tag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:/blogs/steps-of-the-journey?p=2Steps of the Journey2023-04-29T11:35:14-04:00Curtis Wayne Hurleyfalsetag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71998252023-04-29T11:35:14-04:002023-10-16T10:58:09-04:00Why We Be Churchin'<p>I love music. I enjoy it sooooo much. I like music that makes me feel good. But I also have a music ministry to and I have to honest in that ministry. People listen to the sound and the hooks of the music I write and they enjoy themselves so much. What bothers me is that they aren't getting the real message behind the sound. "We be churchin" is a celebration of God's love. Its a pretty much an over-the-top praise dance that gets outta hand and will stay that way. But the truth behind the celebration gets lost in the beat. Its a testimony that I used to be an absolute MESS. I was deeply hurt inside after years of events that I hadn't dealt with. And hurt people hurt other people. I was chained up in my sin and struggled with thoughts and near attempts of suicide. I trashed nearly every relationship I had because of how damaged I was inside. When God showed me how much he loved me and pulled me in close to him to cover me in his love, everything changed. I'm not perfect. I STILL have my struggles, but I am NOT what I used to be. And I PRAISE God for that. I Celebrate his love for me. That's why we be praisin'. That's why We Be Churchin'</p><p> </p><p>Stay Prayed Up</p><p>Curt</p><p> </p><p>#webechurchin</p><p> </p><p><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">https://curtiswaynehurley.hearnow.com/we-be-churchin</span></p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71827942023-04-04T06:00:00-04:002023-04-04T06:00:03-04:00REST<p>Posting the lyric video today. I will admit that I am nervous about this song because everyone is captivated by the haunting melody. My fear is that I could possibly be giving them watered down Word like I always rail against. Let me clarify… I am concerned, since this could possibly be someone's only exposure to the word of God, is this strong enough to direct them to Christ. I hear people say “I like that beat”, but does it speak to your spirit??? But maybe I should just rest on 1 Cor 3:6-7 “<span id="en-KJV-28417">I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. </span><span id="en-KJV-28418">So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” Maybe what I am doing is not bring people to full realization of Christ. Maybe all I'm doing is planting a seed. God will give the increase. So I will rest in that. </span></p><p>Stay Prayed UP!</p><p>Curt</p><p>#webechurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71827752023-04-03T06:00:00-04:002023-04-03T06:00:02-04:00ENJOYING THE FRUIT<p>I have been hearing and reading about casting down imaginations for as long as I can remember. <i>2 Cor 10:5 “<strong> </strong></i><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);"><i>Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…” </i></span>I don't think it clicked until today. There are times when thoughts come into my head that I have always struggled against. They have always had the power to lead me into places that I have never wanted to be in. It always seemed that I was powerless to stop. I always wondered why God wouldn't stop this for me? Why wouldn't the most powerful being in existence not put this to bed once and for all. The answer is rather simplistic: He gave me the power to do it. Why would he do something for me that I can do - potentially handicapping me for the rest of my life? The Bible says in Prov 8:21 “<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);"><i>Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”.</i> And that means I can speak life to something or death to something. Either way I'll eat the fruit of what comes out of my mouth. I am learning that when those thoughts come to my mind, they are suggestions that didn't come from me. And I have to speak death to those thoughts - “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus” or “I bind you in the name of Jesus.” and I take control over what's going on in my head. I speak life to the goodness of God and the power of God… and I am enjoying the fruit!</span></p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71802402023-04-01T06:00:00-04:002023-04-01T06:00:06-04:00Keep Me In Your Prayers<p>Went to the doc today to check out my shoulder. Pranged it in a fall a few weeks ago. It hurts but I'm only speaking healing to myself. I won't speak all that I've heard other people go through. I'm healed and that's all that I will accept. </p><p>Only a few more weeks and we drop “we be churchin”. I'm truly excited about how weill this song will do. I'm excited about people praising God to a song I wrote. I'm just up for this. God is good! I'm still waiting to get the master back. I'm a bit nervous, but I will only speak that it will be beyond what even I expected. I will apply it to the lyric video and then prep to the shoot the real one. I have a milion ideas bouncing around my head, but I still don't have the concept yet. I know that God will give me what is perfect. I know that God will give me what needs to heard and seen. ‘til then, you guys keep me in your prayers!</p><p>Stay Prayed Up</p><p>Curt</p><p>#webechurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71789102023-03-31T06:00:00-04:002023-03-31T06:00:03-04:00The Creative Process<p>I have been disscussing the creative process leading to the 4/24/3023 relase of We Be Chuchin'. I'm just trying to give a look inside my head… not sure if that's a good idea or not. LOL</p><p>Stay Prayed Up!</p><p>Curt</p><p>#webechurchin</p><div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Bjz1WWZ8sNI" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bjz1WWZ8sNI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71596902023-03-29T06:00:00-04:002023-03-29T23:38:51-04:00Stop Wearing A Past That No Longer Fits. <p>I slip sometimes. I make mistakes. I'm learning the key to this is not to live in my mistakes. There are things that I used to do that I could easily fall back into. I'm sure easily is the word… more like I could fall back into, but they wouldn't be comfortable for me anymore. Its no longer who I am. Its no longer what I am. It would be like losing a lot of weight and then putting on clothes you wore when you were heavier. They don't fit. They look bad on you. If you wore them, you couldn't move comfortably in them anymore. You'd be struggling to keep the pants up. The shirt would look you were wearing a tent. The past no longer fits. You'll simply have to leave it all behind and keep moving forward. Like Paul said in Philipians 3:13 - 14 “<span id="en-KJV-29435">Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,</span><span id="en-KJV-29436"><strong> </strong>I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus…” We all make mistakes. We just have to keep pressing. Keep moving. Keep reaching. Stop wearing a past that no longer fits. </span></p><p><span id="en-KJV-29436">Stay Prayed Up</span></p><p><span id="en-KJV-29436">Curt</span></p><p><span id="en-KJV-29436">#webechurchin</span></p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71789072023-03-27T06:00:00-04:002023-03-27T10:40:02-04:00Just Gonna Chill<p>I finished the lyric video (yay!). I keep hearing in my spirit that I needed to get it done this weekend. It was grueling, but I hope you guys enjoy it. I'll release it as soon as I get the mastered audio back from the “Jhedi Mixmaster”. I'm looking forward to this. I believe this song is going to reach some people. I'm already feeling this weird sensation that the next song must be stronger. Not stronger musically, but stronger spiritually. This song is praise, quite simply. The song absolutely has to be strong spiritual meat. But even as I write this, I'm dismissing that thought. God gave me this one, he'll give me the next. And it will say EXACTLY what it wants him to say, so now I'll relax on that. I'm just gonna chill 'til God hooks me up with the next. </p><p> </p><p>Stay Prayed Up!</p><p> </p><p>Curt</p><p> </p><p>#webechurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71585182023-03-26T06:00:00-04:002023-03-26T06:00:02-04:00God Has The Final Say<p>Been recording videos to chronical the steps of the journey. A few of them are up already. I've been trying to keep people in the loop on what we are doing and how this is actually working out. I am greatly appreciate of the people that I have gotten to work with. I've been trying to chronical the vibe of this piece and the reactions to it. So far 99% of what I've gotten is positive - which bothers me a little. Either God is using this piece to reach people that wouldn't nornally come to the church or listen to the church sound… or I got something that appeals to the senses and doesn't edify. And if the latter is the case, I'll scrap it all right now. The song speaks to me. I believe it honors the presence of God by glorifying the changes he's made in me. I'm publishing it like man delivered from the legion of devils (Mark 5 1 -20). He told everyone as instructed by Jesus what good things God has done for him. The song celebrates the deliverence that God has graced me with, the good things he's done for me. I want that to be clear because the Bible says “if our Gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost…”. I want this to be clear. I want this to be plain. And I am sure that all the paranoia that I'm having with this song could all be from the enemy trying to shut this down. But God has the final say. </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71585082023-03-22T06:00:00-04:002023-03-22T06:00:05-04:00Hear From God<p>I hear the “prosperity message” often. And I know some wolves have highjacked the message and corrupted it for their own purposes. The “you-put-money-in-my-pocket-and-God-will-bless-you” crowd. I know there are wolves involved. I've been at a church and a pastor that I respected was going through his speel and I heard the spirit of God say “WHAT he is saying is right…. WHY he's saying it is wrong!” And I didn't sow into his ministry that day. I understood that he was preaching that message out of fear that the bills weren't going to get paid that month. The message has merit. It has power. It has purpose. But you HAVE to hear from God before you give ANYTHING. </p><p>There are several passages that the pastors usually throw at the body of Christ. One in particular is Luke 6:38 </p><p>“<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you…”</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">But that message was about giving to the other churches that were in need. The ones who at the time were suffering to the point of starvation. They were doing this to support the ministry, to take care of the body of Christ. It wasn't so Pastor could get a Rolls Royce. Jesus was talking in this instance about the laws of reciprication, about how what you put out comes back to you. But he was talking about everything. Love, peace, money, compassion - what you give out comes back to you pressed down, shaken together will men give you what you gave out. The gift you gave from the heart to the homeless family because they had need will weigh more in the kingdom of heavan than the gift you blessed pastor with. And I'm NOT saying don't bless your pastor. What I AM saying is hear from the word of God first. </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">I believe in the law of giving and receiving. I've seen it work time and time again in my own life. God blesses when you are faithful to what he has told you. Hear from God. And do only that. </span></p><p> </p><p><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">Stay Prayed Up</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">Curt</span></p><p>#webechurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71693562023-03-20T06:00:00-04:002023-03-20T06:00:01-04:00Who Knows<p>I guess I have been spoiled by being able to create quickly. The faucet in my mind (spirit) turns on and a flood pours out. sometimes. And there are days when it drips out and I quit and move on to something else. The result is a ton of incomplete musical thoughts and ideas that I have no idea how to finish. a moment of tranparency. Got a pile of unfinished crap. I really have to be patient… learn to be more patient. Who knows my best song to date might be lying in that pile somewhere. </p><p> </p><p>Stay Prayed Up</p><p> </p><p>Curt</p><p>#webechurchin</p><p> </p><p> </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71584812023-03-17T06:00:00-04:002023-03-17T06:00:01-04:00Counting On You<p>I got into a long conversation about creativity with someone. My creativity in particular. <br>They were questioning how I came up with things and my processes and all of that. I know<br>some guys have all of these complicated ways of performing tasks. Mine is kind of simple.<br>I told the guy I was talking to, most of the time I hear it and then try to recreate it. Or I see<br>the "movie" in my head and then that becomes the reality. In other words I get quiet and God<br>gives me beautiful things. I can NEVER thump my chest and claim that I am anything. Yes<br>God has placed in me a creative spirit. But that's EVERYBODY on earth. We are made to <br>create something as we are made in God's image who is the author and creator of all. Your <br>creativity may not be artistic, it may be in the financial or medical field. It blows my when I<br>watch a guy on a piece of heavy machinary dig a perfectly square hole in the ground. And it<br>has to be perfect, because if it's off, the whole structure that their building fails because its out<br>of balance. I couldn't do that to save my life! The Bible tells us that comparing ourselves by<br>ourselves is not wise. Quite simply put, I can't be you. I can only be myself. And even if I <br>imitated you to the best of my abilities, I can't be the best you. Only YOU can do that. You're<br>built for that. God has placed in you a gift that NOBODY on earth can do but you. And we<br>all need YOUR gift to better this world. Unrealized gifts leave a hole in this fabric that we<br>as a human race are creating. Whoever you are, this world needs you. Best the best you <br>that you can be. We're counting on you. </p><p> </p><p>Stay Prayed Up!</p><p><br>Curt</p><p><br>#webechurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71584802023-03-15T06:00:00-04:002023-03-15T06:00:04-04:00Attitude Check!