Within the first week of moving here to Nashville I was asked by a friend, Matt, if I was available to be in a video he was shooting for Mikeschair. Matt said he was looking for a “Hip Mom”.
I laughed. I accepted.
Matt is our Creative Director at Cross Point. And Mike Grayson, the lead singer of Mikeschair. is one of our worship leaders.
He sent me the song and the script for the video. [Script is not the technical word for it but I can't remember it now]
I listened to the lyrics and was overcome with tears. I saw myself, old and new self, in every word sung. I heard my heartbeat in every note played. With each chord change and melody transition I saw all the changes and transitions in my own life. And I marveled at where all those transitions and changes have brought me… all because I was/am worth dying for. I may not think so…but God does.
The part I was asked to portray in the video was a “depressed mom”. Again, I laughed.
The video shoot day came. I have never done anything like this before. So, I pretended to act. We all did our part and left anxious to see how Matt would put all the pieces together.
And this is how his brilliance played out.
If you’d like to see more of Matt’s brilliant work, here are some of the recent videos he has produced for us here at Cross Point!
oh i love it and i LOVE that song. i heard it on the radio a while ago but hadn't found who sang it. and you're beautiful, as always =)
i had not heard the song till the week we shot it. i fell in love with it immediately!
Did I miss it or are you the only one that doesn't look at her photo? You still have mad acting skills.
i dont have a photo in the end of the vid. but the ones who did definitely rounded out the story. so powerful!
I saw this on Twitter this morning; so I clicked it. I wasn't expecting the emotions it had brought. In my head and heart, I even said it on the introduction on my FB page. "Tam would totally want you to KNOW that YOU are "something" to die for".
I've seen so many comments on that you didn't get a poloroid to look at. It's not all that important. I thought the old man was epic. He represented HIM in the video.
You were amazing hip mom.!!! I am so happy for ya sis!! LOVE YOU!
(not that you weren't important enough for the polaroid, but that the polaroid wasn't the kicker for me, it was the photographer)
oh, the photographer…i wanted to take him home!! he was so amazing and sweet. everyone loved him!
WOW…. honestly I need to keep hearing that song… I have struggled to believe I am / was that important – someone worth dying for… and you rocked in the video…
it's certainly a good one to listen to repeatedly. so, i'd recommend it
that was beautiful. i wasn't expecting to…but there was a tear. so beautiful
i may have shed one too….
i loved this video. i loved you in it. you did a great job! *tears*
thank you, friend. it was fun. weird, but fun.
i love you!
dang. that was brilliant. and you were great! wow.
thank you!
the whole concept was incredible. i love seeing creativity fleshed out like that.
Awesome!!!!
Well, you know you are officially a Nashvillian in very short notice when you end up in a music video.
The process of shooting one is very cool.
brent used to work for an ad agency in southern oregon so i saw plenty of video shoots. it is a lot of 'hurry up and wait', but the whole process is fascinating!
Brilliant song!
the band has a good one there!
Beautiful.
i just love how every word brings and offers hope.
having been there with you that day, i saw and experienced the rawness of the footage being shot. the choppiness of how it was filmed (non-sequentially), the seemingly random scenes—"just get up from the table and start walking…" "…OK…". and i never could have imagined how beautifully it would all end up being put together. the picture matt had in his head the whole time was the end result… he knew where he was going, and he scripted the filming just right to get him where he wanted it all to be. even though in the midst of it, it was hard to picture how it was going to all come together…
i can't stop thinking of that stark contrast: between what you saw and experienced that day as you filmed, and the amazing music video that came together in the end. it gives me hope. because the author and finisher of our faith has scripted my todays with the end result in mind. He sees what i don't, what i can't… and He's orchestrating every step, every word, every situation to get to that beautiful end. that end that is "for my good and His glory", even when it feels disjointed and confusing and dark in the in-between time. the Master Storyteller brings divine order to my human chaos, makes life out of my brokenness, and fashions beauty out of my ashes.
and yes… i just Jesus Juked your post about a music video.
you can JJ any time you want, sis!!
i love how you see this.
i love that jon acuff made the Jesus juke a household term…
you're beautiful. i love you. the end.
When I first saw this, I was bawling at the end! Awesome! And I LOVED seeing you in it…. mostly b/c I miss your face and b/c it so perfectly fits your story. Love you!
My only bummer about this, is we didn't see YOUR picture at the end! ;o) I was half expecting to Brent and the kids! ;o)
I have been hearing this song on the radio and love it. Now, to know that you are in the video…now that's just awesome! I love the way it was all put together so beautifully. The song brought tears to my eyes without the images, but to have a visual of what it all means is just really great
And, you did an amazing job…hip mom! 
Thanks for sharing!
Honestly, I came to your blog to wish you a happy anniversary since I saw someone mention it on twitter. Not break down into tears and sit here weeping on my keyboard for ten minutes because of that video. I'm still freakin' teary eyed. Ugh.
Anyway, happy anniversary.
Oh WOW!!!!!!! I LOVE THIS!! Had to steal it for my blog… but I gave you credit! ha! Great job girl…. amazing video!
Tam,
Wow, I had never heard the song, and I listen to Christian rock exclusively these days. Played the Vid in the control room at work last night and was amazed, this song is going to be one of my faves because of it's message, and of course, it sounds great, and also because every time i think of it, I will think of my friend/sister in the vid. As I came home from work last night, it was on the radio, and as I drove to work this morning, guess what, there it was again. The message is soooo profound, and one I think we all need to hear and consider.
It reminds me of another song that has been out for a while, that still chokes me up every time I hear it, because of the message, because they are very similar. Sidewalk Prophets-"You Loved me anyway".
So glad you have made a happy home in Nashville. Happy anniversary, and as always, May God always bless your family. Jim
this was AMAZING. and dangit, i wanna see your picture, too. was there one and it got cut, or there just never was?
you are beautiful in this, friend… even tho acting, i saw real you in it. and i love real you.
Its like you read my mind! You appear to understand so much about this, like you
wrote the guide in it or something. I think that you can do with a few percent to force the message home a
bit, however other than that, this is excellent
blog. A fantastic read. I will certainly be back.
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