The Anthem, our 3rd studio album, is finally mixed & mastered and ready for print. It should be available on iTunes and www.independentbands.com by the end of July.
As a band G, Paul, and I are really happy about the quality and content of the album. It wasn’t easy to sing the lyrics to these songs over and over again. At times it was heart-wrenching and other times we were full of joy about the message we were putting together.

Anthem was our attempt to represent those whom we have been trying to give a voice in the poorest and most silent of places. Our Anthem has become the story of their lives instead of our own. When the most forgotten people get their story told in these songs we find ourselves face to face with the suffering and pain. At the same time we hold a liberating message for those suffering the injustice. Listening to this albim forces you to sit in this tension.

Even now Gregg is ministering to women who are trapped in a life of prostitution and sex slavery. Paul and I (Rob) are back in Nashville praying for him to bring a message of forgiveness to these women that can’t be limited to a song. If the power behind our message is limited to 5 min tracks wrapped in plastic, we haven’t got what it takes to save anybody. If God is for us though…who can be against us!

Yeah, I remember when the sun broke through these clouds of mine,
I seem to recall a destination and a guiding light,
I’ve been on these waters so long this vessels sore,
My spirit longs to see new life ashore,
Pride sets deep at the core of my heart,
a de-magnetized compass has a broken north,

Guide me…

You were my North Star, That light has grown dim,
My ability to see the truth seems non-existent,
O’ Captain, I surrender, Please take this wheel in hand,
Heal my broken rudder and navigate my path,

Guide me…

I’m letting go, So take control,

I’m coming home…

Although I’ve never gone away,
I’ve tried to always keep my faith,
I can see the devil’s eyes.
Staring right back in my face, In my face…

The words that used to give me strength,
Are now distant echoes ringing,
The drive that used to carry me,
Has collided with the bills that make me so angry,
They make me so angry…

The hardest thing I’ll ever have to do,
Is the one, You want me to,
I try so hard to do it on my own,
But I can’t without You.

Intimidation makes me think,
that dreams are only thoughts that happen when I sleep,
and time it keeps me up in chains,
A prisoner to doubt is not what I wanted to be,
This is not what I wanted to be,

Frustration keeps me up at night,
The wheels are turning over, and over inside,
And I’m so comfy in the day,
But in the night I hear you calling me,
You’re calling me…

And I can feel myself each day just dying inside,
But I won’t fear no more,
I’ve made up my mind to break the curse of this fallen earth,
To see with eyes this world had once called blind

Although I’ve never gone away,
I’ve tried to always keep my faith,
I can see the devil’s eyes.
Staring right back in my face, In my face…

The words that used to give me strength,
Are now distant echoes ringing,
The drive that used to carry me,
Has collided with the bills that make me so angry,
They make me so angry…

The hardest thing I’ll ever have to do,
Is the one, You want me to,
I try so hard to do it on my own,
But I can’t without You.

Intimidation makes me think,
that dreams are only thoughts that happen when I sleep,
and time it keeps me up in chains,
A prisoner to doubt is not what I wanted to be,
This is not what I wanted to be,

Frustration keeps me up at night,
The wheels are turning over, and over inside,
And I’m so comfy in the day,
But in the night I hear you calling me,
You’re calling me…

And I can feel myself each day just dying inside,
But I won’t fear no more,
I’ve made up my mind to break the curse of this fallen earth,
To see with eyes this world had once called blind

Frozen in time,
torn by my mind,
these invisible chains,
they’ve labeled with their names.

But you, shine like a light,
in my darkness, give me sight,
and I’ll see you, for who you are.

Like flying planes without any wings,
singing songs no one will sing,
Living life without breathing.

Know who you are,
and they say make your own way.
But I’m lost in you.
And I’m not the same.

So you, Shine like a light,
in my darkness, give me sight,
and I’ll see you for who you are,
unbelievable, beyond all.

And I’ll lose it all,
just to find you,
in the impossible,
its where I’ll see you,
where I’ll see you.

Perfect strength when I am weak,
power from words I hear you speak,
I will give all I have and more…

I was thinkin’ just the other day,
‘bout how much time I spend away.
Then I’m not so sure just how serious I am about you.
So you’ve got me thinkin’ what I should do.

