by Christina Blout
This past year has given us all a hard shake, and the season of Advent has been a welcome relief. It seems we’re experiencing transformation personally, within our own homes, and collectively, as a nation. We’ve all been brought face to face with our own vulnerability, fears, limitations, and need for community. Just so, it was a privilege to capture this timely conversation with author and scholar W. David O. Taylor and singer-songwriter Jason Gray, as they met for the first time to explore the topics of honesty and community in their recent works.
Together, David and Jason blaze a trail for us to find peace during this time of emotional and cultural turmoil. They are trusted guides as we navigate this season, showing us how it can ultimately lead us into deeper unity, trust, intimacy, and delight with our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life is a book released this year by W. David O. Taylor. Within its pages, we find purpose in bringing our honest anger, sadness, joys, and fears before a loving Father. We discover a life-giving source of courage in the psalms, enabling us to walk through times of uncertainty with fearless, resilient, and transparent faith. Each chapter explores different attributes of the Psalms as they relate to our turbulent emotions. They leave us much to explore and ponder on our own or with small discussion groups. David leads us to see our relationship with God and each other in a refreshingly honest way. W. David O. Taylor is Assistant Professor of Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary and Director of Brehm Texas, an initiative in worship, theology, and the arts.
Order Disorder Reorder is an album released this year by Jason Gray. This thought-provoking and engaging collection of eighteen songs tells the story of transformation through the seasons of order, disorder, and reorder we experience in the ebb and flow of life. The trailhead finds us skipping along, when our lives are in order, and we’re eager to get started. Five songs later, we’re led into the honest realization of our own breaking point, when our lives suddenly spin out of control into a state of disorder. Finally, we emerge on the other side of chaos to a time of reorder, and a renewed sense of identity and purpose. We’re more aware of who God is and who we are in light of that. From the emotional transparency of these songs, we discover how to embrace seasons of difficulty with honesty, courage, and anticipation. Jason Gray is a Centricity Music artist, partners in ministry with Compassion International, and shares an encouraging message of hope with radio audiences, churches, and mission organizations.