Learning to Trust – 1990

Produced by Brown Bannister for RBI Productions

(except for The Rest of My Life & Interlude in B Minor produced by Shane Keister)

Executive Producer: Darrell A Harris

Recorded at Bennett House, Franklin, TN and Omni Sound, Nashville, TN

Trax Engineered by Jeff Balding

Overdubs Engineered by Brown Bannister at the Bennett House and the Castle

Assistant Engineers: Steve Bishir, Carry Summers, Shawn McLean, Jeff Borders, Roy Gamble and Byron House

Engineers on The Rest of My Life: Bill Whittington, Rich Schirmer, JB, and Brown Bannister

Mixed at Sixteenth Avenue Sound, Nashville, TN by Jeff Balding, Nick Froome and Billy Whittington

Assistant Engineer: John David Parker

Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab, Los Angeles, CA

Additional Keyboards: David Meece

Production Coordinator: Richard Headen

Photo & Wardrobe Direction: Joan Tankersley

Design: Janice Watson

Photography: Eika Aoshima

_________________________________

Special Thanks to:

My producer, Brown Bannister for your patience and for being my friend.

Shane Keister for production “The Rest of My Life.”

Darrell & Janet Harris, Stan Moser, Jeff Moseley, Toni Thigpen, Brenda Boswell, John Chisum and everyone at Star Song Records for their encouragement and leadership.

The Learning to Trust Prayer Chain for exemplifying what being a part of the body of Christ is all about.

Mike Hudson & Dwight Liles for helping me synthesize the various elements of my journey into lyric form.

Joan Tankersley for your patience and encouragement and your extra measure of “visual eye.”

Randy Smith for your steadfast friendship.

Nancy Polley for being one of the few people who would care to accept the job as my secretary and assistant.

Richard White, for your profound influences on my life.

Don Cason and everyone at Word Publishing Group for continuing to believe in me.

Malcolm Greenwood, Steve Eppinger and everyone at Tour Management Booking for concert scheduling and support.

Gene Eichelberger, Susan Garrett and everyone at the Bennett House.

And most important of all to my wife, Debbie. Thank you for your wisdom, love and undying support; and to Christopher & Kelly who have made my world a wonderful place.

PRELUDE Instrumental

WHEN I WAS SEVENTEEN

Words by David Meece & Dwight Liles Music by David Meece
Copyright 1989 Meece Music (admin by) WORD Music & Ariose Music

My daddy left home when I was a kid
Said he had to move on
Took the bottle as his only friend
I didn’t know why, I didn’t know why

Mama tried to the best that she could
But she just didn’t understand
All the confusion I was feeling inside
And didn’t know why, I didn’t know why

Feeling so alone
How I wish back then I’d known

Na na na na na na – You were calling
Na na na na na na – While I was falling
Na na na na na na – When I was seventeen

From study hall to the senior prom
I felt like no one at all
Just a shadow in a crowded room
I didn’t know why, I didn’t know why

Thought I was to blame
While your love screamed out my name

Na na na na na na – You were calling
Na na na na na na – While I was falling
Na na na na na na – When I was seventeen

Sure I heard you died for me
I knew about the cross
But oh the pain was burning deep
It took so long to hear Your voice

Na na na na na na – You were calling
Na na na na na na – While I was falling
Na na na na na na – When I was seventeen

I found a photo of my mom and dad
A few tears later I could see
How much You loved that lonely boy
Seventeen

Na na na na na na Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na – When I was seventeen

________________________

Bass: Tommy Sims

Drums: Chris McHugh

Guitar: Gordon Kenny, Jerry McPherson, Wayne Scott Farley

Keyboards: Shane Keister, Tommy Dorsey, David Meece

BGV’s: Chris Eaton, Chris Rodriguez, Jimmie Lee Sloas

LEARNING TO TRUST

Words by David Meece & Michael Hudson
Music by David Meece
Copyright 1989 Meece Music (admin by) WORD Music & Ariose Music

There’s a father in your sweetest dreams
Who’s always there to meet your needs
He never ever lets you down
There’s a mother in your heart of hearts
Who always plays the perfect part
She never lets you hit the ground

This is the need of children
These are their tender dreams
And oh how it hurts when they don’t come true

