Voices In My Head (The Rick Lee James Podcast)

Voices in my Head (the Rick Lee James Podcast) Episode 636: East Meets the West: Kirk Sauers of The Wood Drake Sessions Rick Lee James welcomes Kirk Sauers of The Wood Drake Sessions back to Voices in My Head to talk about their new album, East to West. Together they explore songwriting, worship, Scripture, anxiety, depression, work, financial uncertainty, death, and the persistent human struggle to believe that we are truly loved by God. Kirk shares the story behind the album and its title track, rooted in Psalm 103 and the assurance that God’s love never fails. Listen to East to West and learn more about The Wood Drake Sessions: East to West | The Wood Drake Sessions.     Rick’s Latest Single “Heaven Is Full of Criminals”     https://rickleejames.hearnow.com/heaven-is-full-of-criminals Connect with Rick Lee James Website: RickLeeJames.com Email: [email protected] Listen / Subscribe Subscribe, rate, and review Voices in My Head wherever you listen to podcasts. Music & Merch Bandcamp (music + merch): RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com Streaming: Search “Rick Lee James” on your favorite music platform or on Spotify https://t.co/S7nCRl0xqa Audiobook Out of the Depths: A Songwriter’s Journey Through the Psalms (Audible): Audiobook Link Special Offer 10% off at Bandcamp: use code 10off at checkout RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com Hosted by Rick Lee James — Voices in My Head Podcast    

Voices in my Head (the Rick Lee James Podcast) episode 635: Targets of Jesus   In this short, early-morning episode of Voices in My Head, I share some reflections from my reading of Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, particularly its observation that Jesus and His disciples often focused their ministry on those who were chronically ill, disabled, and marginalized. Drawing from my experiences as a healthcare chaplain, I talk about the many people I meet who long to be part of a faith community yet often feel excluded, overlooked, or underserved by the church. I reflect on what Scripture teaches about caring for those on the margins, from the Good Samaritan to the ministry of Jesus Himself, and I consider what it means for the church today to embody Christ’s inclusive love. Rather than offering guilt or criticism, this episode is a heartfelt invitation to greater awareness, compassion, and community, reminding us that every person bears the image of God and has an essential place in the Kingdom.         Rick’s Latest Single “Heaven Is Full of Criminals”     https://rickleejames.hearnow.com/heaven-is-full-of-criminals Connect with Rick Lee James Website: RickLeeJames.com Email: [email protected] Listen / Subscribe Subscribe, rate, and review Voices in My Head wherever you listen to podcasts. Music & Merch Bandcamp (music + merch): RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com Streaming: Search “Rick Lee James” on your favorite music platform or on Spotify https://t.co/S7nCRl0xqa Audiobook Out of the Depths: A Songwriter’s Journey Through the Psalms (Audible): Audiobook Link Special Offer 10% off at Bandcamp: use code 10off at checkout RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com Hosted by Rick Lee James — Voices in My Head Podcast  

Voices in my Head (the Rick Lee James Podcast) Episode 634: The Politics of Jesus This episode of Voices in My Head explores “The Politics of Jesus” through Mark 1:15 and the announcement that the kingdom of God has come near. Drawing on Wendell Berry’s Jayber Crow and the work of John Howard Yoder, Stanley Hauerwas, and William Willimon, Chaplain Rick considers politics not simply as elections and parties, but as the way human beings learn to live together. Jesus’ call to love enemies, serve rather than dominate, welcome the stranger, forgive, and care for the vulnerable becomes a vision for Christian community, especially in the hospital, where suffering strips away our labels and reminds us that every person deserves to be seen and heard. The message closes with the song “Shine a Light in the Darkness,” an invitation to choose love, blessing, and hope in a divided world.     Rick’s Latest Single “Heaven Is Full of Criminals”     https://rickleejames.hearnow.com/heaven-is-full-of-criminals Connect with Rick Lee James Website: RickLeeJames.com Email: [email protected] Listen / Subscribe Subscribe, rate, and review Voices in My Head wherever you listen to podcasts. Music & Merch Bandcamp (music + merch): RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com Streaming: Search “Rick Lee James” on your favorite music platform or on Spotify https://t.co/S7nCRl0xqa Audiobook Out of the Depths: A Songwriter’s Journey Through the Psalms (Audible): Audiobook Link Special Offer 10% off at Bandcamp: use code 10off at checkout RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com Hosted by Rick Lee James — Voices in My Head Podcast  

