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Pat Barrett’s got a fire! He encourages the LifeSongs family with a Zoom into the LifeSongs Morning Show. Learn about his dad Marty – touring with Brandon Lake – and what the fire of the Holy Spirit is doing in younger generations seeking a true faith-filled life! (Transcribed by UniScribe (https://www.uniscribe.co). ) – Your favorite musicians, exclusive interviews, local artists, all on the LifeSongs podcast. – It’s the LifeSongs morning show. I have Josh and I’m very excited to welcome via Zoom, Pat Barrett. Pat, how you doing? – Hey, doing great. Good morning. – Is Pat short for Patrick Patagonia Tree? – Yes. Yes, it’s short for Pat with more T’s. No, I was, my actual name is Joseph. Joseph Patrick Martin Barrett. And my dad, I was like, “Dad, why didn’t you call me Joseph?” And his response was always like, “Well, I just didn’t really get around to it.” I was like, “Wait, what?” So I became, I was Patrick. And then when I was in fifth grade, there was another Patrick in our class. And my teacher was like, “I can’t do this. One of y’all has to be named something different.” So she says, “Who’s going to be Pat?” And I just raised my hand. And then it became Pat from then on out. Your teacher couldn’t handle two Patricks in the class? See? And that’s why I’m like, did I remember that correctly? But I think I did because she was unwilling to do like the Patrick B or Patrick G thing. She wanted no last names. I don’t know why. different time. I don’t know. Yeah, that’s just lazy. I’m 45, so, like, in every class of school, it was, there were 14 Joshes. Like, we were all Josh. Oh, yeah. Yeah. See, and that’s why I was a little surprised, because Patrick, we’re out there, but we’re not, we’re not a Josh or Steven or anything. Ryan, you know, like we can do this. But she was like she didn’t she wanted none of that. Let’s talk about I’ve Got a Fire. The song and the album great for so many reasons. The song is is so great. The saxophone solo. Come on. Why can’t every song have a saxophone solo? I know. I know. I’ve asked myself and I’m doing my part, okay? You are. Let the record show I’m doing my part. Your dad in the music video is the sweetest thing ever. The first time I saw the video, I immediately emailed a link to my dad so that he could watch it. It was like Field of Dreams. I just wanted to play catch. It was great. Yeah. Oh my gosh. That’s the feeling I had when we were filming it because it started off like, oh, this will be so fun and funny and joyful. And then also… while we were filming it, I was like caught off guard by how emotional I was kind of getting. So I was like, I’m having a forever memory moment with my dad and I recognize that in real time. I also think like my kids seeing a video of their dad dancing in a fountain with his dad is such a, it’s just such a beautiful picture. And one day I hope if my kids ever asked me to do it, I’ll return the favor because how much joy it’s brought me. So I just– Dad has also, since the music video, he’s jumped in on tour dates as well. Oh, I saw one of the live performances of him, like, working his way through the crowd. That was so great. He did that– he did that, like, four or five times during the Brandon Lake tour that we just wrapped up. It’s not only was that– was the music video such a sweet memory, it’s had this continuing fun father-son, like, experience for us. So it’s been really sweet. I’m sure Brandon Lake was very cool with that idea because he brings his kids up on stage all the time. Oh yeah, oh yeah. Like I have video of Lake dancing with my dad while my dad’s got a cowbell. Oh my goodness. I mean, come on. There’s footage. Yeah, I mean, so it was not only like, oh, allowed. It was welcomed and encouraged and just, I mean, so wild. I’ll tell you like every night, every night was different but definitely on that second leg like once you’ve done the tour, you’ve gone through the set that many times, you lean more into moments like that that make it that night so specific and special and different and we felt like kids out there. And I’m in my, again, I’m in my 40s so like Getting to feel that way and to, at this point in my life, I’m still saying yes to Jesus. I’m saying yes to leaning in to the Holy Spirit and His leading and purpose and plan in my life. Like, the “I’ve got a fire” thing is just funny because Dad was such a picture of that for me growing up. and something to model like kind of one of those like Paul like follow me as I follow Christ type things like gosh this was modeled for me like how the older I get I can still grow younger in faith and have faith like a child and grow in wisdom but never grow out of childlike faith That’s what’s been really, really fun. And just a reminder, I felt like a kid again, you know, past six months. And I want to keep it. I want to keep that flame burning. I’m so glad that you got to do that with your dad and that he’s been a part of this amazing season in your career, which is really cool. And how you got to feel that childlike wonder and to express yourself in that way, which for just a second, it clicked in my brain why I love the whole Sons of Sunday thing that you’re in. It’s like if the kids from the Sandlot started a worship band. Yes, yes, that feeling is… I mean, it was like, my only regret is that we didn’t do it sooner. You know? Yeah. Because that has been… What a great picture. I love the Sandlot. I mean, that was like my childhood. The feeling of doing something you love with people you love. When you’re doing your own thing and writing your own individual record, that’s got another joy all of its own. But when you get to do something like that and share it with guys and something that feels unique, it’s a new thing. It’s like, oh, you bring your peace. You bring your peace, your personality, the way you write, the way you see the world. And we’ve already had so many of those moments that we haven’t shared before. behind the scenes writing song. So to kind of like let people in on that and continue, it’s the best. Is there a new Sons of Sunday project coming out? One More Day is being pushed on the radio things right now, but we’re still writing. We still write a ton and I would not be surprised. It hasn’t been recorded if that’s what you’re asking, but it’s always in the chat. I don’t know if this song has been released for radio or not, but I was watching your performance in My Father’s Business the other day, and there’s a line that you sing a lot in the song that has just… It caught me off guard. It’s, God forgive us for times we called it praise, but it was show business. This is the heart behind the commandment of not using God’s name in vain. Our industry, the music industry, is so guilty of this all the time. Yeah. How do you merge these two? This identity of, like, my job is to be on stage and to sing songs and to entertain, but also to lead worship and to be truly present with God. Yeah, I mean, that’s literally why I wrote the song is because I feel calling it attention is a polite word for it. It’s actually, it’s one of the things that Jesus warned the most about, and it was religious showmanship, right? was a big deal to Jesus. Giving people the appearance of righteousness without the deep formation that happens in discipleship and walking with Jesus, which is why, I mean, when you read the Sermon on the Mount, so many of those things that he talks about have to do with no one else seeing them. So when you give, Don’t let your one hand know what the other hand is doing. Don’t give to be seen by other people. Don’t fast to be seen. Don’t pray long, lengthy prayers and wear long, flowing robes of people. Especially in our world is a constant reality check. Why are we doing the things that we’re doing? Are you writing a song because you want to be famous? Or are you sharing a song because of the way it’s helped you in your life? And I think that doing the internal work of like, okay, this is kind of what David prayed in the Psalms, Lord, search me and know me. You know, when I wake and when I rise, if there’d be any wicked way in me, lead me in the path everlasting. Like there’s a, There’s a prayerfulness that, a deep prayerfulness and accountability for people who do public religious work. I think a really great way in practical...

