HomeHomehttp://lindsaymccaul.com/home/2013-04-15T20:09:34ZSquarespaceValentines Dayhttp://lindsaymccaul.com/home/2013/2/14/valentines-day.htmlLindsay McCaul2013-02-15T01:33:31Z2013-02-15T01:33:31ZHappy Valentines Day friends!!
 
Thinking about Valentines Day, and subsequently love, brings to mind three very important people in my life whom I love and am loved by: my dad, my husband, and God -my Heavenly Father.
 
Tomorrow marks one year since my sweet dad went to be with Jesus. I’ve wanted to write about him for a while now, and actually I have been writing about him –just not in a blog. Many of the songs I’ve written in the past twelve months have either directly or indirectly been about my father….hopefully you’ll hear those in the near future (more about that in another blog…see what I did there… ;) ). I could write a whole series of novels about all God did and every specific, secret, whispered prayer He faithfully and lovingly answered in the months before He called my dad home, but for now I’ll try to keep it short and sweet. You know….blog style. :)
 
I’d been scared of when “the time” would come for my dad for a long while –anxious and fearful of not being able to control the circumstances around it. I’ve always leaned toward being a worrier (and maybe a teeeeensy bit of a control freak), and since we’d known about my dad’s illness for a few years, it had long been a fear in the back of my mind: what if I didn’t get to say goodbye? My Nana had passed away unexpectedly in the middle of the night when I was in college, and I was terrified of getting a similar phone call about my dad. Countless drives to work and showers and evening jogs were spent praying and sobbing and begging God that I would be able to be with my dad during his last few days on earth and get to really truly say goodbye. I knew God could say no, and have a good reason for doing that –even a loving reason. I knew I needed to brace myself for whatever came, and that I would choose to believe that God knows best and works everything together for good should He answer my prayer in a different way than I was asking Him to. Again and again, I’d muster up all the faith I had and tell God I would trust Him no matter what, but was still bringing my request before Him.
 
Spring of 2012 was blocked off for me to open up for my dear friends Casting Crowns on their “Come To The Well” tour, which ran from February right through May. The only two full weeks I had completely wide open were right before that tour started….which is when my mom called saying she had a feeling I should come home to Florida to see my dad. We’d had a few scares throughout the past several years, but somehow I knew this time…something in her voice was different. I was actually already in Florida for a few shows with Matt Maher, and the day after my mom called, my friend Diane was able to drive me straight from that last show to the hospital my dad was in. My husband and a few more family members came down within the next few days, and we were all in the room when the doctor gently told my dad he only had a few days left….that this was the end.
 
I’ve learned so many things from my dad. He taught me about financial responsibility while trusting God to faithfully provide. He taught me that milk chocolate chip cookies are way better than the semi-sweet kind. He showed me loyalty, forgiveness, and taught his five daughters to be brave and stand up for what we believed in. He was a master storyteller, and even at 78 he never forgot a name. My dad LOVED to sing and thanks to countless hours driving to and from church with him and his BFF’s the Gaithers, I learned to harmonize and the power of great lyrics. But the biggest thing my dad left me with is something we talked about during the last few days I spent with him before he went home. I asked him what he was thinking –looking back on 78 years lived on earth, knowing he was nearing the very end of his journey this side of heaven. Sitting on the edge of his hospital bed together, he said something I’ll never forget: “Well…everyone knows they’re dying, but nobody thinks they’re dying.” He went on to remind me of the importance of focusing on the day we’re living in –this day. Right here & now…the only day we’re guaranteed. Oh, we all think we have tomorrow. We make plans like we have it –and I’m not excluding myself here, believe me. I’m the Queen of GoogleCal. But no-one except God knows the specific number of days you or I have left on earth, and at the risk of sounding like a Hallmark card, every second is a precious, priceless gift that we are entrusted with. God promises that each new morning His mercies are new, and that His grace is sufficient for us…today. Time and time again He tells us not to worry about tomorrow, but to live courageously today, trusting Him with past, present and future. He's given us the moment we're living in to shine like a city on a hill (wherever we are, whatever circumstances may surround us), taking each opportunity He puts in front of us to show the eternal hope of Jesus to a hurting world that mistakenly believes this earthly life is all we can count on.  
 
