AGES Magazine

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RIVER VALLEY

“There is no one like you, none besides you, Lord...”

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COVER LETTER Everybody loves a good coming of age story, right?

You know the one where the person steps out for the first time or accomplishes that thing they never thought they could do.

There ’s something about it that resonates in us when we see the character grow into their own skin. Why is that? Maybe it’s because we like an underdog story or we love the nostalgia that brings us back... or is it possible that these stories are mirrors that we hold up to our own lives? We see ourselves.

We recognize the tension in us. The tension between who we are and who we are called to become.

Questions like where do we fit in the grand scheme of all things? Or rather, how do we stand out?

How do we find the courage in ourselves to change and grow?

In a way, we are all on that journey in our faith. Whether you’re 16 or 60, there’s a coming of age story unfolding that stretches past our now into eternity. God is always calling us to take our next step of faith.

He’s always encouraging us

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WESLEY SCHROCK 2.3.22

to love deeper, give grace more freely and to boldly step into the things He is calling out in us. This side of eternity there is no making it. There is no being done. There is only more Kingdom work to be done and how beautiful is it that God, who doesn’t need us, chooses to use us? He chooses to lead us through our coming of age journey every day.

So what is AGES and what story is it telling? Well, it is a bunch of kids saying YES to whatever the Lord calls us to. It is a coming of age story. Hopefully one that inspires you to step out in boldness, to try and to fail, to get back up, to keep going and ultimately to point you to the One who deserves every bit of praise honor and glory we can muster up. Whose name is above every name. The only name worth singing... Jesus.

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BY: WESLEY SCHROCK & EVAN JOHN NOSTALGIA Verse 1 I I remember rememberwhen when Those songs I sang Those songs I sang Felt like they brought You Felt like they brought Closer to me You closer to me And when I got lost Andemotion when Igames got lost In In emotion games Your loving kindness Your loving Reminded me kindness

Reminded me

Pre-Chorus Your love’s not held to a moment or found a song Your loves love s not in held to a Your love is after moment Or found inmyaheart song

Your love is after my

Chorus heart I know you’re here now Just like the first time Your presence fell and it Changed my life Just like the rst time Greater than thefiheights of Your presence fell and it my nostalgia There’s more You have for me I know You’re here now Like You’ve always been Verse 2 I see Your heart I see Your hand In all the moments I once couldn’t In the smallest place I can see Your grace Writing

the story And You’re not finished yet Pre-Chorus 2 Your love’s not held to perfection of what I can bring Your love is after my heart Chorus Instrumental Bridge Oh I need You Lord I need You more and more More than I ever have before Pre-Chorus 2 Your love’s not held to perfection of what I can bring Your love is after my heart Tag Your love is after my heart God

WESLEY SCHROCK 2.3.22 For those of us that grew up in church, I’m sure we can all point back to a time at church camp or a youth night that we feel like we really met with God. Maybe that fire burned in us for a little bit but then eventually that fire dwindled. The reality is that God is not asking us to live on the fires of yesterday or the moments we had with Him years ago. The Lord is ALWAYS doing a new thing.

This song is a reminder that greater than how God moved in our past He is wanting to do a new thing in us. Isaiah 43:19 says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?.” Not just a new thing but He wants to do greater things in and through us in the here and now.

So often in our walk with the Lord, we can get caught up in trying to measure up, or do all the right things. Sometimes we can feel disqualified by our choices or our behavior. Yes; holiness, sanctification and purity are so important, but the antidote for our lack is His presence! His goodness! His faithfulness! He is not waiting for us to measure up because he already did that for us. He is asking us to be open, honest and ready for what He wants to do. Let our prayer be, “Jesus, every day I need you more and more. Greater than the heights of my nostalgia. I’m trusting that you have more for me today.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

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ASK NOEY If someone was interested in learning a new skill, what would you recommend their first step should be?

YouTube it. You can learn a whole lot by just watching someone do something.

Three simple steps on how to make a new friend?

Say hi with a great, big smile (but not in a weird way please).

Be intentional because making friends is sometimes not easy — YES, it’s going to take some effort.

Friends are best made over a meal in my experience.

How can I make any day a great day?

Wake up and im mediately turn on the AGES album, talk to Jesus, go outside, make sure to do your favorite thing at least once.

Life is just way too short to not have great days.

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

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Whatever that owl dude in the commercial said …

Three, I think?

How do I start writing songs?

I started by writing little poems when I was young. Trying to rhyme lines with the same amount of syllables. Put a little melody to it, and before you know it, you have a song!

The Lord told me to break up with my girlfriend … what do I tell her?

Probably best to listen to the Lord on this one, pal. Just tell her something from that line from Desperate Heart: “Look, I’m trying to let my life say, ‘Your will, Your way,’ God.” Best podcast for deeper Bible Study?

Bible Project!!!!!!

Would you take a Tesla to the moon if given the chance? Why or why not?

100% because space goes crazyyyyy.

What’s a prayer you had to wait on God for that now He’s provided? How did You wait?