<p>I gotta remember to not carry other people's garbage around with me. I woke up early one Sunday morning and decided to grab my family some breakfast from Ihop. I didn't anounce it to them, I just figured I give them a surprise - who doesn't love Ihop? Anyhoo, when I got to the store, I realized that the order somehow got placed at another store, even though the application repeatedly asked for my location. It ended up placing the order at a store 20 minutes away from my house. No big deal. I got a car I enjoy driving, let's go! Head down the road and the highway is a parking lot. No exageration cars were at a dead STOP. I pull off before I get stuck in the muck to try to get around. Police were blocking the exit ramp to get back on, so whatever happened was SERIOUS. I know the city, no big deal. I dart around the unusually heavy traffic on this rainy Sunday morning and finally reach the woodlawn ave Ihop and encounter the nastiest rep I have ever met. I mean she's that one usher who's been on the usher board since the church was built. The one that's so hostile that you want to just go back home to keep from dealing with her poison??? The one that's got that "my shoes too tight and my feet hurt already!" at 8:00 service! THAT sister was at Ihop. As I walked in she was telling a customer who asked for extra ketchup "we ain't got no extra ketchup. We don't carry no ketchup packs!" The way she spoke to that man set him on fire. "Who's next?" She barked my way. "I have a to go order..", I replied. She looked at me and the other gentleman waiting and said "to go orders follow me". So we follow sista “tight shoes” to the back to get our orders. "I need to see your orders!" she growls and I show her the email from my phone. She starts barking again "I can't see that, that's too small!" I smile and say "Oh, my name is Hurley, Curtis Hurley..." And she barks out again, “I need to see that email!” One of the other reps steps in and goes "He just said his name was Curtis!" and steps to the back and grabs my order for me. I smiled, thanked them and went on my way. As I hit the parking lot, the FIRST guy that she angered was sitting his truck just fuming! The fires that she stoked in him were still raging. I get back to the house and I announce that the food is here. Nobody comes down. And ofcourse after all I went through to get the food, I was incensed. I go upstairs and tell my oldest the food is here. He responds with "Oh" but doesn't get up to come down. I tell him "you do what you wanna do, I'm going to eat..." I growl at others and ask if they heard me then and I go back down stairs. I then hear the spirit of God say something to the effect of you've experienced something ugly, "don't take it out on them..." I tried to trudge my way through breakfast as pleasantly as I could, but I had brought that woman's spirit home with me. I can't allow someone else's mess become my reality. There's an old Italian proverb that you shouldn't cook when you're angry. The anger gets into the food. That carries weight because every thing we do in LOVE is different, its better, it tastes better, feels better, <br>moves people better. Had that woman been moving in love she could uplifted the lives of everyone she touched that day. I learned something that day. No matter what's going on around me, I still need to move in love. Even though I did something nice for my family, I allowed someone else's attitude to affect mine. I should not have brought that home with me. I should have checked that attitude at the door. </p><p> </p><p>Stay Prayed up</p><p>Curt</p><p>#webechurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71700322023-03-12T21:45:40-04:002023-03-12T21:45:40-04:00Stay focussed<p>Been under attack lately. And the enemy will not win! The old heads used to say “Hallelujah anyhow”! Despite the mess that you're enduring praise God anyway. Praise him for what he's gonna do! Praise him for the blessings you can't see! Praise him for the blessings you've already seen! Praise confuses the enem!!!! And I'm NOT saying praise God for the mess you're dealing with. Just thank God that it isn't worse. Thank God that he will bring you through this! Praise God that he loves you more than anything! Praise God that you're his favorite! Take your eyes off of the hell you're enduring and place them on God. Peter walking on the water, now sinking into the water because he took his eyes off Jesus. The whole reason he got out the boat was to go to Jesus. Go to God and keep your eyes on him no matter what the storm is doing. Stay focussed on Jesus!</p><p>Stay Prayed Up!</p><p>Curt</p><p> </p><p>#webechurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71584762023-03-11T06:00:00-05:002023-03-11T06:00:05-05:00HOME<p>So we were driving to Canada back in December. We got as far as Buffalo and got caught<br>in that blizzard. It was an odd situation. Snow could be seen blowing in front of us from<br>left to right. It stood to reason that once I turned right, the snow would be behind us. But no<br>matter what direction I turned, the snow would still be blowing from left to right, meaning it<br>was white-out conditions and the snow was to just swirling around us. I couldn't see more than <br>ten feet in front of the vehicle. There were others in the car with me on the verge of panick. <br>I stayed calm because that level of emotion is just a waste of energy. Besides, I'm just not<br>one to panick. I was nervous, because it highway closures put us on back roads where the <br>only lights were from my headlights. Building snow drifts closed down lanes and we risked <br>head-on collisions in the blinding snow. I prayed a lot. And obviously God got us back home<br>safely, but the ordeal taught lessons. <br>When the streets were darkest I suddenly happen upon a snowplow clearing the road ahead of<br>us. It wasn't traveling at a speed that I desired, but it took us along the way safely and sensably<br>And just when I was relying on that alone, it would turn off to another direction and leave me,<br>seemingly, alone. And just when it seemed to be darkest times, with the least amount of <br>visabilty, I'd happen upon another plow. And what did I get from this?<br>As I trudge through my journey, God will always provide me with guidance and direction even<br>when it seems I can't see anything on the other side of where I currently am. And no matter<br>how long that guide stays with me, I have to continue on my journey - even if the guide and <br>me have to part company. Some people will come into your life to get to a certain place or <br>level. And once you reach that level, you can't continue hanging on to them or you will never<br>get any further or higher than you are. God will take you to your next place even if that journey<br>takes you through the darkest, lonliest night. You have to trust God and the peace of God will<br>Keep you through ever challenge. The end result is wholeness... you reached your dreams... you <br>reached your goals... you built that business... you wrote that book... you got your health!<br>You made it home.</p><p>Stay Prayed Up</p><p>Curt </p><p>#webechurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71584732023-03-07T06:00:00-05:002023-03-07T06:00:09-05:00We Shall See<p>I think I explained a while ago about the song was about. I just didn't share the lyrics. The<br>"movie" I saw in my concerning this song was there were a group of guys praising God<br>and the noise of their praise disturbed their downstairs neighbor. The guys go down stairs to <br>apologize and the song is the account of what happens next. </p><p>First of all I apologize for the noise<br>It get a little loud when I'm priasing with my boys<br>Please understand we don't mean no disrespect<br>Get lost in worship when we pause to reflect</p><p>How God came and set me free from the mess I used to be<br>How God changed me with his love from the monster I once was<br>I only got one life to live and I have to praise God now<br>We be priasin' we be churchin' and our churchin' do get loud</p><p>We be churchin' up in here We be churchin' up in here<br>Ain't afraid to give God glory 'cause his love casts out all fear<br>We be churchin' up in here We be churchin' up in here<br>Didn't mean to raise of fuss, we just showin' our God love (we be churchin')</p><p>I understand you don't understand my bliss<br>Maybe your past ain't as ugly as mine is<br>God pulled me out of an endless cycle fall<br>I get blown away every time I recall</p><p>How God came and set me free from the mess I used to be<br>How God changed me with his love from the monster I once was<br>I only got one life to live and I have to praise God now<br>We be priasin' we be churchin' and our churchin' do get loud</p><p>We be churchin' up in here We be churchin' up in here<br>Ain't afraid to give God glory 'cause his love casts out all fear<br>We be churchin' up in here We be churchin' up in here<br>Didn't mean to raise of fuss, we just showin' our God love (we be churchin')</p><p>I think at the end of the video that the guy starts worshiping with them and <br>he joins in with them. I think that's the case. But we will see when the video<br>is complete. </p><p> </p><p>Stay Prayed Up!</p><p>Curt</p><p>#WeBeChurchin</p><p> </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71584752023-03-03T09:00:00-05:002023-03-03T09:00:04-05:00We Be Churchin<p>Oh yeah, the music. The new single is called "We Be Churchin'." I often get pictures on "movies"<br>in my head that turn into songs. Funny that I often see the music video for a song before I <br>ever write it. The images for this song was that a group on delivered friends got together in an<br>appartment complex for Bible study. They start reminiscing about all the things that God had <br>delivered them from and started praising God or "churchin" LOUDLY. It got so loud that the<br>neigbor downstairs complained about the noise. These individuals then came down stairs to <br>apologize and to explain what the ruckus was about. In the process of doing so they began <br>to testify to the neighbor about their past experiences. When they did so, they got over excited<br>all over again and started praising right there in front of the neighbor. The neighbor, moved by <br>their love for God and their testimonies, started praising with them. The song talks about the <br>love of God and how that love changes people. People who have an encounter with God are<br>never the same afterwards. The "veil" is removed and they see life clearly. You can't distract<br>them with the old tricks that held them bound before. They get free and stay free.</p><p>The single is due out Monday April 24th. I will shoot a few promotional videos and some <br>behind the scenes things to keep you guys posted on the progress. We'll shoot the full video <br>in about a month. I believe it comes out friday the 21st and hopefully it will speak to <br>people. <br>I completed the final premix (I think)last night. I pulled my brother Andrew Robinson in on <br>this as usual. He dropped another KILLER guitar solo and I'm so excited for everyone to hear <br>the anointing on this man's hands! Until then....</p><p><br>Stay Prayed Up!</p><p>Curt</p><p>#WeBeChurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71584722023-02-28T06:00:00-05:002023-02-28T06:00:03-05:00Learning To Soar<p>Been a while. I apologize for that. Its just that pouring out my feelings on a blog feels a <br>little like I'm sharing my diary with the world. I know that's being selfish because I know I<br>need to share some of the information that God drops in my spirit. I get lazy and I just don't<br>want to. But I won't do that anymore. My goal this year is to keep you informed as much <br>as possible on whatever's going on. You have been keeping me up, so I owe you that much. <br>I have a ton of things to share. Not just about the music, but about the things that I have been<br>learning about myself. Who knows, maybe this might help someone else get over the hump. <br>I think I shared one time about soaring. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't, i'll have to go back <br>this blog and see. <br>Have you ever watched an eagle soar? They effortlessly ride upon the wind, allowing the<br>wind to take them to where they need to go. I was hearing in my spirit one day that we or <br>I need to learn to soar. I was told that wind symbolizes the spirit of God in the Bible. So<br>I need to learn to rest upon the spirit of God and let God take me where I need to be. <br>The birds aren't flapping their wings at that point. They are simply balancing on the wind <br>and flowing in the direction it takes them. And that's where I need to get to. The place where <br>I'm balancing on the word and letting the spirit of God move me into my next level, my next<br>success, my next growth. I'm learning to soar.</p><p><br>Stay Prayed Up!</p><p>Curt</p><p>#WeBeChurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71609612023-02-26T15:00:00-05:002023-02-26T15:00:03-05:00The Steam Room<p>I got some interest in my “process” and how I create so to speak. I figured why not? I'll share my process through a series of videos, maybe give a few people a peak inside my mind. Hopefully won't frighten to many of you. LOL… anyhoo. I'll go through my creative process, share how I create lyrically, what moves me in music. I'll start on that today and hopefully inspire some others to step into their individual gifts. It'll be interesting. I think it makes sense to share what I love. So we'll open up the “steam room” and see what direction God takes us in.</p><p> </p><p>Stay Prayed Up</p><p>Curt</p><p>#webecurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71584712023-02-24T06:00:00-05:002023-02-24T06:00:03-05:00Warefare<p>Its always difficult for me to read about the crucifiction in the Bible. We get to see how man's<br>jealousy ended up costing a man his life, if we only look at it on the surface. Its easy to forget<br>some of the human elements that went into this. Jesus was fully human as well as fully God. <br>But the torture he was about to endure scared him so badly that he sweated blood. He told his <br>disciples "my soul is exceedingly sorroful, even unto death..." I am depressed, scared to death!<br>He prayed to God the father "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me..." If there's a way that <br>I don't have to suffer like this... But the thing that stands out the most is that he continued in <br>the posture of "nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt..." And went back and prayed again,<br>"O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done..." <br>In life, there are some things that we simply have to go through and there is simply no getting<br>around it. This that we have to endure is unpleasant and may seem dabilitating, maybe even<br>humiliating. The end result is growth. In martial arts they do push ups on their knuckles and <br>take punches and blows to toughen the skin and strengthen the bones. The end result is a body<br>conditioned to endure attacks. Much in the same way that we will take spiritual attacks that<br>hone the sensitivity to the presence of God, that makes us rely more on his power and less on<br>whatever ability we've been blessed with. The Bible tells us the battle is not to the swift, not<br>to the strong, but to he that endureth to the end. The end result is a spiritual soldier... prepared <br>for warfare</p><p>Stay Prayed Up!</p><p>Curt</p><p>#WeBeChurchin</p><p> </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/71535342023-02-14T06:48:23-05:002023-02-21T06:00:07-05:00WHATEVER THAT IS<p>I'm up at 6:35. Listening to some other artists. In my feelings right now about the music that comes out in a couple months. God gave me this. I am grateful that God loves me enough to give me stuff that speaks to me and to others. I am giving him the praise in the song. I am truly blessed that he saved me from the mess I was. I am truly grateful that he has blessed me with a future in my children. I have no idea what is going to happen tomorrow. All I know is that I fully intend on being whatever God intends for me to be. And I surrender all of this to him and his will. The crucifixion comes to mind again with Jesus in the garden about to suffer more than any human has before. He posture was “not my will but your will be done…”. And not that releasing a song has anything at all to do with the sacrafice Jesus made for us, its the posture of Jesus that moves me. All I want now is to be what God intends me to be. I love this, but I love God more. I am willing to walk away from all of this if it is his will. I will admit that I had other plans for my life but I KNOW I can only be whole by following the will of God. I'm not perfect, but I am striving to be perfected in God. Whatever he wants in this and everything else that I am is what I will do. Whatever that is. </p><p> </p><p>Stay Prayed Up</p><p>Curt</p><p>#WeBeChurchin</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/68805212022-01-26T20:50:56-05:002023-02-14T06:46:52-05:00He Will Protect You<p>I learned something today. I was reading Psalm 22: 1-18 and some of the verbiage that David spoke were the same words that Jesus spoke on the cross. Some of the same things that David suffered Jesus also endured - "they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots..." I recall the roman soldiers casting lots for Jesus' clothing (Matt 27:35). And as I read this I heard (understood?) in my spirit that it wasn't David that the enemy was attacking. It was the Spirit of God that was <em>in </em>him. And they attacked the God in Jesus the same way. Jesus tells us in John 15:20 "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you..." And maybe this is for me, but I'm going to put it out there anyway.... It isn't <em>you</em> that they are attacking, the enemy is attacking the Spirit of God <em>in</em> you. And God KNOWS that they will be coming after you because you are his temple and he lives <em>in </em>you. No matter how challenging it gets, just KNOW that the Spirit of God that's in you... he will protect you. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/68731472022-01-18T18:48:03-05:002022-01-18T18:48:03-05:00However God leads <p>I got this vibe in my spirit. That's the way music usually forms for me. Before I touch a pen or any instrument, I just get this unction, this burning in my inner self that won't let me rest. I've been skulling over the night Christ was in the garden of Gethsemane the night he was arrested. He was fully God. He was fully man. As a man her was terrified of what he was about to face. The humiliation. The torture. The agony. It frightened him so badly that he tried to get out of it. He even prayed to God in heaven for a possible escape - "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." The tremendous weight of the idea that if he didn't do this... if he didn't go through with it... all of mankind - save the Enochs and the Elijahs, were simply lost. All of us would be subject to a burning hell, eternally separated from God.</p>
