Unveiling the Title of Debut EP

I'm pleased to announce that my debut EP will be titled "fringes // ep01." Allow me to break it down:

"Fringes" is the name of one of the songs on the EP. It's a song that reflects on God as our Center. It explores how we sometimes find ourselves on the fringes of life, hurt and broken by our own choices, by others, and by circumstances of life. But in the midst of that darkness and wandering, we, the broken, can find hope in Jesus. That we, God's children, are invited to come from the fringes back to God.

Of the songs appearing on the EP, this song is the most personal for me, the song closest to the bone. It seemed, from the beginning, like this was the song that would define the EP. So, we're recording it, and it will be what it will be.

I also am using a subtitle of "ep01", because this is the first of what I hope will be a series of EPs that I release in the future. Rather than work forever on a 10-12 song album, I'm hoping to release shorter 3-6 song EPs from time to time. That way, I can get music out faster. I can also creatively explore different ideas thematically, musically, sonically, and more. I'm really excited about this approach. [And I'm indebted to my engineer/producer Christian Kemp for the idea].

I'm so excited to share fringes // ep01 with you soon. We are all working hard, and it's coming through in the music. I'll talk to you soon.

What do you think of the title? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

Embracing My Identity

A recent podcast I listened to talked about deciding what your identity will be, and then embracing it, and living that out. As an example, the speaker said that he was an athlete, and when he declared himself so, he then changed some lifestyle patterns based on that new identity.

I have been thinking about that, and have decided to intentionally embrace four core identities, which will hopefully shape me more and more. Also, as a result, I am thinking about ramifications. That is, how I will live in light of these identities. Here is my preliminary thinking on them:

Identity #1: I am a son of God. Therefore, I will spend time cultivating that relationship, being intentional in my prayer and devotional life.

Identity #2: I am a husband and father. Therefore, I will make time for quality time for family. I will not parent lazily. I will carefully curate the culture of our family, and take responsibility for it.

Identity #3: I am an artist. Therefore, I will make time for my creative pursuits, particularly, songwriting. I will invest time in developing my artistic horizons by exposing myself to books, music, film, and artwork that inspires me to respond creatively. I will spend time alone reflecting and observing. I will embrace my uniqueness.

Identity #4: I am a professional. Therefore, I will not accept amateurish behavior from myself. I will show up and work, whether I feel like it or not. I will grind. I will take, at all times, a professional approach to my work.

How about you? Any identities you need to embrace?