God gave me the best gift, my wife, Josee, after a long time of uncertain waiting. Whenever I was doubting, God continually reminded me that somewhere out there, the perfect one was out there patiently waiting and praying for me like I was patiently waiting and praying for her.

Advice on how to pursue one passion and calling while my day job is another?

We all have God-given assignments and callings. On one hand, our assignment is our current situation, circumstance and responsibilities. I believe we are all placed somewhere for a reason for a particular season. Whether it’s to lead someone to Jesus or learn a valuable lesson. It might not make any earthly sense to us, but Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might.” On the other hand, callings are the gifts and passions God has given you to steward, grow and use to the best of your ability. Pursue these with all your heart and with humility until God finds it appropriate to elevate you.

Remember that God is seldom early, never late and ALWAYS on time.

Favorite childhood tradition?

My three sisters and I would wake my parents up at 3am on Christmas morning every year to open presents because we were always so excited. I feel terrible about this “tradition” now and constantly apologize.

Things to do when in a spiritual rut?

One thing that can make or break a relationship is communication. Whenever I feel myself in a spiritual rut, I know it’s mainly because I’m falling out of my discipline of talking with Him. Where do you inspiration?

find

creative

Listening to brand new music, reading my Bible with a commentary, driving through the city, listening to people talk.

What was your f a v o r i t e c h i l d h o o d snack?

Was and still is gummy worms.

Mainly just gummy, on rare occasions, sour gummy.

Doors or wheels?

Wheels. I mean just think of the sheer amount of hot wheels on this planet. What do you even mean?

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BY: Monica Friese, Clinton Allen, Michael Fatkin and Faith Duncan

VERSE 1 Lost in darkest days drowning in shame where light seemed lost Stuck in desert days ‘Til mercy came And saved my heart PRE Far as east from west You took my past And shattered it grace I don’t deserve You loved me first My soul will sing CHORUS God You’re faithful as the sunrise Surely You’ll never leave And Your goodness lasts a lifetime The promises You have for me Are forever Captured in wonder Light found within Your love Lord You’re constant as the sunrise I know You’ll never leave VERSE Now I understand Your gracious hand Has carried me Here I’ve found my home where I belong Forever free

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Mo Certain things in life are simply undeniable truths, trademarked as fact and absolute. Such as the occurrence and dependability of the sun rising every dawn and setting yet again every dusk. In the same way, we can look at the track record and history of God’s character and see that His faithfulness holds up as being the utmost consistent and true. From the beginning of time He has only ever proven that His word is unchanging, His love is real, and His promises are ones that we can stand firm upon and build our lives around.

Lamentations 3:22-24 puts it beautifully, “The Lord’s unfailing love and mercy still continue, fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise.

The Lord is all I have, and so in Him I place my hope. The Lord is good to everyone who trusts in Him.” How kind and generous of God to give us a tangible reminder at the start of every day of the care and thought that He holds towards us. He rises the sun, painting the skies as a canvas of His love. In the same way He paints our lives every day with His faithfulness, wonder, tenderness and mercy. Like this song states, we can look back and see that it has been His gracious hand alone that has marked and shaped the course of our lives and carried us day by day, hour by hour.

The exhilarating thing about relationship with Jesus is that the

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depth of His character is limitless - we can spend our whole lives getting to further know Him, and yet there will always be more to Him to discover. As we make ourselves aware to His goodness in our lives, we will only see more and more of who He is and the evidence of that overflow in and around us.

We pray that as you hear this song that you will be reminded of the simple but vital truth - further still God will always show Himself faithful to you, and He hasn’t yet and will never leave - like the rising and setting of the sun is the consistency of His goodness and grace to us.

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SUNRISE SHOOT A defining characteristic of the AGES team is that regardless of how much work something might be, if it’s possible… we’re doing

into the early morning hours, whether it was plastering posters to every square inch of a wall, or hauling 1000 pound TVs into the studio. Sleep was

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it. Thus, the concept of the “Sunrise” music video began.

Pitch after pitch, the idea got bigger. The team began raiding Facebook marketplace

for free box TVs, ugly patterned couches and anything else that could fit the vibe. The week of the shoot, we found ourselves at the studio setting up well

lacking that week, but team bonding was at an all time high.

Ultimately, it was worth every ounce of effort that went into this shoot because

the final product was something our whole team was proud to have been a part of. Also, it can’t go without saying, a BIG thank you to our Film Team who brought all of it to life.

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BY: Noey Melan and Wesley Schrock VERSE 1 It’s more than just logic It’s more than just an empty notion This love is realized in motion It’s really like falling It’s really like hope forever This love is realized in wonder PRE I never understood what this meant for me until I opened up my heart CHORUS Now that I know Your love I’ll never be the same Now that I know Your love I’ll never walk away It’s like I’m living the first time in a long time Didn’t know I could feel this way Now I know Your love Now that I know Your love VERSE 2 In every moment I don’t gotta second guess it Your grace is always all around me Forever You’re for me So I will live a life surrendered All I am is Yours completely PRE ‘Cause all I want is You to take me deeper so I will open up my heart BRIDGE 2X Even though I wandered It was me You wanted Jesus there’s no other I run to You, I run to You I got hope uncovered You’re waking up the wonder life in living color I run to You, I run to You

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“Know Your Love” is a song about truly experiencing the love of Jesus.

