SWEETER PODCAST

transcript

We're going to talk about sweeter and that moment that we had. That was a prayer room as well. And so this is a Wednesday night. To remind us all how we came in on this night, we came out of something called family service, which is, I think most of you guys, all of you guys were on the team for family service.

So you're playing kids songs. It's like hype time. And then you're leaving that kid's family service. You're coming back into this room and you have like 15, 20 minutes to turn it around and go do prayer room for a two hour set in the prayer room. So it's probably even helpful to name, we don't have any rehearsals for prayer room sets. Everything is we talk through it, maybe sing through it back here for a few minutes before we go out. But then we roll and it's a full two hour set. So that's helpful context.

But everyone's coming in that night going, I'm a little frazzled. I'm not feeling super connected. I think when we look at some other moments that we've had, we can point to, wow, there was like a corporate encounter on Sunday or there was this message that was burning in us or this really clear picture that we were going after.

But sweeter is an interesting one because we were more so going in going like, who am I? Where am I? What are we doing? Good luck out there. Hope this goes well, kind of vibes. And that happens sometimes. Like that's just real. And so I'd love for us to even be able to lean into that of like, what were you experiencing? How did you overcome that? But to paint the picture, I want you to talk because going into prayer room, Josh got up at the mic at some point. I think it was towards the beginning.

I don't know if it was off the top. Yeah, off the top. And we always usually start with some type of passage that we have on the screen. And then there's this instrumental. That's how we are as a community going into prayer room. It's this, the musicians are leading the way with an instrumental, ministering to the Lord.

And secretly, we're also sound checking while we're doing instrumental, right? So there's like, the sound person's dialing things in while we're doing the instrumental. But the instrumental is you're playing the Word, right? We're playing the Word. So then there's, you know, we're reading the passage. And that night it was Psalm 63 and Psalm 19. And I'm just reading the passage out loud. And then I pray it and really felt as I was praying it out, it was kind of like the Eureka moment, or as I'm praying, it just hits the sweeter than honey.

And I think you had even mentioned that, Sama, in that 15 minute window right before we go out. And as I start praying it, it's this picture that I start leading the room into. Let's picture us in a living room with the Father and the Son and every phrase that's coming out of their mouths is sweeter, whether it's, you know, in Psalm 19, it says the precepts of the Lord are sweeter than honey.

So it's the commands, the correction, the truth is sweet. And it was almost like the whole room kind of went into, we're going to be safe with the Lord in the living room and everything that's going to come out of His mouth is going to be wrapped in love, type scenario. And then you were tasked with playing that, which is... Well, you said, play the sweetness of God.

Play the sweetness of God. Yes. And just throwing you into play the sweetness of God. And so, Stephen, you were MDing that night. But man, I'd love to hear even what was that like of, hey, we're frazzled. And then it's “sweetness of the Lord” moment, which would... How did it feel? Yeah, how did it feel? So he's going to play the sweetness of God.

What did that feel like? I did give Stephen a little bit of a heads up prior because I knew that that was something we wanted to go after. And that's a scripture that I had chosen. And I remember feeling bad going, how will we play sweetness if we're not on the one the entire time? Wow. And almost like, what a challenge. You're the man for the job, but that is going to take such intentionality of reading the Word, digging from your own well, and being dependent on Holy Spirit for chords.

So how did you experience that? Yeah, I think it's... Well, it was helpful to have the heads up from Sama and then to have how we structure reading the scripture and then Josh's vision casting, but it's like, oh, we're already in this vein, like having the heads up. It's like, we have this vein we're kind of like in. So coming off of family service and being frazzled, it's like, oh, but I have time actually to... And there's always like a no pressure thing too.

I love how you guys lead us that way, where it's like, hey, we're going to play this thing right now, but there's not like angry eyeballs from the front row of like, why aren't you playing it yet? There's not some like target you have in your mind that we need to hit. It's like we just discern with the Lord what He wants and try to go after that and then go there. So I think that's like the pressure felt off, even though we're coming in frazzled, the pressure felt off to like perform some certain way because of like the culture you guys have like built here and that we have been like, yeah, the culture of honor and yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. I think just like coming off family service, feeling really frazzled. And then I think Josh, you would come in and like, given like the band heads up before you set it out on the mic of like, we're going to play the sweetness of the Lord. And I remember like being like, great. Like almost like... Really? Out of all the things, yeah. Of like, I am not in the headspace to do this. And like being like almost like frustrated, honestly, like, oh, like, why today? Yeah, that's when you know it's for you. That's like where my head was at, like when I first heard that.