That’s why I’m learning to trust in You
In everything I do
I’m learning to trust in You
Cause I know in my heart that You’re true
I’m learning to trust in You
But sometimes it’s so hard to do

Father, little children must grow up
And to grow we’ve got to learn to trust
And to trust we’ve got to cling to you
And when You tell me You will hold me close
It’s the very thing I need the most
But it’s the very hardest thing to do

I’ve got this pain inside me
It speaks to me loud and clear
When there’s so much to gain there’s always so much to lose

Keep calling me drawing me closer
Don’t let me hold back
Whatever it takes I must break through
The heart of a child is broken
But his time has come
Whatever he lost I’ll find in You

________________________

Bass: Mike Brignardello

Drums: Paul Leim

Guitar: Jerry McPherson

Keyboards: Shane Keister

BGV’s: Donna McElroy, Vickie Hampton, Chris Rodriguez

TO KNOW HIM

Words by David Meece & Michael Hudson
Music by David Meece
Copyright 1989 Meece Music (admin by) WORD Music & Ariose Music

I’ve walked the maze of the confused
Found myself climbing the wall of illusion
Over The edge into despair
My desperation embracing delusion

Left with a hole in my heart
Lost like a runaway child in the dark
There at the end of my rope
I found my hope

Out of the fire there springs
The desire to know Him
In my dark hour He brings
Me the power to know Him
To know him more

I face the wall of life’s facade
Sometimes still wincing at my own reflection
But now I see with different eyes
And catch a glimpse of the Father’s perfection

Drawing me into His light
Out of the flames of my deepest of night
Into eternity’s arms
I run

Out of the fire there springs
The desire to know Him
In my dark hour He brings
Me the power to know Him
To know him more

________________________

Bass: Tommy Sims

Drums: Chris McHugh

Guitar: Gordon Kennedy

Keyboards: Shane Keister

BGV’s: Chris Eaton, Chris Rodriguez, Jimmie Lee Sloas

Percussion: Terry McMillan

Gut String Solo: Gordon Kennedy

THIS TIME

Words by David Meece & Michael Hudson
Music by David Meece
Copyright 1989 Meece Music (admin by) WORD Music & Ariose Music

The past is behind us, what has been now is gone
But right now is with us, and we must carry on
And when regret closes in
I don’t see what might have been
I see grace and I know whatever comes
He’ll make a way

This time
This is what counts
This is what our life is about
This time
No backwards glance
Now is the time
This is our chance to make this time, this time, this time
All that God wants it to be

Our sins lie behind us, all the weeds we have sown
How well they remind us, what we are on our own
But we are not on our own
God never leaves us alone
All our sins are forgiven
Every day we get to choose

This time
This is what counts
This is what our life is about
This time
No backwards glance
Now is the time
This is our chance to make this time,
this time, this time
All that God wants it to be

________________________

Guitar: Tom Hemby, Jerry McPherson

Keyboards (Fairlight Synclavier/Synth overdubbing) by Carl Marsh

Chopin Etude performed by David Meece

Arranged & Programmed by Carl Marsh

TO THE GLORY OF GOD

Words by David Meece & Michael Hudson
Music by David Meece
Copyright 1989 Meece Music (admin by) WORD Music & Ariose Music

For a while it was fine
Hearing the roar of the crowd
For a while it was mine
Flying up over the clouds

But then the sun melted my wings
Now I’m on my knees

To the glory of God
Next time I fly it will be
To the glory of God
I want me life just to be
To the glory of God

Once I used to ride off to war
There was glory to win
Thought I knew what it was for

But most of the battles were mine
Now so is the pain

To the glory of God
Next time I fight it will be
To the glory of God
I want me life just to be
To the glory of God

They say the man that finds
His life will lose it
Mine was slipping away
But oh the man that has the
Faith to lose it
Will find that his life is saved

To the glory of God
Next time I fly it will be
To the glory of God
I want me life just to be
To the glory of God

________________________

Bass: Jimmie Lee Sloas

Drums: Paul Leim

Guitar: Tom Hemby

Keyboards: Phil Naish, Shane Keister

BGV’s: Chris Harris, Kip Raines, Jimmie Lee Sloas

Percussion: Paul Leim

THE MAN WITH THE NAILSCARS

Words by David Meece, Dwight Liles & Michael Hudson
Music by David Meece
Copyright 1989 Meece Music (admin by) WORD Music & Ariose Music