<p>I feel this. I just need to convey it properly. I'd really like to get into the space where he was. I'd really like to understand the kind of anguish he was experiencing that would make him sweat blood. And who knows, this may only be for me. No one else on earth may ever hear this song. It could be something that the entire world hears. All I know is that I want to convey what God is sharing with me. I will do this however God leads. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>4:18Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/68696082022-01-14T20:44:04-05:002022-01-14T20:44:04-05:00Shine In God<p>I'm having to learn that I am NOT a product of my environment. I was raised in one of the most disheartening situations that a child could be reared in. <em>Violent</em> poverty. Broken home. Domestic violence. Sometimes I honestly have to FORCE myself to remember that I am not that child anymore. God turned all of that. It's like a dream sometimes when I look around. I'm in a good place financially but the voice of poverty still rings in my ears at times. I remember reading a story as a child called The Rocking-Horse Winner", a short story by D. H. Lawrence. In the story a young boy, Paul, talks about how poverty whispered from every corner of his house that "there must be more money..." His quest to obtain that money pushed him to the point where he lost his life. That whisper sometimes plagues me when I allow it. I have to remind myself that God is my source and his abundance never runs out. the Bible tells us in John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly..." A more abundant life is what God has chosen for us. All I have to do is reach for God and the directions he has for my life. I will never be without. I will never be in lack. I'm grateful for where I am and EXCITED about where God is taking me. I have absolute JOY when I imagine where this is all going because the Bible says that God "is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think..." I have LOFTY dreams and God is able to do <strong><em>abundantly</em></strong> above what I can even imagine??? </p>
<p>I understand those who went through it. You just have to remember that your past isn't what you are. EVEN if that past was just last night. God loves you. God wants to take you take a place of peace, where it's just you and him. Where he can protect you and keep you and love on you. You're no longer where you were. Now you need to shine in God where you are. </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p>Curt</p>3:10Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/68635962022-01-09T12:54:33-05:002022-01-09T13:00:19-05:00Living That Life<p>Wow... been a while since I've posted. Shame on me, I am so sorry about that. I sometimes allow the frustrations of what I would like to see vs what I am seeing get to me. I'm better than that. You deserve better from me. Where are we now? The plan is to start releasing singles to build up to a live recording of the whole project. The "STAND!" project. I am excited about the flow of the music. I'm truly enthused about the message, I think it's clearly stating a common theme: that theme being "if you truly are a child of the king, stand up and say so - even if you have to do so by yourself." But you know you would never truly be alone in that. the Bible says that when you offer praise, the Spirit of God fills the room with you. This concert will feature just about every song that I've ever written - so yeah, we will be hitting the road hard trying to get that word out. I want a move of God that night - not just revenue. I want the Spirit of God to fill that room. I want people to walk away from that whole evening changed. It can't just entertainment. This is too important for that to be all of it. I really need for God to pour out of his Spirit that night. There needs to be an overflow of the anointing of God that night. I want that so badly. I need that move of God moment where if the band left the stage, the people would stay in that moment with the presence of God. That's what I want. Desperately. </p>
<p>Also, I will be on a 21 day fast. From today until January 30th I will be spending more time in the presence of God and cutting out all the noise in my life. It's weird how I've grown accustomed to things that poison my spirit. Since the start of the fast I've noticed how irritating they are to my walk with Christ. It's almost like after shaving... you don't notice all the little cuts you have until you apply the balm. The Bible talks about the "balm in Gilead", the doctor who can heal the wounds of the masses. I've always known that I needed a spiritual physician, we all do. Somehow I had forgotten that. So now I refocus everything. Get back to what I'm supposed to be. A child of the most high and knowing and living that life. </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/67244212021-08-23T07:33:33-04:002021-09-19T13:51:31-04:00TRUST<p>At another airport. I understand the human condition. Circumstances often challenge people's mettle. We are often most irritable when things don't go our way. Long lines and stressed employees can bring out the worst in all of us. I missed my flight because of some technical difficulty. But God had a plan and I made it to where I needed to be on time. I would have been miserable waiting around because of the earlier flight so this was much easier for me. But it would have been easy for me to drift into anger or disappointment because things weren't going my way. God gave me peace. I beginning to understand that this is how it will all work anyway. I may not have control of the situation, but God does. And the end result will be what he intended all along. I just need to trust. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/67046882021-08-02T14:08:12-04:002021-08-02T14:10:01-04:00Background Music<p>I dunno. I'm a songwriter. Poet. Playwright. I even have plans for a comedy series about experiences I've had working on the ramp at the airline. For some reason getting on here and telling you about it seems a challenge. Please forgive me. What's new? We are diligently working to get the new song "Fall" released. I'm excited about the song simply because of the visions I've seen concerning it - how people will react to it. The change in mindset that people will experience excites me so much! I mean that is the whole reason we do this right? Not to be famous or get rich or any of that. We do this to minister to God and to his people. Everything else will follow. We minister to God because we love him and that love changes our whole being. We minister to God's people because it changes the atmosphere around them and allows them to get to a place where they seek God more - which changes their whole being. I LOVE being on stage and the people are getting lost in the words and the music and they forget we're there. I truly love that most. They're just having their own experiences with God and we become an afterthought - background music to their Praise & Worship.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up! </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65974782021-04-07T19:34:09-04:002021-04-07T19:34:09-04:00Everything Else Will Come<p>It's April and I haven't been posting. I do apologize. I know I have been promising an online performance for you guys and I haven't delivered on that either. I have been logging some crazy hours and it is eating up everything else that I have intended, but I haven't forgotten you guys. </p>
<p>Okay, the project is nearly finished. I'm awaiting the right mix on a song that I love. It HAS to be done right or it will cheapen the message behind it. The other thing is I am having second thoughts on which track comes out first. I was so looking forward to a particular track that I wasn't really listening to God about what I should do. Now that I have taken time to hear from God, I am retooling the spring release. No matter, the impact that the music you hear this year will be real. I am soooo stoked!</p>
<p>I struggled with self doubt and fear of not being enough for most of my life. Most people mistook my drive for ambition. It was just me trying to outrun my fear of being nothing. I learned something valuable recently. My fears came from a lack of trust in God. </p>
<p>Matthew 6:25-33 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you..."</p>
<p>My lack of faith in God drove my fear. I really have never had to protect myself or fend for myself. God always had the control. I just believed I had to rely solely on me. What I have realized now is that God is my portion. All that I have been striving for, I should have only been striving to get closer to him. Everything else will come. </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65661442021-03-05T16:42:48-05:002021-03-05T16:42:48-05:00Learn To Soar<p>It's been a while. And for that I do apologize. I am working on Judah Four's new jazz project and trying to finish up the video for the song "Good For Me". It has been a challenge with all the social distancing and the understandable paranoia associated with the COVID crisis. But we are changing a few things and will hopefully get that finished by late spring. The song (and I am so excited about this piece) is nearing a final mix phase. I'm bringing in a fresh set of ears to get the maximum impact out of what I'm trying to share with everyone. But rest assured, I'm not just sitting on my duff. We are at work. I MISS you guys. I do wish that we could go back to connecting like we used to at the live performances. I miss sharing that spiritual space with all of you. But I am working to get the online performances done soon. I honestly am trying to get that straight. My reservation is all of the ones I've seen look and SOUND awful. But I'll do it when I can get it done correctly. </p>
<p>I learned something. Isaiah 40:31 says "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Most of the time when you see eagles, they are "soaring", NOT flying. In soaring they aren't flapping wings and trying to stay in the air. They are simply resting on the wind. They are holding a position and allowing the wind to keep them in the air. We... or rather <strong><em>I</em></strong> spend so much time trying to keep myself moving rather than <strong><em>soaring</em></strong>... resting in a posture of prayer and expectation and letting God keep me afloat. I don't need to fly. I just need to keep soaring on the winds of God.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65263312021-01-25T06:10:00-05:002021-01-25T06:20:05-05:00You May Have To Reintroduce Yourself <p>So I'm still on this Joseph thing for a moment. I'm sharing what I'm learning and this may be just for me, but I'm sharing it anyway. In Genesis 4<b>1, </b>we see Joseph promoted to the second highest position in the land of Egypt. The Godly wisdom and training he received as a house slave and as a prisoner came into focus when he began to manage the Kingdom of Egypt just as he managed Potiphar's house and the prison he was sent to. But one thing struck me as I read this. Joseph was immediately given a wife and this wife bore him two sons. To commemorate the blessing that God had conveyed on Joseph's life, he named his children as a memorial to the power and love of God. The name of the first born was Manasseh: meaning <strong><em>causing to forget. </em></strong><em> </em>The blessing that God is about to bestow on you will make you forget every pain you experienced in the past. The name of his second son was Ephraim: meaning <strong><em>fruitfulness.</em></strong> God will cause you to be fruitful and very successful in the land of your suffering. It doesn't matter what you are experiencing now. Keep the faith, but keep moving forward. Keep praying. Keep believing. Wherever God intends to take you or whatever God intends for you will come to pass. And when it happens, you'll forget the pain of your suffering. </p>
<p>Another thing I found is that the changes that God places on you will make you unrecognizable compared to what you used to be. Because in Genesis 42:8 the Bible says "And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him..." They came too see him, but God had blessed him so much that they didn't recognize their own brother. The changes are coming. And when they hit, you may have to reintroduce yourself to the ones you used to know. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up!</p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65257262021-01-24T07:30:00-05:002021-01-24T07:40:05-05:00God Will Elevate You<p>I had been experiencing sort of a writer's block. Not in the sense that I wasn't able to create anything, but more along the lines that everything was beginning to feel cliched or forced? I would work on something and start hating it before I even finished. It was starting to feel like the "juice" was running out. Like the connection to the spirit of God was waning. I started to doubt that I was destined to do this. I started wondering why God would bestow a gift like this on me, only to sit by and watch me suffer as it faded away. I know, I know, the enemy was speaking to me and I was stupidly listening. But then a curious thought entered my mind. "You have a ton of unfinished music... do that and then we can move forward." I started looking at my hard drive at all of the snippets of tracks that I hadn't completed. I was so used to tracks hitting me and me finishing them in a few hours time - that when it took longer than that, I would move on to something else. The result was a pile of unfinished ideas. And then last night I found a bulging folder of lyrics that I had written back in the day when I had no instruments or recording equipment. MORE music to finish. I have enough material sitting around incomplete that should keep me working for a few.. even if I produced a track a week (produced, mixed & mastered) it's gonna take I'm guessing two years to record all of this. </p>