And then like, even just hearing it, like you talk about the way that you led the room, like through the meditation, like on like those scriptures is like, that is what like helped me like kind of turn the page of like, okay, my initial emotional response is like, this is inconvenient. Yeah. And then like, just like the way you led the room was like, helping me to just like, take a breath, lock eyes with Him and catch some sort of vision for like, what that sound is going to be once we started playing it.

Wow. So you really got connected in that time, connected to the Person, right? You got connected to the Lord. Yeah. And that almost unlocked an openness of your heart to hear and creatively engage. Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's the fruit of like empowering people, like in moments we'll be like, hey, we're going to do this right now. And here's some ways you could do that right now. And like, even picture like the Father and Jesus in the living room. And like, that helps the room like engage, but it also helps us like, okay, I could do it that way. And that's helpful. Yeah.

Come on. And it's like, oh, I can like, you're helping me picture stuff. And then from there I can work with Him on like, what does that sound like? Yes. Yeah, that's good. Wow. Yeah. I think for me coming in, I was tired, family service, long day, long week, whatever, whatever it is. And I was drumming that night and I just remember, yeah, like feeling like rushed. It's like, okay, we got to go. We got to go. So everything just because of what was happening. But like, just kind of like what Danny was saying, you know, like, it was like, okay, I don't want to just do the thing because I am tired.

You know, like, I actually want to like lock eyes with the Lord. And like, Josh, like you bringing us together in that place of like, no, this is actually what we get to do. You know, it's like, we get to look at the Lord and it's sweet. And it's like reminding us of like, what it's like to sit with, you know, our Father, you know. And so for me, it was kind of just like, okay, drumming is physical. I'm physically tired, you know, but it's like, okay, Lord, I just want to look at you.

And it's like, I just want to like sit in my comfy chair and just like sit with you, like my Father. Yes. And then there's the challenge of like, how do I play a flavor? You know, it's like sweetness. It could be a flavor, you know what I mean, whatever. But it's also like, it's like, how do I play sweetness on the drums? Because it's like, I feel like drums are a lot of like, it's like intense and like floor time and kick and like snare. It's like big, you know.

But it was a fun challenge to be able to like, look at the Lord and be like, okay, Lord, like, what would You want me to do? You know, because it's like, He's, I mean, realistically, He's the Creator of creativity. And so it's like, we get to like, look with Him and look at Him and lock hands with Him. And it's like, okay, Lord, well, what would You do if You're playing drums right now? You know what I mean? Like a fun way, but it's like, this is for You, but with You. Yes. You know, but so it's like, how do we do this? And man, what a night. Oh my goodness. I feel like I had it easy on piano.

You guys were working off of that visual of like sitting with Him. I'd be curious how that made its way into what you were playing. So let's think about like different moments, what you're playing on the drums, what you're playing on electric, what you're playing on keys and any notable moments of like, when I was doing this, I was picturing that that's what I was trying to convey through sound. Uh, yeah, there was, I mean, Josh, you said a lot, but there was, there was one part where you were like asking the room to like picture, picture the Lord, like right in front of you and like picture His face and like picture like a conversation with Him. And like, I was doing that.

And then like later on, like I, I, you kind of hear me start doing this, like kind of fluttery sort of weird sound. And like in my head, I'm picturing like, just like, like really close, like face-to-face with Him and just like His smile and like His laughter. And so, and this, like this general sense of this, like bubbling up sort of sweet, like laugh of the Lord. And that kind of came out in that like filtered out fluttery melody thing. Wow. Come on. And whoa. Yeah. Come on. Wow. I love that so much. So come on.