There are roads that take you everywhere
But where you need to go
There are roads that don’t go anywhere
And one that leads you home

The way is rough and steep
But it’s the path to the One I seek
And I must go on

Shad-din-nah, Shad-din-nah, Shad-din-nah
His love is everlasting and His mercy never fails
Shad-din-nah, Shad-din-nah, Shad-din-nah
I’ll follow in the path of the Man
With the nail scars in His hands

There are times I feel I walk alone
In shadows of my doubt
There are times I fear I can’t go on
And strength is running out

But there upon my knees
His strength He freely gives to me
I stand by his power

Though the road is rough and steep
My heart can hear Him call to me
Follow Me, follow Me home

________________________

Keyboard Bass: Tommy Sims

Drums: Chris McHugh

Guitar: Gordon Kennedy

Keyboards: Shane Keister

BGV’s: Chris Eaton

THE REST OF MY LIFE

Words by David Meece & Michael Hudson
Music by David Meece
Copyright 1989 Meece Music (admin by) WORD Music & Ariose Music

Lord, Your mercy came and it made me sing
With all my heart
Blessed be the name of the One who brings
Such a fresh new start
Ah, now the air smells clean
And the grass looks green, the sky looks bluer
Than I have ever seen
You have made my sweetest dream come true

And I want to live for You
For the rest of my life, for the rest of my life
And I want to give to You
All the rest of my life, all the rest of my life

Lord, You’ve proved again You’re love extends
To the deepest need
When I hit the end You’re love begins
And from there you lead
Lead through an open door
To a golden shore a royal kingdom
Where my heart explores
And the more I learn the more I sing

And I want to live for You
For the rest of my life, for the rest of my life
And I want to give to You
All the rest of my life, all the rest of my life

________________________

Bass & Drums Programming: Shane Keister

Guitar: Tom Hemby

Keyboards: Shane Keister

BGV’s: The Kid Connection

Percussion -Toms & Cymbals: Chris McHugh

WHEN ALL COLORS TURN TO LOVE

Words by David Meece & Dwight Liles
Music by David Meece
Copyright 1989 Meece Music (admin by) WORD Music & Ariose Music

Born into war
We inherit the battles of generations past
What is it for
That’s the basic question we’re taught to never ask
But deep inside
It cannot be denied
And we hope for the day
Battle lines fade away

Chorus:

When all colors turn to love
There’ll be no dividing us
And all our flags will fly as one
May we live to see the dawn
When all colors turn to love
When all colors turn to love

Here in the light
Is this enemy a reflection of myself
Have I the right
To inflict another with all the fears I’ve felt
And could I be
Opposing one like me
One with wounds yet unhealed
With the same dream concealed

Chorus:

And deep inside
It cannot be denied
We all hope for the day
Battle lines fade away
And all mankind can say
We are one

Chorus:

________________________

Bass: Tommy Sims

Drums: Chris McHugh

Guitar: Gordon Kennedy

Keyboards: Shane Keister, Tommy Dorsey

BGV’s: Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Chris Harris

Percussion: Chris McHugh

Sitar: Gordon Kennedy

SOMEBODY’D CALLING YOUR NAME

There’s a flame that keeps burning

All thru the night

For those who will see

There’s a light that keeps searching

For those who are lost

On life’s empty street

Out on the wasteland

Where hearts have been brokenness

For those who have fallen and scared

Chorus:

Somebody’s calling our name

Oh can you hear Him

Can you hear Him

Somebody’s calling our name

Oh can you hear Him

Can you hear Him

He speaks softly

When the storm is raging

Just close your eyes tight

And see with your heart

Let the bitter wind keep on blowing

Just sail toward the light

To the harbor of His arms

There’s hope for the hopeless

Rest for the weary

Strength in our weaknesses

In His hands, His mighty hands

Repeat Chorus:

________________________

Bass: Mike Brignardello

Drums: Paul Leim

Guitar: Tom Hemby

Keyboards: Shane Keister, David Meece

BGV’s: Vickie Hampton, Chris Rodriguez, Kim Fleming