<p>There's a moral to this. God can't take you to your next level until you complete what you are going through now. Joseph started out dreaming and interpreting his own dreams. That landed him in the pit, stripped of all the wealth he had coming from his father Israel. He was sold into slavery, where God taught him to manage a household in such a way that his master NEVER even thought his affairs anymore. From there he was tossed into prison where God taught him to manage that institution in such a way that Jailers gave him complete control over the prison - to the point where he controlled everything that happened there. Using his natural gifts (interpreting dreams) and his God-instructed abilities prepared Joseph to command a nation. To become the most powerful man in Egypt, yet humble and wise enough to still give honor and respect to Pharaoh. Stay where you are. Master what's before you. And God will elevate you to a place where NOBODY can touch you. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up!</p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65254582021-01-22T23:35:00-05:002021-01-22T23:40:01-05:00STAY TUNED!!!!<p>The new project is called STAND!. I don't have a release date yet, but I hope to have that for you soon. I'm anxious to get this out to everyone, but I will do this in God's timing. The title track is an old school A Capella piece that I wrote some years ago. I finally got the courage to start performing it live and I was surprised at how big it goes over. People start singing it back to me like they were there years ago when I first wrote it. I guess it takes people back to a simpler time when all they wanted to do was worship. The only instruments are the human voice and spirit of God. It gives a sense of simplicity and purity, where we don't get lost in trying to recreate the latest sound. We're just having a private moment with God and a declaration that we will stand up and give God glory, no matter what is going on. </p>
<p>The rest of the pieces are varying styles of praise and worship. I didn't try to define styles at all on this, I just did whatever God gave me and I ran with it. I found out that there's no pressure when I do that. I'm not thinking so much, I'm not worrying so much.. I'm just enjoying my journey. And before we drop this, the band's guitarist and I, Andrew Robinson, will be doing some live internet appearances, just to let everybody know I'm not sleepin' on 'em! I HOPE to be able to do the "Our Place Concert Series" SOON! "What is that" you ask??? Well, I'm glad you asked. We were supposed to do a series of small venue shows (a few at my house) where I cook and serve food for the guest. Greet them, feed them, and then play a small acoustic show. We'll film it all and share it with the world. That is coming soon as well! Stay tuned for that and I will definitely let you know!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up!</p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65254562021-01-20T06:25:00-05:002021-01-20T06:40:03-05:00You're not an accident. You matter. <p>It's inauguration day in America. I'm hoping that this country can turn the page and usher in a new era. It's time we got back to some level of civility towards each other. This country has a LOT of problems. But the thing that made America strong was the love of God and America's love for God. The further we get away from love and the concept of love, the closer we get to losing this nation. We don't have to agree on everything. But do have to agree on BASIC things - like life is important. And you cannot devalue someone's life just because they are different from you. The music that I have been given speaks of love and unity and selflessness. And we cannot survive without ANY of those. We ALL need each other to survive. We all have important gifts that must be shared in order to get where we need to be in life. You may not think that who and what you are or what you can do is important, but you may actually BE the one person who saves my life. And the only thing you would need to do is be YOU. You have something in you that is ONLY in you. And whatever that is may actually save someone's life. Your life, your testimony may be the only thing that keeps me going. Without you, I could fail. You were placed on this earth for a specific purpose and don't ever let anyone tell you different. You are important, otherwise God would not have placed you here. You're not an accident. You matter. All faith No Fear. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65254422021-01-19T23:19:44-05:002021-01-19T23:19:44-05:00All Faith. No Fear<p>Okay, so it's been a while and I apologize for that. Been working on music and on marketing the book and trying to be there for my family. I still shouldn't neglect you guys. I will be working to better balance myself. But God is good. People around me have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and I have come out of it unscathed. I am grateful for that. God has been blessing us with income from unexpected places and you KNOW I'm grateful for that. But this is a year of transition. I understand now that many of us have learned that people and things that we felt that we could not do without, have been removed from our lives. God is clearing your path. There were people in your lives that you thought were there to move you along. They were there trying to use you to climb to their best level. But you can see your own path to where you need to be. Don't let fear stop you now. The path has been cleared in front of you. The only thing stopping you now is YOU! Stop letting the past keep you from getting where you need to be. the Bible even says In Luke 9:62 "...And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." In order to "plow" you have to be looking forward. If you are looking backwards, you will wreck everything that you are trying to do. Let go of the past and flow forward now. As we use to say in the hood, "keep it moving'" All Faith. No Fear</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65116162021-01-01T09:56:30-05:002021-01-01T09:56:30-05:00Choose Life<p>Happy New Year! Feels like we just got to the end of a very long marathon. We lost loved ones and careers and long established norms. But it nows feels like we could be turning a corner. I speak blessings over all of you. I speak health and well-being and PEACE over all of you. When I say "peace", I mean in its truest form - not just tranquility. I mean wholeness (nothing missing, nothing broken), well-fairing, prosperity and covering from God! Live each moment. You don't know how many you have left with others around you. I heard a quote from a movie that sticks with me - "Every man dies. Not every man lives..." </p>
<p>Deuteronomy 30:19 says "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:"</p>
<p>Your true life exists in the the Love of God, in his protection, in his counsel. Shut it all down and seek God's direction for your life. I challenge you this year to seek the Kingdom of Heaven, the presence and the blessing of God. Choose Life. </p>3:22Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65086682020-12-27T15:35:53-05:002020-12-27T15:35:53-05:00Hang In There<p>two days after Christmas and I hope that you had a wonderful year. I hope that this pandemic didn't keep you from seeing the ones closest to you. I hope that you got to see love and to be love this season. It is difficult on some of us because the media hypes up the buying and exchanging of gifts and the family get togethers. Some of us have no one to be around. Some of us are experiencing loneliness on an unprecedented scale this year because of the lives that have been stolen by this virus. All I can say to you is something I heard earlier today. "The human heart can only be filled by the love of God. Anything else leaves it incomplete..." Every fulfillment that we can truly expect will be found only in the presence of God. So strive to shut down everything else and spend time with God. I know that sounds hollow when you're struggling to survive of the weight of whatever you are experiencing right now, but I'm here to tell you... this too will end. This is not how life ends for you. T?here will be joy again. There will be laughter again. I am praying for you. Please hang in there. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65074922020-12-25T01:00:15-05:002020-12-25T01:00:15-05:00My Christmas Gift To Me<p>Merry Christmas!!!! I just wanted to remind everyone that God loves us all. He sent Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice for us all and I am eternally grateful! It's after 1am and we're still awake because my monkeys are too excited to sleep. I remember being excited like that waiting for Christmas Day. I remember being so full of energy and anticipation that I couldn't sleep. Makes me want to recreate that anticipation, but for God himself. I want to go deeper with this. I need to submerge myself in the spirit. That's my Christmas gift to me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65062372020-12-23T11:15:11-05:002020-12-23T11:16:26-05:00God's ultimate Gift.<p>My son is a different bird. Guess he's more like his old man than I am comfortable with. He's excited about Christmas. He comes in and says to me with (with a serious, soul-searching expression on his face) I think its good that parents get gifts for their kids on Christmas. I thought for a second and this became a God moment. I brought up to him Matt 7:11 "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" After quoting that scripture, I told him that we as parents are simply trying to be like God. The way he blesses us. We are simply trying to show you that we love you. Of course God took it a few steps further. He knew that we in our human form were doomed to die. He that there was no way that any of us could live a life that would be free from sin. So he placed himself in flesh and took on our sin and our death so that none of us would have to suffer that punishment. He did this to show us he loves us. That is what Christmas is all about. God's ultimate Gift.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65016482020-12-22T05:15:00-05:002020-12-22T05:20:06-05:00Straight To His Presence. <p>Been waking up at 3ish the past couple days. The first night I was awakened with this interesting melody. It was complex and I'm still working on stitching it together. The cool thing is it got me back to writing music the way I used to. I had gotten lazy using the sequencers to create rather than actually playing stuff. I had to write this down and analyze it before I could even record it. I felt like a real musician again. Nice to be back here and I'm staying. It's easy to get lazy on keys when all you have to do is load what you're thinking into a sequencer and run with it. I know that's the way that most everybody works these days, but I'm actually a musician and I like playing. I just don't like having the computers control my creativity. Generally when I write stuff, I do so with the intention of having musicians come in and replay what I've done. To me music is a living entity and it has to change and grow just like any living thing. I mean it has power. And how could it have power if it's not alive? How else could David chase away demons by playing with his hand - if the music didn't have power. Yes, I know the anointing was on David. But music is so powerful that it can transport you back to first moment you heard a particular song. You remember the sights, the smells, who you were with and what you were feeling. All of that created by a song. To me, the music is a vessel and a vehicle. It's the vessel that I can put ink anything that's in my spirit. And its the vehicle that I can use to transport you anywhere in the world or beyond. My goal is to fill the vessel with the word and the love of God. And use the vehicle to take US straight to his presence. </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64989972020-12-20T05:45:00-05:002020-12-20T06:00:02-05:00Pour It All Out<p>Up late again last night (you're shocked, I know) and I stumbled upon the Miles Davis story or one of them. I identified with his story on a lot of different levels because he just did his own thing. I struggled early with the "suits" I worked with because some were trying to tell me that I needed to sound like other people in order to get to where I needed to be. I needed to pick out whatever sound was popular, imitate that sound and then I could gain a following from that crowd. Once I gained the following I could then take people in any direction I wanted. Miles never did that. Miles played what was right for him. He worked with people who vibe like he did. The result was music that carried people in directions and moved them in modes they had never experienced before. Blows my mind that in his twenties he played with cats like Charlie "Bird" Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Sorry... I drifted for a sec, LOL. Miles stated that he went to sleep thinking about music and woke up thinking about music and I've been that way as long as I can remember. I "feel" the music in my body (spirit?), literally feeling the fingers on the keyboard as the sound is created - inside me. Feels like there's this chasm inside me filled with sounds and ideas that I can't get to or more accurately <em>haven't</em> gotten to yet. The challenge is in the balance. There is balance in keeping my eyes on the Giver rather than getting lost in the gift. I see that a LOT. It's so easy to do. Luke 17:11-19 Jesus healed the ten lepers. FILLED them with the power of healing 'til it overflowed their incurable illness. And the majority of them focussed on the gift of the healing - rather than where that gift came from - save one. He turned back and glorified God for the gift. The result was this: nine of the lepers got healed. One of them was made WHOLE. Nine of them got their bodies taken care of. One of them got everything he ever needed. </p>
<p>This gift that God has given me is powerful and growing by the day. It unnerves me sometimes. Frightening at times because the presence of God overwhelms me. I crank out tracks as fast as I can and then move on to the next. I go back and listen to stuff I've done it knocks me over sometimes. But I won't get lost in the gift. I have to get lost in the Giver who gave me the gift. At the moment God seems to overfilling me with this. I'm just trying to pour it all out on you. </p>3:20Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/65016682020-12-19T05:25:00-05:002020-12-19T05:40:01-05:00 Just be patient<p>Don't worry, we are back in the lab trying to finish up the STAND! project. It has a few songs on it that you've heard already, like "love makes you real" and "this Storm". It has old tracks that I've never released before and new pierces that have recently been birthed. My musical journey has taken a LOT of odd twists and turns, but it has not been boring. And if you are anxious to get this music, don't feel bad - I am MORE anxious to get it to you. I feel like this project is important and that it will help some people cope and help some people praise a little more or smile a little more. We are working this thing Hard. But I've learned to be patient and will trust God and his timing to move this thing forward. I won't go out on my own this time. In order for this to have the impact that it must, it has to be on God schedule. And we will chill 'til then. Just be patient.</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64981432020-12-18T19:55:00-05:002020-12-18T20:00:07-05:00Change Your Confession<p>A close family member tested positive for Covid-19. The family quarantined for 10 days as a precaution. During that time I tested and it came back negative. My handlers called me on Wednesday to find out how I was. I talked to them about a fraternity brother in the fold who had been experiencing mild symptoms - just a cough and a sinus headache. They called him immediately and advised that he get tested as well. I called him that same day and advised the same. His test was scheduled for the following day. He went for his test and they admitted him. He was to get an MRI on Friday. Saturday morning he was dead. This disease kills indiscriminately. But the Bible says we have the power of life and death in our tongue. No matter what how you are feeling right now, confess that you are whole. Confess that you are healed, confess that no sickness, disease or germ will ever come near you. Confess that by the stripes Jesus took, you are already healed. Humor me and do that every day. It can't hurt you to do this. It can only protect you. You have to Change Your Confession. Please I am BEGGING you!!!! Stop falling to this disease. Believe God! Speak what he says about you. Change what you've been saying about yourself. Change Your Confession! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p>Curt</p>4:13Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64972042020-12-17T01:20:00-05:002020-12-17T01:20:09-05:00Come Along With Me<p>This will be one of those wandering posts that leave you asking how much drugs did this guy do? Or maybe you'll get it, I don't know. Since the fall of man we are all, in our human state, simply varying degrees of dysfunction. Those of us that exist in the acceptable regions of our collective dysfunctions are labeled "the norm" while the one outside those regions are labeled as mentally challenged or in the further reaches... criminal. We feel better about our own brokenness when it doesn't rise to the level of others. "I may not be able to sleep without couple glasses of wine before bed every single night of my life - but at least I'm not a black-out drunk like my neighbor..." or "I may watch porn on a daily basis, but at least I'm not cheating on my wife with hookers..." The fact that I don't sin like you do, doesn't make me better than you, or you better than me. In truth, in our spirit, we all hate sin. And it's evidenced in the flesh by the number of us who are unhappy with how we look or how we are shaped or formed. Our spirit man sees the condition of our physical man and that internal conflict spills over into depression or anger or hopelessness. In our Spirit we KNOW how separated we are from the presence of God. We KNOW how cold this is and desperately desire to have that life-giving closeness with the Father. All our flesh knows is that something isn't right. And we try to fill the emptiness with every distraction we can find. </p>
