diff --git a/bolt.go b/bolt.go
index 104096c..b4ef3fe 100644
--- a/bolt.go
+++ b/bolt.go
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@ type Bolt interface {
 	//filtered methods
 	stop() error
 	messageHandler(s *dg.Session, msg *dg.MessageCreate)
-	handleCommand(msg *dg.MessageCreate, s *dg.Session, server *dg.Guild, channel *dg.Channel, lg int) error
+	handleCommand(msgEvent *MessageCreateEvent, s *dg.Session, lg int) error
 	createReply(content, message, channel, guild string) *dg.MessageSend
 	getRemainingTimeout(timeout time.Time) string
-	roleCheck(msg *dg.MessageCreate, s *dg.Session, run Command) (bool, error)
-	timeoutCheck(msg *dg.MessageCreate, s *dg.Session, run Command) (bool, error)
+	roleCheck(guild string, roles []string, s *dg.Session, run Command) (bool, error)
+	timeoutCheck(msgID, channelID, guildID string, s *dg.Session, run Command) (bool, error)
 }
 
 // create a new bolt interface
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func New(opts ...Option) (Bolt, error) {
 	//set default command indicator
 	b.indicator = "."
 
-	//apply options to bolt
+	//apply options
 	for _, opt := range opts {
 		opt(b)
 	}
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ func New(opts ...Option) (Bolt, error) {
 	return b, nil
 }
 
-// starts the bot, commands are added and the connection to Discord is opened, this is a BLOCKING
-// call that handles safe shutdown of the bot
+// starts the bot, commands are added and the connection to Discord is opened, this is a BLOCKING call
+// that handles safe shutdown of the bot
 func (b *bolt) Start() error {
 	//register commands and open connection
 	b.AddHandler(b.messageHandler)
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ func (b *bolt) AddCommands(cmd ...Command) {
 	}
 }
 
-// handler function that parses message data and executes any command payloads
+// handler function that parses message data, handles logging the message based on logLevel, and executes
+// the payload function in a goroutine
 func (b *bolt) messageHandler(s *dg.Session, msg *dg.MessageCreate) {
 	//get server information
 	server, err := s.Guild(msg.GuildID)
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ func (b *bolt) messageHandler(s *dg.Session, msg *dg.MessageCreate) {
 
 	//the bot will ignore it's own messages to prevent command loops
 	if msg.Author.ID == s.State.User.ID {
-		if b.logLvl == LogLevelCmd {
+		if b.logLvl == LogLevelCmd || b.logLvl == LogLevelAll {
 			//log command responses
 			log.Printf("< %s | %s | %s > %s\n", server.Name, channel.Name, msg.Author.Username, msg.Content)
 		}
@@ -146,29 +147,42 @@ func (b *bolt) messageHandler(s *dg.Session, msg *dg.MessageCreate) {
 	//does the message have the command indicator
 	lg := len(b.indicator)
 	if msg.Content[:lg] == b.indicator {
-		err := b.handleCommand(msg, s, server, channel, lg)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Println(err)
-			return
+		mCreate := &MessageCreateEvent{
+			AuthorUsername: msg.Author.Username,
+			AuthorID:       msg.Author.ID,
+			AuthorRoles:    msg.Member.Roles,
+			MsgID:          msg.ID,
+			Msg:            msg.Content,
+			MsgChanID:      msg.ChannelID,
+			MsgGuildID:     msg.GuildID,
+			MsgAttachments: msg.Attachments,
 		}
+
+		if b.logLvl == LogLevelCmd {
+			//log commands
+			log.Printf("< %s | %s | %s > %s\n", mCreate.MsgGuildName, mCreate.MsgChanName, mCreate.AuthorUsername, mCreate.Msg)
+		}
+
+		//handled in its own goroutine to allow for async commands
+		go func() {
+			err := b.handleCommand(mCreate, s, lg)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Println(err)
+			}
+		}()
 	}
 }
 
 // parses command from message and handles timeout checks, role checks, and command execution. All command responses are sent back to Discord
-func (b *bolt) handleCommand(msg *dg.MessageCreate, s *dg.Session, server *dg.Guild, channel *dg.Channel, lg int) error {
-	if b.logLvl == LogLevelCmd {
-		//log commands
-		log.Printf("< %s | %s | %s > %s\n", server.Name, channel.Name, msg.Author.Username, msg.Content)
-	}
-
-	words := strings.Split(msg.Content, " ")
+func (b *bolt) handleCommand(msgEvent *MessageCreateEvent, s *dg.Session, lg int) error {
+	words := strings.Split(msgEvent.Msg, " ")
 	run, ok := b.commands[words[0][lg:]]
 	if !ok {
 		return nil //command doesn't exist, maybe log or respond to author
 	}
 
 	//has command met its timeout requirements
-	tc, err := b.timeoutCheck(msg, s, run)
+	tc, err := b.timeoutCheck(msgEvent.MsgID, msgEvent.MsgChanID, msgEvent.MsgGuildID, s, run)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to calculate timeout for %s\n%e", run.Trigger, err)
 	}
@@ -178,32 +192,38 @@ func (b *bolt) handleCommand(msg *dg.MessageCreate, s *dg.Session, server *dg.Gu
 
 	//does user have correct permissions
 	if run.Roles != nil {
-		check, err := b.roleCheck(msg, s, run)
+		check, err := b.roleCheck(msgEvent.MsgGuildID, msgEvent.AuthorRoles, s, run)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to perform permission checks for %s\n%e", run.Trigger, err)
 		}
 		if !check {
+			reply := b.createReply("you do not have permissions to run that command", msgEvent.MsgID, msgEvent.MsgChanID, msgEvent.MsgGuildID)
+			_, err := s.ChannelMessageSendComplex(msgEvent.MsgChanID, reply)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
 
