Arresting Grace by Green Michael Joel

Author:Green, Michael Joel [Green, Michael Joel]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9781475199215
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published: 2012-05-03T00:00:00+00:00

I moved to Seattle in June of 1995. I didn’t know anyone. I had two goals: to sing in a rock band and become involved in high school ministry. At the time, I was undergoing a spiritual awakening, conversion or whatever one wants to call it. I’d grown up in the church but it never meant anything. The only God I saw being worshipped was a back-pocket God, one called upon in times of emergency. I wasn’t interested in that God. I went to college and fell off the deep end, transferring in and out of different schools, angry and proud. After graduation, I traveled around the country for several months with everything I owned packed into my Celica, reading too much Kerouac, visiting friends from high school and college. It was during that time I finally came to understand what the Gospel meant.

I drove into Seattle fueled by excitement and faith, going wherever my desire took me, knowing I was walking with God now, that He was taking care of me and doing something miraculous in my life. After three weeks in town, I’d already interviewed and signed on to be a Young Life leader at Roosevelt High School (The Roughriders). My mother started Young Life in my hometown when I was young, and I’d been active in it during high school. I wanted to be an encouragement to the kids at Roosevelt.

The second part—the band. I’d never sung before. Didn’t know how to, really. I’d started writing songs a year before and had written lyrics and poetry for as long as I could remember. What I lacked in talent I made up for in confidence and enthusiasm. I answered an ad posted in The Rocket, Seattle’s weekly music newspaper. Some guy was looking for a Christian singer to play in a band. He listed U2, Smashing Pumpkins and The Posies as his influences. Was he kidding? Those were three of my favorite bands. I’d spent high school trying to dress and grow my hair like Bono’s. I think that’s why the principals couldn’t stand me.

I called him from my hotel room. I had decided to go by a stage name and decided on the name “Micah.” I thought it unique, and also I wouldn’t have to completely abandon my given Christian name. However, I had no experience with stage names. Did I introduce myself by my stage name upon first meeting, or did I work it in slowly? If I told him my name was Michael, was I allowed to change it to a cooler stage name later?

“My name is Micah,” I told the voice on the other end.

It only got worse from there. I told him I had sung in bands during college. I figured if I told him I had no singing experience he’d never want to meet me.

I expected him to grill me over the number of shows I had played, whether or not I could play guitar, or what was my vocal training. But it seemed secondary to this guy.

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