Songwriting is something I am very passionate about. I’m no professional, but it is something I enjoy doing very much. Writing songs is my way of expressing what I am going through, what I see in the world, and what I can’t necessarily put into “just words.” I had the amazing opportunity to help co-write a song on PCC’s album, “Always Sing” but other than that, I don’t have any “professional” experience in this field. That fact hasn’t stopped me from continuing to write, though.
When deciding on what to write about, I try to pull from my own personal life. My faith has been a journey, to say the least. There have been many ups and downs that have brought me to where I am in my faith currently. I tend to pull inspiration from my experiences and turn them into a song. I think that is part of the hidden beauty in life; we all go through terrible things. I have dealt with confusion, heartbreak, and even doubted my faith. It’s crazy to think that our loving God is able to turn those things around, and use them to shape me into who I am today. I find myself grateful that I experienced these things because now I can turn these experiences into lyrics and stories that other people can relate to.
God never promised that this life would be easy, but God can take any bad situation and make good come from it. I look at my difficult moments as character development opportunities. We are going to experience plenty of hardships and traumas in our lives, but we can have peace knowing that Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33)! The point that I am trying to make is that we can go through bad things, but they can turn us into better people. Not everyone realizes that fact, so one thing I tend to write about is the personal growth we can experience through hardships. I like to write from the perspective of someone down on their luck, someone questioning who they are, someone who isn’t even sure of their faith. Because if someone out there one day hears my song with that message, maybe they will begin to understand, and maybe they will want to know more about God.
I strive to write relatably. When it comes to worship music, I think some people may feel turned away by what they are hearing. They may feel like they aren’t worthy of singing these songs because of the things they’ve done, or maybe they get confused by the “religious talk” in the lyrics. Some people may just not like the idea of singing the “God Is Good All the Time” or “Amazing Grace” type songs. I completely understand that. We live in a time where there are hundreds–if not thousands–of different music genres. Not everyone likes the slow, hymnal feel of classic worship songs. Some may relate more to a worship song if it has a country tune to it, or a catchy pop tune, or a punk rock beat. Worship music doesn’t need to be strictly one genre. It can be any genre; it all depends on the lyrics. With new and upcoming Christian artists like Forrest Frank, Riley Clemmons, Chris Renzema, and many more, worship music is entering more genres. The branching into different genres is turning more and more people to worship every day.
When looking for ideas and themes to write about, I like to look into my everyday life. I find myself typing ideas or lyrics that come to mind in my notes app on my phone all the time. There are so many random note files on there that I haven’t even tackled yet! I try to write them all down even if most of them end up becoming lost in my phone. If even just one of them can be used to help bring someone to God one day, then I want to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
When I am able to find time to devote to songwriting, I usually go to my notes app and look at my recent entries. I study over them and try to get a feel for what each one is really saying. With my guitar in hand, I simply start playing simple chords and wait for a melody to come. If nothing seems to work for one set of lyrics, then I move on to the next. I sometimes fall into a prayer, looking up to the sky and asking for something–anything–to come to mind. I want Him to help me put into song what is on my heart.
When it comes to worship songs, the process is a little different. I usually bring my guitar outside on the patio of my apartment when it’s nighttime and warm outside. Looking at all of the stars in the sky, I just can’t help but feel a sense of peace, knowing God placed each one there individually. This mindset is where I am able to write my feelings of praise, thankfulness, peace, humility, and my overall enjoyment of this life I’ve been given. It is also where I write my feelings of heartache, distress, anger, and anything that is troubling me. For the prayers I can’t really put into words, I come up with a tune on my guitar and sing what I am specifically praising Him for or praying about. There is truly nothing more beautiful in life than communication with God. I may not have the best voice or the musical talent of others, but I try my best to give God my all in those moments, and I am so thankful I am able to do so.
