My Soul Delights In You
Most days I come into the office 30 minutes early to worship and pray. This is a song that came out of those times of worship.”My Soul Delights In You” is a simple song I will eventually develop, but I wanted to share it in its roughest form to encourage you this morning. (Press play, below)
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Yesterday while in a staff meeting, I felt like the Lord was encouraging me:
“You were born for this time. You did not choose when you were born- why would you choose what you should become? Trust my ability to position you for what I’ve called you to accomplish.”
This song is my declaration (regardless of whether I am “feeling it” or not) that I delight in the Lord. As a result, I expect Him to plant desire in my heart- the kind of desire that I am supposed to pursue…the kind of desire He is willing and able to fulfill. (Psalm 37:4… Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He will give you the desires of your heart.)
What has He been sharing with you lately? (click here to leave your comments) ck
January Update
Songwriting
In September, I decided to get more consistent about spend weekday morning worshiping God at the piano. I’ve come into work 30 minutes early after dropping the boys off to school. It has become, perhaps, my favorite time of day. Through this process, I have countless song fragments scattered among notebooks, cell phone voicemails, digital recorders, napkins, etc. At the present time, I have two priorities as it regards the songs I write/have written: Incorporate them into our local worship at Victory Christian Center (as appropriate) and connect with other artists/churches who could take these songs beyond where I feel to go.
Collaborating With Malachi Jaggers
I met Malachi Jaggers a couple of years ago through our mutual friend Scott Greeson. I was just visiting Scott’s studio to meet Malachi and ended up recorded some background vocals with him for his album “Rumble In My Soul“. It’s taken us until 2010 to really get to know each other, but I’ve grown to love Malachi’s heart for the Lord and have enjoyed beginning to co-write with him on an almost weekly basis since the new year began. Malachi is a worship leader in Idaville and is working on a worship album for the Spring. His album will include a mixture of his own songs, songs we’ve co-written this month, and a few I’ve written over the past couple of years.
Spiritual Emphasis Week
It was an absolute honor to have been invited to lead a week long series of special morning chapels at Lafayette Christian School. I have 2 boys enrolled at this great school. Each day, approx 250 children attended these 50 minute chapels. Our theme was “Built Together” and we used a “building construction” analogy to discuss the different aspects of our spiritual life. Foundation…Cornerstone…Walls…Windows…Roof. I may blog about each of these in short over the next couple of weeks.
Recent Reading
Besides countless books that enhance my spiritual growth, I’ve recently bought a copy of Robin Frederick’s Shortcuts To Hit Songwriting. Now admittedly, I am not crazily obsessed with and motivated by radio airplay, but I am happy to have found a fun book full of 126 “shortcuts” to write memorable songs that help hold people’s interest. As I read the book, I am becoming painfully aware of songwriting habits, ruts, etc that have kept me from feeling excited about some of the recent songs I’ve finished. Highly recommend this one (published by Taxi Music Books).
VCC Worship Team
My wife and I lead our church’s worship team. This month we’ve begun to restructure the way we run rehearsals. For this season, we are meeting weekly and placing a greater emphasis on “team development” and “practicing His presence”, as well as learning the music. We had the whole team over to our house on Thursday night for a gathering and time to share together. It is a bit of a paradox: to tighten the group connection, at the same time purposing to grow the team in numbers and “make it about someone else”. I am reminded again what a great team God has put together.
Oh Yeah… The House
I actually found some time to refinish this piece of furniture that now sits in our front hallway. Ali has been asking me for something that can hold and hide all of the boy’s backpacks, coats and shoes. Thanks to John and Elizabeth for rescuing this little beauty from the side the road this past fall.
What have YOU been up to this month?
ck
‘Revelation Song’ and God’s Timing
Revelation Song
Revelation Song
I love hearing the ‘behind the scenes’ accounts of some of the well-known worship songs of our time.
I found this story about Jennie Riddle’s “Revelation Song’ recently made popular by worshipers such as Paul Baloche, Kari Jobe, Gateway Worship, CFNI, Kim Walker and others. I am continually encouraged to remember (as I posted here) that God promotes the songs He wants to use when He wants to use them. All that’s left for the songwriter is a commission to write songs for Him.
As a worship artist/songwriter I have a desire to write songs that can go places I cannot. But if I’m not careful, I can easily cross the line into the area of self-promotion. On that side of the line you are plaqued with thoughts about “who is going to discover me”, and “when am I going to get a ‘hit’ “. It is no fun on that side of the line; it blocks those ideas from heaven.
Stories like ‘Revelation Song’ remind me that:
6 …exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. 7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another. (Psalm 75:6-7, New King James Version)
Let’s keep writing songs for the King- (even if He is the only One Who may ever hear them!)
Add your thoughts and stories- let’s encourage one another-
Blessings- Cory
BTW: Check out the great resources at PraiseCharts.com
How Do You Write?
I am interested in how you write music. I don’t mean “how” you come up with lyrics, chords, melodies…
I am just curious what your songwriting setup is like.
Me, I just prefer the laptop on top of the piano with the recorder app loaded, my songwriting journal open, a bible and a cup of hot coffee.
My alternate setup consists of no instrument; most likely sitting in a coffee shop with a notepad. I write better melodies when I am not trying to shoe-horn them into the ole’ familiar chord progressions and riffs. I have an Olympus voice recorder, as well as a recording app on my phone.
WHY WRITE?
You might be surprised to know that writing music requires much discipline for me. (More often than not, I’d sooner get a cup of coffee and read a book than sit down at the piano and write.) The good news is that once I get diligent to press in, often the song comes forth and I remember how rewarding it is to write.
Here is the current mission that compels me to write worship music:
- To write songs that transport people to an awareness of God’s presence
- To write songs that invite the anointing of God’s Holy Spirit for breakthrough ministry.
- To write songs that unlock people’s hearts so that they can receive breakthrough.