Growing up, most of us remember rolling up to youth groups on Wednesday nights where we would hear messages about Jesus and sing songs about His love. For each one of us, there was a moment where we realized it wasn’t just about singing songs or listening to a pastor, it was about experiencing His love for ourselves.

The opening lines of Know Your Love say, “It’s more than just logic, it’s more than just an empty notion, this love is realized in motion.”

Know Your Love Story + Heart Noey Melan 2.3.22

When we actively open up our hearts to accept Jesus and believe that He is who the Bible says He is, we accept His love and a new life of hope-filled wonder. 1 John 4:15-16 says, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him and He in God. So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.”

When we accept the truth of Jesus, we are no longer held down by sin and shame; instead, we are held within God’s boundless goodness, mercy and grace. When we experience the overwhelming love of Jesus for the first time, there is an inexplicable joy that comes with it. And after experiencing it, you will never be the same.

“Know Your Love” is a song that expresses the pure joy of knowing the love of Jesus. We pray that as you sing this song, you would be reminded of the first time you experienced the all-encompassing love of Jesus Christ, and that from that place, joy and thankfulness would abound.

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AN AGES THEMED CROSSWORD

DOWN 1.

3.

4.

6.

7.

Thinking back to summer camp is giving me some...

I wanna be set apart give me a...

The one where the son comes back home.

The best kind of movies God you’re faithful as the...

ACROSS 2.

5.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Very talented people walk on this.

There is no one like you none beside you Now that I...

The Father saw him...

It’s the best policy.

It’s not over; it’s actually...

Knock and the door will be open.

Go to back cover for answer key.

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BY: Noey Melan and Wesley Schrock

VERSE 1 Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts show us that’s where the miracle starts, beyond what I want, beyond what I see the change for my world begin it in me CHORUS I’m wholly surrendered Lord do what You will in me just make me Your vessel, this life as an offering POST You can You can You can You can You can

have have have have have

it it it it it

all God You can have it all all God You can have it all all God You can have it all all all

VERSE 2 Humbly we come, boldly we seek All that we ask we lay at Your feet Spirit of God, move on our praise Heaven and Earth collide in Your name BRIDGE 2X Pour out Your Spirit on our praise Come let revival fill this place Stir up our faith for greater things Lord we ask we seek we pray All this to lift up and proclaim Jesus Christ the highest name Send us Your power light the flame Lord we ask, we seek, we pray 15

ASK SEEK PRAY Story + Heart

Wesley Schrock 2.3.22

Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

POV… It’s a month before camp and the team is prepping.

We’ve got some songs that we are excited to introduce and lead at camp but there is a sense that God is asking the team to lean in a little longer for one more song.

Noey sent me a voice memo of a few simple lines and I had that small Holy Spirit nudge that this was the song we had been waiting on to bring to camp. It was so simple and honest. “Give us clean hands and give us pure hearts, show us that’s where the miracle starts.” I texted back and said we had to finish it. We got together shortly after that and the song fell into place over a couple hours.

The bridge specifically dropped in a matter of five minutes and we both felt like we had something from God worth singing.

This song has been so special to our young people from the first time we played it at camp just a few weeks after it was written. We ask and we sing about revival in our world so often that we can forget that true revival begins in us. We pray that this song will spark that in whoever listens or plays it. Our prayer through the entire process was simply Psalm 51:20: “Create in me a pure heart, Oh God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

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INTERVIEW WITH

MACK BROCK 1. OK you HAVE to answer this one… What’s your most embarrassing worship leading story?

Once I was leading at a large conference - probably 3-4k people - and we had just come out of a very powerful moment, the band was flowing, we were just resting in the Lord’s presence. Very spirit led. The atmosphere was perfect. And we seamlessly transitioned into the song “Resurrecting” - which I’ve lead maybe 1,000 times by then - but as soon as verse one came up, I had zero clue what the lyrics were. My mind was blank. And I had to ruin the moment and tell everyone I forgot what I was supposed to sing and I needed their help to remember. It was pretty brutal, but we were all laughing at the same time.

2. What are some things you are thinking about every time you approach the platform to lead people in worship?

I think about the people that are coming into that room, that have made a conscious choice “I’m going to church today… I’m going to worship today.” And how important it is what we do. We help direct peoples attention to God … we LEAD them into a place of worship. And for most people, that might be the only time in their week that they give God their full attention. I want to be a good steward of my time on stage and the opportunity to lead them well.

3. How do you keep yourself continually inspired?

Friends and family. Having good conversations, people that challenge me, push me towards Jesus.

4. We are also getting the chance to hear and learn from Matt Redman as well.

We know you guys wrote “Do It Again” together. We've loved leading that song in our church over the last few years. What's the song story and what was the process like writing with Redman?

