My album, Depravity, Grace, & Reckless Abandon, spanned years ranging from about 1998-2002. The context of life at the time was working with ministries to Navajo and Apache reservations, working with teens, as well as traveling and leading worship for a missions organization. I wrote some of the songs when I was a dorm parent at a mission school, and for some I was living alone in a cabin in the mountains. However, the thing that drove the collection of these songs into an album was lack of sleep. LOL, yes, you heard that right. During this season I had been learning about those all over the world who are persecuted and put to death for their faith in Christ, and for weeks, I had been regularly waking up at random hours of the night, and it was driving me crazy. Eventually I thought, “Maybe this is happening for a reason…”. So, I began to pray for the those whom I had heard stories about, and as I prayed my heart began to break, as I cried out for justice for these people who are strangers to me, but connect by the bond of Faith. An important note regarding this project would be about the cover photo: the bag sitting by the door is in reference to a story told by a Voice of the Martyrs representative with whom I was acquaintances. You can hear the story on the hidden track at the end of the last song on the album, called Make Us One.
Stories about the songs
Depravity, Grace, and Reckless Abandon: Introduction
My album Depravity, Grace and Reckless Abandon was written at an interesting time in my life. First, it was in my early twenties (need I say more?). Second, I was working cross-culturally with Native American youth at the time. Third, I lived alone in a cabin in the woods, so my introverted self had much to contemplate. During this time the Lord awoke my heart to the tragedy, of Christians all over the world who were being martyred for their faith. Voice of the Martyrs was the organization that taught me those realities. I would wake up in the middle of the night and weep and pray for those in prison on the [...]
Depravity, Grace, and Reckless Abandon: Romans 14:7-8
For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. Romans 14:7-8 This should be interesting, talking about an old recording kind of feels weird. Like I'm partially making excuses for what I thought was cool a long time ago, partially flat out embarrassing, and partially nostalgic. So, hopefully this will be mostly nostalgic, but well see.Now, I think I remember Rich Mullins saying something to the effect of "If you have to ask the story behind a [...]
Depravity, Grace, and Reckless Abandon: Life Abundantly
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 As the first line hints, the song "Life Abundantly" was kind of written in response to Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? [...]
Depravity, Grace, and Reckless Abandon: At the Foot of the Cross
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 Looking back over all the songs I've written, I think "At the Foot of the Cross" and "Waiting" are the two that are the dearest to me. I wrote them both within a week of each other. It was a tough week. I think it goes to show the purification process going on. In meditation of the cross, I remember writing in my journal (and I'd share it in concerts): "When we [...]
Depravity, Grace, and Reckless Abandon: Waiting
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:30-31 "Waiting" was written at the end of a really tough week. I wrote this following passage in reflection of that week: I think I’m finally starting to catch on to the audacious truth of the sovereignty of God, that when we as humans wait until the last moment it’s called “procrastination,” but when God does it it’s called “perfect timing.” To me, the bravery of the Gospel seems to be that when all hope is gone, grim in the face [...]
Depravity, Grace, and Reckless Abandon: I Will Trust
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34 I wrote "I Will Trust" when I was dorm parent in a boy's dorm at a school for Native American kids. I was sitting outside the dorm room door with a couple of the guys. It was Pedro (a Navajo guy) and Mitch (an Apache guy). We were out there in the cool mountain air, and I was jamming on the guitar and we were making up lyrics, and though I did the actual melody making and lyric development, they were convinced that since they were there it means [...]