<p>The truth of the matter is that at <em>best</em>, we are all broken. And at our very best, there was never any hope for us to survive. Death and destruction always loomed for us. The law was specific - ANY sin committed by man would mean that we would permanently be separated from God the father. Death. But God in his unmatched wisdom and knowledge knew this. But rather than simply allow for man to die, he took the punishment for us all. He sent Jesus (who was fully God and fully man) to suffer that pain for us. God did this to allow man an escape from a punishment that we inflicted upon ourselves. Without the shedding of blood, there could be no remission of sin - Jesus was sent to shed that blood in our places. To pay a price that NONE of us could pay. I write music to tell that story. I write music to illuminate the love that God has for us. And don't hear what I'm NOT saying. I don't think that I've arrived at some place that you have not. This music ministers to me as well. God gives me a song in my spirit and it moves me. And every time I get up to minister that music, it moves me - to places I can't describe yet. Its a journey that I get to take with God each time I open my mouth to sing. I do it publicly because I just hope you'll come along with me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>4:18Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64952192020-12-15T05:45:00-05:002020-12-15T06:00:02-05:00The Sound!<p>I've been checking the stats and there's an uptick of People visiting the site. Thank you all so very much! I will admit that it does feel good to see that you guys are actually reading this blog. Okay, what's next... I will be doing some Facebook live appearances. I'll start with one or two songs in the coming weeks and then I'll do a 15 or 20 minute set with my brother, Andrew Robinson - MONSTER GUITARIST that I've been working with since I started recording. Actually before then. Drew and I were the heartbeat of a band called "formula 7" back in the day. We had the potential for being something special, but the band's leader and I couldn't get along. Drew and I stayed in touch. His isn't just talent. He truly has an anointing on his gift. His creative abilities are beyond what most will ever achieve and I am TRULY looking forward to this. I will let you know when I nail down those dates. It will be soon! </p>
<p>What is this sound that I have? I have tried to pin it down. I've often called it "Jazz-flavored-funk" to try to get close to a description. But it isn't always like that. Sometimes I'll finish a piece and ask, "okay, what is this?" To be honest, I'm not sure what to call it. I just try to play or imitate what I've been hearing in my spirit. The sad thing is what you are hearing is watered down versions of what I heard. I get as close as I can, but the stuff I hear is overwhelming. I hear it all at once sometimes, down to every little detail. My tiny little brain isn't able capture what hits me on occasion. Its frightening as feels like there is an actually hand on my back when I'm getting this... inspiration(?). I sound crazy, I know. But I'm just telling you what's real. I don't set out to make a masterpiece. I do try write, I honestly do, but the most powerful stuff I do comes from God's presence and not from my brain. That's all I know. Do keep coming by to visit the site. Do invite your friends. Do tell your friends about the sound!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64941142020-12-13T06:50:00-05:002020-12-13T07:00:06-05:00God Hears<p>This was one of the first songs I wrote for my first project (AnyWay). I had very little gear and all the sounds were cheesy computer versions of the whatever instruments were available at the time. After I finished the track, I heard the spirit of God say “Do a live version…” and so I rewrote the piece. That version was actually the one released with the project. Thinking about it now, I should probably go back to the original and drop it as well. But anyhoo… It was this funky jazzy piece that is pretty much the flow of all my music. It became the vibe or the standard that the majority of that project is created on. I was writing from scripture and nothing else. My goal now is to get back to that and stay there. Not that I’m not using scripture now, it’s just that back then, EVERY verse was the word of God. Later I started writing about life and addressing it from scripture - rather than just putting scripture to music. I have an urging inside to return to that. The wild thing was I could write the scriptures that created the verses - beside the verse. And then when you read them separately, they had a coherent message - that was completely different from the subject of the song! Blew my mind!!! Sorry, I’m all over the place. </p>
<p>God hears U was the idea that God would never leave us and God always hears us. All we need to do is pray. All we need to do is talk to him. God listens. God will respond. God Hears.</p>3:42Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64941022020-12-11T06:50:00-05:002020-12-11T07:00:02-05:00CHILL<p>John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. </p>
<p>I know it seems like I’m preaching at you, but I’m not. I just keep seeing the fear and despair that people are being burdened with. It’s like you can feel the heavy weight that is pushing down the world at the moment. I keep putting up these things because people need to know that this is all a trick of the enemy. Yes, we have serious challenges in this life. Yes we have tangible pain that everyone is experiencing. But this is not the end. We already have the victory over this. And the beginning of that victory is BELIEVING what God said. And he basically just said, “get your head up… I got this.” Do me a favor? Spend more time in the word or God and in your prayer time than you do watching the fear and ugliness that they CONSTANTLY sow on tv and online. Fill yourself with the presence of God more than the emotions of man. God knows what’s coming and he’s already fixed it. God loves you and he will protect you. Believe that. He’s got this. Chill.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up!</p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64938732020-12-10T06:15:00-05:002020-12-10T06:20:03-05:00SPEAK LIFE!!!!<p>I have a seen a few people close to me become stricken with that COVID 19 mess. They have all recovered quickly, thank God. Without the protection of the Lord, this disease can kill. But you have to remember who you really are and the power you have. the Bible states in Proverbs 18:21 that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." 'That means that you have the power to speak life to yourself. You have to start speaking that you have health and healing to all your flesh. You have to start speaking life to yourself and I don't care how you currently feel. Isaiah 53:5 states "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Jesus all ready took your illnesses in the stripes he received on his back. So all you have to do now is believe that you are healed now. You are a NOT a SICK person trying to get well. You are HEALED person protecting your health. Not only do you have the power to speak life to yourself, its God's will for you to be healthy. 3 John 1:2 says "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." You can speak life to yourself. Jesus already took on your sicknesses for you. And it is the will of God for you to be healthy. Don't let this curse steal anymore from you or the people you love. SPEAK LIFE!!!!</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64918462020-12-09T02:05:00-05:002020-12-09T02:20:04-05:00He Gave<p>I remember working "He Gave". It started out just so basic, but with this "vibe" that made it powerful. The lyric lines were clever and captivating. Watching it develop into what it became was like watching a child mature. The song moved from "complexion" to "complexion" but didn't really change all that much. It is a simple piece that tells a simple truth: Jesus died for us. God chose to give his only Son so that man would not have to pay the ultimate price for disobedience and sin. And all we have to do is receive that fact and believe it. Isaiah 53:5 says "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed..." I LOVED ministering this song in front the audiences I shared it with. They were moved, the anointing touched, hearts were changed. The experience was BREATHTAKING! </p>
<p>I had originally planned for Anthony Hamilton to sing the vamp at the end of the song, but I could never pull it off. We talked about it. He was receptive to it, but it never happened. I remember the engineer had just mixed down the background vocals at Platinum Vybe studios in Charlotte, NC, when Cassandra O'Neal walked in. I asked her manager if she'd be willing to flow on the vamp at the end and she agreed. I still hope that Ant and I will get to do this live one day. I KNOW he will kill it. Anyhoo... check it out and let me know what you feel. It touches me every time I listen to it still. I know Jesus gave his life to save me. </p>3:19Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64874482020-12-07T10:55:00-05:002020-12-07T11:00:08-05:00Deep In It. <p>Been working the new track "Fall". Not sure when it will be released, but I'm excited about it. And yes, its a little "Frankie Beverly and Maze-1990's vibe", but it just feels good. And of course I got my good buddy, my big sister Florence with me on vocals. I was talking about another song and she chimes in with "here's your hit right here!" I love the song. I love what God gave me to say in it. The whole premise of the piece is letting everything else in your life fall away but God. I got this vision of doing this live... with the ladies in the audience, all with their eyes closed, arms wrapped around themselves singing the hook as loudly and as passionately as possible. It was as if they forgot we were there at all. It was just them and God and we were just providing the background sounds for this very personal worship session that they were involved in. When the music stopped they just stayed like that. I remember feeling like playing the next song would be interrupting the whole vibe, so we just stood there listening to them worship God in earnest. I'm looking forward to seeing that. That's the whole deal. </p>
<p>But now, I'm reminded of something God told me a while ago. That I can't just watch when this happens, I have to be apart of it as well. So when they're getting their worship on, I'm going be deep in it with them!</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64874212020-12-04T09:20:00-05:002020-12-04T09:20:07-05:00God and the music<p>I remember when I got my first horn. I was around eleven years old. My Mom had a lot of back in the day records and my older sister had a few from her generation. I was alone a lot as a kid, so I used to listen to every song that had a trumpet part in it and try to play along. The ones I recall the most were Wishin' and hopin' by Dionne Warwick and “Placebo Syndrome” by parliament funkadelic. I used to run those lines over and over again. </p>
<p>Music was my whole world. I remember I used to angle the stereo speakers toward one another late at night and sleep between them. The stereo effect made it feel like I was in an underwater bubble of sound. I could almost see and feel every note. That was the safest place for me. Nothing from the “outside world” could touch me at that point. </p>
<p>It gets that way on stage at times. Only the “bubble” is bigger and includes the entire venue that I playing at. I’m not up there entertaining or trying to get an audience to pay attention to what I’m doing. I’m inviting them to enter this world (bubble) with me. Take this journey with me. Where once you enter, you realize it’s not even about me, it’s just God and the music. </p>
<p>I'm talking that place where David was. Where he chased away demons from Saul by playing music with his had. Where yokes get broken, burdens get removed. Where the Holy Spirit has free reign.</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64871852020-12-01T21:15:00-05:002020-12-01T21:20:02-05:00Amen <p>I remember working on this piece. It was to be a conversation with the audience, just a blunt factual discussion about the person of God and who Jesus really is. It was back during the time... well still dealing with this, but it was back during the time when it dawned on me how much Gospel music avoids the name of Jesus. They kick out a "give me praises to "you" or to "him", but they seem reluctant to call on the name of Jesus. In "the amen song" I just wanted to lay it out flat as well dispel some myths and misgivings. I also wanted to speak to the fact that the kingdom of heaven has enemies to deal with and I wanted to make that plain. I wanted to be that everyone understood that it was the deceptions of the enemy that started all of this. The devil tricked us and continues to deceive. </p>
<p>The "amen song" reveals that the only to God is through Jesus. No matter what the liars say, there is only one way to the kingdom of God. It is one of the most popular pieces that I get to do. The response to it is always tremendous. People seem truly thrilled have someone tell the truth. Plus its an audience participation song, so people really get into it. I guess I love the fact that the energy or anointing that they experience lasts long after the final note has faded. The thing I love most about this song is that it states that Jesus is truly the only way. The only response to it... Amen </p>5:12Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64870352020-11-27T16:33:15-05:002020-11-27T16:33:15-05:00Be thankful. Stay grateful. <p>As this disease ravages the world, I can think of only one position to be in. Thankfulness. Gratitude. We have lost so many in the last few months. And the worst thing about all of this is fear. People are scared to touch one another. People are scared even to speak to one another. I don't know what the future holds. I know only what the word says: Matt 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Phil 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. the Bible tells us not to be afraid, not to worry. So I will put all my energy into not doing so.</p>