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Redman is one of my favorite worship leaders/writers of all time.

It was his songs that I was leading in high school as I first started leading worship. Matt actually started “Do It Again” because he was at a conference that Steven Furtick was preaching at, and got the idea from his sermon. “Your promise still stands….” - that was the original hook. And from that, the song just lived in this ambiguous space for a long time. Written by sending voice memos over text, chipping away at the chorus. It probably stayed in that zone for six months or so. And then, at a writing retreat, we finally hunkered down and hashed out the verses and the bridge. It was a long process to write that one, but it’s one of my favorites to lead still.

Some songs come quick - in a few hours. And some songs take a lot of living with before you finish it.

5. How do you want to see the mantle of worship leadership/songwriting stewarded by the next generation?

I hope young worship leaders/songwriters just continue to pursue Jesus above all else. Don’t run after being on a platform, just serve. Find any way, any place, any opportunity to serve people. Worship leading isn’t just on the platform - that’s a big part of it. But its also behind the scenes, how you love on your church, how you love on the people that you’re serving with.

6. What is one thing you would tell your 20 year old songwriting / worship leading / team leading self ?

It’s not about you. Get over yourself. Also, you’re not that cool :)

BY Noey Melan and Wesley Schrock Verse 1 A trillion stars with hidden worlds Spinning in the vastness You designed The rolling seas a masterpiece Dancing to the thoughts within Your mind Chorus There is no one like You none besides You Lord with every breath I have I will sing that You are beautiful and worthy to be praised How could I praise enough How could I praise enough Verse 2 As dawn reveals the rising sun An image of Your faithful love for me The mountain peaks in majesty Pointing to the glory of my King Bridge If every breath I take is Yours Then I won't waste a moment more I'll spend them all to praise You Lord I'll worship with all my heart If all creation cries Your name I'll join until my lungs can't sing And even then I'll find a way To worship with all my heart 19

BEAUTIFUL Story + Heart

Noey Melan 2.3.22

In this wild world we live in, there are constantly things begging for our attention. From pictures on Instagram and ads on billboards to friends and other relationships, it can feel like we’re being pulled in a million different directions every single second of every single day.

Amidst all the noise and confusion, however, God stands alone as the only One truly worthy of our full attention and praise. The Creator of the sun, the moon, the stars and everything we see. The Author of the universe itself. The One who made a way for us to experience true, unending life by sending His son as a sacrifice for the sins and mistakes we’ve made.

Psalm 145 was an inspiring verse for us as we were writing this song together. It says: “I will exalt You, my God the King; I will praise You forever and ever.

Every day I will praise You and extol Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.” The lines in the song, “You are beautiful and worthy to be praised, how could I praise enough” link with this passage of scripture and challenge us to never find an end to our praises.

The beauty of God goes far beyond what we can see of Him in His creation. It stretches into who He is and what He’s done for each and every one of us. Every day, as we’re pulled in seemingly endless directions, let us recenter our focus on the One who is worthy of every bit of our adoration.

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PRODIGAL

Noey Melan and Wesley Schrock Verse 1 I wasn't aware of the time I was wasting

Life on my own is just so overrated

Tasted the world trying to feel some way Was nothing like what they say Verse 2 Searching for worth I was coming up empty Then I looked back just to see where it left me

You found my heart on the long way home

But You weren't mad at me

Chorus Oh how fast I'll run to the arms of my Father The arms of my Father Oh how fast I'll run to the arms of my Father The arms of my Father

Step by step I'm met by grace Until I'm found in Your embrace

Oh how fast I'll run to the arms of my Father The arms of my Father Verse 3 Gone are the days where the shame's overwhelming Traded for grace at the place that You saved me

Jesus, You've seen all my reckless ways

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Your love for me stays the same

Bridge From the east to the west From the heights to the depths

Does Your love know an end?

Tell me where could I go

Where Your heart couldn't reach

'Cause I know

I'm fully found in Your love I'm fully found in Your love

PRODIGAL . Story & Heart Noey Melan 2.3.22

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a beautiful story of unconditional love and mercy. The parable begins with a father and two sons. The younger son asks for a portion of his inheritance. The father grants his request and the son sets out on a journey to live life on his own. After losing the entire fortune, the son remembers his father and decides to return home.

The son journeys back home and expects to work as a humble servant in his father’s household. But, what happens next is one of our favorite parts of the story. Luke 15:20 says, “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

We tried to capture the essence of this story in “Prodigal.” The line in the chorus, “Oh how fast I’ll run to the arms of my Father,” is our response when we have nowhere else to turn to but the grace of God. The story presented in The Parable of the Prodigal Son is so beautiful because it reminds us of God the Father’s attitude toward us – His sons and daughters. No matter how far we stray or how much we squander the gifts He’s given us, He’s always ready and waiting to welcome us home with open arms. God is never mad at us and He’s willing to meet us with unconditional love and mercy. There is nowhere we could run where He doesn’t see us.