+	//populate message struct exposed to client
 	plMsg := Message{
-		Author:    msg.Author.Username,
-		ID:        msg.Author.ID,
-		msgID:     msg.ID,
+		Author:    msgEvent.AuthorUsername,
+		ID:        msgEvent.AuthorID,
+		msgID:     msgEvent.MsgID,
 		Words:     words,
-		Content:   msg.Content,
-		Channel:   channel.Name,
-		channelID: msg.ChannelID,
-		Server:    server.Name,
-		serverID:  server.ID,
+		Content:   msgEvent.Msg,
+		Channel:   msgEvent.MsgChanName,
+		channelID: msgEvent.MsgChanID,
+		Server:    msgEvent.MsgGuildName,
+		serverID:  msgEvent.MsgGuildID,
 		sesh:      b,
 	}
 
 	//check for file attachments
-	if len(msg.Attachments) > 0 {
+	if len(msgEvent.MsgAttachments) > 0 {
 		var att []MessageAttachment
-		for _, a := range msg.Attachments {
+		for _, a := range msgEvent.MsgAttachments {
 			att = append(att, MessageAttachment{
 				ID:           a.ID,
 				URL:          a.URL,
@@ -268,15 +288,15 @@ func (b *bolt) getRemainingTimeout(timeout time.Time) string {
 }
 
 // checks if the author of msg has the correct role to run the requested command
-func (b *bolt) roleCheck(msg *dg.MessageCreate, s *dg.Session, run Command) (bool, error) {
+func (b *bolt) roleCheck(guild string, roles []string, s *dg.Session, run Command) (bool, error) {
 	var found bool
 	//loop thru author roles, there may be a better way to check for this UNION
 	//TODO: improve role search performance to support bigger lists
-	for _, r := range msg.Member.Roles {
+	for _, r := range roles {
 		//get role name from ID
-		n, err := s.State.Role(msg.GuildID, r)
+		n, err := s.State.Role(guild, r)
 		if err != nil {
-			return false, fmt.Errorf("failed to get role from ID %s\n%e", msg.GuildID, err)
+			return false, fmt.Errorf("failed to get role from ID %s\n%e", guild, err)
 		}
 		//does this role exist in command roles
 		check := slices.Contains(run.Roles, n.Name)
@@ -286,13 +306,8 @@ func (b *bolt) roleCheck(msg *dg.MessageCreate, s *dg.Session, run Command) (boo
 		}
 	}
 
-	//can't find role, don't run command, alert user of missing permissions
+	//can't find role, don't run command
 	if !found {
-		reply := b.createReply("you do not have permissions to run that command", msg.ID, msg.ChannelID, msg.GuildID)
-		_, err := s.ChannelMessageSendComplex(msg.ChannelID, reply)
-		if err != nil {
-			return false, fmt.Errorf("failed to send permission response: %e", err)
-		}
 		return false, nil
 	}
 
@@ -300,11 +315,11 @@ func (b *bolt) roleCheck(msg *dg.MessageCreate, s *dg.Session, run Command) (boo
 }
 
 // check if the command timeout has been met, responding with remaining time if timeout has not been met yet.
-func (b *bolt) timeoutCheck(msg *dg.MessageCreate, s *dg.Session, run Command) (bool, error) {
+func (b *bolt) timeoutCheck(msgID, channelID, guildID string, s *dg.Session, run Command) (bool, error) {
 	wait := run.lastRun.Add(run.Timeout)
 	if !time.Now().After(wait) {
-		reply := b.createReply(fmt.Sprintf("that command cannot be run for another %s", b.getRemainingTimeout(wait)), msg.ID, msg.ChannelID, msg.GuildID)
-		_, err := s.ChannelMessageSendComplex(msg.ChannelID, reply)
+		reply := b.createReply(fmt.Sprintf("that command cannot be run for another %s", b.getRemainingTimeout(wait)), msgID, channelID, guildID)
+		_, err := s.ChannelMessageSendComplex(channelID, reply)
 		if err != nil {
 			return false, fmt.Errorf("failed to send timeout response: %e", err)
 		}
diff --git a/message.go b/message.go
index c08093c..6d828f7 100644
--- a/message.go
+++ b/message.go
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 package bolt
 
-import "fmt"
+import (
+	"fmt"
 
-//built-in Discord reactions
+	dg "github.com/bwmarrin/discordgo"
+)
+
+// built-in Discord reactions
 type Reaction string
 
-//a few easy-to-use emojis, Discordgo/Discord API requires them to be saved like this.
+// a few easy-to-use emojis, Discordgo/Discord API requires them to be saved like this.
 const (
 	ReactionThumbsUp          Reaction = "👍"
 	ReactionThumbsDown        Reaction = "👎"
@@ -39,6 +43,20 @@ const (
 	ReactionDragon            Reaction = "🐉"
 )
 
+// struct containing message event fields to prevent passing MessageCreate events and holding up routines
+type MessageCreateEvent struct {
+	AuthorUsername string
+	AuthorID       string
+	AuthorRoles    []string
+	MsgID          string
+	Msg            string
+	MsgChanID      string
+	MsgChanName    string
+	MsgGuildID     string
+	MsgGuildName   string
+	MsgAttachments []*dg.MessageAttachment
+}
+
 // information about attachments to messages
 type MessageAttachment struct {
 	ID           string