I am more grateful than I will ever be able to express that I was able to hug my dad and tell him I love him and am proud to be his daughter. I’m so thankful that my new husband (at the time we’d only been married for five months) got to reassure my dad he’d take care of his girls. The time we shared and the memories we made those two weeks are absolutely priceless gifts….God has been immeasurably kind to me, and I will never forget the awesome answer to prayer He didn’t have to give. In the end, my dad was thankful that his disease helped him “number his days” and appreciate every last moment. He kept his accounts short, reached out to loved ones near and far, and finished his days here peaceful and cherishing the gift of life he’d been given.
 
Wherever you are and whatever season you’re in, I hope my reminiscing and recounting God’s goodness brings you hope; reminds you that God does indeed answer prayer; and encourages you to reach out to those around you that you count dear. I’ll leave you with my favorite “Valentines” verse from Romans 5:8: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” True, unwavering love. Happy, happy Valentines Day, friends.

]]>Hello friends!http://lindsaymccaul.com/home/2013/2/8/hello-friends.htmlLindsay McCaul2013-02-08T23:18:49Z2013-02-08T23:18:49ZHello friends! Man, I’m still having a hard time believing it’s 2013. Then I went and blinked my eyes, and it's February already!! The longer I live, the faster the time seems to fly by. SPEAKING of time flying by –I just realized how long it’s been since I’ve given you an update on what’s going on! I feel like I need to write a belated “Christmas card update” of what’s happened so we can get all caught up.

This past year since my album, “If It Leads Me Back” came out (January 17, 2012) has been absolutely non-stop. God has led me through valleys deep and dark where I experienced His faithful presence in such a tangible way, and over mountaintops to fulfill dreams that only He knew were hidden in my heart. Soon after my album released, my beloved father went to be with Jesus on February 15, 2012 after a long battle with a terminal illness. I’ll tell you more about that in another blog next week, but God answered so many prayers in allowing my husband, Mark, and me to be able to spend the last few weeks of my dad’s life with him. I’m forever grateful.

In February 2012 I was so blessed to get to go out on tour with Casting Crowns again, on the second leg of their “Come To The Well” tour. Talk about dreams coming true –I’ve been such a huge fan of their music for SO long, and believe me when I tell you their awesome music is an accurate reflection of their incredible servants hearts. Along on that tour was another one of my musical heroes: Matthew West, and the lovable Royal Tailor guys. We managed to visit 40 cities and saw countless lives changed by of the love of Jesus and the truth of the Gospel.

After the Come To The Well tour ended in May, Mark and I moved down to Franklin, TN. We LOVE living here, and are especially enjoying this mild southern winter (I guess compared to Chicago pretty much anywhere is mild)! In June, we traveled to Washington DC for my Dad’s burial in Arlington National Cemetery (needless to say, the burial admittance/paperwork process at Arlington takes quite a while), which was so special. My father was a retired Colonel in the USAF and considered it an honor to serve and protect his country, so it was awesome to get to witness the military honoring a veteran soldier.

Through the summer I was so excited to get to sing at several amazing festivals, at which I was forced (ok….maybe not forced) to eat corn dogs and funnel cakes. Festivals are rough, folks. I also hopped on a mini-tour through the southwest with my dear friends in MIKESCHAIR, and got to experience van life with five guys. Let’s just say I think I now deserve honorary membership in the band. ;) Then, on a few later dates I opened up for two more of my absolute favorite artists: Steven Curtis Chapman and Brandon Heath –both of whose music has impacted my own writing more than I could ever say. God has been unbelievably good to me. It’s blown my mind to realize that God puts dreams in our hearts so that He can then fulfill them -in His time and perfect way- and grow our faith and trust in Him. Why in the world would He do that?! Because He loves us. Simple as that.

Come fall I had the immense privilege of being a part of Matthew West’s “Into The Light” tour with MIKESCHAIR and Everfound. I loved our tour family, and especially loved getting to meet the people that inspired Matthew’s songs from his last album, “The Story of Your Life” and his new album “Into The Light”. Amazing songs about some seriously amazing people!! We visited 35 cities and had a blast traveling the country together and meeting YOU! After that tour ended at the beginning of December, Mark and I got to visit some dear friends in Colorado, and then spent time with my family in Florida and Mark’s family in Texas for Christmas.