There is no place we could go where His careful hand can’t reach. His love stretches from the east to the west and from the heights to the depths.

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Our heart is after the Presence of God. God can do more in a person’s life with one encounter in His Presence than we can do through all our efforts.

Our heart is for the Next Generation.

We say “we will risk everything for the next generation to know Jesus.” It may be costly, but it is worth it.

Lead Pastors Rob and Becca started River Valley Church in 1995 with a passion to lead people into a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. AGES, in that same way, exists to lead people in authentic worship to Jesus with a passion for young people to encounter the presence of the living God. Pastors Rob & Becca founded River Valley Church in an elementary school in 1995. It has since grown into a thriving church with nearly 10,000 in attendance across nine U.S. campuses and one international campus (Mbekelweni, eSwatini) with plans for further expansion in the future. rivervalley.org

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OUR OLDER SIBLING, RIVER VALLEY WORSHIP, ALSO HAS SOME AWESOME MUSIC. CHECK THEM OUT!

River Valley Worship is a faith-filled collection of artists from River Valley Church. In 2011, the group began releasing a mix of uplifting studio and live albums that exemplify the unified worship culture flourishing within their weekend services.

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Verse 1 Lines of man made division

Chorus

Who can reason that there’s a plan

I want to be set apart

A loving God that knows the broken Close to the hurting, and You’re close to me

Give me a desperate heart Cause all I want Is all You are I want to live everyday

Verse 2 Even when the world seems caved in God I trust You You’re not done moving

Where every breath brings You praise Let my life say Your will Your way

And when there's chaos all around me Your love is a promise, never failing

Bridge 2x When the earth cries out in anger You are healing, You’re redeeming Heaven’s power knows no fear There's for

a reason rejoicing

Jesus You are all around me I in

find Your

refuge name

Desperate Heart Noah Bennett, Keenan Burton, Bella Stebbins, Lexy Topp and Wesley Schrock

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Desperate Heart STORY + HEART

What does it mean to be

desperate?

We can all probably picture a time we were desperate for something. Maybe it’s something like the time when you were young, begging your parents to buy you a treat from the store, and they promptly reply “we have that at home.” Or, maybe it’s more serious, like a time you found yourself face down begging God to move in your life.

Sometimes it can be challenging to see God’s hand moving. In a world that seems to be getting darker and darker, it would be easy to question God’s plan. Psalm 33:11 says, “But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken.” Even in a world that seems to be falling into darkness, God’s plan holds firm, and we can find rest knowing that even when hope is fading, He will make a way.

The amazing thing about God’s plan is He wants you and me to be a part of it. We might not feel like we’re qualified, and we definitely need God’s help through the journey, but each and every one of us are called to be God’s light in this world.

One line that we sing over and over in Desperate Heart is, “I want to be set apart, give me a desperate heart”. While we sing this, we’re telling God that we are ready for Him to use us as His light, and we acknowledge that we’re called, and that means living apart from things of the world in order to be a light in it.

Just like the kid in the grocery store, or the person who is face down begging God to move, we need to be desperate for a move of God. It may not happen in one night, but when we realize we’re called, and we chase it with everything we have, God will move in ways we have never seen. Desperate Heart.

2.3.22 Noah Bennett

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Ryan Williams, Wesley Schrock, Clinton Allen, Monica Friese, Faith Duncan and Michael Fatkin Verse 1 Time says don’t move, play it safe Clock ticks whisper, walk away My past mistakes beckoning But You're here with me You're here with me Chorus You called me out on this tightrope Never thought I’d go walking this far But somehow it feels like my home Walking this tightrope after Your heart Verse 2 Time says give up You're not strong High hopes rob me, take my song Mercy guides me beckoning Still Your here with me You’re here with me Bridge You call me to the valley, I’m home You call me to the mountain, I’m home Jesus I will trust You, I know Wherever You call me that’s home You call me to the wasteland, I’m home You call me to the promise, I’m home Jesus I will trust You, I know Wherever You call me that’s home I'm home I'm home

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tightrope story and heart monica friese 2.3.22

“Come, and you will see.” These are the inviting words of Jesus in John 1:39, and continue to be ones we hear time and time again through our journey of faith. Day after day as followers of Jesus we get the opportunity to partake in the thrilling dance of resurrendering to our own will, and in exchange, partaking in His perfect way and plan for our lives.

“Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart, And do not rely on your own understanding.In all your ways know, acknowledge, and recognize Him, And He will make your path straight and smooth.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 (AMP) Tightrope tells the story of how walking with Jesus will make what at one point was a seemingly impossible path, become straight and safe grounds to make a home on. Often times we are called to take steps that feel wild, daring and maybe even scary to minds that are only able to understand and imagine so much for ourselves. Our insecurities, past failures, doubts and pride can so easily keep us bound to finite ideas and thoughts for our lives. But as we let go of our expectations and trust His gentle hand in the process, moment by moment it will be His faithfulness that shows itself strong in our weakness, as He carries and holds us up along the tightrope of life.

