Here and there, I am described by my closer friends as a perfectionist. I typically push back on that statement, because first, I don't see myself as a perfectionist, and second, I really don't think I am talented enough to be a perfectionist. However, I do know what my friends are talking about. I enjoy creating photos, playing music and doing a little writing in order to point to the glory of our Creator, but I don't really like sharing with the rest of the world what I create because it doesn't measure up to my standards. I don't think it is good enough. For instance, on this blog, most of my posts are in the draft form and will never make it to my site...because I can't get them just right.

My conclusion? Being one of the pastors of our church, I want to do a better job of putting ideas and truths about Jesus out into the public sphere, even if I am not satisfied with them. How's that for an exciting introduction? Because, who am I kidding? I am not perfect; we are not perfect. We can only point people to the One who is perfect. And that is what I want to do.

So. Here it is: a new tune and chorus that I wrote for the church, wedded with a beautiful old hymn text. This is a little difficult for me to put out there, but I think that it is worth sharing. Before you listen, here are a couple of caveats:

First, a good friend of mine, Zach Dietrich, introduced to me to this old, beautiful hymn text written by George Matheson. I have shared the story behind the text previously, and you can find it here. The beauty of the text is what compelled me to work on a modern tune for our church to sing. I wanted to make it our own. I want these truths to infiltrate the fabric of our church. For example, Matheson wrote expressive lines like: "trace the rainbow through the rain." When I read those words, I thought our church needed to be a part of the singing of that striking line.

Second, the recording below was accomplished in one evening before and after some delicious pizza with some fantastic friends...who happen to have even more fantastic skills and amazing equipment. Even though it was done quickly, it was most definitely a team effort from our band. However, this recording was only meant to be a demo for our team members to listen to. It was a single take recording, so it isn't perfect. I am very aware of the imperfections.

Third, here's a quick note about the chorus. The text is stripped from the book of Hosea, the series that we were going through as a church when this song was put together.

So with that said, below you will find the audio and chord charts. I think the melody sings best in the key of C. If you like it and are part of @thecreekchurch, you can sing it with your family. If you lead another church, feel free to introduce to your people. Mathieson's words are definitely words worth singing.

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go