Jars of Clay has put together a five song EP called Flood(ed): A Benefit that consists of five different versions of their hit song Flood. You can download the EP from their website for $1.00 and all proceeds go to Nashville area charities helping with the flood relief. Their goal is to raise $100,000. They’ve also put together a short video that shows some of the footage from the flood.

Noise Trade, a fair trade music site, has also partnered with the local radio station Lightning 100 to put together a compilation of local artists to help raise money for the relief efforts. Like all albums on Noise Trade, you can download Local Lightning Vol. 1 for free. However, you also have the opportunity to donate funds to the Nashville Flood Relief as you download the album.

Section 303 has created the ever popular We Are Nashville t-shirts to help raise awareness and funds. The shirts are $20 with all the proceeds going to the Community Foundation’s Flood Relief Fund. Additionally, Nashville Flood Tees has designed several t-shirts and even baby onesies that can be picked up for $20 with 100% of the profit going to local churches and agencies helping with the relief.

Of course, you can donate your time by volunteering through Hands on Nashville if you live in the area. They are also taking monetary donations of any amount in order to raise support for flood-related volunteerism.

I’m sure there are many other ways you can contribute. If you happen to know of more organizations or special relief projects putting things like this together then please feel free to list them in the comments section. And pray that the people of Nashville might not only experience physical renewal but also the spiritual rebirth that comes from believing in the gospel of Jesus.

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

(HT: Justin Taylor)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCShnZcZQR0]

(HT: Tim Challies)

As reported by the The Tennessean this morning:

Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest child died Wednesday evening after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family’s Williamson County home.

Maria, one of the Christian singer’s six children, was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt Hospital, which confirmed the death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The 5-year-old was hit by an SUV driven by her teenage brother, she said. Police did not give the driver’s name.

The teen was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser down the driveway of the rural home about 5:30 p.m. and several children were playing in the area, McPherson said. He did not see Maria in the driveway before the vehicle struck her, she said.

“It appears to be a terrible accident,” McPherson said

Please commit to praying for the Chapman family during this very difficult time.

Initially I simply wanted to mention them here as a request for prayer. Pray that the Lord may comfort them in this difficult time. Pray that they may see the glory of the Lord as never before.

However, I also mention them here because their story is a beautiful picture of faith in Jesus Christ. Jean writes about their faith in Christ and God’s faithfulness to answer their prayers and heal their broken hearts. She has also posted a couple of pictures of their baby boy that tugged at my heart and brought tears to my eyes. I commend their story to you. May it touch you as it has undoubtedly touched many others.

• Nathan Micheal
  
• Safe in the Arms of Jesus

If you haven’t read the news, a gunman stormed into a lecture hall full of approximately 150 students on the campus of Northern Illinois University and opened fire. He killed five people before walking up to the stage and killing himself. Several students were also injured. You can read the article here as well as watch several videos with testimony from students in the lecture hall at the time. Please pray for this campus, the injured, and families of those killed including the shooter.

UPDATE: Another student died at the hospital which raises the number killed to seven. They’ve also released some information on the shooter. You can read the updated article here.