Voices in my Head (the Rick Lee James Podcast) Episode 633: Sturdy Worship Music I’ve been struggling to put into words why so much of the worship music I’ve encountered in the church, especially over the last couple of decades, leaves me unsatisfied. I think this is why. I spend my days with dying patients, grieving families, people battling addiction, loneliness, and unanswered prayers. Could the songs we sing in our worship gatherings bear the weight of those realities? Many of our songs revolve around repetitive calls to praise and focus heavily on the worshipper’s actions: I sing, I praise, I shout, I declare, I come out of the grave, I dance, I get wild, etc… My concern isn’t that these songs call us to worship. Scripture certainly does that. But too many of our songs seem to have very little to say beyond that call. To be fair, there are exceptions. New works from Every Moment Holy, The Porter’s Gate, and CityAlight, among others, give voice to suffering, loss, doubt, and hope. They remind me that there are writers creating songs for people living through real life hardship. But those songs seem few and far between in the worship life of many congregations. The Psalms, Israel’s hymn book, give us language for lament, grief, repentance, waiting, and hope. They tell the truth about life while bearing witness to God’s faithfulness. I wish more of our worship music did the same. As a songwriter, when I write for congregations, I don’t want to write songs that simply work in a worship set. I want to write songs that can survive in hospital rooms, in the funeral parlors, in the midst of a divorce, or in the difficult transitions of life. I want to write and sing songs that mean something when the miracle doesn’t come, when suffering doesn’t go away, and when death is near. We need more songs that are sturdy enough for real life. To paraphrase the apostle Paul, I have not already attained this, but I press on. I hope other writers and music leaders will too.   02YwIfJL         Rick’s Latest Single “Heaven Is Full of Criminals”     https://rickleejames.hearnow.com/heaven-is-full-of-criminals Connect with Rick Lee James Website: RickLeeJames.com Email: [email protected] Listen / Subscribe Subscribe, rate, and review Voices in My Head wherever you listen to podcasts. Music & Merch Bandcamp (music + merch): RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com Streaming: Search “Rick Lee James” on your favorite music platform or on Spotify https://t.co/S7nCRl0xqa Audiobook Out of the Depths: A Songwriter’s Journey Through the Psalms (Audible): Audiobook Link Special Offer 10% off at Bandcamp: use code 10off at checkout RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com Hosted by Rick Lee James — Voices in My Head Podcast

Voices in my Head (the Rick Lee James Podcast) Episode 632: Phil Keaggy and John B. Hatch     On this episode of Voices In My Head, I’m joined by two very special guests, John B. Hatch and Phil Keaggy, to talk about one of the most remarkable albums in the history of Christian music: What A Day, by Phil Keaggy. John is the author of Oh What A Day!: Exploring the Genius of Phil Keaggy’s Iconic Debut Album, a fascinating deep dive into the story, faith, influences, musicianship, and creativity behind this groundbreaking recording. As I read the book, I found myself hearing What A Day with fresh ears, and I can only imagine what it will be like for those who have loved this album for decades to hear some of the stories and musical insights John has uncovered. Today, we get to talk about the album with the person who wrote the book about it—and the person who actually created it. John B Hatch and Phil Keaggy, welcome to Voices In My Head.   Get the Book Here: https://a.co/d/02YwIfJL         Rick’s Latest Single “Heaven Is Full of Criminals”     https://rickleejames.hearnow.com/heaven-is-full-of-criminals Connect with Rick Lee James Website: RickLeeJames.com Email: [email protected] Listen / Subscribe Subscribe, rate, and review Voices in My Head wherever you listen to podcasts. Music & Merch Bandcamp (music + merch): RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com Streaming: Search “Rick Lee James” on your favorite music platform or on Spotify https://t.co/S7nCRl0xqa Audiobook Out of the Depths: A Songwriter’s Journey Through the Psalms (Audible): Audiobook Link Special Offer 10% off at Bandcamp: use code 10off at checkout RickLeeJames.Bandcamp.com Hosted by Rick Lee James — Voices in My Head Podcast