Open Hands

Many of you have asked about the song “Open Hands” we’ve been using at camp the last few weeks. It’s the first single from the new Matt Papa CD and has just been released to radio. Matt and I wrote the song as an expression of surrender. Surrender is the ultimate posture of our worship. It is a surrendering of control, a surrendering of our will to the glory and purposes of the One Most High God. If the song has helped you worship, call your local Christian radio station and let them know. Matt’s CD is rock solid and releases in August.

Help Me With the New Record

We are almost finished with the new record. I am in the studio this afternoon singing some more and then we’re off to mixing, mastering, and manufacturing. In the meantime we need to decide what to call the record and I want your help. Below is a form for you to pick your favorite title. I know it’s tricky to do this without having heard the record so I’ll explain each title a bit.

The Hardest Step to Land - is a lyric taken from the song “Yesterday’s Rain.” The full line is “sometimes the right first step is the hardest step to land.” With any dream, any vision that is born in the human heart there is a hesitance in us to move into action. It seems in my life the biggest barrier to chasing after the dream is knowing what the right first step should be. In my life I have wasted years deliberating that right first step. The vision for what’s next has come but in fear I wait, deliberate, marinate.

Known - is the title of one of the new songs on the record. The lyric is “You don’t need to hide. Step into the light and let yourself be known.” The song is a call to move from fear and pretending into authentic living. “Be as you are” sang James Taylor back in the day. No more fakeness, pretending to be something you’re not. Bring your real self, the doubt, the fear, the courage, the pride, bring it all into the light and let yourself be known. I suppose any record like this is a bit of that journey as well. It’s me putting myself out there; the parts I’m proud of and the embarassing parts as well.

Sometimes Sun, Sometimes Rain - is a lyric from the bridge of a new song called Glorified. The song lyric is built around these two balanced parts. In tragedy and difficulty, somehow God is able to bring glory to himself. In triumph and beauty God is also able to bring glory to himself. The song is a call to give God the worship God deserves in a way that is bigger than our circumstances. “Sometimes sun, sometimes rain, the tragic and beautiful side by side. Sometimes joy, sometimes pain but come what may, God will be glorified.”

So add your vote and help me pick the right title for the new record. Thanx in advance for the help!

**********VOTING HAS BEEN SUSPENDED**********

Live The Mission with Me in Greece

This summer I’m joining a group of students in Thessaloniki, Greece for a week of work among the Roma people and I want you to join us. The project is a component of the partnership between M-Fuge International and International World Changers.

The project is designed for individual high school and college students as well as youth groups so talk to your parents or the student ministers at your church about joining me in this life-changing work.

Last summer I spent some time in Skopje, Macedonia (just north of Greece) working on a similar project and I’m excited to get back among the Roma people with some of you. They are a passionate and warm people and are among the most oppressed peoples in the world.

This comprehensive missions adventure is July 4th-12th and costs $750 plus airfare from your nearest airport. You can find all of the specifics HERE as well as details about how to register to join us. Registration has just begun so start talking to your friends and come join me! Let’s live the mission together in Greece this summer.

A Song for Sichuan

The Nashville CBS affiliate has run a story about my trip to China. You can read the story and watch a clip HERE. I’m certain I will be talking about and singing about this trip for years to come. Their news coverage will give you a taste. The full version of the song they are referencing is on THE MYSPACE PAGE. I wrote it with good friends Belinda Smith and Maurice Carter. Hopefully I can record the Chinese version soon during a break between summer camps.

I’m in West Virginia this week with the students from First Baptist Nashville. Next week I’ll leave for Macedonia and then a couple of weeks in Orlando. Hope to see ya along the road.

Peace,
James

Floating to the Surface

A blog I’ve written just showed up at SOUL AUDIO. I really like these guys and their unique perspective on the intersection of art and faith. CHECK IT OUT HERE. Also, another Tealy cut has surfaced.CLICK HERE to check out the song “Tell Me Again” on iTunes from the new Alvin Slaughter record, Overcomer. I really like this guy and his unique take on the song. Throw your $0.99 down and pick it up. When you’re listening to the song, don’t turn it off too soon. The producer apparently couldn’t get enough of the groove so after the end the rhythm sneaks back in for an extra minute of vibey R&B goodness.

I leave Friday for a few weeks out of the country. If you’re one of the few who really understands that whole “unspoken prayer requests” thing then now would be a great time to say a prayer for me and my friends over the next few weeks. Just watch what the King of the Universe can do!

Soul-Audio Interview

An INTERVIEW just posted on a sweet new website called Soul-Audio. Here’s their tagline: “If the calling we believe in is to be salt and light, then that should be loud and clear in the artistry Christians produce. We believe that should be the same for a media outlet as well. Introducing Soul-Audio: where excellent design meets intelligent content in a format intended to draw an audience and keep it with the same pursuit of quality we expect from the artists and musicians we cover.”

The feature is from an email interview I did a while back with the author, Andrew. I remember sitting in the parking lot of a hotel in Key Largo, Florida stealing internet access so I could respond to his questions. Check out the interview BY CLICKING HEREand leave a comment to let ‘em know you stopped by the site. I will be writing some blogs for them as well that should appear in the coming weeks.

I just finished a writing session with Michael Olson (God is With Us). We spent the morning singing about God’s heart for the poor and oppressed. Next up today is some time working on new songs for Austin’s Bridge.

See ya along the road!

Another Tealy Cut Surfaces

Jaime Jamgochian’s new Centricity release “Above the Noise” just hit the shelves with a Tealy song on it. Click on the CD artwork to download “God Unchanging” from iTunes. For you guitar players and worship leaders out there, she has a link to the chord chart for the song HERE.

New Release - Before This Moment Dies

Time for some new-old songs (or is that old-new songs?) Last year I went into the studio to demo some songs with Geoff Clapp (Ellis Marsalis) playing drums and Aaron Sands (Jars of Clay) playing bass. The result was some jazzy-pop craziness. The only song from that session that ended up on a record was “Room to Run” on the end of the “Redeeming the Days EP.” So the rest of those songs have been aging in oak barrels for a while. Now they are ripe and ready for a SnoCap exclusive release. The songs include some concert favorites like “Just a Question” and “Can Not Close My Heart.” I’ve also included Dakota’s Song (the bunny song) on the end of the record for a little added silliness.

“Before This Moment Dies” is available exclusively from the SnoCap store either on THE MYSPACE SITE or by clicking on the “STORE” tab above. This is also exclusively a digital release. There will be no printed copies of this record sold anywhere (unless you burn one and try and sell it to a friend and we both know how that will work out). Hope you dig it.

The songs on the “Before” project are: Just a Question, Someone, Before This Moment Dies, Can Not Close My Heart, Rise Against the Wind, Fourteen (the original recording), and Dakota’s Song.

New Review Lands at Christianity Today

Christianity Today has posted a review of “Redeeming the Days”. “Tealy reveals himself a truly creative talent with this inventive alternative pop EP that’s intelligently crafted both musically and lyrically.” Read the full review HERE.

Dakota’s Song

I’ve finally uploaded Dakota’s Song (the bunny song) to the Myspace site. We’ve made it a limited time download exclusively in the snocap store on the page. That’s the only place on the planet you’ll find a copy. Those of you who have bought bunny shirts along the road in the last few weeks, post a cool picture of you wearing your bunny shirt as a comment on the myspace site and we’ll send you an mp3 of the song for FREE. See ya along the road.