Sheeeesh! I’m getting tired just typing about all that traveling. Seriously though, we were so blessed to see God sustain us and grow us through 2012 and all it held, and count it such a huge privilege to have gotten to meet and get to know so many of you as we bussed across the country.

Wow…so I guess that brings me up to present tense! February (as planned – I’m slowly learning that God likes to lovingly rearrange my schedule for His MUCH better plans) has a lot on the books so far: I’ve really been focusing on writing new songs recently (more on that soon ;) ), and I’ll be leading worship at Girls of Grace in Nashville on the 23rd. After Girls of Grace, the NEXT DAY I’ll be running a half-marathon at Disney World with Team FREEDOM, Natalie Grant and Carmen Brown from the JoyFM in Tampa, Florida. To find out more about why an extremely non-sporty girl like myself would sign up to run 13.1 miles on someone else’s behalf, check out this link: http://florida.thejoyfm.com/page/run!

Well friends, I hope your 2013 has been awesome so far, and that this coming week would find you sensing God’s nearness and love in a fresh way. Please forgive my terrible blog-per-year track record and check back in soon…I promise I'm already working on my next post. :)
 
Until soon,
lindsay

]]>JesusFreakHideout.com Interviewhttp://lindsaymccaul.com/home/2012/2/6/jesusfreakhideoutcom-interview.htmlLindsay McCaul2012-02-06T18:53:48Z2012-02-06T18:53:48ZRead Lindsay's recent interview with Jen Rose on JesusFreakHideout.com.

]]>VIDEO: Casting Crowns Tourhttp://lindsaymccaul.com/home/2012/1/24/video-casting-crowns-tour.htmlLindsay McCaul2012-01-24T20:34:20Z2012-01-24T20:34:20ZVisit the tour page for dates and ticket links!

]]>The Morning Cruise Interviewhttp://lindsaymccaul.com/home/2012/1/23/the-morning-cruise-interview.htmlLindsay McCaul2012-01-23T19:41:59Z2012-01-23T19:41:59ZGet to know Lindsay by listening to her recent interview with Dave, Bill & Carmen on The Morning Cruise at The JOY FM in Atlanta and Florida, marking the release of her new album, If It Leads Me Back.

]]>My New Album Is Finally Available!!!!http://lindsaymccaul.com/home/2012/1/17/my-new-album-is-finally-available.htmlLindsay McCaul2012-01-17T16:12:24Z2012-01-17T16:12:24ZHappy Tuesday, friends!!

Today is a day I have been waiting on for quite some time now: the day my new album, If It Leads Me Back, is released on iTunes and in stores. :) For every valley or mountaintop of life that sparked a line or two of lyrics, for each of those lines that were sewn together with a melody & laboriously formed into a song, for every song that has been put through the refining fire of the recording process...for every step of this journey, my prayer has been the same: that somehow, in and through God's unsearchable wisdom and kindness, He would allow this collection of songs (each song representing a snapshot of a season of my heart) to encourage you.

Romans 8:28 has long been one of my favorite verses in the Bible, acting as a blazing torch of hope to remind me that God LOVES taking our epic failures, mistakes and broken dreams, and radically redeeming them to showcase His scandalous love and astounding mercy. What a mystery. It's mind blowing to me, but that's what these songs represent: God stepping in and whispering that He can use whatever situation we're in the midst of to lead us back to...closer to...Him. Praying that with every listen you would hear Him calling you by name, beckoning you to draw near to His awesome throne of grace.

Thank you for letting me share these songs with you...it’s a huge privilege for me.

I hope to see you out on the Casting Crowns tour this spring! And if you have a moment, please stop by facebook.com/lindsaymccaulmusic & say hello; I always love hearing from friends old & new. :)

much love,
lindsay

]]>Casting Crowns Tour Press Releasehttp://lindsaymccaul.com/home/2012/1/4/casting-crowns-tour-press-release.htmlLindsay McCaul2012-01-04T17:54:00Z2012-01-04T17:54:00Zit's official! :) spring tour dates with Casting Crowns, Matthew West & Royal Tailor are announced...so, so excited!!

GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING CASTING CROWNS
ANNOUNCES  44-CITY SPRING LEG OF
 ‘COME TO THE WELL’ TOUR FEATURING SPECIAL GUESTS
 MATTHEW WEST, ROYAL TAILOR AND LINDSAY MCCAUL
 
2012 Arena Tour Kicks Off February 9
Follows String of Sell-Outs and More Than 155,000 in Attendance This Fall

(Nashville, Tenn.) Jan. 3, 2012 – Multi-platinum selling, GRAMMY®, AMA and 2010 Dove Award-winning Artist of the Year Casting Crowns will extend its massive “Come To The Well” tour into the spring by adding an additional 44 dates across the U.S., this time featuring special guests, singer/songwriter Matthew West, pop-rockers Royal Tailor (both GRAMMY-nominated) and Christian music newcomer Lindsay McCaul who was also on the 2011 fall tour lineup.  Following a hugely successful fall run, which included a string of more than15 sell-out performances, playing before more than 155,000 people, the spring leg of the “Come To The Well” tour kicks off Feb. 9, in Florence, S.C.  Among its scheduled 44 shows, the tour will hit arenas in major markets like Grand Rapids, Orlando, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Birmingham, Oklahoma City, Minneapolis, Houston and many more. 

The tour takes its name from the Casting Crowns’ newest studio project, Come To The Well, (released October 18, its first new studio album in two years), featuring the hit single “Courageous,” which was showcased in the recent Sherwood Pictures film by the same title.  The project is filled with songs that both challenge and encourage believers in their walk, including,“Just Another Birthday” which goes for radio adds today.  Frontman Mark Hall collaborated on several of the tracks with top songwriters including Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West and award-winning country songwriter Tom Douglas.

The week of its release, Come to the Well sold 99,138 copies, making it the highest debut onBillboard’s Top 200 at No. 2.  The album additionally topped the Billboard Contemporary Christian Overall chart, while also claiming No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Albums chart and No. 3 on its Overall Albums chart.  Lead radio single “Courageous” landed at No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Songs chart and peaked at a No. 1 on the Billboard National Christian Audience chart in just 10 weeks.  In addition, the band celebrated its second career American Music Award win, from six career AMA nominations, on Nov. 20.

The “Come To The Well” tour is partnering with Christian humanitarian organization World Vision ( www.worldvision.org).  World Vision provides assistance to approximately 100 million people in nearly 100 countries by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.  Casting Crowns has helped to generate a total of 52,000 child sponsorships for World Vision to date.
 
About Casting Crowns:
All of Casting Crowns’ projects are RIAA certified, with a tally of three RIAA Platinum Albums, two RIAA Platinum DVDs, two RIAA Gold Albums, two Gold DVDs and two Gold digital singles, holding position as Billboard’s top-selling act in Christian music since 2007.
The group also claims two American Music Awards, with six total nominations, three GRAMMY Awards and 14 GMA Dove Awards.
 
Despite an unprecedented eight-year career with Casting Crowns, the seven band members remain active in student ministry in the Atlanta area and tour part-time around their local church duties.  Serving his 18th year in youth ministry, lead singer/songwriter Mark Hall is the student pastor at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in Atlanta.  As a testament to the band’s impact, Casting Crowns performed for a second time in North Korea in April 2009, in partnership with Global Resource Services, as the band continues to forge invaluable relationships with the people in the D.P.R.K.  For more information on Casting Crowns and Come to the Well, visit:www.castingcrowns.com or follow Mark Hall’s Twitter at twitter.com/markhallCC.
 
About Matthew West
Lauded by The New York Times as “a vivid and compelling songwriter with impressive approaches to the familiar,” two-time GRAMMY ® nominee Matthew West’s discography includes acclaimed releases Happy (2003), History (2005) and Something to Say (2008).  His latest studio album, The Story of Your Life, was inspired by 10,000 stories from every state in the U.S. and 20 countries.  The album released on October 5, 2010, and garnered attention from CNN Online, FOX News, Billboard Magazine, Country Weekly, American Songwriter and more.  The Story of Your Life gave West the largest street-week debut of his career, selling over 10,000 units the first week, landing at No. 3 on Christian Soundscan, and No. 41 on the Billboard Top 200.  In conjunction with Harvest House Publishers, West teamed up with bestselling author Angela Thomas for “The Story of Your Life” book.  The Heart of Christmas marks West’s first full-length Christmas project which also boasts the top 15 mainstream AC radio hit “The Heart of Christmas.”  A multiple ASCAP “Song of the Year” winner, West has had four No. 1 radio hits including his latest GRAMMY-nominated tune “Strong Enough.”  His songwriting credits include Rascal Flatts, Billy Ray Cyrus, Diamond Rio and more.  For more information, visit www.MatthewWest.com.

