An Amazing Story

Tim Marquez (2nd from left) at the Kerygma Feast  

I just need to share this inspiring story. Just recently, I was able to get in touch with Tim Marquez, our former lead guitarist who had to quit the band after he returned to his home province in Camiguin Island to be with his family. I was so touched and inspired by his story. He shared to me that ever since he left the band, he began hooking up with their church's music ministry and has been enjoying his stay there.He told me that he misses being in a band but he really appreciates to be a part of their church's music ministry. And because of this, he has begun too see things differently and has started to even appreciate his God given guitar playing talent more. He has pledged himself to help out in their music ministry and has devoted his free time to join practices and praise and worship events. This would sound like an ordinary story for someone who have been a part of a Christian band like Thoughts And Notions, but let me tell you this...    

Before Tim became a part of Thoughts And Notions, he had never been a part of a Church group where he could actively share his talents for God. 

I have been urging him to find a home where he could nurture his faith and relationship with God during the time when he was still in the band. And for some reason or another, he couldn't find one. I myself have been actively searching for Christian Life Programs where he could attend, but alas, there always had been some conflict with the time and schedules. Up until the day he resigned from the band, he never found a home (but he regularly goes to church on Sundays). So I never expected that one day he would be sharing to me his happiness to find a home where he could nurture his relationship with God and at the same time share his talents for God. When he shared this to me, I felt an overflowing of joy to learn that on his own, he never forgot to seek God and start a relationship with him. Since the inception of the band Thoughts And Notions, and to all the band members that have played for it, I have always emphasized to the band members that for the band to succeed, God should be its focal point. Many of the recruits never had a formal Christian life program. It was only Wilbert, Thrina, Jun2x (first drummer), and I who were able to go through a Christian life program through our Church (Erikson and Adonis were from other Churches). The others did not. And I have always shared to them how important having a relationship with God is. That going to church might not be enough. And that one needs to nurture their faith with the help of a group of people or a community.

And then I hear this story. All that I could say at that time was... WOW! Because after all that we have been through, and after all the doubts that I have about the band's direction, I came to encounter such an inspiring story. Because I have always thought that the vision of the band failed them, or to be correct, I failed them. From the moment I decided to disband the band, I thought everything was over, and that I could no longer carry on with the band's mission and vision. I was wrong. I came to realize that Thoughts And Notions never failed them. I was just too blind and preoccupied in finding opportunities for the band that I forgot to allow God to work his miracles, his grace. I know that for now, I have decided to disband the band. And this might not necessarily be a bad thing. Because for those who have ever been a part of Thoughts And Notions, I could now say that deep down inside of them, a seed was implanted. A seed that speaks about sharing God's love and how we respond to it.

Band members may have come in and out of the band, but none of us ended up as losers. Because we gained a lot. The band may have been disbanded, but deep down, I know that they can very well take care of themselves and their spiritual growth. Right now my direction would be to hire sessionists to fill in the "band" role. I'll just focus on writing the songs and have the sessionists play it. I believe that through this setup, I would be inviting more and more people to experience the band or the movement called Thoughts And Notions... and maybe, just maybe, we could inspire a whole new set of musicians who is ready and on call to ROCK for GOD! 

Tim! You are a living inspiration of Thoughts And Notions