Dec. 16, 2013
by Bob Farrell
by Bob Farrell
So many people go through life working at a job they hate—or put another way: not doing what they would truly love.
I can imagine Moses feeling some of the same inadequacies as me when he first stood before the Lord at his burning bush episode: “Yes, but Lord I’m not a public speaker. I stutter. I’m not your guy. Wouldn’t someone else be better to do this?”
But Moses went on to lead God’s chosen people out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land. God’s plan—God’s man—God’s provision.
I’m certainly not Moses (no hate mail, pls)—but I can certainly identify. Over the years it’s taken all of God’s power and promises for me to do what He directed and engineered. “Walk ye herein” did happen—it just transpired little by little one step at a time.
God has gifted each and every one of us—and for His purposes.
And the truth is you won’t be truly happy and fulfilled until you’re using your giftings—whether it pays the bills or not.
In the last installment I started telling you how this unfolded for me.
If you want to hear the rest of the story...
On March 13, 1971 the musician-visitor, Bill Landers, came into my home and informed me that I wasn’t running from a bad marriage, but from a person. Jesus.
That the Spirit of God was doing the chasing and would not stop till I quit running.
I threw up plenty of smoke-screen and pet gripes to ward him off—you know: Bible contradictions; my lifelong aversion to church and christians; that personal beliefs were a matter of conscience and should be remain private.
Yadayada.
That day Landers not only compelled me—but convinced me.
I decided to quit running. I prayed with him and asked Jesus to come into my life and make me new.
Now, fast forward to the very next Saturday, when I stumbled and back-slid hard on that commitment to Christ (I’m gonna skip the gory details of that Saturday here). Suffice to say in my first week as a new believer I had experienced feelings of guilty conscience and Holy conviction that made me quite uncomfortable (the first such in my whole life, btw).
So, drawing on my vast knowledge of Holy Scripture and steel-trap logic, I reasoned-out my predicament thus: I had prayed to ask Jesus into my life, I would make the obvious adjustment to relieve my discomfort. Pray and ask Jesus to depart from my life. Which I did. And, no, I’m not kidding.
Thankfully He refused.
The very next day God used another new friend (who was also a new believer, but knew more Bible than me) to erect a profound marker on my road to Heaven. First, Gail Valender told me the Old Testament story of how King Nebuchadnezzar got drunk, drinking wine from a goblet consecrated to God’s Holy Temple; and how God took his life that very night (Gail’s finger animated the ‘handwriting on the wall’ part—and snapped! at the part where God snuffed out the King).
I got the point. En toto.
But Gail wasn’t through yet. She said God by no means wanted me to sin willfully, but that when I did fall I could get back up. That being riddled with human frailty and falling on my face did not mean I fell from His hand. That He was indeed the God of second chances—and would not give up on me.
And here’s where my story turns to the point I wanted to make in telling you all this fascinating backstory.
Because that very evening I wrote my very first Heavensong—called Restored, which is essentially about what I had just experienced: about failing miserably and getting back up.
And, more significantly, that song was the genesis of a process and pursuit that has characterized my own personal spiritual journey ever since: that of chronicling my own walk with Jesus; interpreting it through the truth and light of Scripture; packaging it into a 3-minute sermon-vessel; then pushing it away from the dock to ride the world’s waves as far and for as long as God allows, all the while sprinkling seeds into the heart of any person with ‘ears to hear and eyes to see’.
And, oh, the waves those song-vessels have ridden, including Farrell & Farrell, a multitude of other artists, several hymnals, 2 rock operas, 2 classical oratorios—and still counting.
But to get to the place where I could use my gifting (creating those songs-vessels), God brought me through a myriad of life experiences (just re-counted). I had dabbled with writing some poetry to Jayne (true love can do that, you know), but for the most part, me as songwriter was a non-entity.
My old friend Sandy Bolton and I had actually written a song back in ‘67, called Walk on Glass, which we recorded on a Sony reel-to-reel tape machine of my brother’s (to this day I am heartsick that I lost that tape somewhere along the way). I can’t remember at all what the song was about, but I do remember I didn’t feel any overwhelming compulsion to write more pop and country songs (which are mostly: ‘boy finds girl/chases girl/gets girl/loses girl/re-chases girl’—on and on).
I’ve written some of that in my career and had marginal successes, but my song-cut history will bear out that my most successful songs have been ones about the Lord and His Kingdom, and that most of the ones cut by pop and country artists were gospel songs.
I think it’s safe to say that I didn’t have anything to say of any import before being born again. But after that momentous change? Well, you couldn’t shut me up.
