See You - I wrote this after two plane rides. The first was with fellow Rocketown artist Ginny Owens, who, if you dont know, is blind. I was describing the fields below us as looking like an old quilt when I realized just how seldom Id ever noticed them before. The next week I flew out of Chicago as the sun was coming up and paused for the first time in my hectic week to notice God and wonder if thats why he made long flights and sunrises. I guess if you look at the world long enough it looks back. (Romans 1:20)

Blank Page - I almost quit this business recently. I love my job and the people I work for and with, but I reached a point at which I couldnt balance my friendships, family and work - and all my plans to do so were falling apart and leaving me more tired and torn every day. I finally told a friend of mine that I wanted to go back to being a guy without a record deal, with just a guitar sitting on the floor writing songs that nobody would hear. I wanted to be a blank page - no dreams or plans of my own. So I prayed this song. (Jeremiah 29:11, Isaiah 55:8)

Twilight - Its almost impossible, and often seems silly, to try cramming good theology into a simple three-minute pop song. Sometimes I give up trying. That was the case when I read Romans 7 & 8, in which Paul confesses that hes torn between what he should do and what he shouldnt. He admits that he often does what he shouldnt and doesnt do what he should. One evening when my two year-old daughter looked at the sky and told me the sun and moon were both on, it dawned on me how to condense two chapters of Scripture into a tiny pop song - and still make sense I hope. (Romans 7&8)

Need You More - Playing at colleges and universities I meet a lot of single people - people who believe they are in great need. They tell me they need a major, a degree, a spouse, a job and money. Theyre just like me but a lot more honest. Ive realized over time though that my needs are often left unmet or, once met they are replaced by new ones, to cultivate dependence upon God. In the end, after chasing want after want I end up, time after time, realizing what it is I was made to crave. (Psalm 73:25)

Without You - This song was written the week before my first record came out. I was in Chicago eating alone, dreading sleeping alone, knowing it wouldnt be the last time if I wanted a life of music. So I wrote this song to my wife, Becky, as a promise that I would never get used to the separation, and I would always choose her over work or anything else. I choose her over all because God made us one. And when Im away from her I feel like half a man - because I am. (Mark 10:8)

Jesus - I have met so many people who hate God because those of us who claim to love God havent loved them yet. And I believe now that church services, Christian music and books are not Gods primary means of convincing them otherwise. We are. They will know Him by our love for them. Yet I still find it difficult at times to love everyone I meet - not just the upstanding and clean - as if I am loving Christ Himself. (Matthew 25:40, 1John 4:19-21)

One of Those Days - I get tired of Christian musicians with sullen faces as if to say, Jesus loves me but Im not happy about it. But at the same time Im such a realist that Im also tempted to pat them on the back and say, Thanks for not pretending Jesus makes all the hard parts of life go away. Im such a Nirvana era, lets-be-honest kind of guy, which usually means that I dwell on the struggles of life. But if Im really honest, I have to admit that Im happy a great deal of the time, too. Its just not as cool to say that I guess. Oh well, I did anyway. (Psalm 28:7)

To Be Honest - Im shocked at how fake Christians are with one another. Im even more shocked at how fake I am. One Sunday in Bible study, we didnt study the Bible. Instead our teacher just asked us if were honest with each other. Of course we said no. We then talked about all the reasons why - most of which had something to do with fear. I thought about that topic and his questions for days until I realized why I should be honest: If I dont show my weakness, youll never see Gods strength in me - youll just see mine. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

I Love You - A good friend of mine made a big mistake. He was afraid to tell me or any other Christians what he had done, even after admitting his mistaking and doing all he could to make things right. I found out that he kept his sin secret because as a child his parents had been ridiculed and shunned for what some in their church felt was sinful behavior. He believed that the Christians he knew would treat him the same way. Instead, I wrote him this song. I could have filled it with theology, but he knows that. What he didnt know was that I love him - because God loved me in spite of my sin. (John 13:35)

God of Us - Im fascinated by the idea that God is self-centered. He doesnt ever do anything with me as the ultimate reason. Jesus was born, died, lived again and lives in me today for only one reason: to make God known. Being a disciple of Christ means abandoning every other goal and desire and living to do the same - to make Him known. More and more I believe that He is made known not by bumper stickers and T-shirts, not by church attendance or the right answers, not by being good, but by loving the least.