Questions at heartsupport
Here are a list of questions we have received on the site.
Hey Jake, I met you after the (second) Chicago show and I just wanted to thank you again. This site has literally helped me in so many ways, especially because things are starting to get tough again.
Thanks again for taking the time to talk when I'm sure you just wanted to get out of there.
No problem,
I'm glad this community can be uplifting and helpful! God Bless you! And keep your chin up!
Jacob +
Hey just saying thanks alot Jake for praying with and for me at the, edmonton alberta canada show.
I meant alot to me and your a good guy!!
Thanks,
Joel
Joel,
No problem man! God Bless and thanks for checking out the community Heart Support.
Jacob +
Hey, this is a question for all you guys.
So I'm a Christian, I play guitar, drums and bass, plus I scream. I really want to get in a band and tour, I want to spread the love of Jesus through music and I want to travel and see the world. It's what I've felt called to do for a few years now. I want to do what you do.
My question is, how do you guys keep a strong faith while on tour? It amazes me that you guys can be a light in a mostly dark music scene, and you can travel with some pretty nasty bands, yet stay devoted to your faith. How do you do it?
Another question, not faith related this time, do you guys ever have days where you can't play your instruments? Or, Jake, when you can't scream? What do you do then?
...and I'd also like to say, last tour when you came to my city, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, you said the show was all ages. I drove 30 minutes to the venue only to get turned down at the doors because it was really 16+. That really sucked for me, and I couldn't see you. I'd like to encourage you guys to play fewer age-restricted shows, because it can really sadden people. I was totally bummed about it, and I hope that some day I'll be able to see you live and meet with you guys, and have a long conversation about music, faith, touring, and worship.
Thanks, guys!
-Austen
Austin,
I'm really sorry to hear that you got turned away and it must have been a lack of communication on the promotors end to us as to how old everyone had to be to attend, also i'd like to add that only myself and Matt are a part of Heart Support so the rest of ABR will not be on this site. However to respond to your questions,
1. I read the bible daily, I pray daily, I pray with people daily and friends from home keep me accountable and encouraged. I like to listen to podcasts from pastors that inspire me and that are biblically sound. A few to name off is Dr.Mike Brown, Pastor Mark Driscoll, and Pastor Francis Chan, along with reading faith based books. "Where is God when it Hurts" " Real Marriage" just to name a couple. When I'm home I attend a church called CLG : Church of the Living God.
Those are ways I stay strong on tour.
2. My voice has only once gone completely out, that was 2007 when I had a horrible cold or sickness and my voice just stopped working. Other than that I've never had real troubles... sometimes my voice isn't as strong as it should be usually when i'm sick or during certain seasons... mostly winter time.
Thanks for visiting and being a part of the community.
God Bless you,
Jacob +
Hi Jake, First off I would like to say that your music is so inspirational and I'm looking forward to seeing you guys live. My question deals with non-christian artists. I always believed that it really didn't affect my belief in God when I listened to such artists. Although i am a fan of your music, at heart I'm more into pop-punk and Hardcore. I've been a fan of the pop-punk band The Wonder Years since I first saw them live, they're actually the first band I ever bought t-shirt from. In their most recent release they have a song called "I Won't Say the Lord's Prayer" (read the lyrics if you can.) Besides that song I enjoy most of the other tracks on the release. I own their other 2 full releases, but not this one yet. Should I buy it and just skip that track?. In general, how do you feel about secular music? Is it okay to listen to it as a christian?
P.s. I missed the L.A. date of your tour earlier this month, are you coming back sometimes during this year?
Not sure if we are coming back later in the year.. we are pretty busy doing things overseas..
To answer your question if you like a record then pick it up, if you purchase it and have conviction about listening to it then stop listening to it. it's a gamble you are taking. Music does have power and can influence us and our minds as how we perceive things and life.. so be weary of that and when listening to music "Secular" as you asked... if you have conviction listening to it then you should not listen to it.
I can find Christ in secular music and I also listen to secular music that inspires me and motivates me to move for the Kingdom of Heaven. It's all about wether it's a heart issue or not. Take it to the throne and see what God has to say about it.
