Letters from Lilongwe

Lately I have been listening to lots of music and podcasts while working and biking to work.  I was feeling a need for some new music so I turned to NoiseTrade to check out some new artists.  My favorite thus far is Jess Ray because of the honest lyrics, tastefully simple musicality and overall enjoyable listening environment.  While on my flight back to Atlanta I was struck by this song at first because of the drums that propel this song behind the walking guitar.  If I were to add drums to a track like this it would have been done in a very similar manner.  Once I got past the drums I was awe struck by the simple power of these lyrics, take a read below and follow the link to her blog to listen.   To me it was not written for an outward expression of hope or encouragement but rather as a inward proclamation to the soul.  As the psalmist often choose to sing, this song speaks inward in a call to stand up and be reminded of truth all to often for...

These days spent working on my Architecture projects have gotten much better after this album was released!  The simplistic nature of his musicality completes the lyrics that are soaked in truth.  Take some time to disconnect from the noise of the world and rest in this album.   I do not have time or effort to breakdown the importance of each stanza of this album therefore I encourage deep reflection and contemplation into their purpose and value.  Starting from the start and process towards the end and I know that the Lord will slowly reveal himself.  Its amazing how music can have such an influence on human civilization and the Lord uses it every minute of each day to reveal more of himself.  Allow this album to break down the distractions of this world and bring you into the presence of God. Home by Josh Garrels I went the ways of wayward winds In a world of trouble and sin Walked a long and crooked mile Behind a million rank and...

Listening through another album from Noisetrade the title of this song cause my eye and prompted me into a post.  As I work through my days at my Co-Op I learn more and more about the expectation of my future that that are born both from my own desires and external pressures of society.  Looking towards my future I see myself following the ways of the world and pursuing a career that I only partially love because I love the money much more.  I see the multifaceted benefits of money and have concluded for myself that I can be very comfortable with minimal monetary wealth.  I see the joys of giving, blessing people around myself, being able to give my future family opportunities that only money can provide.  I also see the destruction that can come as money becomes an all consuming idol that robs me of passion, creativity, and my created purpose.  Therefore this song sparks an interesting inner dialog because I desire to live a life consumed fully by family...

Looking ahead of the concert schedule I realized that Paper Route was coming to town in mid December and I got excited!  One of my great ways to make computer work fly by is listening to music, therefore this morning I listened through the first Paper Route album "The Pease of Wild Things".  The sounds that this band carries first caught my ear two summer ago when I heard You and I .  Broad sweeping powerful alternative rock with lyrics that stir my thoughts.  I tend to enjoy artists that have spiritual undertones as they speak about life and love. Calm my soul woke me up this morning and I would like to pass along some of the reasons why.  The first verse resonates well with my life as I am learned year by year, making mistakes, living to tell the tale of grace.  A few weeks ago on a trip to TN with some buddies I realized for the first time that I actually forgot a lot of my events in about the last two years of life.  It is really strange but th...

So let Go my Soul and Trust in Him The waves and wind still know his name! While eating my breakfast this morning I was thinking through the above lyrics that we sung on Sunday morning at Midtown.  Then a picture landed in my head that I could not shake.  I saw myself holding on to the rudder of a small sail boat in the middle of the storm.  Wave after wave crashing into the boat.  I was standing firm and holding on to the rudder for dear life to keep the boat pointed in the direction that I wanted.  Each time the wind would change direction the rudder would slap me around and I started to see the meaning behind this picture. I try so hard to control my life, my future, my possessions, my friends and at the end of the day I am broken and bruised from the storms of life.  This morning the Lord simply said, let go of the rudder for a while.  Let me take control and let the storm go its course.  Let go of the rudder, the boat will travel where...

Searching through Noise Trade I tend to find great artists that I would have never encountered.  Yesterday I came across Vincent James and I have been listing to his EP all morning!  Powerful harmonies and strumming patterns that remind me of Judah and The Lion truly brings life from music.  Typically on first pass the musical arrangement is what truly awakes a desire to return to the album again then I tend to find the lyrics to be even more powerful!  This song exemplifies that process as this powerful duet captures the ear and then his powerful motifs about how life that arises in the dawn.   http://vincentjames.bandcamp.com/track/the-dawn-2   Hallelujah I can just start to see the light and this wilderness below  that we had come to know has given light, given life, given hope. Praise the Lord for the dawn!  The night seems so dark, we feel lost in ourselves, lost in our minds, lost in our sin.  Then the hope of light...

