This is what I feel like the Lord told me; I gave you a sword to swing! Its for ME to decide where and how far that sword will reach. It's your duty to SWING it as hard and long as you can. I'll give you the strength. I'll give you the purpose and Drive. Just use what I gave you and swing your sword with all you have! ... I owe it to my family and my Father God to use the gifts and talents that He has given me for His purpose and His calling! So, just so you know I'm not gonna stop or slow down until He tells me. It's time to advance not retreat! Be encouraged today and do what God has called you to do with everything you have...Swing your sword!
Johnny Rowlett Ministries

Clarification from Johnny

As you have probably seen I have been posting on Social Media a "Go Fund Me Campaign". http://www.gofundme.com/Fund-3-songs  I did this to help raise funds for one of the biggest opportunities of my ministry. Before I tell you the details, I wanted to be a bit transparent with you and share my heart. I received some negative feedback. It was said that the campaign made it look like I was asking people to help me become famous. I just want to assure you this is far and away from the truth. Here's the truth, you can't get "famous" doing Christian Country Music. The industry is just not there. Frankly, I have no desire to be famous. As a matter of a fact, I had to have council from my Pastor to even get me to care about writing songs again. My heart has been and will always be working with local pastors to see their city won for the Kingdom of God. That's the truth. About a month ago, my band had the privilege of playing at a rodeo in Allegan, MI. It was there that we met and went to dinner with Tommy Brandt. Mr. Brandt is the reigning 3 time ICM (Inspirational Country Music) Male vocalist of the year and evangelist of the year. I told him that the evangelist category really intrigued me. He also said that's all that really matters to him. He went on to say, the only reason that it matters to have these awards, recognition and radio playing his songs is because it gives him a bigger more excellent platform to spread the gospel. Anyone of you that call yourselves friends and have spent anytime with me at all, know this to be true for me as well. This meeting also stirred up my band and they all saw the potential to and without sounding egotistic, they made it clear that they felt I should be on those same platforms. I was blessed but clear to them about this one thing. I am NOT trying to go after fame, I did that before and it worked against me. I will not fall prey to those same pitfalls. That being said, I told them the omen thing I have struggled with since returning to the ministry is regaining the creative bug and if we all would agree to move forward in this direction, we would HAVE to begin to write songs and stop with the covers. Well needless to say they agreed and we began to meet every week and wrote some amazing songs. The songs in my opinion were so good, I knew they needed national exposure. I then at that time joined the ICM organization and called them up to ask what it would take to get these songs produced and released. Gene Higgins is the president of the ICM's and it was at this point that favor started working for us. He remembered me from back in the early 90's and he was beyond excited to have me back. He actually stated, "we need you". He began the process of opening doors for us that were beyond belief. However, the bottom line is, it takes what Bishop Pitts calls "front end money". No one works for free! This is where the "Go Fund Me" http://www.gofundme.com/Fund-3-songs campaign comes into play. My plan is to have the songs cut, mixed and produced in Nashville with the best musicians in the world and to do it with excellence. I have an incredible opportunity to work with one of the greatest Christan producers in Nashville. I then plan on releasing these songs to radio stations across the U.S. Lastly, in November we will be attending the Inspirational Country Music conference. This is a huge step for us to go to a national level. I don't believe in begging and I don't believe in trying to do a hard sale. However, if you believe in our ministry and believe that God is in what we are doing and that He will use us to see people saved and cities won for the kingdom of God, please consider sowing into this project. If you don't feel that way or even have that connection to us, that's OK. I am not upset. There are allot of amazing ministries out there doing incredible work. They also need your love and support. I get that. I am just asking you because we are connected and you have shown us such love and support in the past.  I went to Bishop Pitts and straight out asked him, "do you think this is a wise direction for me at this time and is it wise to ask people to help?" It was a resounding YES! Because he believes in what God has called us to do and believes the larger the platform the more people can be reached. That's all that matters to ME! If all of my friends and family could help with even $5, it would be greatly appreciated and go along way. I won't forget it! Love y'all #letsgo  Goto the Campaign

You were never called to the wild

I recently watched and posted a video from Facebook about wild horses. An Indian reservation in northern Montana rounded up about 500 head of wild horses and ran them through the streets of Browning. You can watch it here... Wild horses in Montana . I for one loved the video, I was a little worried and even more surprised that none were injured on the pavement. However, as I read the comments below I saw such complete ignorance as to what people thought about these poor wild horses. The most ridiculous statement I read said " They should just leave those horses as they were meant to be... WILD". Heres why that shows not only ignorance but also the crazy way people can get so deceived. Horses were not created to be wild.