There is so much comfort to be found in serving a God who knows us better than we know ourselves, and who has only the best things for us - that is why we can sing the words “Wherever you call me I’m home” with the purest conviction, meaning it wholeheartedly. Because we have experienced His goodness, seen time and time again that He only leads us to places that merit an outcome better than our greatest dreams or hopes and that He won’t ever leave us along the journey. He is faithful to hold us up, equip us with what we need for every step and make any and every “yes” we step into the safest place we could ever find ourselves... because it’s where He and His presence already await us, and there is no greater place in the world than to be where He is.

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TIGHTROPE SHOOT We sent out a massive, “Yo wyd tonight?” text to our AGES extended family (including

teams at our church).

Those that could come, came and together we proceeded to invade a local skate park around 9pm. While a handful of people brought a

but not limited to any youth students, interns or young adults who serve on worship

other’s cars, we made our way to a nearby park.

Imagine that iconic scene in your favorite coming of age movie, where the

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skateboard with them, only a few really knew how to use it. For the next half hour we blared “Tightrope” through a bluetooth speaker and ran around like third graders at an unsupervised recess.

Then, piling into each

main character tastes f r e e d o m

for the

what seems like first time.

That’s the type of energy we had that night.

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HON EST

Noey Melan & Wesley Schrock VERSE 1

I've been holding this close to my chest But I want to come clean and own it all I’m tired of the acting I hit a wall But You catch me whenever I fall

VERSE 2

Spent my life I’m done with up All I want is So I’m giving

CHORUS

just to put on a show all the faking I’m giving Jesus more than enough You all of my heart

I just wanna be honest You’ve always been good to me I just wanna be honest You are my every good thing And if I’m honest I've forgotten

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What it’s like to live set free So honestly, I’m letting go cause I need You God I’m letting go cause I need You

VERSE 3

I’m reminding my soul that I know I don’t gotta stress out about a thing Cause I know You're with me You’ll never leave so I'll follow You all of the way

VERSE 4

God You called me to soar on Your wings I don’t gotta worry about the height Cause I know the one that holds up the sky so I’m giving You all of my life

BRIDGE 4X

I need You like I never needed anything else never needed anything else

HONEST STORY & HEART

encounter true peace and comfort. We’ve been given new life because Jesus set us free from our bondage. No one else compares to what only He can do.

Keenan Burton 2.3.22

Our song called “Honest” is about realizing there’s nothing in the world that compares to being in God’s presence.

Like everyone in the world, we’re always looking for something that will fulfill or satisfy us physically, emotionally or spiritually. Unfortunately, at the end of day, the things that we do find are never enough. They all seem to run out of what they’re supposed to give. We can even be stubborn, prideful or letting our ego get the best of us.

Thinking we don’t need Him and we can do life without Him. We all know how that will turn out. And now we’re left feeling empty, stressed or not loved.

But through Jesus Christ, the one who is always enough for us. All those things that brought disappointment and hardship are now gone. Jesus is patient with us. He doesn’t force himself on us, He’s always waiting with open arms. When we’re finally “Honest” with ourselves and let go of our world desires and grab hold of His love, that’s when we really

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HONEST SHOOT The concept of the “Honest” shoot was simple - film Keeny from straight on while on the ferris wheel.

As we were walking up to the ferris wheel Noah B explained the

immediately arose as we boarded the ride with a large camera in hand and a look of disappointment written on our faces. Keeny broke

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situation to the gentleman in charge of the ride, and asked if we could have a cart to ourselves.

The fair was pretty slow that day and the line was moving fast, so it felt like a reasonable

the tension with an apology accompanied by an explanation of our vision. To our surprise, our three new eldery best friends were intrigued and eager to help in any way they could. The shot

request. Things were going according to plan right up until we were escorted into a cart with three elderly strangers.

An awkward tension

we got was different from our original vision, but ended up being better. Plus, we made new friends.

All’s well that ends well.

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Just_the_ Start

Verse 1: The time is here can you feel it There’s music in us all Just tune your ear to the moment The frequency of love Verse 2: A song that goes on forever Ready to unfold So lift your voice to the Heavens Join in just let go Chorus: Hear the song in your heart This is only just the start There’s a Heavenly melody ready in your soul Every heart synced with Jesus like never before Verse 2: I know this life’s for believing Who cares what they say Won’t turn my back to the future Faith will lead the way Bridge: We know that we know that we We know that we know that we We know that we know that we It’s just the start just the

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know it know it know start

Honest Just the Start FILM_Just_the_ Start_Assets

Just_the_Start_Lyr ic_FILM.ai

Sunrise Prodigal

Know Your Love

Sometimes it can be scary to think about what God’s plan for our lives is. We might face pressure from people telling us what they think God’s plan for our life is, we might even put pressure on ourselves to figure out what God’s plan is. Plus, even if we feel like we know what our purpose is, we rarely know when it’s the Desparate right time to start chasing our purpose.

