Your Time

DEEPER STILL...

Zaffiro and I sat in his cozy, neat studio in Nashville almost 20 years ago. His dear dog-friend had just passed away, and this was a hard loss for their family. I had been flown down by a record company to write with other artists, and David was on the schedule that day. I felt I was infringing on sacred grief space. But David welcomed the opportunity to process life with me that day. He already had these vibey, cool guitar parts set to a programmed drum pattern. Reflecting on the loss of his dog and losses in general, the seasons of life became the theme. I had been thinking about seeds, and how they have to die before they come to life. The musical foundation David created formed a really good pocket to lay the words and melodies which posed questions, ponderings, and in the chorus (that's the repeated part) peace and resolve. We tucked this song away. I didn't pursue the record label that flew me there. But over the years I always loved "Your Time" every time I heard it, just never saw it clear to record it. It was, ironically, waiting for the right TIME. The vocals you hear in the first part of the song are me that day, 20 years ago. I wrote the bridge and outtake during the recording of this album, Dan and David added fresh drums and guitars, and here you go! A self-fulfilling prophecy. Writing this song with David was the reason I called him and asked him to produce this album all these years later. And what dear friends he and his wife Susan have become!

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So much of life is like that. Dreams often die and then reform into something even better... and often harder. God holds us, and all of our integral purposes, in His powerful and yet gentle hands. He works ALL things together for good, even when it feels like we are not seen. Or don't matter. Or our heart calling doesn't matter. Someone once told me that I'd better keep doing music, or it might never come back. But it's always been here within me like a germinating seed and I had no reason to fear. Even in seasons when changing diapers, surviving on a shoestring budget, homeschooling little ones and dealing with health issues in our family became the necessary (and SO worth it) priorities. Even when people didn't respond to the few, vulnerable songs I gave as an offering or said thoughtless things that discrouraged me. I ALSO heard of healings through those songs, and help with emotions and people drawing closer to God, finding hope. I was able to share here and there, a little. Like rain on those germinating seeds.
 

Are you in a season of wondering? Do you think, "I have this thing that's burning inside me, and I really want to share it with the world. But I'm discouraged because I haven't seen the results I hoped for. Someone said something hurtful that's impacted me and now I'm holding back... or... I know I have this treasure and I'm just not seeing a way to practically share it right now. I feel restless!" And then there are times we just get plain worried about what might happen if we really step into that thing God put in us from the beginning, if we show our true colors. Let the truth of this song wash over you, and take life step by step. Allow him to work out what He plants in your heart. He is with you!! And He cares about everyone you love, too.
 

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.
 

Ecclesiastes 3:1‭-‬2‭, ‬11 NLT
 

https://bible.com/bible/116/ecc.3.1-11.NLT

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When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed.
 

1 Corinthians 15:36‭-‬38 NLT
 

https://bible.com/bible/116/1co.15.36-38.NLT