A Simple Theology and Songwriting.. Hmm

I've been apathetic. There's nothing I want more than to do something great... to be the change I want to see in the world.

Sin. A word that I've understood more and more as I grow older, and a word I am constantly running from. I feel like Paul everyday when he says in 1st Timothy 1:15 "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." I'm not perfect, there's something to be said of perfection. I've never actually thought about perfection because it's too hard to grasp.. everytime I start my head hurts and I'm back to my usual facebooking or twittering. But perfection is freedom, Jesus was the ultimate example, the only example of perfection, which means Jesus is freedom. But we can't stop there. Jesus wasn't just an example, and actually he probably isn't an example at all.. He IS the ONLY way. To save a sinner like me takes more than an example of perfection. It takes Him dying on the Cross to save us all from eternal death.

Now, before all of my Bible scholars get all theological on me, I'm not trying to take anything away from the scholarly doctrines of Christ, but I feel like if I'm trying to reach my generation for Christ then I should try to make it as simple as possible... I don't have all the answers, and I don't think my generation needs all the answers immediately... we need to be shown hope... we need someone to say hey, its ok.. this isn't all there is. your not home yet.

I believe living is revolutionary in a fallen world. To wake up in the morning and be given a breath, a second chance, is a revolution. I've been asked many times questions like, "what do your songs mean?" or "how do you find inspiration to write a song," and I believe it is as simple as what I said above. I write about second chances, about the politics of the heart... the revolution of the heart. My songs are autobiographical, I'm writing a journal about my life and then singing about it. I believe hope is a big element of the songs as well.. faith, hope, love, grace... all of our favorite church words, but words that I wrestle with everyday and I still have a lot to learn.

I've heard the quote that songwriting is like archeology.. everyday you go and dig.. you dig up songs and sometimes you feel like you've discovered a lost city. You don't feel like you've created anything at all, but only discovered something that's been hidden for a long time. I have never felt like I wrote anything original.. I just feel like I'm reiterating something that someone before me has already said, but I try to say it in a way that someone could gain a new perspective, or see it in a new light. I've always heard that "good writers borrow, and great writers steal," now that's profound.
 The main part of songwriting for me is writing songs that matter... songs that create more than a feeling or incite more than a cause.. I want to write songs I can die singing.

This is a quote from my dad who has been a songwriter since he was 13, and has taught me everything I know about music, that sums up the ministry we have together.

"A good songwriter paints pictures with words and invites others to come along side them in the journey. Being a true songwriter is both a burden and its glorious."
-Darryl Riden



This is the start of a long journey. I'm excited for what's to come.

-Taylor Riden