from a former newsboy

One of the more successful bands in Christian circles has been the Newsboys, who just this week made a transition of front-man leadership. It's not the first time, though, for about a decade ago the original front man - John James - transitioned out as well. His comments below are music-centered, but I dare you to read them in your context:

"You've gotta understand. You've got a bunch of young guys that one moment we're tanning on the beach in Mooloolaba and some years later we're in one of the biggest Christian bands around. The success, the fame, the money, the screaming girls, the autographs. It's like, how do you deal with that? How do you process that? You're in this schizophrenic lifestyle where you're surrounded by thousands of fans that are wanting to touch the very sweat that falls from your brow. They're wanting your autograph. They're wanting to reach out and grab you.

And then I'm meant to come home and make the transition from this surreal, schizophrenic, adrenaline-packed lifestyle to come home to be a dad and a father
and a husband. And I found that after a period of time I wasn't able to make that transition back to normality of lifestyle. There wasn't anyone mentoring or helping me to deal with this, mentally or emotionally. It's like you've got people that surround you and help you to become successful but no-one really mentored us in regards of how to keep our heads in check.

I don't care who you are, you put ANYBODY in that sort of environment for long enough and unless you have countermeasures to help you process and deal with that, man it's gonna mess you up big time! And over a period of time it began to take it's toll. Only in little things. It doesn't happen overnight. Maybe a value dropped here. A standard lowered here. But it began to eventually take its toll on my marriage - the pressure of it."

I can see the parallel in many professions, from my friends who once were in ministry but no longer are to people who defined themselves by a job or role in the household that no longer is the same.

Do you see it in your life? What would happen to your sense of worth and everyday purpose if you couldn't tell the difference between what you produce and how it affects people around you... versus who you are without it?

Even if whatever you were doing was a really, really good thing?

But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)