Let Me Lead You Home {New Music Monday}

I’m excited to bring back New Music Mondays.

I wrote the following song to submit for an exhibition at St. Andrew’s College in Scotland. (Here’s a link to the call they put out for artists.) They did not choose to use my song, but I am still looking forward to viewing the other artists’ work. The exhibition begins on Friday, March 19. It was both challenging and fun to prepare a song for submission–I’ve never done that before, and I would definitely do it again.

The theme of the exhibition is “In/break,” and one idea listed is “an intrusion of hope.” I used this idea in my song, and also the short story I submitted. (They did not choose my story either–I may revise it and post it here in segments.) The first verse and chorus of my song is about the Woman at the Well; you can read her story in John 4. The second verse and chorus is about Nicodemus; you can read about his story in John 3. The final chorus is about Jesus’ return, which gives all Christians hope in all circumstances. Some of the song is literal and some of the song is symbolic. I tried to apply both stories to people’s lives. We all feel stuck sometimes, like the Woman at the Well, and we all feel confused sometimes, like Nicodemus. Jesus “breaks in” to our lives and gives us a way forward in hope, and only he can lead us home.

When I submitted the song to the exhibition, I called the song “Once Blind, Come and See.” I also thought about calling the song “Like Shadows.” I still haven’t really decided on a title, so I decided to go with “Let Me Lead You Home” for this post. I also have two different recordings for the song. One I did in a studio through a friend of a friend, which was such an amazing experience. My friend sang along with me at couple points in the song, which adds so much depth and beauty to the music. We felt like real recording artists! The other recording I did at home in our walk-in closet with my Snowball mic. The differences between the recordings are fascinating, so I thought you’d like to hear them both, too.

Let Me Lead You Home

She walks in darkness looking around,
Searching for water, but there’s none to be found.
He breaks the surface, and gives her a cup.
He breaks through her darkness, and lifts her soul up.

One tear falls in water from a well;
One voice calls: child of mine, come,
Leave this life behind,
Like shadows watch it wind.
You belong to me; grow
Olive shoot once wild, now my chosen child.

He walks in darkness, hid from their eyes,
Eyes that might see him, and say their goodbyes.
He asks old questions, but the answers are new;
He knows the truth now, but what will he do?

One step falls in Jerusalem so dark;
One voice calls: child of law, come,
Leave this life behind,
Like shadows watch it wind.
You come from my branch, son,
As my people go: let me lead you home.

The dawn breaks, and darkness flees like dust;
He rises over the nations.
Ruling them in peace,
Leading them with grace.
Leave your night behind, come,
Follow him with me: once blind, come and see.

Photos: Samur Isma and Aaron Burden on Unsplash