<p>I will instead remember to be grateful at this time in my life. I have to thank God that no matter how many ailments attacked my body this year, I'm still here. Lost a lot of my heroes this year to that virus. A lot of us have been unable to get out and do the thing we love most - connecting with our audiences through song. That experience of live creation that makes the experience new to the performer and the audience. I miss that so much. I miss worshiping with all of you so much. But I have a solution. I'll start doing some online appearances. I have some new things to share with you that I'm excited about. I'll let you know when I get that up and running. Until then, be thankful. Stay grateful. Happy Thanksgviing!</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64676622020-10-31T20:18:13-04:002020-10-31T20:18:53-04:00UBU<p>"You have to be careful who you associate yourself with now..." a friend of mine said to me. He was warning me about who I let close to me. He was telling me to protect myself. I thought legally, financially... cover myself with contracts, etc. Ironically, I forgot spiritually. Surround yourself with people who pray for you. NOT "yes men" but those who will pray for you and cover you spiritually. Those who speak peace to your spirit and will encourage you and kick you in the butt if you need it.</p>
<p>I didn't realize how tainted I was after being exposed to the music industry types who live by "if it don't make dollars, it don't make sense..." Money cannot be your motivation for following your dreams. I had to empty myself of all of that and fight my way back to just making music because its what I am. I used to tag all of the notes that I wrote with the letters UBU... simply meaning just be yourself. No matter what they tell you and try to get you to do. Stick with what it's really about for you. Stay in the circle of those who pray for you and cover you. Be what God made you to be. Truly be yourself. UBU</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64583222020-10-17T19:44:23-04:002020-10-17T19:44:23-04:00Stay prayed up<p>Artists have to be very careful these days about who they associate themselves with. There are so many wolves who want to take advantage of their lack of experience or lack of connections. It amazing how many of them approach with the same story: you need followers. I know how to teach you to build a following. "I can get you 1000 -10,000 "superfans" who will spend 100 dollars a year on you. That means 100,000 - 1,000,000 bucks for you." </p>
<p>All we are trying to do is survive. All we are trying to do is succeed. In my case, I have a message to share. I have a mission to share what's been shared with me. The weight of sharing that message makes me feel a little desperate some times. It isn't about fame or being wealthy, all those are desires. The NEED I have is that people hear and receive the message. There is an urgency attached to this NEED that grows daily. That urgency comes from the feeling that if I fail, so many others will also. Artists have to be determined, but they have to careful too. Stay prayed up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64524232020-10-10T10:55:00-04:002020-10-10T11:00:07-04:00What If<p>What if was the first track released on my debut CD. It started with the words and I remember having trouble putting chords to it. I could "feel" it, but I couldn't find it and it was driving me crazy. I wanted a bluesy attitude and vibe and I just couldn't get there. I showed it to my younger sister, who that it was judgmental and "preachy" and it turned her off. I took it to my mentor Alphonza Kee. He read the lyrics and caught the vibe I was trying to create - as I purposely used improper English and vernaculars to create the atmosphere of the piece. He made some suggestions that worked musically, but didn't give me what I was feeling so I just let it sit. A couple years went by and then I heard that signature clav line that rolls throughout the song in my head. The song blossomed from there. I pulled in my brothers Wayne Poore on bass. Andrew Robinson on guitar. </p>
<p>The song asks the question "What if we was cool? Lovin' like we 'sposed to? Thinkin' 'bout you more than I do me, that Jesus kinda love?" Basically saying what would this world be like if we actually lived by the commandments of God? Mainly Matt 22: 37- 40 </p>
<p>37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. </p>
<p>38 This is the first and great commandment. </p>
<p>39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. </p>
<p>40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.</p>
<p>If we loved like this then ALL of this would be so much better. We would be living heaven on earth. But that's simply not the case. God even gave me a video conveying the message. Shot by the amazing Donald Wilson, the Video was immensely popular. Still one of my favorites today. if you get a chance, go check it out! https://youtu.be/H6mUHWSEe48</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up!</p>4:07Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64524172020-10-09T10:54:42-04:002020-10-09T11:15:50-04:00Silence<p>Recently lost a loved one. It brought back memories of when my mother passed away. I was staying in her house. I recall the thing that bothered me the most about her death wasn't our relationship. Of course every negative thing came up. I lamented that I could have been a much better son to her. Maybe I should have driven her that day, but I had to work the next morning and there was no way I would have made back in time. Maybe I should have spent more time with her. All kinds of stuff. I remember the good things too. I remembered what we'd done for her last birthday. I remembered that time when she'd left her medication at the house and I had to go all the way back from the airport to get them. I made it back before her flight left. I also remembered the shock on her face when I gave her the meds and some money instead of attitude. No... none of that really resinates, though. What's hardest about all of this is that I can't hear her voice anymore. We cleaned up all of the stuff out of her hospital room. And I went back to the house and heard nothing. I sat there listening to the electrical currents in house buzz. The loudest thing in the house was the silence. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64418092020-09-24T10:25:22-04:002020-10-09T11:22:52-04:00So here goes...<p>It's been a while and I do apologize. And I also apologize for this being such a long entry. Sometimes I just think it's silly to pour my musings out on the unsuspecting public. I just think you got better things to do than to waste a day inside my head. But then I realize that's what makes us connect. Maybe if we shared our random stupid stuff with the people who care about us, then there would be a little less confusion and misunderstandings going on. You may not get why I do the things I do sometimes, but it wouldn't surprise you - now that you've spent a little time with me. So here goes...</p>
<p>First, an explanation... when I get quiet... when I'm not even paying attention, things just start flowing through my head (spirit?). And it's not just a sound when it comes to music. I mean it may start that way, but then it completely takes on a life of its own. If I'm writing a song, it's no longer me just trying to nail down the composition that I am hearing in my heart (spirit?), but this becomes a whole movie that I'm watching. No, it's even deeper than that - as I find myself actually surrounded by whatever imagery is driving the creation of this music. Like I'm now no longer just watching this movie, I'm actually sitting IN that movie. For instance... say I'm working a Jazz piece. I will hear something that <em>suggests</em> a chord progression. As I start nailing down how the chords go, I start hearing the other instruments around me. Next thing you know, I'm sitting in the middle of a band with guys around me playing the chords I'm hearing. And from there its an actual performance venue. I can hear the audience responses, I feel the heat from the lights shining on the band. I can feel the vibrations from the instruments around me as they play notes from this song - that I HAVEN'T EVEN FINISHED YET! It's only a day dream - sometimes just a momentary flash of images, but a powerful journey nonetheless. It's so real that reality is often a letdown when I come back. The challenge now is that I have to actually recreate the impression that I experienced. If I don't get there - even though everybody who hears the piece LOVES it - it's hollow to me. All because I couldn't share with you what I experienced. I couldn't put you inside the movie. </p>
<p>I know I wrote about this before, but I needed to be more clear on this. I was quiet one day. I got this quick flash of an image. It wasn't a picture. It looked more like a slow moving shot, the view point that the movies often show us when an unconscious character first wakes up? This was from an elevated position as I could see only a blurred background that extended for what seemed miles. It was just an arm against a thick wooden plank. The arm had a huge nail about the size of a railroad spike sticking out of... maybe the palm of the hand? And that was it. Just a quick flash of that. It had a profound effect on me and I couldn't shake the image. So I just got quiet and let the image flow through me. I ended up back in another movie. In this movie, I came to understand that the image I saw was actually the crucifixion - but from Christ's point of view as he hung on the cross. I was seeing through his eyes as he glanced at his arm now nailed to the cross. He was exhausted and in agony from all that he'd been subjected to in the past 24 hours. The humiliation, 39 lashes from a scourge, the crown of thorns shoved onto his head... the image was a little distorted as he probably had blood dripping into his eyes. He was elevated above the crowd, so I saw the people below me (him). I could see them looking up at me (him) with this sick rage and rejection even though he was hanging on the cross and dying. He was being murdered in the cruelest way possible at the time and that still didn't appease the seething hatred they felt for him. It appeared that even though he was experiencing this unimaginable pain and suffering, they still wanted to hurt him even more. And it showed on their faces. Yes, there were some there who still loved him, like John and his mother. But I didn't see any of that. I just saw those who hated him and even his being publicly tortured and executed didn't appease their hate. It was like these people no long had blood flowing through their veins, just pure liquid black hatred. And knowing all of this, he made it clear that if he HAD to do this all again to save mankind... he would do it. He knew all of this about them and he knew he would do it all again - anyway. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh... here's the live performance of the song. Do check it out if you can. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHCpX2s_UmE</p>4:18Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/64312182020-09-11T11:24:27-04:002020-09-11T11:24:27-04:00Stay Love<p>My friend (Aljournal Franklin) hit me with a word. That in all the turmoil and mess going on, its easy to get caught up and forget who you truly are. You are love. And now is NOT the time to stop showing love. If you call yourself christian, then what you are at your core is LOVE. Now is NOT the time to stop showing the love of God in you no matter what is going on around you. Stay Love!</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63857272020-07-31T09:05:00-04:002020-07-31T09:20:16-04:00What If<p>This continuing on the vibe of explaining the origins of each song, my mindset, the unction from God. With the track "What If" I was thinking about the state of the world. We as christians should behave as the word tells us. I was speculating what that would be like. What if all of the things that we say we are as Christians actually was the case? We are supposed to love each other like do ourselves. Rarely is that the case. But then I started looked at the way things actually are and that created the entire video. It also gave rise to the accompanying video - https://youtu.be/H6mUHWSEe48. Check it out and holla back atcha boy! The video juxtaposes two scenarios- one where see what happens when Love of God is involved and then we see when God's love didn't intervene. </p>4:07Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63955752020-07-28T14:04:08-04:002020-07-28T14:04:08-04:00Out Of My Own Head<p>I took a look at what has changed about my writing style since the onset. I realized that started writing more from a personal standpoint. I wrote about issues that were surrounding me, or topics that were important to the moment. I decided that I needed to go back to writing from where God was leading me. I got high off the fact that people were calling me a great writer. I started relying on myself to create. No more. I wrote from the word. I mean the new stuff is from the word, but the older stuff... ALL of it was scripture by scripture. I think I shared earlier that every verse was from a scripture. I took the time to notate each scripture beside every verse. Taken together, those scriptures lined up to create a clear and cohesive sermon - that had NOTHING to do with the song. I want to get back to that. My plan now is to climb deeper in the word and the spirit and create from there. Its time I got back out of my own head. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up!</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63879252020-07-20T18:47:57-04:002020-07-20T18:47:57-04:00No Matter What<p>It's been a couple of days. I'm trying to stay with this blog. I have realized that I can't possibly continue to pour out sections of my life just to keep you reading. Mostly because I don't think I'm that interesting. The other reason is that some of this stuff is just too horrifying to relive. No need to take you through my nightmares. But the thing that I have realized is that I need to keep sharing with you what God shares with me. That will impact much more than anything I could possibly pull out of my own head. And of course I will continue to give you insights into the stuff I've written and the things I'm working on. I truly enjoy that. </p>
<p>At the moment, what's in my spirit is the confession that God has given me. "No weapon formed against you shall prosper". I know there's an INSANE amount of fear that is circulating the globe at the moment. Every time there's another reporting of this disease or the current economic crisis, that spirit of fear rises up a little more. The one thing you HAVE to remember is that God hasn't forgotten you. Its not like he didn't see this coming. It's not like he's somewhere taking a nap. God is still in control. More importantly God has already taken care of the problems concerning YOU. He has your protection in place. He has your covering in place. You need to understand that EVERYTHING that you have need of was provided in the death of Jesus. His shed blood covered your sin, the attacks on your life, your marriage, your finances, your children, your dreams, your career. Everything, everything, EVERY THING is covered under the blood. YOUR responsibility to believe. Stick with Jesus no matter what. Believe God no matter what. And God will be faithful to his promises to YOU, No Matter What. </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63857222020-07-17T08:55:00-04:002020-07-18T01:00:01-04:00AnyWay<p>God bless you for coming to visit my site today. I hope I can bring you positive vibes and words from God most high. I will try to bring words of encouragement and strength to you as well as give you some insight into what drives my creativity. I've written several plays, a LOT of music and now my first book - Honor Code. I've been being called a renaissance man here of late because of all the things that people are discovering that I can do. I'm not exactly where God is taking me with all of this. I'm just along for the ride. People ask me where the music comes from. God gives me words or a melody floats into my spirit or he shows me an image.</p>