Oh my gosh. Yeah. I think for me, the, the da da da da, like playing that melody almost like ad nauseam for like so long felt like we're seated and it's like, Oh, we're still seated. You know, like it was kind of like the melody of like, I'm sitting down, you know, and just having that repetition of like, okay, now we're not going and doing something else because we're not outside walking anywhere. We're actually like sitting and like, we're stationary. So like the consistency of that, like over and over and over again, I feel like that felt like that.

Wow. Like sitting in His, like in the shadow of His sweetness. Yeah. Like, I'm just going to stay here. Yeah. Come on. Yeah. I think I first came in on drums, like kind of just more cymbals and like more on the higher end. And the picture that I had kind of in that place was like sitting in a big comfy chair, you know, with my Father or whatever.

And it was like a blanket, you know, it was just like, like the cymbals were just like, just washing over of comfort, you know, or sweetness. And then like having the different accents, like following Stephen or following Danny with like the, the bell or like the deep, the drum pad or whatever, you know, it was just kind of like these little like nudges, you know, it's like, Oh, hey, what's up? You know? You know? So it was kind of just like the feeling at first, you know, just like sitting in the comfy chair with the Lord, you know? Wow. Yes.

Come on. Get technical. Like while we're talking about that, what are like different things that you were doing, whether it's effects or I don't speak the language you guys take it, what are different things you guys were doing even with some of those memories that you're bringing up?

Yeah. I mean, I feel like the only thing I, I don't really do a ton of effects on the Nord, but I think how I would play the melodies of like, once Danny kind of started doubling that, like melody with me, like adding another octave to it where that's, so I'm in the octave Danny's in, but then I'm like an octave above as well. And I feel like that just adds like an extra like dimension to it. Makes it feel huge, even though it's only like two of us playing it or sometimes I'll go an octave below if Danny's a little higher, but that's something that is on this track.

Yeah. There's a part, like a couple minutes in where I'm doubling that chimey, like melody with you. And there's a lot of space in between when that comes in and then like going to like that like fluttery thing I talked about kind of in between. And then like in my head, just trying to like make those two parts almost sound like two different guitars where like I have like a low pass filter expression pedal. And when I double up on that melody with you, Steve-O, it's like fully opened up. And so it's like just a normal like guitar sound, full frequency spectrum, whatever.

And then when I go to the fluttery thing, I like pull it way back and it just has this completely different like muted tone to it. And just like riding that up and down when I'm switching between the two parts so that it like can almost feel like two different guitars, even though it's just one. Was like a fun kind of challenging, I don't know, thing to try out. That's crazy. Um, yeah, for drums. One fun thing that I had was a broken ride cymbal.

Yeah. So it was cracked and I had like, there's a hole in it, whatever. But it actually lends to a fun tone when it comes to like washing it. Because it doesn't, it's not like very sustain-y, it doesn't like go forever. But it's like more like a shh and it stops. And so like playing around with that was fun. But also we have our drum pad, which is also very fun. Mark's sounds are there. Very nice, very nice.

But it was like, yeah, just different accents. And I really wanted to like hold back on the kick drum and the snare, like the more traditional backbone of the drums. Because I just felt like that. I was like, no, I'm just gonna, we're gonna play around here and see what happens sort of a thing. But yeah, and then once I did bring in the kick and the snare, it was like more of like accent-y or more like straight build. But yeah, the drum pad was my favorite part, at least.

Yeah, I feel like that's making me think of kind of what both of you were talking about of like playing that melody up high. But then we were like, Tim and I were like having those chord changes. And so I would like, like come up here and play that for a little bit. So it's kind of like a similar thing to what you were doing, because I wanted to get space. And then that's all I'm doing, because I want to give space for like that fluttery thing to be there where it's like, and I'm not going to like rhythm around down here much, but just like focus on this. Yeah, I don't know.

I think that had that space. I think that's something that's unique about this track is all the space that's there, where everyone's kind of in their own lane doing their thing. But it like weaves together into this really cool, like wall of sound. Yeah, I agree. Come on. I'd love for you guys to talk about breakthrough. Sometimes in sets, it's like, this was the moment of breakthrough and we all felt it. Did it feel that way? Or was it like, actually, it came more this way. It can be different person to person.

