I’m gonna take the next few weeks to step through the new EP “Open Hands” and talk a bit about the story of each song. These songs are all born of personal experience, moments of tragedy and triumph. They are the shouts and whispers of a soul in worship.
“No One Like Our God” was written with Aaron Blanton, Matt Papa, and Seth Condrey. The four of us were on a team of writers, artists, and worship leaders that traveled to Mumbai, India earlier this year. We spent our days wandering the streets of this great city looking for opportunities to tell the grand epic of our God from creation to the cross. Most we spoke with new little or nothing about the One Most High God who sent His Son Jesus that we might know Him and be fully known by Him. As we told the story of Jesus again and again we were all struck by how rich this truth is. Who else can be the perfect balance creative power and intimate presence?
Seth and Aaron wrote the chorus first while in India, a powerful declaration of the uniqueness of Yahweh. Aaron, Matt and I met a few weeks later to work through the verses. The song was born as an uptempo guitar anthem. By the time it landed on my record it had become a driving piano bit. Every time I sing this lyric I am struck again by the miracle that the same voice that spoke the world into being, sings over me in the night. There is No One Like Our God!
The new EP has finally released and I can’t wait for you to hear and use these songs. Some we’ve been using in worship for a while and some are brand new. You can find it on iTunes HERE.
If you purchased a download of “Open Hands” you can click on the album art to the right to get to the login page. Once there, enter the password from your download card and begin downloading the new stuff! If you have problems with the process just send us a note from the CONTACT page and we will respond as soon as possible.
I spent most of last week battling a headache. We were leading worship for students at a youth camp in Florida. The schedule was relaxed and the weather was perfect but I squinted my way through a week-long melon-thumper. The problem was the sun. The wide open skies of the Florida Gulf coast reflect off of the powdery white sand in a deadly combination for unshaded eyes. If you stare into the light you will see nothing. Instead the goal in that kind of bright-wash is to keep your eyes down and focus on the stuff the light is illuminating.
As a songwriter I have stared into the light of God’s glory for years now seeking fresh and cathartic ways to describe what I see. The problem of course is that what I see staring into the glory of God is most often blinded and blurry. To try and describe glory is to kill its mystery. The adjectives I use only seem to dim God’s radiance. I am, however surrounded by the stuff that God’s glory is illuminating.
In music (like in no other area I know) we as consumers have created categories like sacred and secualar, Christian and mainstream. As a songwriter I find it difficult to make that distinction. What I see when I look around me for something to write about is the glory of God. Sometimes I try and stare into it to describe what I see. Other times I look around to see what God’s glory is illuminating. Where is glory being reflected? Sometimes those colors seem more vivid and the images more visceral simply because these eyes of mine weren’t built to see what’s real beyond all of this. At least not yet. “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.” 1 Cor 13:12.
Staring into the light isn’t always helpful but if you look around you, surely you will see what the light is illuminating. Look around, where do you see the glory of God reflected around you? Share your reflections with us as a comment!
Andy Reuter has done an edit of HANDS to help point attention to HAITI and the work of a cool organization called SWEET SLEEP. We know these guys well and believe their doing something truly unique and lasting in Haiti. Please join them in their work by making a donation HERE.
I’m gonna take the next few weeks to step through the new EP “Open Hands” and talk a bit about the story of each song. These songs are all born of personal experience, moments of tragedy and triumph. They are the shouts and whispers of a soul in worship.
I spent most of last week battling a headache. We were leading worship for students at a youth camp in Florida. The schedule was relaxed and the weather was perfect but I squinted my way through a week-long melon-thumper. The problem was the sun. The wide open skies of the Florida Gulf coast reflect off of the powdery white sand in a deadly combination for unshaded eyes. If you stare into the light you will see nothing. Instead the goal in that kind of bright-wash is to keep your eyes down and focus on the stuff the light is illuminating.