God Bless you,
Jacob +
Hello Jake,
First off I would like to say that you and all of the members of August Burns Red are a true inspiration to me. I only just watched you testimony "I Am Living" video on youtube and it touched me. Basically for most of my life I have believed in God and his son Jesus Christ, but it seems lately like I'm losing that relationship. I guess I would just like to hear any advice as to what I can do to help strengthen it.
Tyler,
It's a relationship to me and I can either continue to build, feed and communicate with this relationship or I can not.. What are you doing to feed your relationship with Christ? Do you pray to the Lord and give Him all parts of your life? Your struggles? Your victories? Do you ask Him in prayer for advice and guidance? Do you have a relationship with the Holy Spirit? Do you read the bible at all? Study the scripture and try applying them to your life? Do you give God the hard things in your life or do you try to work them all out on your own? Do you try to open your mind up to see where God is in your daily life?
It's important that we honor God in our lives by communicating with Him and giving our lives to Him by walking with Him daily on earth. We need to rest our heads on Him and give Him our days and our decisions we make. We need to give Him our hearts and every part of them.. even the parts we are ashamed of or don't care to give to anyone. We have to have a clear understanding that our God is a loving God a living God the LIVING God and that He is right by our sides, watching, loving... excited to walk with us and He wants us to give Him a full commitment. Be fully committed to Him and let Him lead US!
I love praying at night to Him with all of the things I'm going through, thinking of, trying to do and things that I need help understanding. I love reading scripture and praying on it to see what it is that God is trying to tell me, how I can use it in my life, how I could use it to inspire others.. I love to listen to sermons and go to church where I can learn more about God and His son Jesus. Where I can feel God and better understand Him and how He wants me to live.
I love praying for people because I know that God is listening, and He loves when we take things to His throne instead of trying to selfishly take it elsewhere.
He is a father, a healer, a redeemer and His Son was the one who took our painful sins away and has brought us once again in touch with our heavenly father. It's thinking of these things that make us want to change, it's that relationship with God our father, Jesus the Son and The Holy Spirit that we can overcome our struggles, learn to love and love ourselves.
Through this relationship I have been able to overcome so many things in my life and through it all i consistently see God's hand in all of it. My strength does not come from what I can gather in myself.. It's the strength that God gives me because again He loves me and He makes me wrongs right through His wisdom and knowledge and hand in my life.
I gave you a lot here and some of it was a little of on a rabbit trail but I'd like you to think on these things.
God Bless you,
Jacob+
I've struggled for a while with the constant temptation of pornography and masturbation. I have beat these things for a few months before, but I always fall back into it. I am a Christian, but I've been feeling distant from God recently which I'm sure is part of the reason I can't keep my temptation at bay.
I agree, a lot of times our struggles blindside us and when we fall into temptation and sin we are pushing God further and further away..
However their are plenty of ways to keep fighting the good fight.
1. X3Watch is software you can put on your phone and your laptop that is linked to your friends email addresses so if you visit any pornographic sites it send the links of sites to your friends email, it's then up to the friends to hold you accountable by contacting you about it.
2. look up scripture on lust and memorize them, pray out loud for Jesus to heal you, strengthen you and take away this temptation.
3. Write a word that reminds you of how you feel after you masturbate to porn and write it down on your wrist or hand.. it keeps you reminded of the feeling of conviction and how devastated you are when you sin.
4. Church: Go to church and seek your pastor or a leader and have them pray with you about the situation asking Jesus to heal.
5. Talk to a friend about it! Vent about the struggles and issues, it's a very common struggle for men and I wouldn't be surprised if your friend said "Me too".
Honestly it's Jesus that is going to take this away but these are some things i've recommended to people to look into that could possibly help towards that struggle. I'd visit xxxchurch.com great site with great resources, blogs, testimonies, and views/facts on porn that i bet would help you!
God Bless,
Jacob +
dear jake i just want to know if you will come to Bc Canada soon i really want to see you guys live it would be a life changing experience for me to see you guys my favorite band
Ethan,
We are going to be in Montreal and Toronto and Guelph. We just played Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg! Love Canada!