Tightrope

Beautiful (Hidden Worlds)

Heart

All of this uncertainty can lead to us sitting still, begging God to move, but not moving ourselves. Every now and then, what God is asking for is for us to take a leap of faith into the future he’s made for us, and trust that what is on the other side is good.

Ask Seek Pray

Proverbs 16:9 says “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” We can spend all the time we want Nostalgia planning how to pursue our calling, but it is God who will plan our steps. This means that when God says it’s time, it will be His perfect timing.

The chorus of this song says, “There’s a heavenly melody ready in your soul.” What that means is that God has a call on your life, and that even though you may have held that calling, in that melody, God is calling you to let it out and chase it with everything you have.

The time to step into your calling is now. If you’re waiting for the perfect time, or reason to move, it will never come. God has a plan for you that is better than anything you could ever ask for, think of or imagine, so why wait when all He has for you is there for the taking?

- Noah Bennett 2.3.22

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INTERVIEW WITH MATT REDMAN A few questions now.. and hopefully they'll be helpful…

So question 1…

What's your most embarrassing worship leading Story?

I was in Europe leading a few years ago at a big arena youth event, and towards the end of the night we were singing a really upbeat song, a big celebration moment, and I was just playing when my guitar pick went flying in the air. I looked around and I couldn’t see where it was so I picked up another one and carried on. I looked around at my band and every time I looked at one of them they were smiling hugely and I was thinking, “Oh this is so cool they are feeling the joy of this moment!”. I looked down at the front, all these teenagers at the front were beaming with joy too! I was thinking, “Wow this is such a cool moment!” I thought it was just the joy of the Lord, but then I looked up at the big giant jumbotron screen and somehow the pick was on my forehead. My guitar pick was on my forehead! Out of the thousands of people that were in that room I was the only one that didn’t realize that! So, it’s quite a funny moment. We tried to recreate it after and uhh.. it’s a pretty tricky thing to do again. I guess I was so sweaty and the guitar pick had a little bit of texture on it that somehow it landed on my forehead! The weirdest thing I’ve ever had happened in worship.

Question 2…

When, why, how did you start writing songs?

I think I started writing songs because I needed to. I had a little bit of a turbulent upbringing. I

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lost my father when I was 7 years old and then didn't have very easy teenage years and in the middle of that I started learning some worship songs and then leading some worship songs… and I started writing some songs.. When I wrote them it was really just because I needed to talk to God. I needed to have a way to reach out to Him and I saw in the Psalms this amazing example of how when people were in the heights of joy or in the depths of struggle they would reach out to God through music. And I just found that amazing pattern for my own life. So I started writing songs, not because I wanted to write for a record, not even because I wanted to lead them in church. It was because I needed to find a way to talk to God that felt real. So many of those songs led me to a place of stability. I like to say that the throne room of God is not only a place of reverence, but it is a place of refuge and those songs led me to the throne room of God and when everything else was shaking and breaking around me that was the place to hang out.

Question 3… A moment or word of encouragement that “marked you” in your youth?

I had a moment when I was 15 years old, I was at a big conference and the worship team there prayed for me. They were praying over me and they felt I was already leading worship and they felt that I was going to do that with a good proportion of my life. They were praying over me and I definitely felt the call and the hand of God in my life at that moment. From that moment on a lot changed. I started getting fascinated with the Psalms. I started writing

songs for the first time. And a few doors started opening up for me to walk through in terms of leading worship… definitely a seismic moment for me.

Question 4… How do you keep the purity and intention of wanting to do something great for God in a culture (maybe even an industry) that pushes us to build our own platform in order to do something great for God? I think that is definitely an enticement these days. That the culture around us often doesn’t share the values that we need to hold dear and hold close in worship and so there does become a tension and I guess the key thing is that we can’t take our values from culture, we have to take them from Scripture. Operate in those values and navigate those values in 2022 in the world we live in, in a way that will feel relevant and engaging and helpful to people around us, but all the same it’s so important that we don’t adopt the values of culture at the expense of the values of Scripture. The quote that I’ll often go back to is, “It’s not the ship in the sea that sinks the ship, it’s when the sea gets in the ship that sinks the ship.” The point of that is, we need to be in this world, we want to be engaged, we don't want to withdraw and have this siege mentality. It’s very right that we are very involved in the world, but we have to be careful that the world doesn’t get into us. We have to be careful that the values that we see all around us in music and the entertainment industry don’t infiltrate the values of what it means to worship at the throne of God. Question 5… What do you feel has led you to have such longevity in ministry?

I love that I’ve got to do this for a good while now and I love seeing

the people of God, in the presence of God, pouring out the praises of God. That’s never gotten old to me. Meeting after meeting, year after year, that still is a hugely special thing to me. There is a dynamic that happens in that moment that I don't think you really see anywhere else on the face of the Earth. When you see the worshipping church at it’s best doing what it does best is a beautiful thing. Maybe the other thing, practically, is cowriting.