Josh shares about VBS in the Summer of '92.

Have you ever dreamed of defying gravity, seeing the galaxy, exploring the stars? Astronauts are now going farther from Earth into space than ever before. I can’t fathom all that goes into a moon mission. And the amount of faith it takes to be willing to go on such a journey? Wow. Big picture: I trust in God. But there are many times I realize I’ve been leaning too much on my own understanding. It’s like I’m constantly trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. Letting go, giving it to God and allowing Him the control vs. gripping too tightly on our own takes faith. But He is making our paths straight. Even when things don’t fit in the neat boxes we’ve set up, even when the timeline is different than we expected, even when the outcome doesn’t look how we anticipated, He is at work! Recently, things didn’t go quite as we’d planned. During Shareathon, over a thousand friends gave generously and, through Second Harvest, those gifts also helped provide over 8,500 meals to our community! We are SO grateful! As for the budgeted need for LifeSongs, however, we came up about $20,000 short. This is one of those opportunities for us to lean on God, trusting He will provide. Would you pray for God to meet these needs? If you’d like to help, your gift can reach more people like Jessica. She says, “I have listened to LifeSongs my whole life. It has brought me comfort when nothing else could. I’m learning to rely on HIM instead of myself. I need that connection with him. Life can be tough, but you truly make a difference. I hope this ministry continues to grow and touch others out there who need it. (We ALL do).” God is using your giving to LifeSongs to provide comfort and connection for Jessica, and hope and encouragement for so many more. Our mission may not be to the moon, but you are joining us in something even greater: Sharing the love of Jesus. Thank you!