Hey guys,
First of all, I just want to say thank you for all you do for HS, it has helped me more than you will ever know.
But lately I have been having a really rough time. My father passed away about a month ago and we just found out my mother has breast cancer. I honestly don't even know what to do anymore. I feel like I'm giving up on God, my faith, and myself. I guess what I'm asking is, how can you stay commited and so true to your faith?Do you guys ever question your faith? I'm having a hard time doing that right now...I just can't understand why this misfortune has been placed on my family. I'm having a very hard time understanding God's motives.
Anyways, if you dont respond back, I completly understand. But thank you for all that you do. You impact/change a lot of peoples lives everyday.
God Bless,
Sierra
Sierra,
I do not have the answer as to why these things happen.. I do know that God does not want sickness on His people, I do know that Satan does... and I also know that God makes things right for His people. So with that being said... the one thing you CAN hold onto IS God. For God is fighting with you and for you not against you. I would say God is the only one you can trust, and in knowing that the Lord has control over all should bring a sense of peace.. however I do know that it is difficult to deal with such harmful things happening in this season of your life and the ones around you. I would Pray for answers, for direction, for strength and endurance and for healing for your entire family. It's important that we ask for these things when we need them. We honor God by bringing our problems and struggles to Him. He is the one with the answers, and solutions.
Doubting God is something we do as humans because we are exactly that, Human. We doubt His power, His authority, Him being our father in Heaven... We doubt because our minds go to "well I can't see Him so is He really real? " things of that nature, but through faith we grow and live.. so you need to do your best to hold those thoughts captive and give them to God and not react on those thoughts, or ideas..
I wish I could help you and give you answers.... and I know I can't, but I can send you to the one who does. This may all look bad right now... but through time God will reveal to you the good and the right.
God Bless,
Jacob +
Jake,
First I just want to say I'm a HUGE fan of ABR, and that you're a huge inspiration in what I want to do. Now, to the question.. Are there any tips you would be able to give me in starting off being a vocalist, writing lyrics, and the tour life? Leaving everything behind and going out to tour with a band scares the heck out of me, but it's my dream and what I want to do, so any tips would be awesome!
Honestly man it's a huge decision and you've got to be 100% ready to take on being a touring musician. There are tons of sacrifices and things you have to be willing to drop and leave behind.. You also need to understand that you are leaving your family as well... all that time you are spending out on the road you are missing spending with the most important people in your life. You've got to be prepared to sleep in a van for years and not get good showers, be ready to be annoyed by your band mates more than your little brother or sister.
You have to be understanding that no one cares about you outside of the band.. sometimes not even your band mates at times. You will be alone and on your own, you will at times have no one to be close to but yourself and God. You will be tempted to do drugs, or get drunk, you'll be tempted by girls that just want to be with you because you are in a band.. that have no respect for themselves or their bodies and no respect for you other than you being a trophy.
So on top of realizing the real world in fast forward you will need to have all yoru band mates 100% with practicing, willing to go through the same, willing to work on their own at home with their instruments, willing to not make any money for a certain amount of time unknown... they will have to be strong or they will get fall off the deep end and you have to hold one another up.
You will need to practice now every other day screaming for up to 45 mins MAX.
Drink tons of water, save all your money for your band to make merch designs, to get a van to tour in, to afford a trailer, to afford all the equipment you need, and you've got to record an album with AT LEAST 5 songs that are rock solid.
You need to promote your band through all sites and sources known. Flyers, internet, facebook, cd stores, etc..
You will need to tour as much as you possibly can up to 10 months a year. We did that for 2 to 3 years.. and are currently doing 8 months a year.
it will consume you, surround you and change you completely. You will learn, fall, and fail and you will be tested daily.
Practice with your band 3 days a week on A SCHEDULE.. 5-9 tues, thurs, sundays.
everyone in band needs to save money.
Hope this helps bring a realization as to what it is you are trying to do. If you feel confident in all of this, you could possibly have a chance of being successful.
I was told their is a .0001 percent chance of me being in a successful touring band as a full time career.. If that scares you, then don't try. If you think you can be a part of that percentage.. then GO and give it your all.