And, more importantly, once I did start writing those Heavensongs, and Jayne and I started performing them to people in Summer 1971, God used them mightily - they impacted folks—they bore fruit—they brought me great joy and fulfillment. They were part of His plan for Bob.
Now there’s a concept.
So, here’s the takeaway from this intriguing account: God has gifted you to make an impact on His world—and wants to show you what it is.
Jayne reminded me recently (yep, still my wife of 44 years—and also still counting) that God endows each of us with giftings; and that we will recognize them not only by what we can do well and find fulfillment in, but by how others respond to the exercise of those giftings.
I’m not suggesting that there’s a latent songwriter in you squirming to be unleashed, and I don’t believe any person can absolutely know God’s perfect will for another person’s life. That’s between you and The Lord, and He’s quite capable of revealing His will to you without my intrusion (think Moses).
But I am declaring that each person has unique giftings; that God uses the sum total of your human experience—good and bad—in shaping and molding you; and, that He wants to use you and your giftings in growing His Kingdom.
Maybe teaching Bible in small group—maybe a prayer warrior—maybe a social worker—maybe a disaster-relief volunteer—
maybe a songwriter.
The point is: if you’re running from Him—quit running. Then ask Him to lead you, show you His plan for your life, reveal your giftings.
Then go out and use them.
I can guarantee people won’t be able to shut you up either.
Most of us start out in early life with the lofty ideals of youth—some of us go to school to equip ourselves for a certain profession—some start a business only to see it fail—some have to blow-off their lofty ideals in order to pay the bills—some decide to live frugal in order to do what they love.
I guess in some ways I’m in that last category. I’ve been a self-employed songwriter since I got out of college in 1972.
As a result Jayne and I have seen the entire scope of feast and famine—years of great success and other years of the doldrums.
Have I sometimes regretted my choice? Yes, in lean hard times very much so. Did I choose well? I’d have to say yes. Was God brought into that decision? He was—in fact, in all honesty He forced it.
But overall I would readily admit that I’ve been doing exactly what I love doing—found I was good at doing—could make a living doing—reaped physical and spiritual fruit from what I was doing.
And most importantly I’ve been doing what I believe God gifted me to do.
I didn’t get a letter in the mail from God with instructions. I didn’t hear an audible voice intoning “Walk ye herein”. I didn’t get a degree in music or ever even study it. On the front-end I wasn’t particularly equipped.
I guess in some ways I’m in that last category. I’ve been a self-employed songwriter since I got out of college in 1972.
As a result Jayne and I have seen the entire scope of feast and famine—years of great success and other years of the doldrums.
Have I sometimes regretted my choice? Yes, in lean hard times very much so. Did I choose well? I’d have to say yes. Was God brought into that decision? He was—in fact, in all honesty He forced it.
But overall I would readily admit that I’ve been doing exactly what I love doing—found I was good at doing—could make a living doing—reaped physical and spiritual fruit from what I was doing.
And most importantly I’ve been doing what I believe God gifted me to do.
I didn’t get a letter in the mail from God with instructions. I didn’t hear an audible voice intoning “Walk ye herein”. I didn’t get a degree in music or ever even study it. On the front-end I wasn’t particularly equipped.
I can imagine Moses feeling some of the same inadequacies as me when he first stood before the Lord at his burning bush episode: “Yes, but Lord I’m not a public speaker. I stutter. I’m not your guy. Wouldn’t someone else be better to do this?”
But Moses went on to lead God’s chosen people out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land. God’s plan—God’s man—God’s provision.
I’m certainly not Moses (no hate mail, pls)—but I can certainly identify. Over the years it’s taken all of God’s power and promises for me to do what He directed and engineered. “Walk ye herein” did happen—it just transpired little by little one step at a time.
God has gifted each and every one of us—and for His purposes.
And the truth is you won’t be truly happy and fulfilled until you’re using your giftings—whether it pays the bills or not.
In the last installment I started telling you how this unfolded for me.
If you want to hear the rest of the story...
On March 13, 1971 the musician-visitor, Bill Landers, came into my home and informed me that I wasn’t running from a bad marriage, but from a person. Jesus.
That the Spirit of God was doing the chasing and would not stop till I quit running.
I threw up plenty of smoke-screen and pet gripes to ward him off—you know: Bible contradictions; my lifelong aversion to church and christians; that personal beliefs were a matter of conscience and should be remain private.
Yadayada.
To his credit Bill remained unruffled, saying lovingly-but-resolutely that even if all that ‘stuff’ were true, the main point was still the main point: that Jesus would have come and died on a cross to redeem me—even if I had been the only boy on planet Earth who had fallen and needed saving.