I know there might be some people that disagree with me on this but hear me out. I agree that God has created certain animals to be wild and remain free. For example, I believe Tigers and Bears and Elephants were meant to be left alone and people that try to domesticate them are a new level of out there. I believe they were made to be looked at, watched, admired and mostly to show the Glory of God! That being said, although I believe horses are one of Gods most beautiful animals, I believe God created them to partner with, serve and love man! They were created for us!

Whats this got to do with you, today. You my friend were not meant to live a life of frivolous survival. Not called to be about your own will and purpose. Most people are living a life of the wild. You were created to be His! Purposed for greatness in and through His will for you. You weren't meant to be just left alone, watched or even admired. You were born for a reason to love God and serve Him!

The problem is most people waste half, if not all their lives being in self service and not understanding why they were even born. They are afraid of what they think submission to the process of being broken looks like. Heres a stat for you, life life expectancy comparison between a wild horse and a broke horse is about half or even less. Why? Because what can look like freedom is actually a lie. While we are young it can even look fun but the end of it is a form of death. On the other hand the life of service and love of God is actually the way to Life and that more abundantly. I hope you can see that everyone of those horses running are running in fear and are not at a place of peace. However, when they finally submit to the Masters hand is when their life turns peaceful and full of Joy. It's only then they realize, ohhhhh this is why I was created. This is what my life really is about.

Wild horses can end up being the best horse and its because they are the most grateful. As you watch that video, I want you to ask yourself this question. Am I living the wildlife? Am I deceiving myself? Am I sure thats the life I am supposed to be living? Or, am I living a lie and is there actually more to this life?

You can learn a lot from a horse....

The Mandolin builder

This is a true story that just happened to me.

    Recently, I met an older man in Maryland at one of the services I was speaking. This man met me after service and told me he was a Mandolin player. He began to tell me his testimony and his lifelong struggle with alcohol addiction. At one point he felt like he had finally overcome it and was on the road to recovery. In that time period his mind was sharp again and God began to restore his creativity. He decided to build from scratch his own mandolin. As you can well imagine it was very tedious and time consuming. However, he loved the process and enjoyed the peace. After months of working on this piece of art, the body was painted with just a clear coat and his plan was to begin on the neck. Unfortunately in the middle of of this, he fell back to his old ways of drinking. 

   Going back to drinking brought more destruction and broken relationships. He left that Mandolin in the basement half finished.

For months he would walk down in that basement and see that unfinished project and it would remind him of his failure. It became a symbol of the his unfulfilled life. His life had potential, there was beauty but mostly it laid broken, bare and unfinished. 

   What he didn't see was the process. He didn't notice that he left that mandolin by the only window in the basement. He didn't see the light that would shine down on it. He didn't see how that light never stopped shinning, never left. He didn't see how the light continued to cure and bake that clear coat paint. One day after months of not even going to see his mandolin, in a broken, depressed and humbled state. He made his way to the basement. He saw his work and at first it made him angry and bitter at himself for his poor choices. At that moment in the middle of a self hatred rant, through the tears in his eyes, he noticed something different. He noticed that the months of being in that ray of sun had changed the color of that clear coat to a beautiful new shade that he could never have dreamt. He saw the shade of beauty that only God could create. He saw the hand of God!

   He fell to his knees and cried out to his Father. You just never give up do you? Even with his poor choices God never gave up. God still loved him. There was still a ray of hope. A ray of SON shine!A ray of SON shine that could penetrate the darkness. Penetrate the lies of the accuser that would have him believe he was a hopeless drunk. He was not a hopeless addict, he was and always would be a child of the most high God. He was a piece of art that the master had never quit working on. He had never quit believing in. Mostly God had never quit loving! 

   The man put his drink down and God completely healed and restored him. He finished that mandolin and plays it still today. He plays it in church on the worship team. He noticed that not only did the sun change its color, it changed its sound. He says its been "Sun-cured". 

   I just wanted to take a minute and write to everyone that has ever been or are going through a failure. I want you to know from the bottom of my heart that it is not over. God is not mad at you, he still has a plan for you. He has never and will never leave you alone. He will continue to pour out his love on you. He desires to penetrate through the darkness and push back the idea that you are a mistake. You are not a failure! You are not your addiction! You are not your choices even. You are a child of the most high God and He wants you to hear the truth. He wants you SON-Cured! All you need to do is just lean back to Him and you will find His ever forgiving presence. His ever restorative nature. You are His handy work and above all else He wants to see you finish the race that He created you for! Don't allow the lies of the enemy to keep you bound up! Stop seeing yourself as a disaster. 

   You are His instrument and He is your Master!