Page 13 - MyFaith Mag September 2016 Compelte

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chose to feel through their suffering. That takes a lot of courage, and
that’s why, years later, we call them poets and saints.”
What David, Leslie and Jamie didn’t anticipate was the creative and
spiritual wakeup call God had in mind for them. “We knew God was
doing something we could never have imagined,” David says, a year
after the trip. “It was only after we got back and began seeing the video
footage, the lyrics come to life, and reading sections of Jamie’s book, did
we begin to experience the life-changing nature of the process. We’ve
gone into projects with great conviction before, but this is a whole dif-
ferent level.”
“The more we uncovered the truth about their lives and how they com-
municated with God, the more important it became to us to show how
they’re still influencing our lives today,” says Leslie.“We believe God is
transcendent in His nature… so He takes something that is ancient and
plants it in the present to wake us up.”
“We are all poets and saints, we all have something to say, and
whatever we have to say comes from our places of brokenness.”
“They actually allowed themselves to suffer,” adds Jamie. “Most of us
have shame about the past or anxiety about the future… ultimately, the
deepest part of our soul wants to give glory to God and carry this love
story forward. We are all poets and saints, we all have something to say,
and whatever we have to say comes from our places of brokenness.”
Creating the “soundtrack” for the experience, the Poets & Saints album
draws from a theological well as deep as its humanity is wide. From the
ambient opening of “Heaven Meets Earth” to the benediction of “Crea-
tion Sings,” each song testifies to the limitless creativity and mercy God
has for His creation. The album’s first single, “I Surrender,” which was co-
written by Jason Ingram and inspired by the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, This resonance plays out through the end of the song, in an unforgetta-
sets the tone for the collection.
The riches of this world will fade / The treasures of our God remain
Here I empty myself to owe this world / Nothing and find everything
in You
Songs “Path of Sorrow,” inspired by William Cowper, and “My Roving
Heart,” inspired by John Newton, continue the paradoxical themes of
God’s steadfast mercy and presence as His beloved wanders, incon-
stant.
“You Are Love and Love Alone,” a contagious melody with stripped-bare
instrumentation that mirrors the earnest simplicity of the lyric pays
homage to Saint Thérèse, a French Catholic nun who often referred
to her spiritual devotion as “the little way.” The words for the song
were adapted from a 19th century hymn penned by English writer and
Westminster Abbey Cannon Frederic William Farrar. Honoring both
Thérèse and Farrar, the song is simply a message to “love in a simple,
meaningful way,” says Leslie. “It’s the little moments in life that make a
huge impact.”
This track, as with every turn on the album, explores new sonic territory
for AS&D. “From jazz, bluegrass, country influences and Americana,
we really stretched our legs creatively, as far as sound goes,” David
CL myfaithmag.com
says. “We sampled sounds all over Europe, from the sound of clapping
under a bridge, to the hairbrushes in William Cowper’s house, to waves
crashing on the beach… and we used those as percussion in the album.
We threw everything out and started taking more chances, still mindful
of serving the church, but diving into the opportunity to expand our
creative fences.”
“I Wait,” inspired by Scottish author, poet and minister George McDon-
ald, whose literary fantasy inspired such greats as J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S.
Lewis and Madeline L’Engle, cuts to the heart of hopefulness, even in
weakness. A pastor who was edged out of leadership in his church,
McDonald spent most of his time at home, with his wife and children.
“He wasn’t a prolific writer, and he didn’t get to see the significance of
his life, but he made a tremendous impact,” explains Leslie.
Oh restless heart, do not grow weary / Hold on to faith and wait
The God of love He will not tarry / He is never late
Inspired by St. Augustine’s Confessions, “Rest In You” was prompted by
cellist Cara Fox, who traveled to Europe with the team. Written in an
hour, Leslie and David ran with Cara’s inspiration for the chorus: ‘This is
where my hope lies, this is where my soul sighs, I will always find my
rest in you…’
“Culturally we live in a place of hurry and distraction, fast paced… do
more, get more, produce more,” Leslie offers. “Augustine had a similar
life. He was very intelligent, wanted to be challenged, chased a lot of
fame and money, and found himself sitting on a bench where he met
Jesus. It’s a beautiful story and a lot of people resonate with the need
for rest.”
ble, momentous way, repeating Augustine’s mantra: ‘You cannot change
and yet You change everything.’
“Our hope is that in this, people will find connection, with one another
and connection with God. A place of vulnerability and discovery where
there is freedom and forgiveness… conversations that generate spiritual
health, a ripple effect that changes people’s lives.”
Stand A Chance of winning 1 of 3 copies of
“Poets & Saints”, by sending your
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MyFaith Mag - ASAD
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SEPTEMBER 2016 | 13