That day Landers not only compelled me—but convinced me.
I decided to quit running. I prayed with him and asked Jesus to come into my life and make me new.
Now, fast forward to the very next Saturday, when I stumbled and back-slid hard on that commitment to Christ (I’m gonna skip the gory details of that Saturday here). Suffice to say in my first week as a new believer I had experienced feelings of guilty conscience and Holy conviction that made me quite uncomfortable (the first such in my whole life, btw).
So, drawing on my vast knowledge of Holy Scripture and steel-trap logic, I reasoned-out my predicament thus: I had prayed to ask Jesus into my life, I would make the obvious adjustment to relieve my discomfort. Pray and ask Jesus to depart from my life. Which I did. And, no, I’m not kidding.
Thankfully He refused.
The very next day God used another new friend (who was also a new believer, but knew more Bible than me) to erect a profound marker on my road to Heaven. First, Gail Valender told me the Old Testament story of how King Nebuchadnezzar got drunk, drinking wine from a goblet consecrated to God’s Holy Temple; and how God took his life that very night (Gail’s finger animated the ‘handwriting on the wall’ part—and snapped! at the part where God snuffed out the King).
I got the point. En toto.
But Gail wasn’t through yet. She said God by no means wanted me to sin willfully, but that when I did fall I could get back up. That being riddled with human frailty and falling on my face did not mean I fell from His hand. That He was indeed the God of second chances—and would not give up on me.
And here’s where my story turns to the point I wanted to make in telling you all this fascinating backstory.
Because that very evening I wrote my very first Heavensong—called Restored, which is essentially about what I had just experienced: about failing miserably and getting back up.
And, more significantly, that song was the genesis of a process and pursuit that has characterized my own personal spiritual journey ever since: that of chronicling my own walk with Jesus; interpreting it through the truth and light of Scripture; packaging it into a 3-minute sermon-vessel; then pushing it away from the dock to ride the world’s waves as far and for as long as God allows, all the while sprinkling seeds into the heart of any person with ‘ears to hear and eyes to see’.
And, oh, the waves those song-vessels have ridden, including Farrell & Farrell, a multitude of other artists, several hymnals, 2 rock operas, 2 classical oratorios—and still counting.
But to get to the place where I could use my gifting (creating those songs-vessels), God brought me through a myriad of life experiences (just re-counted). I had dabbled with writing some poetry to Jayne (true love can do that, you know), but for the most part, me as songwriter was a non-entity.
My old friend Sandy Bolton and I had actually written a song back in ‘67, called Walk on Glass, which we recorded on a Sony reel-to-reel tape machine of my brother’s (to this day I am heartsick that I lost that tape somewhere along the way). I can’t remember at all what the song was about, but I do remember I didn’t feel any overwhelming compulsion to write more pop and country songs (which are mostly: ‘boy finds girl/chases girl/gets girl/loses girl/re-chases girl’—on and on).
I’ve written some of that in my career and had marginal successes, but my song-cut history will bear out that my most successful songs have been ones about the Lord and His Kingdom, and that most of the ones cut by pop and country artists were gospel songs.
I think it’s safe to say that I didn’t have anything to say of any import before being born again. But after that momentous change? Well, you couldn’t shut me up.
And, more importantly, once I did start writing those Heavensongs, and Jayne and I started performing them to people in Summer 1971, God used them mightily - they impacted folks—they bore fruit—they brought me great joy and fulfillment. They were part of His plan for Bob.
Now there’s a concept.
So, here’s the takeaway from this intriguing account: God has gifted you to make an impact on His world—and wants to show you what it is.
Jayne reminded me recently (yep, still my wife of 44 years—and also still counting) that God endows each of us with giftings; and that we will recognize them not only by what we can do well and find fulfillment in, but by how others respond to the exercise of those giftings.
I’m not suggesting that there’s a latent songwriter in you squirming to be unleashed, and I don’t believe any person can absolutely know God’s perfect will for another person’s life. That’s between you and The Lord, and He’s quite capable of revealing His will to you without my intrusion (think Moses).
But I am declaring that each person has unique giftings; that God uses the sum total of your human experience—good and bad—in shaping and molding you; and, that He wants to use you and your giftings in growing His Kingdom.
Maybe teaching Bible in small group—maybe a prayer warrior—maybe a social worker—maybe a disaster-relief volunteer—
maybe a songwriter.
The point is: if you’re running from Him—quit running. Then ask Him to lead you, show you His plan for your life, reveal your giftings.
Then go out and use them.
I can guarantee people won’t be able to shut you up either.
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