Ben Rector - Something Like This

I tweeted this and facebook-ed about this album Something Like This yesterday...and one day later, I still have to make sure you get this. If you don't trust my word, take a look (& listen) at what people in Nashville, Tennessee are saying about Ben Rector and the album...incredible stuff:



All kidding aside, here's a sample of the album:



Still not convinced? You can go to Ben's bandcamp page and download a free sampler of a few songs from his previous albums. That's right I said FREE. Go get it!

Hope you love it.

Big Idea

So I haven't blogged in a while.

And then today....5 POSTS!!! 4 of which are songs and lyrics that I've technically already written. So does that count? YES!!! I'm counting them!

But anyway, I've posted this songs here partially because I didn't know where else I could.

I'm rambling. Sorry.

So the Big Idea.

Lately I've felt that the church...our church...my church...should do something...something more...to be a blessing to our community. The thing that I felt the LORD say to do was to make a recording. So the basic idea is to make a live / acoustic / recording of these songs...which I wrote, plus 2 more covers. Next we sell the album. Then we give all the profit to the community. The target would be our local high school. Just to say that we are here and want to be a blessing to you.

If you know where I work and where we meet for church, you can probably put two and two together, but I don't want to post it here just yet.

Anyway, that's why I posted those songs...so you can practice!

My hope for this project is that the album wouldn't be the final product, but seeds that we are sowing into our community in hopes of bearing greater fruit than just music...but that lives would be affected for the better.

I need a lot of help, so if you wanna help in anyway you can, big or small, let me know. You can leave a comment, or send me a message on facebook or twitter. I think there are links to the right somewhere. Even a little note saying you're praying for this is more of a blessing than you know.

I'll post updates as more things come clear.

Thanks for reading...take care

& let your light shine.....

Song time - Be Still

wrote this song going through a rough patch in my life...it's about trusting that even though everything seems to be crashing down around me, I need to make time to stop and realize the LORD is there and He is God.

BeStill(082311DEMO) by jaredmiyamoto

Chorus

I will be still   I will wait here

For You to come O LORD

For You to come

Verse1

(&) save the day, rescue me once again

speaking to me words of hope

& peace, driving away all I fear

PreChorus1

In the valley of the shadow

I will find my strength in You

(Chorus)

Verse2

(&) take my hand, I am reaching out to You again

I have tried to make it on my own

but failed. I am weary and in need of rest

PreChorus2

Like the prodigal I must confess

Only You can fill this emptiness, so...

(Chorus)


Bridge

In the valley of the shadow

I will find my strength in You

Like the prodigal I must confess

Only You can fill this emptiness, so...

(Chorus)


Let your light shine.....

Song time - For You So Loved

...based off of John 3:16

  ForYouSoLoved(81111)DEMO by jaredmiyamoto

Verse 

Oh God, for You so loved the world 

that You sent Your only Son to die upon the cross 

the sacrifice for all 

 That whoever would believe 

Would gain eternal life 

For our sins are washed away by the blood that flowed from Him 

Our Savior Jesus Christ 

Chorus 

LORD You gave everything to show 

Your great love that rescues evermore 

Forever I will praise Your holy name 

For You alone are God Savior of the world 

Worthy to be praised 

Bridge 

God of mercy and grace I pray forgiveness fall like rain 

as I give my life to You Holy Spirit make me new 

& wash away my shame 

And I will join the angel's song 

singing, "Holy is the LORD" Forever and always for all of my days 

I will worship You my God 

Let your light shine.....

Song time - I Love You LORD

This song is just talking to the LORD about what He has done in my life and my response to Him.

ILoveYouLord(81811DEMO) by jaredmiyamoto

Verse

I come before You LORD  For You have made my heart to see

Your unfailing love is pouring out on me

Your mercy saved my soul Your grace it makes me clean

And I'll worship You my LORD, forever I will sing

Chorus

I love You LORD

and I will praise You with my whole heart

for my life is Yours

I love You LORD

may Your name be exalted

in all of the earth

Bridge

to the one who's saved my soul

to the one who makes me whole

to the one who redeemed me

to the one who sets me free

to the one who reigns on high

to the one who gave His life

to the one who's always faithful

O LORD my God I'll praise You

Let your light shine.....

Song time - Holy Is the LORD

This is just a simple song that I wrote to express my heart in what some call "worship". A prayer of sorts.

HolyIsTheLord(81111)DEMO by jaredmiyamoto

Verse

We praise You God above all things 

Savior of the world The King of kings 

We bow our hearts before You now in awe 

We gather here O LORD to seek Your face 

Let Your glory fall here in this place 

As we worship You with all our hearts 

Chorus

We cry out holy is the LORD 

We cry out holy is the LORD 

Bridge

Let Your glory fall here in this place as we worship You 

Let Your glory fall here in this place as we worship You

Let your light shine...

You Were a House on Fire by Listener

I cannot tell you how much I love the Wooden Heart album by Listener. Dan Smith's lyrics are amazing. I shared a bit of what I thought about the track Wooden Heart a while back, here.

However right now, their song You Were A House On Fire is what...is what is moving me...challenging me...helping me to see and understand the world a little better. Here's the audio.



The whole song is amazing, but the parts that really get to me is in the second verse. It reads:

We all write songs about life, we just sing them different.
you sing the words but you don't know the song
and you expect us all to sing along? how selfish.

- for me it speaks about thinking my way is the only way...that for a long time I have been "selfish"...not listening to the way others sing their songs...and because they don't sing it my way, it think it's wrong...that needs to change. basically, I need to listen better.

the lengths that we go to, to put so much distance between us is staggering

- here is pretty self explanatory. crazy how much time, $, & energy we spend to isolate ourselves from each other...and then just as much of the same trying to meet others...something is not right.

I can't decide if I should knock down your door or on it
say the word and I'll take an axe to your heart or a pin prick
- this part is just full of emotion that i don't know why, but connects with me. just the conflict he is struggling with as to how to rescue this person. should he come crashing in? or wait to be invited in?

cut right through the dark, let it spill out the contents
on our knees sorting through the remnants
pour out your hate in my hands, I'll let em slip through my fingers
- i just love the the 3rd line here. beautiful.

You can find the whole song w/ lyrics here at Listener's Bandcamp Page...and while you're there you can check out the rest of their album as well!

Also, here's a live performance of the song with a little intro to the song itself. And as you'll hear Dan say, "hope you love it."