God Bless ,
Jacob +
Jake,
After watching your testimony for probably the twentieth time during a To Write Love On Her Arms chapter meeting at my University, I really felt compelled to write and thank you for your unique glorification of Christ and dedication to helping and loving people through him. I have been a fan of ABR for many years, hands down your my favorite band, but only recently have I become a true fan of your message: Jesus Christ.
I gave my life to Christ many years ago, but heavily drifted when I encountered many people who were so condemning, bigotrus, and seemingly void of love. I was contradicted with my pre assumed belief that God was love, and was instead replaced with the idea that God is hate. As I researched on the internet, I unfortunately found many people with similar ideas, and thus I began to hate the church. I pushed away all ideas of God, and labeled myself an atheist, and conditioned myself to hate everything spiritual. I spent high school depressed, cocky, and so narrow minded. I pushed away a lot of my Christian friends, who I now understand were only trying to help me, because I thought I knew everything about christianity and religion, specifically all its screw ups and mistakes. But I had no idea who God was.
Just this year, I began my freshman year at High Point University, and as every typical freshman, I studied hard and partied harder. But like Adam Gray said in his recent interview, I started feeling this huge knot in my stomach, which led me to feeling seriously depressed for a couple weeks. For some reason, I turned to God. I asked him to show me proof, show me something real about his character, show me who he was if he was anything at all. A week later I received a facebook chat that changed my life.
My friend Tim, a Junior who I met when touring the college a year earlier, invited me to church. It was called Elevation Extension Site, a student run service sponsered by Elevation Church headed by Pastor Steven Furtick, where they show recorded footage of his sermons. Upon arrival I was really uncomfortable, by by the end of the sermon I was confused. No way was this the God I thought I knew. The message was convicting, but totally love based. I wasnt condemmed, or judged. Tim and I started frequently getting dinner, where we discussed God. He was the only one at Elevation who knew I was an atheist. I actually started volunteering at the church, I had no idea why I felt compelled to do so at the time. For many months I studied the bible, and met with Tim who was extremely loving and patient. I felt joy in seeing people come to christ at church, yet something was still preventing me. One saturday, I went down to Charlotte to see Bishop T.D. Jakes sermon during Elevation's Code Orange Revival. His message was based on the sick woman, dammed by her community, yet she found the strength to simply touch Jesus, and was revived. This so related to my story, as a kid so unexpected to ever receive christ yet look where God has brought me, and there I gave my life to him and fully repented. And I have never felt more loved.
Jake, I feel your story is similar, in that you knew nothing much of God (not trying to sound rude and assume things about your own life of course) yet with a simple 'touch', he filled you with his spirit, and is using you greatly in inspiring newbies like me. You, and all the guys in ABR, are such an inspiration and motivation. I know you guys probably hear from starstruck teens all the time, but the fact that I can even share my story online with you guys is such a blessing. And Im not trying to idolize myself or you, because all the glory goes to him. So, I just wanted to get some advice form you Jake, on just a general idea of where I should go from here. Are there any books or passages in the bible you would recommend that really emphasize God's love for both the saved and lost? Im not trying to just get like comfort verses, I really want to challenge myself to grow in love and start loving everyone through God! Anyway, if youve made it this far thanks so much for just reading Jake! Your such an awesome guy for doing all this, it means a lot to so many kids including myself. Good luck on tour, Im seeing you guys play on March 3rd at the TLA near my hometown, so stoked! Especially considering just a couple years ago I was watching Texas in July play at a local ice skating rink. God Bless you, Jake! And thanks again!
Sincerely,
Colin Catts
Colin,
Great to hear you are finding yourself and building a relationship with Christ. That is awesome! Some verses, chapters and books i thoroughly enjoy: James, Galatians, Ephesians, and Proverbs. Love these and feel that they really breath into my life as far as the realities I face daily, weekly, monthly etc. I like to read those often, and of course the 4 books Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to better understand who Jesus is!
I loved your story and it's great that you can share that testimony to others around you to show God's work in you.
God Bless you,
Jacob +