I love this song!  I started listening to Church Clothes Vol 2 about a week ago in my car and have been loving it so much!  This song has a fun beat and a play full vibe to it and throughout the whole song Lecrae and Paul Wall set the stage as of how you do not need a awesome car.  This is gonna be the anthem for my old Volvo! [Verse 1: Lecrae] Yo, aye look 5th wheel straight hangin' Grip the grain, I’m swangin' It’s Texas all on my roots boy Ain’t no point in me changing On 45, trunk bangin' From fair park to south acres I hit big T’s then I hit kings In the same day no playin I’m whippin, I’m dippin though the great state of Texas I used to rock the gold, tall t's with a necklace My car wasn’t mean but I kept that thing clean Paint chip, couple dents And the brakes used to scream Oh well, I still gotta let that trunk knock Hear me beatin down yo block And my car just stopped again Mayne, my gas gauge don’t work I can’t te...

I think its funny that we are so concerned with making money!  The preaching of a poet always makes me think deeper about my life!  Revealing lies that I have believed or just forcing me to ask the simple question Why?   Why do I work so hard at Tech?  Why do I hold a entry level position at a construction supply company?  Why do I fight my peers to attain a high GPA?   Then comes the simply motive that has driven many men mad, Money!  The power of Money is traced through every civilization causing brother to kill brother for the lust of Gold.  In our current day we see the results of our past generations as we are disposed towards a life in search of wealth.  We are in search of freedom and this tends to be from the woes of financial crisis.  We run from anything that might impede a comfortable life and typically money can buy away our discomfort.  Therefore the search for money drives folks down a road of selfish desire ...

I have been reading a book about the arts and Christians role in creating culture.  Steve Turner, the author, asserts a major critique that modern Christian art does not speak about real life.  The art created does not sound genuine or have any ties to real life that people outside the faith can connect with.  While reading the book I listened through this album and I think that this song does a great job of breaking the mold.  The members of Needtobreathe are all outspoken followers of Jesus but very little of the art that they produce mentions Jesus or Christianity at all.  Instead they craft creative music, written from places of pain and joy.   "Rise Again"  steps through pain that occurs in life as we see relationships stretched and torn.  The bitterness of broken hearts and friendships is then contrasted with the truth that we will get up from this pain and rise again.   "I can see us moving on, I can feel that coming on strong", the j...

I have been listening to this new Needtobreathe album and I really want to take this evening to relax and listen through the album slowly analyzing the lyrics.  Enjoy one of my favorite tracks and expect an explosion of posts in the next 48 hours. Brother Let Me Be Your Shelter Needtobreathe is comprised of two brothers and childhood friends and as you follow this group you realize more and more of the tension produced by years and years on tour.  If you want a window into the full story simply follow this link and watch a short documentary they created called "Prove the Poets Wrong" . Never Leave You All Alone I Can Be The One To Call When You're Low Tonight I feel the Love that draws me back home to Georgia Tech for another semester with my Brothers at Theta Xi.  In the years I have seen relationships come and go due to my actions and the actions of others.  But the one thing that I know is that the men who surround me on campus are my shelter...

I normally would accompany posting a song with some personal thoughts but I think today I will simply let the lyrics be the topic of conversations.  Listen and read and let the poetic power of a hurting man speak to your soul. And I asked you to be a symbol of the strength that was once given Yet you mocked me Oh, the mockery And I place so much confidence in the lessons I swear you taught me Yet you mock me Oh, the mockery You taunt me about glory days You say my best is yet behind me You just bring up old stuff; our relationship is so unhealthy So codependent, you cut me Down You blame me, I blame me And I'm a man and I won't crack and I won't show emotions right I do just like my daddy did and his did I bury you I build me a mausoleum with a storage unit attached to it just for you And I've grown so very weary at failing to make you stay there I hate it when you show up at my functions; you're so pompous And without an...