I'd be curious for you guys to reflect on that. I think sometimes as the worship leader, when you're trying to discern the room, and if the room is with you on an instrumental, there can be a bit of tension, even if the band is killing it, you can go, even though I'm not catering to the room, I want the room to be in unity with what we're doing and what God is doing in the room. And so is there something that I need to do as a worship leader to kind of bring you with us, even though we're in an instrumental? And I didn't, I let the Lord do his work through sound.

But for me, I felt like Eureka hit when you were hitting the one, and we were in that, like, there's extra space. And I'm like, ah I can now lean back into this. And the room is going to encounter the sweetness of the Lord. And when and if it's time to say something, I will. But it's like, I could settle back and go, He's got it. We've got it. We're going to be okay. And they're going to meet Him, even if nothing in my natural eye is discerning. Are you getting the sweetness yet?

It's so true, because sometimes breakthrough feels like to the moon. And it's like, here we go. But sometimes breakthrough feels like rest. And it's like, oh, I can actually settle in and not thinking, things like that. Yeah, that's good. Yeah, I think for me, coming into the instrumental, I felt like we were talking about earlier, how we all were kind of re-centered. So I think there was unity as a band coming in, which always just feels so good, as we're exploring this new cave of sweetness together.

So that just felt really good. But I think it was around the three-minute mark, when we kind of explored a little bit. And then we came down. And it was like, Danny was doing something. And then Stephen was doing something on the keys. I was like, brah, brah, or something like that. I don't remember exactly. But we were like, oh, okay, here's another platform. It's like we got to this point now. It's like now there's more to explore. But then I think for me, the oh my goodness moment was when the vocals came in with the oh’s. Yes.

And I was just like, oh my gosh, I could stay here forever. And this feels sweet. And this sounds sweet. And it's like, whoa, this is it for me. This is my favorite part. Wow. Yeah, the breakthrough felt like it came in stages. We were unified from the start. But then it was kind of like settling in and discovering and exploring together the first couple of minutes. And then there's that one, when we drop down to the one. And I'm kind of just driving on the three and the sus4 for a bit. And then there's another part where we drop down, where Steve-O is doing high, chimey octaves on the one.

And I'm keeping that fluttery thing going. Where I feel like that's another moment of breakthrough where it's like, okay, we've done the exploring. And now there's clarity on putting sound to that picture. And now we're going to push forward together. And then the last level of breakthrough was like you were saying, when the vocals came in. It was like just absolute chills. Oh my gosh. Wow. Yeah.

I think I remember I was listening back to this track yesterday, actually. Sitting in a coffee shop. And I was just like weeping in public. As one does. Just like, oh my gosh. This is amazing. And I just want everyone in this coffee shop to listen to this. Because it's like, oh my goodness. It was incredible. And another thought that I had too, just really quick. When it comes to the oh's and the vocals coming in. I feel like sometimes we can think of vocals not being an instrument per se.

It's more of like, if there's no lyrics, I'm not singing. You know? But I think using our vocals as instruments with oh's and ooh’s and ah’s and whatever. It's just another layer that's actually so powerful. So powerful. Yeah. Come on. So true. Yeah. Kudos to you, though, because that was your idea with the oh's.

Oh, yeah. Steven's literally directing. All right, Sam, you're going to take “oh”. Okay. Scotty, you're going to take this. Ben, you're going to take this. Oh, on the MD mic. Yeah. It's telling us our harmonies, our parts. And then it's like, go time. And first that you even have memory recall to be able to do that for each person. While you're playing keys and directing the rest of the band.

That's so many portions of your brain. But then frees us up as vocalists. Like, if there's a moment where you're like, I can't find the harmony. Like, you were the perfect leader and safety net for that moment. And it wouldn't have happened without your leadership. So it's so true. Come on, Steven. I love this moment specifically because I feel like it's real life. What you guys experienced that night.

Because it rarely is like, everyone's coming in and we're all burning. The reality is we're coming in from a wild day, a hard season, whatever it is. Yes. And coming in and going, okay, even with all of that going on. I'm coming in and bringing alignment to my soul. I'm engaging with my team. I'm unifying with my team. And then what can the Holy Spirit do when we're in unity with each other? And so I just love that. Such a sweet moment came. There it is. Out of such a frazzled place. Totally.

