The Opening Dinner
It’s fitting that we begin every 18 Inch Journey around the table.
On June 1, we welcomed our 31 new students to their place at the table. It’s always a joy to see the fresh faces as they eagerly walk up the hill to the Farmhouse. We assign each student to a specific table and designate their place with a special name tag. Recently, we expanded the kitchen in the Farmhouse and it is our joy to cook meals. Jonathan and Melissa opened the night by welcoming the students. Then the first of four small groups read their declarations over the students. We enjoyed each course of the meal followed by declarations. After dessert and the last group of declarations, the students introduced themselves and shared what they’re looking to get out of the 18 Inch Journey. We ended the night by praying over each student and agreeing with the plans of the Father for this summer.
A summer in the woods can change your life. The gluten free chocolate cake from Linda Helser can help. Jesus made breakfast for His boys on the beach and emphasized the importance of meals with many stories in scripture centered around food. He spent time around food and modeled family time around the dinner table. We believe a generation will find their identity as sons and daughters when they find their place at the table. The table is not just a place for your cup and plate. The table is a place for stories and a place where brothers and sisters share their hearts. So we began at the table on June 1 and we will continue to spend many more meals around the table. The journey from the head to the heart begins with the invitation to find our place at the table. May we taste and see that the Lord is good and in so tasting find ours identities in Him.
Endless Ocean, Bottomless Sea
This album is more than just a new project for us; it is an invitation to step into more of God's heart. The title "Endless Ocean, Bottomless Sea" is a phrase that encapsulates the passion of our lives.
Fourteen years ago I had a dream that began with me standing on the shores of an ocean. As I looked into the sea, I saw Jesus standing in the water with a smile on His face. With an irresistible love in His eyes, he motioned for me to come into the deep with Him. Before I stepped into the water, I looked over my shoulder and saw a generation of young people behind me on the shore. They followed me into the water until we disappeared into the ocean of His love.
This is our vision and the bigger dream of our music: That a generation would leave the shores of fear and religion and follow Jesus into His endless love.
We are more than just songwriters and artists, for the last 14 years Melissa and I have been co-leading “A place for the Heart" with my Mom and Dad. We do much more than just travel and play gigs. We are leading schools, internships and doing kingdom community year-round. The band that plays with us are more than just musicians, they are full time staff with us, giving their lives to disciple this generation. Every album that we have sold has gone to support this dream.
Last summer students traveled from five nations and over a dozen states to take part in our school "The 18 inch Journey." This year we have already accepted students from over ten nations and have had such a flood of applications for our school, we will have had to turn away many potential students due to the lack of space. A generation is truly standing on the shores looking for more and we need more space to host them. Last year we built a new kitchen, worship space and art studio for our school. As of right now we have paid off over half of the $140,000 dollar budget and only have $60,000 left. We are believing that we can clear this debt quickly, so we can start building even more space for this coming generation.
We are looking for those who want to dream with us. We are a small ministry dreaming big dreams, and we need your support to make these dreams reality. Every album that you buy and any support you give will go toward this vision:
That a generation would leave the shores of fear and religion and follow Jesus into His endless love.
Click Here to Support this Vision
Click here to Purchase the New Album
Jonathan David Helser
Upcoming House Recording
"A Place for the Heart," where God's blessings have been so
incredible that it almost feels too good to be true. One of those
is that my Dad is not only my physical father, but my spiritual
father too. Over the years he has instilled many core values
into my life. One in particular that has always pierced my heart
is this: “Home is where we live out what we like to preach about.”
More than just words, my dad has dared to live it out.
For the last 5 years Melissa and I have had the privilege of leading
schools and internships. Out of the many students that have come
here, the Lord has chosen a handful to stay and partner with us. More
than becoming staff, they have become family. Four of them make up
our full time band. They have literally traveled around the globe
with us making music. This year we decided to take a few weeks in the
winter and record an album with this amazing community. The unique
approach to this album is we are going to record all the music in our
home. Our desire is to create more than just another album, in an
over saturated market of music. We want to capture the beautiful
sound of a community worshiping together. Richard Foster said "All
good books are written in community." I think the same is true with
music. We invited each member of the band to contribute a song. The
songs that we have chosen are the melodies that have carried us into
the Lord's presence as a community. For the last few years our staff
has been meeting in the mornings to begin the day with worship. We
also meet every Tuesday evening in our home to worship and commune
with His presence. I can honestly say that we have worshiped more in
the secret place than we have on the stages we played on around the
world. The sounds and songs of this album are truly going to be an
overflow of the rhythms of worship we have cultivated as a community.