I think if I would have tried to do everything on my own, especially when it comes to songwriting, I’d be pretty quick to run out of ideas or keep repeating the same thing. There’s something beautiful about the fact that we’re better together and we operate best in community. If I sit in the room with someone else or a couple of other people and we share that songwriting moment, maybe even people that aren’t ever from my particular stream of the church, it’s such a wonderfully refreshing thing to do and often it leads to some new creativity.

Question 6… How do you keep yourself continually inspired?

Years ago I had this insight that really to be a worship songwriter you need to be a songwriter 24/7, and I don’t mean playing the guitar all day long, what I mean is I’m trying to have my antenna up and be open, available and ready for any little song ideas that might come. That might be reading Scripture and a line strikes you in a new way, maybe you think there’s a song in that. It might be a conversation you have, you might be sitting listening to a sermon, reading the news, it could be walking out beneath a beautiful starry sky.

There’s so many ways that revelation will come.

Sometimes the first thing in the morning, just as I wake up and I wasn’t aware I was dreaming about anything, but I’ll have a little

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melody in my head or particularly a little line. I’ll think, “Oh that lyric feels fresh.” So it’s just being ready at all times and places for those little ideas that might spring up because you know that they might become the seed of the song.

Question 7… How do you envision church and worship culture adapting in the years to come?

I mean, there’s something great about joining our voices together and I love that when we do that, when we get in a room together, we’re just carrying on in that glorious tradition of what the people of God have done for literally thousands of years and it's such a special thing to do together. So, sounds might change, rhythms might change, structures of songs might change, genres might even change, but at the end of the day, I think what's always going to be in the mix is the people of God lifting up their voices in melody together.

Question 8… What's something you've learned lately about songwriting?

Something that I’m learning and relearning time after time is trying to get this balance between breathing in and breathing out in a worship song. So you want to have some content, some revelation, something glorious about God in that song, that’s the breathing in moment. You’re breathing in the wonders and the mystery and the glory of who He is. And then you need to give space for the breathing out. That’s the devotional aspect, that's the cry of the heart, the overflow of the soul. I think some of the best songs have both of those ingredients in them. You get to see something of who Jesus is and then you get a chance to reply.

Question 9… What’s the first song you can remember writing?

There’s a few that kind of arrived

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at the same time way back when but there’s a song which was sung a bit more in England than it was here called “I Will Offer Up My Life.” And it was a special one to me because I think it came from a deep place in me. I had turbulent teenage years, family life was super tough and I know that this song came out of there. The line in the song that hits me is, “Lord receive the sacrifice of a broken heart.” and I knew what that meant then and I know what that means now. So that may be the one.

Question 10… Is there anything burning in your spirit for this next generation of songwriters, worshipers and Christ followers?

Yeah, I think that the music keeps progressing, we keep pushing the boundaries with that, fresh expressions and new melodies.

There’s some really exciting stuff that's gone on. The area that we really need to grow in is the lyrics.

So I’m hoping to see a generation of songwriters that care so deeply about the worth, the glory and the honor of God that they're going to contend for lyrics that point to Him in that way. They are going to contend for lyrics that aren’t an afterthought, that are just thrown on once there’s a great melody, but there is something that’s being fought for and wrestled with and inspired in a way that paints a beautiful and big picture of who Jesus Christ is.

HI! I‘M MATT REDMAN

FRIDAY, MAY 13 @ 7PM APPLE VALLEY, MN

RIVER VALL ALLE EY

AGES

LIVE RECORDING

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Writing We had AGES’ first ever writing retreat up at a cabin in the middle of Cumberland, Wisconsin.

The packing list was simple: Bible, journal and sweatpants. Three days set aside for nothing but team bonding

and songwriting. We intentionally planned to have our writing retreat during our church’s 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting and are glad we did. Each day had two songwriting sessions, and each session lasted

about three hours. In between those sessions we ran around on a frozen lake, went thrifting and piled on the couch to watch Pirates of the

Caribbean. Trips like these are funny because you never know if the song you’re writing right now will be the next single or if it’ll live on an album three years from now or if it never leaves the archive of song ideas.

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Retreat

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An extension of River Valley Worship, AGES is the sound of the young people of River Valley Church. AGES came to life in many separate hearts. You could sit down with any given member of the band to listen to their piece of the story, and you’ll see God’s hand in its making. AGES is a band, but their dream is for it to be so much more than that. They believe that God is doing something special in the next generation and desire to be a part of it. The heart behind their music is to inspire and empower young people to create. As part of River Valley Worship, AGES released their first album on March 11, 2022.

Scan the QR code to check out our music!

Music we are listening to!

River Valley Worship (Our older sibs) Hillsong Y&F - Out Here On A Friday Where It Began (Album) Elevation RHYTHM - Growing Pains (Album) SEU Worship - Familiar Song (Single) UNITED - Are We There Yet? (Album)

1) Nostalgia 2) Tightrope 3) Desperate Heart 4) Prodigal 5) Beautiful (Hidden Worlds) 6) Coming of Age 7) Sunrise 8) Know Your Love 9) From a Long Way Off 10) Honest 11) Just the Start 12) Ask Seek Pray Crossword puzzle answer key