Because I think it models what we all are invited into every day, right? Where it's like, life is stressful. There's a lot going on, whether it's in the middle of your work day or whatever it is. But to go, I actually can dial down and engage with the sweetness of God. That's such an intimate thing in the midst of whatever is going on. I'm curious when you guys think about people listening to this and engaging with it. This is a soundtrack to The Secret Place.

And The Secret Place looks like a lot of different things. How do you picture even using it personally? Or how could you see people being blessed by this in their Secret Place with the Lord? Yeah, I feel like it's, I agree with you. I think it's like recentering. I think of, it's so easy to get distracted with all the things that we do and lose sight of the eternal perspective of like, oh, it's me and you. And that's what's going to matter at the end of everything. And so I see this as like, I am sitting in that coffee shop and I'm feeling frazzled inside and outside.

And what's happening? Or I'm at work in my cube and something's going crazy. And I'm able to just take a minute to like use this tool to like recenter and remind like, oh, the joy of my salvation and who's my first love. And I think, yeah, it's like that coming back home. And then maybe the living room is actually a really good picture for it too. Coming full circle of like, oh, I'm coming back home to the living room and I'm going to sit in my favorite chair and like with my favorite person and we're just going to like talk and I'm going to feel at home. I think that's what it is for me.

I think this song sounds like prodigals coming home. And I think even just the context of Psalm 19 and Psalm 63 in a world that's offering you everything at the drop of a hat for the new and living way to be, it's actually His law. It's the Word of God. It's Jesus. This is sweeter and this will satisfy you better than the richest of foods feels like, oh, that's the table that the prodigal son really wanted and searched a bunch of other places for it.

But when he'd gone down that road, what he really wanted was the Father's table and the ring and the robe, like it's all ready for him. And so when I listen to it, I'm thinking of friends and family who don't know Him yet. That's what I want on when I'm praying for you, because it sounds like this is going to be a really sweet moment when I can go, do you want to hear what I was praying to you or praying for you with? It's really cool.

And I think it's even wild, even going with your story when, what was that in Dallas? Like you have this like bring the prodigals home, like thing on your life and for you to be the one who had the challenge of drums, it's like, oh, that's not an accident either. Come on. Yeah, I think even, I mean, just to go back to yesterday, singing in the coffee shop, this week for me personally, it's just been crazy. And so I took a moment and sat down to listen. And it was just like being in that moment again, where it's just like these waves of like comfort and sweetness and just like, oh, yes, Lord, You are who You are. You know, just like sitting in like His goodness, you know, and just like His sweetness.

You know, and so I think, yeah, I'm going to be for sure, like listening to this track, probably, if not daily, for sure weekly, you know, honestly, and it's like, because it is just like, oh, it's just, I mean, sweetness, it's just so good, you know, and it's like such a good reminder and being there in the moment when it was happening for me, it's like, oh, yeah, it brings me back again and again and again, you know? Yeah, come on. Yeah, like, it just, it sounds like, like you guys said, like, it sounds like coming home. And it's like that context of like, like, Josh, like your like meditation that you led the room through, like at the top of the night.

And then just like those, those pictures of like conversation with Him in that context of like, He is sweeter than like, sweeter than honey, that like, you just like picture Him and you sit with Him with like this in the background, and it like everything falls into place. And you like, you're just reminded of like, that He, like Stephen was saying, like He is, He is better. And it's so easy to forget that.

And if you just take like a moment to just, just think about Him, just to like, just look at Him, like, it's just like that, that alignment of just like, and that's, that's, I think that's what I, what I have and will continue to like, use this as like the soundtrack for is just like, that reminder, like that connection that like, oh, like, you're, you're better than the things I've been worrying about. You're better than like these things that I want. Like, it's like, it's You.And it's like a reminder of, yeah, just like how other than and set apart He is. And a reminder of like, what we were actually created for.

Yeah, Jesus, we just thank You for this invitation to come home. We love you so much, Jesus, you really are sweeter. Thank you God. We love you.