We also felt led to capture these songs in the beauty of video.
Youtube has become the radio of this culture, and we want a generation
to taste and see the love of God in these songs. We want to open a
window and let the world see the remarkable presence of Lord that is
resting here at "A Place for the Heart."
The core value of my parent’s journey has become the beautiful
foundation of all of us here, whom we affectionately call, “The Farm
Family.” This place that the Father has carved out for us is where we
are getting to sing the songs of our lives. I believe that our
ministry is really successful when it looks like family. Remember the
words of Jesus. "I only do what I see my Father do." Everything the
Son of God did in his ministry was an overflow of his relationship
with Father. Please watch our website in 2013 for the release of this
new project. ––– Jonathan David Helser
One take video from Herrnhut, Germany
A few weeks ago I was able to visit Herrnhut, Germany. I have been dreaming about visiting this place for a long time. In this little village 24/7 prayer rose for over 100 years and a mission movement was launched that changed history. I wrote the song "The Reward" after hearing the story of the two first missionaries sent from this town. They left their homes and families ready to sell there lives into slavery to reach an island of slaves. As their ship left the shores they cried out "May the lamb that was slain receive the reward of his suffering." You can still feel their cry resounding in the land.
On the last day of my visit I was able to get the keys to the prayer tower that over looks the village. From the top of this tower you can see the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany. Heaven has touched earth in some amazing ways in this place. I had a last minute idea, to shoot a one take video of "The Reward" song from the tower. Click here to see the video we captured from Herrnhut.
I didn't know God could be so good
A few days later I was on an island in the middle of the Pacific ocean, lost in a moment of worship, with an incredible community called "Fire and Fragrance." I love those moments in worship, when you transcend into that secret place of His heart. The place where you are no longer singing, but the Father is singing over you. Here are the lyrics I heard Him singing over my heart and the heart of a generation.
Look at the nations
I'm gonna do something
Great in your days
You wouldn't believe it
Even if I told you
Watch and be amazed
I want these dreams, Even more than you
Faith is when, you believe that I do
In these days, you will say, I didn't know God could be so good
Go ahead and try Me
You can ask
For anything you want
But I promise
That I am gonna
Give you more than you ever thought
In these days, you will say, I didn't know God could be so good
Earth Like Heaven- Song Story
A few months later we were sitting around my kitchen table telling our friend Elijah some of these stories from Dublin. As Melissa was sharing a story, the spontaneous song from Dublin began to fill my heart again. I immediately got up from the table and grabbed my guitar. I suddenly found myself in one of those incredible moments as a song writer, when you transition beyond just writing a song and shift into receiving a song. Within a few minutes this song effortlessly came and weeks later we recorded this song titled "Earth like Heaven."
Right now you can preview this song at www.jonathanhelser.com or you can pre order our new album "On the Shores" with "Earth Like Heaven."
Here are the lyrics
Earth Like Heaven
The dust that we were made of, is calling us to free them
The earth that we were pulled from, its crying liberate us
We won’t be satisfied till the earth looks just like heaven
Like water cover the sea,
let the earth be filled with your glory
Till the prayers your prayed become reality
and the earth looks just like heaven
Wake up, Sons and Daughters,
we were made for so much more
Wake up, Sons and Daughters,
start singing creations waiting
Your kingdom come, Your will be done,
till the earth looks just like heaven
Wreckingball- Song Story
Later that day, Cadence and I were hanging out in the house, he was playing with his new legos and I was playing with my toy; A Jerry Jones baritone electric guitar. All of a sudden I felt the Lord say to me, "What does it look in the eyes of your Son for heaven to invade earth." I love when God speaks one thought and suddenly a whole train of thoughts flash into your mind. I first thought about the way my son, like most boys, loves explosions. Then I thought about the time when Jesus said the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force. Then I started strumming a few chords on the guitar and this phrase just slipped out of my mouth, "Let heaven fall like a wrecking ball and crush every plan of enemy." As I begin to sing those words, a melody begin to form and suddenly Cadence laid down his legos and we were singing the new song he had just asked God for.
"Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance....." Psalm 149:6-7
Right now you can preview the track of "Wreckingball" at www.jonathanhelser.com or you can pre order our new album "On the Shores" with the track "WreckingBall" on it at www.jonathanhelser.com
January Support Update
This year "A Place for the Heart" will be 27 years old, and the old prophets words are coming to pass. These last few years I have had the privilege of traveling all over the globe, but the sweetest fruit of my life is what happens on this piece of land in Sophia. This summer we will host our fifth "18 Inch Journey." The number of students who come to this school is small, but the fruit is huge. This December we ended our third year of internships for "18 Inch Journey" students. The number of interns is even smaller than the students at the school, but the fruit is even greater. Our culture is always looking for big numbers to define success. What if heaven defines success by fruitfulness. Could one of the most fruitful things that Jesus did while he walked the earth be the three years of relationship he poured into those twelve boys?
Roots are hidden from the eyes of men. They sink themselves into the unseen and find their source in the secret place. How I wish each of you could see what happens to the hearts of those who come to our schools and internships. Our roots have truly tapped into the deep places of a generations heart and they are being changed forever. As we launch into our 27th year, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude to those of you who have sown into this place. May the roots go deeper in the days ahead and the fruit become even sweeter....for this is my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit.
If you would like to partner with us you can find out more by clicking here
The Helser Family West Coast/Hawaii Excursion
{ Part Three: Hawaii}
I have waited a long time to post my final part of our family excursion to the West. I needed time for the depth of what happened to really sink into my heart. I needed to wait and really hear from the Lord what I should write, and not write. Really I just needed time. You see, one of the best parts of the trip was that we were going to get to see my sister and her family in Hawaii. They are leaders of a YWAM school in Kona, Hawaii. You must know that my sister, Shannon, is my most treasured friend in the whole world. She is the truest and most lovely example of family and friendship that I have ever seen. The privilege of getting to see them there, in Hawaii, with our kids was unbelievable. Not to mention that their daughter Shiloh and my daughter Haven are best friends. While we were in Oregon we got a call that my sister had gone to the doctor for an 8 month check-up for her pregnancy. While there, the nurse could not find a heartbeat. I cannot explain what the next 24 hours felt like. These are the moments that you choose to shed your methods of praying like a beggar and take up a wild trust in the Father. You say to yourself, "The Lord would never let this baby die...." You strap on your knee pads and fall to floor, you weep, you yell, you fall silent and then you pray more. We waited 24 hours till my sister gave birth to Selah Praise...she was stillborn. You will find out in time that my life has not been void of suffering and sorrow, but this sent my heart into a tailspin. Where was His goodness in all of this?
We arrived in Kona 4 days later, and the timing of it all was crazy. I have tried over and over to figure out how to describe what my heart felt and experienced in those days. How do you describe sorrow? I sat on the porch the first night asking the Father how I was going to teach and lead worship in the middle of all this. The Father responded, "Melissa, you have found me in the tension, you will find me again." Jonathan, Cadence, Haven and I had the privilege of going to the hills of the Big Island to bury little Selah Praise. I have never experienced a funeral so sweet and so sad. My sister had given all the children beautiful Hawaiian leaves and flowers to put on the grave. In the waiting time, the kids had played with the leaves to the point of them falling apart. As we walked through the lovely hills, Cadence asked me if he could say something during the ceremony. Honestly, I was reluctant to let him, not knowing what he would say and not wanting him to be overwhelmed in the moment, but he insisted. At the end of the ceremony, Cadence walked with confidence up to the grave, broken leaf and flower in hand. He looked at everyone and said, " Selah's body is like this leaf, but her spirit is like this flower." He then pulled the striking white flower out of the leaf. He confidently went on to talk about Selah being in Heaven with the Lord and how happy she is. After a few minutes he turned and looked at thelittle casket. He dropped the flower and said, "Selah, I will see you in Heaven."
