day 5 – music and me
i love music. always have.
i have not been a fan of christian music. it always seemed never to fit what i was looking for or seemed honestly so bubble gum that it never appealed to me.
so i overlooked it completely, discounting every good word about any artist i have ever heard. honestly, i looked at christian artists as people compromising between their beliefs and wanting to make money, trying to hold onto credibility and still seem cool.
you can be christian and cool i hear you say. and you may be right. its easy to seem that way when you are a musician or an artist. but average people will be shunned for holding onto CHRIST.
that being said, lately GOD has been speaking to me.
i struggle alot. not because i lack faith, but because i have so much pride and so many other excuses.
so i was working the other night, paperwork and what not, when i put on the leeland songs on my ipod. i put them there because i was supposed to, along with a bunch of other christian music, because after all, that’s what i say i am right?
the sound of melodies floored me. i had heard it before but this was the first time i had really listened to it.
so i played another song and then another. then i switched artists. it felt like GOD was pouring words of love into me with each song. i landed on chris rice, untitled hymn (come to jesus). and i lost it. it was the first time i have been wrecked by a song in a long time.
so now all i can seem to hum is leeland, chris rice, or chris tomlin. all i want to play on my guitar is sweet songs of worship. everyday is full of surprises. how great is our GOD?
Hey Adam. There is something about music that moves me. I often have awesome times of worship in my car on the way home after a long day. There is something about it that draws me into God’s presence.
Love your blog Adam!
Adam – I’m excited you are stumbling across some “christian” music you enjoy. I’m not a big fan of contemporary christian music but there are some great artists out there who are believers and blow me away by there talent. I’m a big believer in the power of words. And music can be so powerful. No doubt the Lord can use music/songs to encourage us, speak to us, stengthen us. But I also believe the secular music has the same kind of power. I’m not saying I don’t listen to secular music b/c I do but I try to be selective at what I’m listening to and singing/speaking over myself. And the devil knows how powerful music can be, I mean he was the worship leader before his fall. Anyway, I digress. You might already know/heard of these folks, but try some Jason Upton, Hillsong, Copeland, Caedmon’s Call, Derek Webb….ahh the list could go on and on.
this post put a ginormous smile on my face. i totally pictured you surrendering to it and just getting “wrecked” by God. I love how He speaks to us…
and that Chris Rice song slays me every time too!
welcome to wordpress. i love leeland, so great choice there. and i too, find some awesome connection with God through music in the weirdest of times.
i’ve had my runins with christian music in the past. true there is still good in some of it. (most of it?) i found myself at one point on the inside of some parts of the industry and despised what I saw. I heard someone say once that “christian” makes a great noun and a terrible adjective. Rob Bell maybe? can’t remember. its not a perfect quote, but there’s truth to it.
and to be honest, there is some christian music that moves me as well. its not all bad, its not all fake.
So I was reading Pete’s blog (my pastor) and I came across yours and starting reading… had a chuckle about the flying fish… God does have a sense of humor… or at least I like to think that he likes laughing just as much as I do. On the topic of Christian music… I used to work for a Christian label… and I used to wonder about the same thing… I guess you could call it hypocrisy, or whatever… but I have learned (and it sounds like you have, as well) that God still speaks through lyrics and beautiful music no matter who is singing it… sometimes I find God in “UnChristian” music, too! Music is actually where I draw the closest…
Anyway, keep blogging! I love reading it!
Adam, great blog site. Keep pluggin and remember there are many people back here that are thinking about you. Stay safe.
Welcome to the blogworld dude, Thanks for sharing and thanks for your service.
BA
Until I heard David Crowder about 5 or 6 years back I didn’t really like any Christian music either… but he hit me and his lyrics hit me. I have broadened out from him since then and am so grateful. I can’t go throughout my day without some kind of worship song being played at some point.
I remember to this day being wrecked by a Sean Groves song. I dont remember the title but it was something like, “take me, make me all you want me to be, that is all I am asking…” and went on from there.. it was awesome! God uses music in ways I dont even understand to speak to our souls! How awesome is that!
Great blog by the way, I have added it to my reader!
Music is what moves me through my life. I got goose bumps reading your post. The funny thing is for so long I was so closed off to another type of music besides Christian music. It was all I listened to. Then last year we moved to small town TN where the only radio station that I can get in my van on a consistent basis is country. And I will admit that I have become a fan of country music. I love that music no matter the label that it is given has the power to speak to your soul and to move you.
Thanks for sharing.
I’m glad you liked Leeland. I had a chance to hear him up close and personal at a conference last year – he is the real deal, actually his whole family is. I think God loves using the unexpected to get our attention. I know what you mean about not listening to Christian music – I don’t listen to Christian music on the radio – it seems so trite and commercial. But sometimes at night, I find myself humming bits and pieces of worship songs that I know I’ve heard somewhere, maybe church, maybe ipod, possibly the radio, and I”m really glad I have the message of the songs to hang on to. Thanks for posting at Pete Wilson’s blog – that’s how I found your blog.
Hey, I just found your blog. I wanted to say I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL about the Christian Music Industry. I do the whole “listen b/c I ought to” thing, too. But what really gets to me is when you finally say ‘enough is enough’, you’re criticized for becoming “secular”. Anyway, those are just my thoughts. This is a subject I’ve been meaning to blog about for awhile, but never have. You’ve inspired me. thanks.
~Emily Grace
I understand about the Christian music thing. Sometimes it’s easier for me to judge Christians in the spotlight and I’m sure the struggle with the same things we do. It’s great that God will use us even when we aren’t perfect.