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Jordan Feliz
Jordan Feliz, new to Christian radio with his hit single, The River, started his music career in his senior year, joining a rock band and touring nationally for four-and-a-half years.
After that, Jordan became a worship leader at a church in Clovis, California. It was there that he felt God put a desire in him to start creating music again. Music, “directed towards Him”. That’s when he and his wife, Jamie, began praying and two years ago moved to Nashville.
But, the move and the adjustment to life in Nashville wasn’t easy.
“It’s definitely been difficult. He’s just been so apparent and we’ve seen so much of God working in our lives, so it’s really kind of been like walking through the fire feeling protected. It’s been awesome because in the difficulty we’ve been able to just seek him more.”
When asked what it’s been like to be a new artist on Christian radio with a song that has created so much buzz, Jordan was quick to say it’s been “overwhelming”.
“That’s basically my word for the year… overwhelming! I kind of came into this with not too many expectations knowing that I am the new guy. But seeing the way that God has really used this song and hearing the stories that people have sent, in the short amount of time that The River has been out, it’s been amazing. I honestly am so blessed and so honored to be a part of this.”
The inspiration for The River was John 7:38, “Whoever believes in me will have rivers of living water flow from within them.”
“It’s an invitation to everyone. To the person that feels too ashamed to take all their baggage to the foot of the cross, and to the person who feels like they’ve lived their entire life by the book. But more than anything, The River is an opportunity to go down in amazing grace and to rise up being made new.”
Jordan is married to his high school sweetheart, Jamie and they recently welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Jolie! And, the best thing about being a Dad?
“Finding a new perspective on the way that God loves us as his children, it’s created like a whole new respect from me to the love of God that he shows us, and it’s just crazy because I never knew I could love anything as much as I love my daughter. And, it just sets it in a totally different perspective now. I am his son and thinking that he thinks the way I feel about her. It’s just crazy. It’s just a total mind trip for me.”
Tenth Avenue North – Sharing the Love of God
Before Tenth Avenue North was a band and was still just a street in Florida, Mike Donehey and Jason Jamison moved into student housing together at Palm Beach Atlantic College (before it became a university). Before wives and babies, before Jeff Owens came on as their permanent electric guitarist; the guys decided to follow God with their music and there is no looking back from that. Now, with their recent release of their album Cathedrals, they are celebrating their fourth album together by calling their fans that purchase the album and putting on surprise shows across the country.
To say that Mike Donehey, lead singer and songwriter for Tenth Avenue North, is wise beyond his years would be an understatement. Just look at a few of the lines from songs that he has written over the past few years.
She says, “How did I get here?
I’m not who I once was.
And I’m crippled by the fear
That I’ve fallen too far to love.” – You Are More
Oh, Father, won’t You forgive them?
They don’t know what they’ve been doin’ (oh no)
Oh, Father, give me grace to forgive them
‘Cause I feel like the one losin’” – Losing
I wish you never thought you had to go
Wish you never thought you had to leave
Together we can lift each other up
We can build a shelter for the weak – No Man Is An Island
As a band, Mike, Jason and Jeff want to encourage their fans and anyone who listens to their music to pursue a meaningful relationship with Jesus. This message has a new audience, one that the guys love deeply; their children. Writing, recording and touring keeps them busy; sometimes they are away from home 15 days in a single month. So when they are home with their families, Mike, Jeff and Jason make sure that time at home is meaningful and positive. They encourage their families to grow spiritually, by acknowledging the sacrifices their wives make while they are on the road and taking on more duties when they are home. For example, Jason takes his daughters to school in the mornings. This gives him the opportunity to talk with them about the things going on in their lives and to pray with them on those mornings before the bell rings. Having children has only deepened their desire to share the love of Christ, now that they are experiencing a father’s love for his children.