About Royal Tailor
With a contagious blend of pop, R&B, hip hop and rock, Royal Tailor is a high-energy band and music ministry reaching out to a new generation of students suffering from symptoms of a visionless life.  The four-member band -- made up of Tauren (lead singer), DJ (guitar), Blake (bass) and Jarrod (drums) -- met while in school in Indianapolis and began to hone its sound while playing for churches and youth groups around the country.  In just under two years, Royal Tailor has performed more than 300 shows, most recently playing at the Nashville GRAMMY Chapter’s Block Party stage alongside artists including Old Crow Medicine Show and The Civil Wars.

Produced by Aaron Lindsey, Chuck Butler, and Daniel Kinner, Black & White showcases Royal
Tailor’s distinctive musical blend, highlighting influences that range from Bruno Mars to Maroon 5 to Michael Jackson.  The result is 11 high-energy tracks that make audiences want to dance, pray, shout and sing along.  Royal Tailor is currently debuting new music from Black & White on the road, having just wrapped up the 20-city “The Overcome Tour,” which also featured Fireflight, After Edmund and Hyland.  For more information on Royal Tailor, please visit: www.RoyalTailor.com, www.facebook.com/royaltailor or follow the band on Twitter at www.twitter.com/royaltailor.

About Lindsay McCaul
There’s a phrase often heard in music industry circles: “It all begins with a song.”  That motto
carries extra weight in Christian music where a great lyric transcends entertainment and becomes a vehicle to share the gospel.  Lindsay McCaul is an artist keenly aware of words and their value.  From her teen years pouring over the lyrics of her favorite music to her college days majoring in linguistics at Moody Bible Institute, McCaul’s gifts manifest themselves in vibrant, insightful songs crafted with thoughtful precision reflecting a compassionate heart and deep intellect.  McCaul’s 11-track debut If It Leads Me Back, produced by Jason Ingram (Tenth Avenue North, Meredith Andrews), reveals considerable depth and pathos; keen songwriting paired with her shimmering voice only compels the listener deeper into the album’s overall experience.  If It Leads Me Back is an auspicious beginning from a talented newcomer whose music will leave a lasting impression.  Audiences nationwide will experience Lindsay live on both the fall 2011 and spring 2012 legs of the Casting Crowns “Come To The Well” tour. 
 
For more information on Lindsay McCaul, please visit www.lindsaymccaul.com, www.facebook.com/lindsaymccaulmusic or www.providentpress.com.
 
 
CASTING CROWNS “COME TO THE WELL” SPRING TOUR 2012
*Dates, markets and venues subject to change without notice

FEBRUARY
2/9 (Thursday) - Florence, S.C. - Florence Civic Center
2/10 (Friday) - Virginia Beach, Va. - Rock Church
2/11 (Saturday) - Woodbridge, Va. - Hylton Memorial Chapel
2/16 (Thursday) - Grand Rapids, Mich. - Van Andel Arena
2/17 (Friday) - Troy, Ohio - Hobart Arena
2/18 (Saturday) - Lynchburg, Va. - Vines Center – Liberty University
2/23 (Thursday) - Coral Gables, Fla. - BankUnited Center
2/24 (Friday) - Orlando, Fla. - UCF Arena
2/25 (Saturday) - Tallahassee, Fla. - Leon County Civic Center
2/26 (Sunday) - Pensacola, Fla. - Pensacola Civic Center