<p>The song "Anyway" came from an image he showed me. I got this vision of a left arm with what looked like a spike sticking out of it. That's all. As I meditated on the image, I grew to understand that it was the crucifiction, but from Christ's point of view. I could for a moment see through his eyes, as if he looked at his arm while he was hanging on the cross. He could see all of the people looking at him with such ugliness. He could feel their hatred and their jealousy. All he felt toward them was love. He hung there on that cross knowing that some people may NEVER accept him as Lord and Savior, but he did it so that they would have the option of doing so. An odd thought popped into my head while I was thinking about all of this. If he had to do this more than once to save us.. knowing all the agony he was going to have to suffer, he would have. All of that is what created the song "AnyWay"</p>4:18Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63856722020-07-16T07:45:00-04:002020-07-17T01:00:02-04:00Confessions<p>I know you're coming to visit. You may not be leaving your information behind, but you are coming. Do me a favor? Wake up every day from now on and declare victory over your life. Get up every morning and start confessing:</p>
<p>1. I am the righteousness of God MADE righteous by the blood of Jesus</p>
<p>2. I have health and healing to all my flesh, no sickness disease or germ will ever come near me</p>
<p>3. No weapon formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that rises up against me I shall condemn</p>
<p>4. I have the hand of God upon my life therefore I have favor with God and man, things go well for me</p>
<p>5. In my pathway there is life and there is no death for I have the protection of the Lord upon my life</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyday! EVERY SINGLE DAY let this come out of your mouth without fail! Share this with anyone you care about!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63846962020-07-15T12:35:00-04:002020-07-16T01:00:12-04:00RAGE<p>Sometimes I have this rage pounding inside of me. There was a time that I didn't understand what that was. I couldn't put into words what was going on inside, all I knew was that I felt like I could explode most of the time. It was just a flame raging beneath my flesh that I just didn't get. It took me a while to understand that this was what God placed in me. This RAGE was against everything that stood to tear down the Kingdom of God. It wasn't to harm other people, but the forces at work in the darkness. David said in Psalm 119:104 "Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way..." That same rage pops up in me when I see the innocent being preyed on. The privileged taken advantage of the less fortunate because they don't know any better. It burns me up inside, NOT because of what people are doing, but because of what the forces of darkness that drive this madness are doing. We can't fight this in physical, it has to be fought in the spirit. We can pass laws that will stop it, or elect officials that can stop it. It is only by spending time in the presence of God that will change this. God's spirt with show us EXACTLY what to do to battle this. The weapon he gave me was the music. That's my voice. You have to find your own voice - and when you do lift it up as loudly has you can. </p>
<p>I got tired of listening to Gospel music when musicians seemed afraid to call on the name of Jesus. They gave us this vanilla stuff that won't help you in times of need, that don't use the word of God or proper teachings. Its like they are telling about stuff they heard from others and NOT what God has personally given to them. I want to scream at them "Yeah, that's what your grandma said, but what has God told you???" That rage in me started bubbling up the music. I had a guy tell me "you got rude tracks..." That anger, that rudeness isn't directed at people... but at the forces of darkness. the Bible says the "Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent taketh by force..." Suffers in this case means to allow. It allows for YOU to get violent. But VIOLENT in your FAITH, VIOLENT in your WORSHIP, VIOLENT in your PRAISE. Its time we stood up. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>3:20Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63846562020-07-14T13:30:00-04:002020-07-15T01:00:03-04:00What I'm trying to do<p>Was having a conversation with a buddy of mine yesterday about where we are. He thinks I'm crazy talented. I think he's stupid smart. He's the type of guy that can walk into any situation and see an angle to improve it beyond what its creators would have ever considered. He's a monster. We stared talking about what should be going on at the moment. We talked about things I haven't done. We spoke about what I should be attempting to put in place as far as my musical goals are concerned. I'm finally going to start doing some online performances. I have the perfect place and the perfect musicians to create with. This will be something powerful. It's time that I allowed people to see me in a more intimate way. I think it would be better for me to allow people to see what creates this stuff. It isn't just music for me... not just entertainment. I truly am trying to share something with you that changed my life and could very well change others. I'm not perfect, but the experiences with the music that comes THROUGH me has altered how I function and think. I want to show not only the artistry but also the ministry. And MINISTRY wasn't intended to have to the meaning that it has now. If you look throughout the Bible, the word minister wasn't a person who preached at you. The minister was your servant. That's what I'm here to do... to serve you this word and this spiritual uplift through this music. And I'm not just throwing this at you, I live this every time I do it. the Bible says in Psalm 22:3 "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel" that means that when you praise the Lord, his Spirit fills those praises. You give God glory and his presence begins to LIVE in those praises. That's what I'm trying to do, have the spirit of God living in the praise music he's given to me. </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63846312020-07-13T14:04:30-04:002020-07-13T14:53:23-04:00Stinking Thinking<p>I woke up this morning thinking about my life and career. All of this garbage started rolling through my head. "You got great music that you don't market properly... You got an awesome book that nobody's ever heard of, etc. This hasn't happened, that hasn't happened..." All of this was just washing through my mind unchecked. "What have you done with your life? Where are you going? Shouldn't you be getting a real job by now? Can you make it, because you know you're not as talented as the people you associate with?" I have these attacks on my spirit. I have these crushing blows to my heart some mornings - before I even get out of bed. </p>
<p>I am the righteousness of God MADE righteous by the blood of Jesus. That means that I am not subject to the failure that keeps trying to cling to me. I have to remember that I am already a winner. I am already successful. I am THAT guy. I am God's anointed. I am THAT guy. I have to remember that I didn't create the inspiration that moves me to write. God created this. All I have to do is get out of his way and let him continue to do it. I have to remember that I have to KEEP my mind focussed on succeeding. Failure is not an option. I have to remind myself that God already won this fight. All I gotta do now is keep my mind right. Get RID OF THE STINKING THINKING!!!! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up </p>
<p>Curt</p>3:22Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63762882020-07-07T14:30:00-04:002020-07-07T14:40:18-04:00Thank You!<p><span class="font_large">The Grace of God be upon you all and may his blessing continue to fulfill every aspect of your life. May his presence and his Spirit lead and guide and keep you through everything you will experience in life! Hello EVERYONE!!! I understand that my email list is growing rapidly and I just wanted to thank all of you for sharing my music with your friends and family. I truly appreciate that you have been keeping me lifted up the way you have! I KNOW you're doing it because the list of subscribers is GROWING FAST and I can only say that is because of the Grace of God and YOU devoted people. Thank you so much! I appreciate your messages and your emails. I will answer each one quickly as I can - as I truly enjoy hearing from you and sharing with you. Keep me in your prayers and keep passing the word. This Nouveau Praise Movement is Growing!!!</span></p>4:20Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63762902020-07-06T11:50:00-04:002020-07-06T12:00:47-04:00Nouveau Praise<p>What is the Nouveau Praise Movement? I'm glad you asked! I started having an issue with performer after performer claiming to be a Gospel musician, but refusing to call on the name of God in their music. They will say I give my praises unto "you" or to "him"... They go so far as to say "Lord" on occasion, but they seem afraid to call on the name of Jesus. It seemed to me that they were more concerned about crossing over to secular play than they were about ministering to God or to his people. It started to bother me. I wanted a sound that was different and I wanted to ministry that shared a clear word. 2 Cor4:3 states: "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost..." That simply means that if you hide your Gospel, then the people who don't know God will have NO IDEA what you are talking about. Our job... or rather my Job is to pull people into the presence of God. I have to be clear about what I'm saying. I have to be clear in what I'm singing. If I come Hard on the beat, I can't be soft on the Jesus. That's where the Nouveau Praise idea and the ensuing movement came from. I hope this is like a fire that catches and burn around the globe!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up!</p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63762792020-07-05T14:45:00-04:002020-07-05T15:00:48-04:00The Only Way<p>One thing we gotta remember that racism is a SPIRIT of HATE born out of fear. the Bible says that the comes to kill, steal and destroy. He wants to steal your peace, steal your joy, create division and strife. That's a spirit. It is any race color or creed. You can't legislate a spirit. You can't march away a spirit. The only thing that defeats a spirit is the SPIRIT of God. The blood of Jesus. That's the only way this changes.</p>4:06Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63762782020-07-05T02:40:00-04:002020-07-05T02:40:19-04:00Not About Me<p>Been a few days. I'm trying to get better at communicating with you guys about what's going on. I worked with Andrew Robinson my guitarist on an acoustic version of "The Storm". I just wanted a cooler vibe to the piece in case it was just the two of us doing a live stream. I just wanted to hear how it sounded without all of the extra instrumentation involved. It turned out nice. I included it here for you guys to download and share if would do so!</p>
<p>Its been a change being shut down like this. I'm really itching to get out and share this music with the world, but I will be patient. I love vibing with people in the spirit. Its different from doing secular music. I recall being in that "space" with people, where we were on that party tip, or on that drunk tip, or whatever the song was about. All of that ends the moment the music stops. It's different with Gospel, though. The atmosphere we create there is one that lasts. It changes worlds, alters perspectives. People repent. People give their lives to God. People remember God's love for them. What I love about it most is when people forget about us on stage and have a personal moment with God. They go off into their own worship session and we're just the background noise. I LOVE that most. That's when I feel like I have accomplished what I was sent to do. I was sent to uplift the name of Jesus and tell the story of God. One thing I've learned through all these years of playing music: It"s not about me. </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up</p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63717712020-06-30T20:12:10-04:002020-06-30T20:12:10-04:00Oddity<p><span class="font_large">The music thing is an oddity to me. I still don't understand what's really going on. All I know is I couldn't quit even if I wanted to. I know this is a gift from God. I KNOW that I am to proclaim the message he gives me. I see images in the music. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I remember analyzing the word from my first CD to make sure it was sound. I wrote out the scriptures that each verse came from to show the foundation that each verse was built on. The scriptures created the verses that I sang in the songs. The weird thing was when you took the scriptures away from the song, they lined up to create a coherent sermon that had NOTHING to do with the topic of the song. That still trips me to this day. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">It is also odd because most times when I wake up there's a melody playing in my spirit. I get up, put it down and put it away. Later I go back and listen to it and sometimes its mind boggling. Other times it's like staring at a text you sent when you were drunk. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">Stay Prayed Up</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">Curt</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63717092020-06-30T18:45:19-04:002020-06-30T18:47:22-04:00The Music is OUT!!!!<p>Forgive the lag on this, I am soooooo Sorry. "This Storm (anthem 2020)" is NOW available at all online stores!!!! But YOU can get an acoustic version of it here for FREE, just for checking us out! Please feel free to download it and share it with whomever you like. I would appreciate it! God bless all of you and as always, </p>
<p> </p>
<p>STAY PRAYED UP!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63674882020-06-26T15:27:30-04:002020-06-26T15:27:30-04:00Delayed<p>The single's release has been delayed. All I know at this point is that everything is behind because of the number of artists suddenly using the same service. It is frustrating as the original reason was that the Cover for the single was rejected as "blurry" or something like that. I shot a different cover and resubmitted. Now we wait. I shouldn't be frustrated as I know all this comes about in God's timing. I was SURE that I selected the date that I heard in my spirit. I was sure that I heard from God which is why I picked the date I did. But I will be patient. And when the track is released, it will jump like it is supposed to. We will overcome this too. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay prayed up!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63595352020-06-20T18:10:00-04:002020-06-20T18:20:18-04:00#UBU<p>Don't allow someone else to impose their limitations and restrictions on YOU. #UBU</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63593362020-06-19T15:07:26-04:002020-06-19T15:07:26-04:00Who knows?<p>Had an interview this morning for the book that was just published. And then a photoshoot for the music. I'm running in a bunch of directions at once and I hope that management will iron this out for me. Being an author and being a musician are two different cultures. Music is about feeling and flowing in the moment, about tapping into the spirit of God that moves you and flowing with that. Its energy on the fly and the songs move and breathe and change. Its a rapidly moving tsunami that overwhelms the listener and the artist at the same time with this swirl of emotion and Word and Spirit. The music changes everything it touches. </p>
<p>For me, a book is a static look inside the author's head. It can be deep and moving and engrossing, but to me it doesn't LIVE like the music does. I love to write, I enjoy exploring the depths of my own imagination and expressing that in word. But the music will always be my strongest passion. Songs wake me up in the morning or the middle of the night. They are children screaming for the force that will give them birth. I love to create. It gives me so much pleasure. The plays, the books, the music... all of it. If I don't do it, my mind just fills up with this swirling jumble of ideas that refuse to be silent. LOL. This is the first of at least three books. Its starting to look like five. Just the thought of that makes me tired right now. </p>