I am consistently proud of my kids, but it has taken me months to understand what the Lord did that day. My nine-year-old was able to rise above grief and sorrow and declare truth. Sure, he has not had seasons of intense suffering, but maybe that is why the Lord said, "to even see the Kingdom of God, you must see like a child." We so quickly lose "our sight." Disappointment creeps in and poisons our heart. We marry circumstance and the love of the Lord...things going great--He loves me...things going bad--He has left me. We try to fight the whispering lie that He is not good and doesn't care. I will not pretend that this lie wasn't loud in my ears. It was blaring. I spent the last days in Kona teaching about worship, standing on stages and singing about His love and weeping with my sister. I will rejoice and speak of my niece with joy, for sheis more alive than I can imagine, living in the fullness of everything I believe in. Resurrection is flowing in her body. She is dancing with the angels, walking with the Father and being consumed with tangible love. Hawaii, to say the least, was glorious and terrible, beautiful and tragic. The Father said to me once,"Melissa, if you can't see me in the rain, you can't see me at all." I chose, there, to see Him in the torrential downpour of sorrow. I know the clouds will part and shine the brightest light on my sister and brother and their beautiful children. In the meantime, we ride the waves of sorrow and let them take us to the shores of joy. I heard Kris Vallaton say recently, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. How can you be comforted unless you properly let your heart mourn." I refuse to end this post with some crazy revelation and feel pressure to turn my life into some amazing ministry moment. We laughed, we cried, we ate good food and bad, we went to the beach, we sat in silence and weeping, we sang to Lord and let Him sing over us, we savored the privilege of life and breath and the beauty of family, and at the end of it all this I know, that even when we walk to the edge of sorrow and back, He is unexplainably good.
Traveling with kids Tip #8
[Even in the midst of unplanned heartache don't try to shelter them from it, just remember to still laugh & build sand castles]
{Haven aiming to conquer the Hawaiian Ocean with her floaties}
{My beautiful sister & brother in law...I love them deep}
{My amazing mother...the best grandmother in the world!}
{My sweet niece Arrow...I was the first person she saw when she came into the world & naturally her favorite}
Traveling with kids Tip #9
[Always, Always, Always stop on the side of the road and take beautiful pictures...your children must see you live in and capture the moment]
Traveling with kids Tip #10
[Teach your kids to savor family...at the end of it all family is the greatest gift]
{Have I mentioned that I love my husband and children.}
{Haven and her best friend/cousin Shiloh Grace}
You're Never Giving Up-Song Tutorial
Here is a new song tutorial on how to play "You're Never Giving Up." Although this song is simple be careful playing it, I have been wrecked by the affections of God on numerous occasions while playing. Its crazy how God can hide His gigantic love in such small and simple things.
If you would like to order a Kyser Partial Capo you can find them online here at this link
You can find this video at http://youtu.be/366K_G3bWsk
Intimacy - Song Tutorial
You can find the video at http://youtu.be/uVdRMQmO7Lg
18 inch Journey
-Robert H. Schuller
This summer we hosted our fourth 18 inch Journey with 38 students and staff from all over the world. They came from South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, and over half a dozen states. I could fill a book describing each moment we experienced this summer, but really, that would be like counting the seeds in the apple. This school was truly a time where lives opened like seeds and unfolded into the fullness of what God made them to be. The fruit of this summer can only be measured in eternity. I wish I could describe with words the way the kingdom of heaven invades this school, but I come to the same dilemma as Jesus. Over a dozen times Jesus says the phrase, "The kingdom of heaven is like..." Mere human words can not explain heaven. Words can just point to what is is like and your heart must open its eyes to see its indescribable wonder. I asked some of our students to share what there 18 inch journey was like, I hope you can taste fruit of heaven in their words.
"The best way I can think to describe the 18 inch journey is that it's like everything was taken and stripped down to the basic colors; primary yellow, red, and blue. And then those were taken and re-exploded into a myriad of colors, including countless new ones I had never known existed I feel like I have always instinctively known that worship like this existed; that community like this existed; that being loved by God like this existed…but now I have seen and experienced it, and I am forever changed."
-Ella Roselt, South Africa
"The 18 inch Journey has truly been a trip from my head to my heart. It has been a place where I found and discovered who God Is and has always been, and who I am and what I was always meant to be. My relationship with the Trinity has become more real than words on a page. I've walked out of keeping a "safe" distance and walked into close and honest intimacy with the Lord. The 18 inch Journey has opened my eyes to see that my heart matters and that I have a voice. I've come to know and be lead by the nature of God, depending on him moment to moment. I've come to truly see with the eyes of my heart and to encounter God in the ordinary and simple things. Words can't describe the freedom, weightlessness and rest I have experienced. I've come to know what God's family looks like and what it means to fight for each other."