Let’s talk truth—marriage takes work. Ask your parents, ask your pastor, ask any couple you know: great marriages don’t just happen! That’s why we’re so excited that FamilyLife’s Weekend to Remember marriage getaway is coming back to Baton Rouge. Over 96% of couples who’ve attended said their marriage rating went from a 4 to an 8–in just one weekend, and this is your chance to slow down, reconnect, and get back to what matters most … each other. WHAT: Weekend to Remember with FamilyLife WHEN: Friday, April 17 – Sunday, April 19, 2026 WHERE: Baton Rouge Marriott | 5500 Hilton Ave. Baton Rouge, LA INFO: Register HERE now! There is a discounted room rate when you register for the Weekend to Remember. Prices vary with military discounts and for pastors and their spouses! *LifeSongs Family: Enter code SAVE100 to save $100 off regular price couple’s registrations to any event nationwide

The Winter Olympics are here! Well, not here. In Italy, but their time has come. Athleticism and coordination have never been strengths of mine. (I essentially failed every part of the Presidential Physical Fitness tests we were subjected to in school. Fun times.) Maybe that makes me appreciate those competing in the games all the more, though. Imagine if they featured a regular person (or me) in these competitions. That comparison would surely emphasize all the hard work and effort these athletes put in. (Also, comedic relief!) We watch, we cheer, we are in awe of the accomplishment of nailing a triple axel on the ice or a bobsled team from an island nation winning a medal – but what draws us in most are the stories. What these competitors have had to endure, what they’ve overcome. How people in their lives believed in them and their dreams. Their determination, focus and faith. You may not be competing for a medal on an international stage, but chances are you’ve had obstacles to overcome, dark days to walk through, opportunities to lean on God and the people He’s placed in your life to remind you of His goodness, to give you hope to cling to. For Lindsey, that source was LifeSongs. She shares, “When I was going through one of the worst times in my life, LifeSongs was there. LifeSongs ministered to me through the ministry, and I felt Jesus through/in the music, always hearing exactly what I needed to hear when I needed to hear it. I am happy to continue supporting because I know how important this is and if it is a way I can spread God’s word, then it is my mission to do that!” Because YOU gave, God used LifeSongs to help Lindsey through one of the biggest challenges in her life. It has inspired her to spread God’s word! If LifeSongs had medals of gratitude to award, you’d be at the top of that podium. Thank you for sharing the Hope of Jesus by giving.

If you had to use just three words to describe your January, what would they be? “Long, dark, cold.” “King cake time!” Or maybe “fresh new start?” (More than likely, it was all of the above.) There’s just something about the start of a new year that has us naturally reflective and motivated. We’ve got a fresh resolve to try new things, eliminate some that haven’t worked, and focus on healthier habits in our lives. Writing in that prayer journal, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, opting for a slightly smaller slice of king cake – making even small changes can have bigger, lasting impacts. That’s the idea behind LifeSongs’ Be Kind Bingo, too. You never know how a simple act of kindness might brighten someone’s day and have a ripple effect of HOPE in our world. It’s a fun way to make a difference in our community together as we love God and love our neighbors. Rick shares, “Thank you brothers and sisters for sharing your heart for God throughout the year. You make it easier to be content in all situations and stay focused on Jesus through all trials and tribulations. As we move spaces through another calendar, may it always be one space closer to God and filled with more and more people doing His will on earth, as it is in heaven. We CAN and WILL do all things through Him! Thank you all for continuing to keep us focused and encouraged throughout the year.” Would you join Rick and your LifeSongs family in sharing kindness and encouragement in 2026? Together, we can make a difference this year!

Some New Years celebrations arrive with fireworks and high hopes: this is gonna be THE year! Other times, New Years arrives and we find ourselves looking around, hesitant to declare any sort of triumph because, honestly, we’ve been burned. We’ve purchased gym memberships that went unused. We made spiritual goals that went un-met. We prayed prayers that felt unanswered. Can I offer some New Years’ advice? Don’t be afraid to declare your goals. Don’t let a hard fought past decide your hope-filled future. One of the great gifts of God is changing seasons and celebrations (the Bible is FILLED with them). We can go from wandering in the desert to living in the Promised Land at any moment! Every new year/week/day is an opportunity to live for God’s Kingdom – to become who He is shaping us to be and experience God’s great Mercy. So make those plans and goals and hopes and dreams! Trust that no matter what happens, God has a plan, and that plan includes YOU in His Kingdom. And thank you so much for living that faithful, hopeful life with LifeSongs. Together we can bring encouragement and hope to countless lives, yours and mine included Happy New Year!