For all that do not know I am currently studying abroad in Singapore for the summer.  This is the first time in the last four years that I have not lived with someone!  It is strange but the one main thing I like about it is being able to listen to my music as I fall asleep.  For the past week this has been my favorite song because it focuses on how wrong our expectations about Jesus truly are! This trip has tuned my focus into the Son of God who came to earth as a sacrifice for the entire world!  While at Tech I often get wrapped up in looking and acting like a good christian to impress or win the favor of those in my christian culture.  Over the last few weeks I have enjoyed my masks falling off because I have  no one to impress.  I see the powerful relationship that is foundation to my life and that brings me so much joy.  I also see a lot of crap that I wade around in daily because I have some serious issues to take before the King.  ...

It is simply amazing the power of song, combination lyric and melody, simple yet an intense mental and sensory experience! From the love of my own comfort From the fear of having nothing From a life of worldly passions Deliver me O God From the need to be understood From the need to be accepted From the fear of being lonely Deliver me O God And I shall not want,  when I taste Your goodness I shall not want From the fear of serving others From the fear of death or trial From the fear of humility Deliver me O God All is Well, All is Well, Paul Shackelford

When I first listened through this album about a year ago I started to wrestle with this song.  This song was recorded in a House Church environment and Aaron Keyes simply speaks out the truths that are held deep within each song.  During this song he referenced the two scriptures below.  Psalm 73:25 is one that I do not even feign to comprehend!  I am slowly learning the power of inter-dependent relationships and the destructive nature of co-dependence.  My heart has not been able to 100% say that there is none that I desire besides you on Earth!  I know that I desire many things of this world and those idols tend to consume my worship.  I worship the things that are close, that I can control, that I can see and touch.  These tactile idols are just the same as the Golden Calf and the idols of the OT.  Therefore I walk into the presence of God with him knowing that these are issues in my heart and ask that they be stripped because I can not...

Yesterday I spent some time reading back through my old blog posts because this writing is not truly for anyone else to read.  This writing is for future Paul to be able to take a look back upon and say How Great is My God for walking with me even when I try to run away.  After reading through the past year of posts I started believing the lie that I had not see any change in the last year, or two years for that matter.  This lie speaks that the Father has not been with me during my mistakes, trials, and seekings of this world.  He has been there pleading with me through soft whispers and through the voice of a loud roaring lion.  He says one thing, "I am all that you need, please just come home and be with me!".  Yesterday after a rough day at work and not feeling very well I went to the river for some much needed Paul and God time.  I have been blessed by the wisdom of my community but my thoughts needed to be renewed by the Father.  Only he c...

Often times Love songs are best not converted to be sung towards God.  Simply because they evoke a Love that is of this realm and not that of the magnificent God who is the fullness of Love.  This song was one that I have clung to at times as an amazing bridge between human love and that of the divine.  I do not know the intent of this artists profession of chasing after a Lover weather it be God or his wife.  In this moment I have to mute the voices in my head pointing this song towards that Love of this natural world.   These lyrics are drawing my heart out of a shipwrecked state and into one of seeing the dark nights break into the beauty of sunrise.  Feeling the truth of the Love that has been birthed within me draw me back to my eternal Lover.  He sings of the process that it takes as he fights to return to hold his Lover.   This course that is traveled is one that almost brings the artist to tears and I feel the full weight his emotion...

So glad that I picked this album up a few weeks ago when United Pursuit came to Grace Midtown.  I have been listening through this album over and over again because that is one of things I do at work!  I find an album I like and then I wear it out and this being the second to last song on the album I tend to let the music dominate the lyrics.  On this song I could not because of how much it pertains to me life at this moment.  I do not need to lay it all out on the internet but this song is the encouragement in what feels like cloudy days to see the Lords hand at work! This song does not have any lyrics to be found on the internet and I may come back and update this post with the lyrics but for now I will leave you simply with the song. All is well in the arms of my Father, Paul Shackelford

Your Love is Sweeter than Honey Your Love is Stronger than Death Your Love lifts me of my Burdens Your Love teaches me to Dance Riding into work this morning I was carrying a lot of pain, memories, and frustration knowing that Christ was knocking on my door asking to restore death to life!  I had downloaded two songs to my computer and jumped in the truck with them on repeat.  After the first time through I could already feel the scales falling away, my heart was opening back up to the Love of Papa.  I am not really sure whats been going on in my heart these last few weeks but I can feel some massive issues rising to the surface.  This morning I just remembered what Love is, his Love is sweeter than honey, so much better than anything I could ever desire on this Earth.  His Love is Stronger than Death!  He has conquered the grave, therefore all of my separation from Papa has been removed!  That gap can not be recreated by anything I do, h...