MARCH
3/1 (Thursday) - Ft. Wayne, Ind. - Memorial Coliseum
3/2 (Friday) - Brookfield, Wis. - Elmbrook Church
3/3 (Saturday) - Toledo, Ohio - Huntington Center
3/8 (Thursday) - Johnson City, Tenn. - Freedom Hall
3/9 (Friday) - Raleigh, N.C. - RBC Center
3/10 (Saturday) - Charlotte, N.C. - Bojangles Coliseum
3/11 (Sunday) - Greenville, S.C. - Bi-Lo Center
3/15 (Thursday) - Lowell, Mass. - Lowell Memorial Auditorium
3/16 (Friday) - Newark, N.J. - Prudential Center
3/17 (Saturday) - Getzville, N.Y. - The Chapel at Crosspoint
3/18 (Sunday) - Baltimore, Md. - 1st Mariner Arena
3/22 (Thursday) - Independence, Mo. - Independence Event Center
3/23 (Friday) - Moline, Ill. - iWireless Center
3/24 (Saturday) - St. Charles, Md. - Family Arena
3/29 (Thursday) - Philadelphia, Pa. - The Liacouras Center
3/30 (Friday) - Hershey, Pa. - Giant Center
3/31 (Saturday) - Pittsburgh, Pa. - Console Energy Center

APRIL
4/5 (Thursday) - Bowling Green, Ky. - E.A. Diddle Arena
4/6 (Friday) - Chattanooga, Tenn. - UTC MacKenzie Arena
4/7 (Saturday) - Birmingham, Ala. - BJCC Arena
4/12 (Thursday) - Austin, Texas - Shoreline Church
4/13 (Friday) - Odessa, Texas - Ector County Coliseum
4/14 (Saturday) - Oklahoma City, Okla. - State Fair Arena (Private)
4/19 (Thursday) - Cedar Falls, Iowa - McLeod Center
4/20 (Friday) - Sioux Falls, S.D. - Sioux Falls Arena
4/21 (Saturday) - Minneapolis, Minn. - Target Center
4/22 (Sunday) - Fargo, N.D. - Fargo Dome
4/24 (Tuesday) - Springfield, Mo. - JQH Arena
4/26 (Thursday) - Louisville, Ky. - Broadbent Arena
4/27 (Friday) - Woodstock, Ga. - First Baptist Church
4/28 (Saturday) - Charleston, W.V. - Charleston Civic Center
 
MAY
5/3 (Thursday) - Tulsa, Okla. - Spirit Bank Event Center
5/4 (Friday) - Lubbock, Texas - United Spirit Arena
5/5 (Saturday) - The Woodlands, Texas - The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

]]>On Tour With Casting Crowns (Again) This Spring!http://lindsaymccaul.com/home/2011/12/19/on-tour-with-casting-crowns-again-this-spring.htmlLindsay McCaul2011-12-19T19:57:20Z2011-12-19T19:57:20ZAfter a great fall run, we are excited to announce that Lindsay has been asked to join Casting Crowns' Come To The Well Tour this spring alongside Matthew West and Royal Tailor! Visit the tour page or CastingCrowns.com for ticket links & more information.

]]>Full Album Releasing Nationally Jan. 17th!http://lindsaymccaul.com/home/2011/9/22/full-album-releasing-nationally-jan-17th.htmlLindsay McCaul2011-09-22T15:50:13Z2011-09-22T15:50:13ZHere's the official press release that went out yesterday!

LINDSAY MCCAUL'S DEBUT REUNION RECORDS PROJECT
IF IT LEADS ME BACK SLATED FOR JAN. 17 RELEASE

Chicago Based Artist Sets Up Album With Early TV and Tour:
 Featured on TLC Television Series “Say Yes To The Dress: Atlanta”
Spends Fall Touring Season as an Opener on Casting Crowns’ “Come to the Well” Tour

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) Sept. 21, 2011-- Newcomer Lindsay McCaul has joined the prestigious line-up of artists at Reunion Records. Reunion Records is a division of Provident Music Group and home to top acts including Brandon Heath, Michael W. Smith, Third Day, Red, Casting Crowns and Tenth Avenue North.

]]>VIDEO: Meet Lindsay McCaul & Learn About "Say My Name"http://lindsaymccaul.com/home/2011/9/2/video-meet-lindsay-mccaul-learn-about-say-my-name.htmlLindsay McCaul2011-09-02T16:13:00Z2011-09-02T16:13:00ZGet to know Lindsay and hear how she was inspired to write the song "Say My Name," from her digital EP, now available on iTunes.

]]>