Song Stories

Ordinary Life - Ordinary Life is about trading in the ordinary self-consumed life for a life saturated by grace and truth. This was a song that Jon and I co-wrote with our producer Matt Bronleewe with the intent of writing something up, something aggressive outside of our usual mid-tempo bent as a part of that departure I wanted to use language that was also aggressive and attention getting to step away from the usual fair for the surrender song and reach a little deeper into the song about surrender lexicon. I like what eventually made the track if not for any listener for me. A lot of the time I need a little more than a gentle nudge from God. I get so lost in myself that I need to be disturbed, invaded, and broken the ordinary is easy the ordinary is what happens when we dont try anything beyond that is reserved for those that truly seek to make a difference in the world. I want to be one of those people.

Can I stay here Forever - All the songs that we write as a band begin on two beat-up acoustic guitars as Jon and I hash through to the final product. This little number was one that remained that way through the whole process and Im glad it did! For me theres something about the acoustic ballad that paints a sombre contemplative picture. Acoustic ballads make me want to feel things more deeply, to get right with the world to confess something. Ill never forget the first time I heard Jars of Clays Worlds Apart. It had a simple power to usher me somewhere safe and introspective gently persuading my guard down. In writing and putting together Can I stay, we wanted to capture that same subtle blue undercurrent to simply re-tell the story of the prodigal far from home longing for change in a way that was honest, from our own experiences. I love seeing people connect with this song when we perform it live.

Revolution - My generation is sick with identity crisis. We live broken and beaten down with the identities that the world has branded us. Were ashamed, reluctant, and we feel irrelevant. The cure is understanding who we really are. Its rising above the noise and coming to terms with exactly what we were made for, how much were loved, and what were entitled to as children of God if we could understand this we would be so much more powerful as individuals and as a body. Revolution is a song about that empowerment. Taking a stand even when it goes directly against the grain Being an agent of change even when it hurts standing up for the poor and the abused even when it affects our own comfortable lifestyles. I love singing this song live it has an intimate aggression that puts a lump in my throat.

Tumbling after - As a writer Ive found that I have a subject default. If I dont have a specific vision for a song it will inevitably turn into a song about the tension between wanting to live right and actually living right. Maybe its because for most of my life I find myself living in that place feeling defeated and frustrated falling and tumbling towards Christ as I learn to get over myself and let him lead. Maybe thats a good place to be. I havent quite figured it out yet. All I do know is that its worth it there nothing more beautiful than the moment grace meets my stubborn undisciplined life.

Over my Head - We, as humans, have been given the capacity to question not only the ways in which God chooses to work, but his very existence. God works in mysterious and sometimes seemingly contradictive ways. As a Christian its a difficult yet beautiful thing to grasp. I love the tension this song represents, the immensity of God, we his fragile and finite children, the story we find ourselves swept up in our struggle between doubt and faith, and the resolve to worship despite it all. The depth of who God is, is simply overwhelming, incomprehensible, massive, and so far beyond us that even the small piece we see of God has us guessing. I love that about God and about my place in it all. I love the freedom that comes from throwing myself on that kind of immensity. To throw back my head and stretch out my arms and say Its over my head! hallelujah!

Love break me - Love and brokenness share the same heart. They need each other like hope needs courage, and evil needs pain. Im convinced that they are at the center of everything God is longing to do in the world, to bring every human being to a place where they are useable, pliable, and broken. We were made to respond to love not just in the romantic sense but in a letting it take us apart sense allowing the attributes of true love as explained in 1Cor 13 to test and prod us until we reflect its image.

Cry in my Heart - Honesty is all God wants from us. More than our attention, more than our money, more than our time God is looking for honest responses to the challenges of scripture and the still small voice that reverberates within everyone that knows him. Cry in my heart is my attempt to be honest. truly honest. Its a simple prayer from the heart of a God chaser that struggles with unbelief and doubt. That wants substance, depth and claritythat has seen and tasted great things yet still yearns for more for lasting for real.

Alive in this moment - Alive in this moment is a song about meeting the Holy Spirit in worship. About missing Jesus the relationship and the emotions its a moment I find myself swept up in often. Theres an amazing thing that happens when we let our guard down before God when the masks fall off and we allow ourselves to be vulnerable to His conviction and encouragement and those intense and intimate moments of returning. These moments, I believe, are truly what we were created for.

Outstretched Hands - As I write these song stories Im struck with the themes that are weaved throughout they tell the story of my journey to know God honestly in a way that doesnt lie. Though its somewhat hard to really admit it, I know and am convinced of many things but I still sometimes disbelieve the fundamentals. Pascal said it well Ive seen too much to deny too little to be sure. Its one thing to know and trust God in times of plenty but a whole other thing to know and trust Him amidst sickness, death, and suffocating doubt. This song is the prayer of the drowning, lost and confused, begging for the ear of God.

Filled with Your Glory - Above him were seraphs and they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." The whole earth is filled with Your glory! What more is there to say? Everything that is from the mind-boggling expanse of the heavens to the equally confounding micro-universe of the smallest particle is put in place and sustained by God. Its an anthem of the highest honor! You are everything! In everything! Through everything! Nothing has any meaning without You! I can relate to Isaiah in this passage. In that moment where the haze clears and Im deeply impressed with the utterly terrifying holiness of God there is something inside of me that wants to explode with surrender - to ascribe excellence upon a power that is so overwhelmingly more than me. Its one thing for God to be who he is in all his power, but when were truly confronted with how so much power and supremacy can perform the ultimate act of humility and lay itself down on the cross, the only possible response is surrender Woe is me! Here at You feet I lay my life! Ill go! Take me! Use ME!

All for You - I love songs that get to the point and allow me to speak candidly and communicate directly with the heart of God. All for You is that kind of song for me. In my experience with God through the waxing and waning of mountains and valleys there is a place I often encounter where everything within me screams for release. I KNOW that God is asking me to hand over control but the pride in me does everything in its power to see that I dont. I wanted to pen a song that plainly spoke to that place. The simple words of the chorus were what floated out as I was trying to articulate to God what I was feeling Its all for You Im letting go its a fascinating thing to hear the subtle musical influences laced throughout your music.