Looking back on my life,
some of my experience has taught me how to fight.
Then again I’m young and I don’t know.
Then again I’m not so young, this is what I know…

I’ve never been in love before,
these feelings I just can’t ignore,
they feel so good and nice inside,
everywhere, yes it’s there, I can see that you care.
So in the questions I might have,
they all can wait it’s not that bad,
cause if you’ve felt what I have,
You would stay through the joy, through the tears, through the pain.

So I’m standing here just singing this song,
wondering where in the world I went so wrong.
To think that you could never love me,
to think the scares I had were just too deep.

Then I look at your life.
All your experience cuts me like a knife.
They called you “Crazy Liar” yeah, I know…I know…
They can call me crazy too, this is what I know…

It never seems to hurt so bad when you say goodbye,
which is only one reason for why I cry,
If anyone could know just where I’m coming from,
Maybe my view on life wouldn’t be so numb,

It wasn’t too long ago that you were here,
And sometimes you feel close, like you’re so near,
Maybe there’s no one who could understand,
God why would this happen to me, I’m just a man,

Tell me can you feel my pain,
I don’t want to hurt again,
Can you tell me what was my sin,
For life to happen again,

If I could take back the words I said before,
Maybe the pain would go away, fly out the door,
Dad if you see me now I hope you’re proud,
And if you can hear me Dad I love you now,

And I’m not made for what’s been done,
I forgive you for leaving your son,
I’m still learning to let go,
Dad I still miss you,
I miss you so,

It never seems to hurt so bad when you say goodbye,
So Jesus please help me just to sleep tonight

If you could see,
What you mean to me,
You’d never turn away,
I see your tears,
And I hear your cries,
Please stay,

I’ve given all I am,
To find you where you are,
Don’t ignore me now,
Don’t you shut me out,
I’m not that far,

So I will wait for you,
I will wait for you,

I love you so,
You could never know,
Just why I do,
Don’t try to understand,
Just reach out your hand,
I’ll show you…

Your stains are nothing to me,
I’m covered with blood myself,
Just let these hands,
That once held nails,
Hold you now,

I will wait for you,
I will wait for you,

Because I know you never meant to hurt me,
And I know that you’ve been scared,
But you must know that everyday without you,

Is hard, hmmmm,
Yes it’s hard,
I said it’s hard for me to bear,

No greater love…

I will worship you with all I am,
I will give you praise always,
it’s to you I sing almighty king,
it’s to you my voice I will raise,

and I will sing and I will shout,
I’ll raise my hands and stretch them out,
no lip service, no faint replies,
no entertainment, hear my hearts cry,
more of You and less of me,
Help me to see eternity,
here I am Lord, use me.

I will…

I will love you more with every breath,
I will see you everywhere,
I will walk with you when no one will,
I will go to where you send,

when I can’t see that you are there,
when I can’t feel you in the air,
when my reality becomes something I can’t bear,

I will…

I met You here,
You called me here,
I followed here,
I fell down here,

Into You,
I heard of You before,
You were lots of stories,
Now You’re so much more,

You were my first crush…

I was young,
About five years old,
Daddy showed me a picture of You,
On that cross of old…

And I won’t forget,
Just how much that meant,
No I won’t forget…

You were my first crush…

I’ve come back here,
To contemplate,
On all the things You’ve done,
So my heart breaks…

So I pick up my tree,
Like you did for me,
I said I would not forget,
So I won’t forget…

You were my first crush…

Then I fell in love

The thunder of pressure roars in my ear,
As clouds of doubt scroll though,
The weatherman predicts a hurricane,
And I can’t make it without you,

The fog is deep enough you can’t see my fear,
I’ll hide behind my vanity,
I’m overcast with pride as a fall draws near,
But still you see the best in me,

I hate the sin I see when I close my eyes,
How could I even come to you,
Yet you came down to me just as I am,
And your love broke through,

You see the best in me,

Tell me what do you see, When we’re face to face,
Do you see a child without faith,
And do you see the side of me that I hate,
And all I do wrong…NO,
All you say you see, Is your Son…The best in me,

In all the fear I bring,
You see past all my vanity,
You see past all the hurts,
You see past all my pain,
You see past all my needs to explain