We hope your Christmas was filled with incredible joy, celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior! As the year rapidly comes to a close, this is a wonderful time to reflect on the blessings of 2025 and look forward to the opportunities of the new year. LifeSongs is grateful for your partnership, which allows us to share Jesus with Southeast Louisiana every single day. Your financial gift makes an incredible difference to this ministry! And since LifeSongs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry, your year-end gift is tax-deductible for 2025—but you must act before midnight on December 31st. While the holidays are a time of joy for us, many are still searching for hope. Every song we play and every message we share is an opportunity to point them to Jesus. Thank you for making that possible. Each person God reaches through LifeSongs is because of you! Karen said, “My radio stays on 24 hours a day in the house, in the kitchen. And I love the fact that when I wake up in the middle of the night and I hear the song that’s playing, I just love that. It’s just so much peace that flows through this house. And I know, it’s because of LifeSongs.” If you are not currently a monthly donor, we encourage you to start the new year with a resolution to give monthly in 2026. Your recurring monthly gift allows us to consistently pursue our mission: “Sharing God’s love with Southeast Louisiana through authentic and uplifting radio.” We are so blessed by your partnership. Your giving is what makes LifeSongs possible, and we are incredibly thankful that you choose to stand with this ministry as we head into an exciting new year. To claim your tax deduction for 2025, your gift must be postmarked or completed at LifeSongs.com by midnight, December 31st. Your support now ensures we can hit the ground running in 2026!

The Christmas season is here! Is there a gift you received in your lifetime that you will always treasure? Maybe it’s something you got as a child, or something a loved one made for you. Perhaps it’s not something tangible, but something someone did for you or time they spent with you. There’s always a story behind a meaningful gift. What’s yours? I can think of many that stand out over the years. A hard to find toy I didn’t think anyone knew I wanted. Homemade pottery from a relative. Someone giving the gift of their time – it may feel like a small gesture, but it can mean the world to someone who needs it. Thanksgiving the day may be over, but a season of thanks & giving continues. As we reflect on the many things we have to be grateful for (and those memorable gifts we still treasure), let’s embrace a spirit of giving. You never know – your gift could be the one someone never forgets. Breann recently shared with us, “I grew up in a small town in Canada and my family stumbled across your radio station, and it’s been our go-to station ever since. After my husband and I got married, we had a season of baby loss – it was an incredibly difficult time in our lives. In the darkest moments when I felt so broken, I would turn on your station and even though I was in pain, it uplifted my soul the only way that a Christian community can. I would cry and sing and just praise through it all. Our rainbow baby is just over 6 months old now and I want to thank LifeSongs for helping me to carry on through that season. The grief is still there but I know LifeSongs is just a click away in the times of celebration and also the times of pain. Thank you.” Thank you so much for your generous gifts to LifeSongs. You are the reason LifeSongs was there for Breann when she needed it most. So many of us need a message of hope. As we celebrate this season with Christmas music on LifeSongs, our prayer is that anyone who stumbles across these familiar holiday songs would find the true thrill of HOPE: Jesus. We wish you a merry Christmas and may you treasure the greatest gift ever given, our Savior.

I’m so thankful for the friendship and partnership we have with Global Maritime Ministries! On Giving BACK Tuesday (The National Day of Giving #givingtuesday) we teamed up with the Port Ministry to give out Christmas treats and goodies to the truckers working the Port of New Orleans and it was such a joyful experience! We danced to Christmas music on LifeSongs to keep warm as we shared hot chocolate and coffee and cookies and presents with the hard working truck drivers. It was the most Christmassy thing I can remember doing in recent years. I hope and pray you get to experience that real joy of Christmas this year – through giving and serving and loving well. And while Christmas music only lasts through December 25th, that spirit of love is alive and well all year long on LifeSongs! That’s because of your generous giving. And we are so very thankful. We got to shake hands, fist bump and hug nearly a hundred truck drivers and share stories while chugging lots of hot cocoa. The men and women who keep goods flowing in and out of the Port of New Orleans literally make our modern lives possible. And they were so kind and excited to celebrate Christmas with us on a blustery December Tuesday. Our friends at Global Maritime Ministries work all year long with Port workers, and the men and women who serve aboard the ships that flow in and out of New Orleans and other locations in Southeast Louisiana. They share the Gospel and the love of Jesus every day to folks who are far from home – folks who then take the seed of the Gospel with them around the world! Be in prayer for those efforts and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram to see how the Good News is changing lives at sea! View this post on Instagram A post shared by LifeSongs (@lifesongsfm)