<p>Anyhoo... here's the link for the interview. Check it out and let me know what you think. https://www.facebook.com/lisasantiagomcneill/videos/10218038722940225/?fref=hovercard&hc_location=chat</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Who knows, there may be a couple movies off of this?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>
<p>#UBU</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63578632020-06-18T13:07:22-04:002020-06-18T13:17:27-04:00Just hang on "This Storm (anthem 2020)"<p>This Storm (anthem 2020) is actually a very old song. It is, I believe, the last original song of mine that my mother heard me perform. At the time is was originally written, my life was in chaos. I was still living at home and we were being hit from every direction with financial and other heartaches. NOTHING was going well. It felt like there was this beast of despair with feet the size of an elephant's standing on my chest. I couldn't find a job. We were already living in the hood and it just seemed that even the air in that part of town was just thicker, more difficult to breathe. I remember even the members of my church would look at me as if I were some defective stain on the congregation. The only thing that gave me any kind of existence was that I could sing. That was it. God's anointing was heavy on me and they could see that in my vocal offerings. They just thought that I was somehow broken. </p>
<p>I wasn't going to let all that kill me. I felt that even though I was broken in a LOT of places, I was still more than they could see. God would get me through this and then they all would see. I would get though this storm in my life. I would overcome this. I was trying to stand, but kept getting knocked down. What I didn't realize at the time was the fire that was keeping me afloat... the fire that was driving me was the power of God. He kept his hand on me... kept me going. With the video, I pointed the song toward the COVID 19 crisis, but the song actually isn't about that. It's about choosing to believe that God won't allow whatever is attacking you to destroy you. Not only will you outlast an attack. You will overcome that attack. Even if you don't see a way through this at all, God has all ready made a way. That was cemented through the blood of Jesus. So don't be afraid. You will overcome. God has all ready done all that needs to be done. You just hang on.</p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up! </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63577552020-06-18T12:19:10-04:002020-06-18T12:19:10-04:00Rejected?<p>They rejected the cover for single. So I am partnering with Paul Williams Photography today to re-shoot the cover. It has to be done today as the single will be released on the 24th. We followed the guidelines. I don't know why it's an issue, but the remedy is on the way. Paul has an awesome idea and this is gonna be MAD cool. I'm actually glad now that it was rejected. I thought the first idea was cool, but I'm going to get something amazing instead. I can't wait to share it with you!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up! </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63576902020-06-18T12:00:00-04:002020-06-18T12:01:13-04:00No Room<p>I wrote this song a while ago that I haven't finished yet. I wrote these DEEP God-inspired and Scripture-backed lyrics, but the music I wrote for it never gave it justice, so I just shelved it. Well, this morning I was watching my book publisher's broadcast and it popped back up in my spirit. The song is called "Let It Go". I'll start explaining this by opening the scripture that the song grew from: "But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."</p>
<p>If you are constantly looking back at your past, at the things that happened, as opposed to the direction that you are headed, where God is taking you, you are not fit for the Kingdom of God. You are taking your eyes off of the Kingdom, off of God to look at something else. That "thing" is what you are worshiping. That essentially is your god now. You are not fit (acceptable, adapted to, sound physically and mentally, ready to do) for the Kingdom of God. </p>
<p>I KNOW what happened to you was terrible. I get it! But you must understand that you cannot exist in two places at one time - it is COMPLETELY impossible. Either you go forward or you stay there! Yes it was despicable, horrible and unimaginably bad for you. You have to drop this and GO ON. Go forward. No, I don't know what they did to you. No I don't understand it at all. What I do understand is that it was a tactic by the enemy to stop you from getting to where you are to be in life. Believe it or not, so many others are depending on you to make it through this. YOU are their example which is why the enemy is trying to keep you HERE. If YOU stand up and walk out of this, so many others will follow you. And you don't even have to do anything other that walk out. They will follow because you beat it. You don't have to preach a sermon. Announce to the world anything. Just get up and walk out of what has been holding you down. And yes, some of you have a REAL battle on your hands. That battle is NOT yours, it's the Lord's. Your job is to make a conscious decision to forgive. And then move on. God has the rest. And he will hold you up as a banner to others. </p>
<p>You are allowing that incident to fill you up. Forgive. Let it Go! And Let God fill you up. He'll fill you so full of LOVE that there won't be room for anything else. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63576912020-06-18T11:27:33-04:002020-06-18T11:27:33-04:00The book is finished... finally. <p>I wrote a book. "Honor Code" is what it's called. I'm in to science fiction and fantasy. I like the brooding, damaged hero's that get softened by love. I guess because in a way that's me... or all of us actually. All of humanity is hardened by sin and the choices we make. Only true love... pure love... God's love can change what we are. That same love saved us. He saved us all. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up! </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63576092020-06-18T11:25:00-04:002020-06-18T11:40:19-04:00Happiness <p>STEALING from my friend Lisa Santiago McNeill - Happiness is an inside job! I could take this so many different ways, but I will start with this: Your happiness starts inside. You gotta choose to keep yourself upbeat. I'm running with this!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up! </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63512852020-06-12T19:45:00-04:002020-06-12T20:00:46-04:00We OWE!<p><span class="font_large">Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Simply put, we should owe no man anything. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">But we OWE love.</span></p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63501012020-06-12T15:05:00-04:002020-06-12T15:20:19-04:00God Hears You<p>Watching the unrest and the anger. Listening to my friend share their opinions about all of this and I have to fight my flesh to continue to look at the this through the eyes of the spirit. The Bible warns of this and we have to understand that this isn't some random event. God told us that this would be coming. God told us not to fear this. Just know that the end time is coming. He said in his word: St. John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. </p>
<p>It will be challenging. It will be trying. But God has you. When you pray, God Hears You.</p>3:42Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63512942020-06-12T14:59:21-04:002022-05-14T16:32:45-04:00Keep Looking Up<p>I'm not being silent on what is going on around us. I just didn't want to let emotion speak over reason. Too many times I've spouted out in rage and all I did was make what was really bad... even worse. I had to take time to process my feelings before I spoke. I had to take time to battle my flesh and hear from the spirit of God. Isaiah 26:3 says "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You." And there in lies our solution or maybe just MY solution, I don't know. No matter what's going on around me, keep looking up. I won't find my solution in something that someone else does. Not the government, not the police, not my black or white brothers and sisters. I have to keep looking up. Keep looking to God for answers and a way to respond. What does God's word say about this? What does God's word instruct about this? What is God telling <em>ME</em> about this? Keep looking up. </p>
<p>God says he will protect me. He ALWAYS has. God says he will keep me. He ALWAYS has. My children aren't sick. Even the cops who intended to hurt me COULDN'T as God always protects me. So I speak peace and I educate. All hate is based in fear. Our society has engrained in us the belief that Black people will rise up one day and destroy everyone and everything that tried to destroy them. You got a generation of people that grew up marginalizing and oppressing others and they fear that they will suffer that same oppression. And they are scared!!! You got people who are so afraid of this race war that they say is coming, that they keep trying to start one. Dylan Roof shot up that church in South Carolina to start a race war. The Bible talks about wars and rumors of wars and this signals the end times. This is where we are. Our focus can't be on what we fear. It has to be on the only thing that can save us - and that is the blood of Jesus and our belief in God. That blood washes away sin and creates in a you a PURE spirit. the Bible says we should walk like children of light - like we have NEVER sinned. That's the power of the blood. I don't care what you've done, Jesus is your redeemer. Turn your heart to God and then you fall under his protection. You don't have to fear anymore. Stop worrying about the coming days. Give your life to Christ and let him take care of everything. Keep looking up. </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63451222020-06-08T13:50:00-04:002020-06-08T14:00:51-04:00Thank You!<p>God is good. I love creating. I love writing music, books, scripts, plays... God has gifted me with a LOT of abilities. Music is what means the most to me. It was an escape from the madness of my life as kid. Now I'm just saying to you what God says to me. It has always been a dream for me. I'm just glad now that I get a chance to do it. I'm grateful for that. I want to say to thank you to everyone sharing the video https://youtu.be/R61KIYqyRBk. I appreciate more than I can truly express. The numbers are climbing. Last I checked it was over 1700 views!!! Thank you so much! </p>
<p>Stay Prayed Up!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63451212020-06-07T00:48:43-04:002020-06-07T00:59:46-04:00I plead the blood!<p>I had a friend post something about the George Floyd murder. He said that we immediately went to protesting and marching but we didn't even take the time to mourn. I think that's what's happening to us as a nation. We are suffering attack after attack and not taking the time to heal. We walk around scarred and bruised and never taking the opportunity to allow God to heal us. Our prayers should be that God fill every emptiness that we have inside ourselves. We instead try to fill with every material thing we can get out hands on - relationships, substance abuse, sex, whatever. None of that can fill what's missing in us. I keep saying "US" because I got my own attacks to deal with. I'm no different. WE cannot do this on our own, and we must be strong enough to admit that. Strong enough to admit we need a savior. God LOVES us. And he would LOVE to heal each and every wound each and every hurt. God can make it like it never happened. He'll take your test and turn it into a testimony. He'll allow you to take what you went through and use that to pull others through. </p>
<p>Yes, what happened to George Floyd was BEYOND appalling and it's the reality of black Americans in this country. But the blood of Jesus is the answer for that too. You pray for protection on your children. And you pray for the police too. Paul was an enemy of the church, but God changed him too!!!!</p>
<p> Prayers for Mr. Floyd's family and all the pain they are suffering. As a nation we are in pain. And God is the only solution for that. The blood of Jesus is every answer to every thing. I plead the Blood!</p>3:22Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63451022020-06-07T00:33:42-04:002020-06-07T00:33:42-04:00Always There<p>I'm being transparent... probably more than I should be, but I'm doing so. I've wanted this since I was a child. I remember a commercial about dancing lemons when I was VERY young. I had a dream that I was on stage dancing with those lemons. I remember waking from that dream KNOWING that I would be performing and that would be my life. I just didn't think I would be ministering God's word in song. This word is what has saved me. Without God in my life I would have been dead long ago. I want to share his Love and his Grace and his Salvation with the world. I'm not a preacher so my best efforts come from sharing the music that God gives me. The "fame" aspect of this, I find disconcerting. Simply uncomfortable. I don't want my sons having a spotlight on them just because Daddy is doing something, I'd rather they have a normal childhood. But that isn't going to be the case. I will do all I can to protect them. But anyhoo...</p>
<p>I do this because it's what's inside me. Music plays in my spirit even when I'm not paying attention to it. It's ALWAYS THERE. It's like there's a radio in my mind playing songs that nobody has heard yet. lf I get quiet, I get overwhelmed by the power of it. I got songs piled up that I haven't finished yet. The one that comes out in a few weeks is an OLD song. I honestly believe its the last original song that my Mom ever heard me do. The Storm that the song is about has nothing to do with Covid 19. Its about every attack that we experience. Every heartache, every pain, every disappointed, God will get us through it. And not just get us through it, we will overcome it. </p>
<p>You know what I love MOST??? When I'm on and the audience is rollin' with me. When we shut everything down and they sing the words to the tops of their lungs. They're not even focussed on us, they are lost in their own experience with God at the moment. When they let go of everything and just paise and worship. Its so beautiful!!! Or when they start screaming at the start of a song and start singing without me. I just play along like I'm the musical director at church. I feel like I'm interrupting their worship when I start singing my part. I dunno, I'm gonna shut up now. God bless all of you. Stay prayed up!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt </p>Curtis Wayne Hurleytag:curtiswaynehurley.com,2005:Post/63333522020-05-28T13:43:18-04:002020-05-28T13:43:18-04:00Selfie Music Video<p>What's up family! I'm excited bout the video debuting tonight at midnight! This Storm (anthem 2020) is my latest release and the video was shot all on mobile phones. It came out well, I think, but it remains to seen as to what others will think of it. The song is special to me as it is the last original song of mine that my mother heard me sing. I played it live at a church and people couldn't hear me singing. She came up to the front of the church and held the mic closer to my mouth. She was so proud of me. I hope she's still proud of me. Anyhoo...</p>
<p>The video highlights the Covid 19 pandemic. It even has a quick shot of my Covid 19 - style birthday party where my family came to my house and stood in the front yard wearing masks. They sang to me, laughed a lot and left without having any contact with me. I love my peeps. But do check out the video. share with as many people as you can if you feelin' it! https://youtu.be/R61KIYqyRBk</p>
<p> </p>
<p>God bless you all!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curt</p>Curtis Wayne Hurley