-Jordan Wilson, Florida
"My favorite moment at the 18 inch Journey was the morning I learned to hear the voice of God. It started with a simple task that Melissa asked us to do during our quiet time. She asked us to go sit and simply ask God, "Father, what are your thoughts about me?" In my mind I thought of some things, but God had a different plan. As soon as my pen touched my paper I started writing things that I knew weren't my voice. Through that simple question he ended up answering so many more questions. This was my first time journaling and being confident that it was God's voice I heard and not mine. I now love quiet time with Papa because it is an actual conversation instead of just me speaking."
-Camryn Cornett, Tennessee
The Reward-A Song Story
As this story ripped through me and this cry rang in my heart, a melody begin to grow wings inside me. I grabbed my guitar and before the van reached Nashville this song was written.
In a garden we fell, but in a garden he prayed,
Not my will but yours be done.
My sins he became so I could be like him
To go beyond the veil and see his face
The cross has made a way so we can enter in
To go back to the garden once again
The cross has made a way, forever I will say
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
Worthy, Worthy,
Worthy is Lamb that was slain
To receive the reward of his suffering
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
Receive the reward, Oh Lamb of God
You can find this song on itunes by clicking here
Long Story Short
of storms. They are the songs of a journey. This year we decided to go back and collect the eleven songs from the extended moments of worship. We remixed and remastered them into beautiful and simple song length versions. I love the way a song can squeeze the beauty of eternity into a few minutes. This collection of songs tells the story of our journey. This is our long story short.
You can pre-order this album at our online store at www.jonathanhelser.com
-Jonathan David 2011
Sing Winter
Don't be afraid of the silence. God may be doing more when you can not hear him, than when he is speaking. Redemption comes like the silent snow that falls while we sleep. You wake up and the entire landscape has changed. The dark and barren colors of winter are transformed into a bright white glory that almost blinds you. When you look out the window you see a brand new world. The snowflakes echo the silent redemption plan of a King who came as a baby. A baby who became the Savior and who stood silent as a lamb before the shearer. His silent sacrifice covered the whole earth in redemption that turned the crimson stains as white as snow.
My wife and I bought our son Cadence a ukulele for Christmas. A few nights before Christmas, when we were supposed to be wrapping his present, we started writing a song on his ukulele. The song was about the snowflakes falling and winters silent song. The next morning after breakfast we slipped into the bedroom to finish the song. As we were finishing the last verse of the song, we were interrupted by the joyful squeals of my two children playing outside. We looked out our window and were astonished to see them playing in a surprise snow storm. None of the weather reports had even mentioned the slightest chance of snow. We could hardly believe that the snow started falling as we finished the last verse of the song. This little video was filmed from our back porch just a few minutes later.
Sing Winter
Hear the snowflakes falling, winter's calling my name.
The silent song she's singing, what's she trying to say
Can I fall like glory, to wash your year away
All that remains was, really meant to stay
Come and clothe me winter, I really need a change
With silent redemption, cover me in grace
Hear the song of beauty, melodies and sounds
Cover you in white love, a joy you lost but now you found
Sing, sing, winter, sing me your silent song.
You're Never Giving Up
Three days after Jesus was crucified, the disciples were locked in a room hiding in fear. They thought their story was coming to end, but really it was just about to begin. All of a sudden, Jesus walked through the walls and said, "Peace be unto you, just as the Father sent me I am sending you", and then He breathed on them the Holy Spirit. The men who had fearfully locked themselves in that room came out and changed the world.
When we stepped into the studio to record "You're Never Giving Up," we had only planned on recording a simple song that would last a few minutes, but God had other plans. When we thought the song was coming to an end, Jesus walked through the walls of the studio and we realized the song was just beginning. The song that we thought would only last a few minutes turned into a fifteen minute experience.
A few days ago we uncovered the raw footage of this spontaneous moment in "You're Never Giving Up." One the greatest moments in this song was having my Dad in the studio sing with me. We had not planned this ahead of time. He had just dropped by to see us. The whole idea happened minutes before we hit the record button. We put my Dad in Melissa's vocal booth and moved her into the room with me. We had not planed on Melissa singing on this song, but the Lord had other plans. You can see on the video that Melissa is on the other side of the room when she starts singing and then she moves closer to my mic. This has become my favorite moment in all the recording sessions. Everything you see on the video we could have never planned, it was a moment where Jesus hijacked our plan with His dream
Click here to see "You're Never Giving Up"