The OTHER Nathan Lee

While it's always fun to give a shout out to my friend and fellow blogger Nate Lee, he will be the first to admit that a gentle lesson in humility never hurts. Which means he won't mind being reminded that he is not the most famous Nathan Lee hounding the internet these days! While packing to return to the States, I heard this song playing on my mother-in-law's CD player in the family room. Nathan Lee's backstory is powerful: after building a successful six-figure painting business, he found himself living on the street and re-converted to his life-long love of music. A self-described prophet for the broken, Lee is also wildly popular in many Christian music circles. These tracks are taken from his break-out album, "Risk Everything," which resonates with me after hearing a sermon by the Malaysian Lutheran pastor Rev. Sivin Kit yesterday that riffed on Mike Yaconelli's call to "leap first, fear later." Admittedly, Lee's Bruce Springsteen routine borders on what my friend Brian Johnson affectionately calls "wuss rock," and his take on faith and brokenness is far more Luther than Calvn, but despite its derivativeness, these tunes provided water in a thirsty time. I pray they might serve you the same way.

"STILL"
C. 2006 NATHAN LEE / PAUL MOAK

PARTS OF ME ARE BROKEN
PARTS OF ME ARE WHOLE
PARTS OF ME ARE OPEN
AND SOME I JUST DON’T KNOW
I’M OUT HERE IN NOWHERE
AN EMPTY ROAD AHEAD
ITS HARD TO START WALKIN’
BUT I CANT STAY WHERE IVE BEEN

SO I WILL WALK UNTIL ITS OVER
I WILL CRY UNTIL IM DRY
I WILL SEARCH FOR THE ANSWERS
BUT I WILL NOT BE STILL

PROSTITUTES AND PORN STARS
PROPHETS, PRIESTS AND KINGS
THEY SIT AROUND MY TABLE
AND SELL ME ALL MY DREAMS
NO ONE REALY KNOWS ME
PERHAPS NOT EVEN I
BUT I SURE AS HELL CANT STAY HERE
CUS’ THIS AINT NO WAY TO DIE

THIS IS MY CONFESSION
MY REPENTANCE AND MY PRAYER
CUS’ WE ALL WAKE UP
WITH OUR OWN CROSS TO BARE
IF MAYBE TOMORROW
I SEE YOU ON THIS ROAD
COME WALK BESIDE ME
FOR YOU ARE NOT ALONE

"BLEEDING BLACK"
C. 2009 NATHAN LEE / BRAD WARREN / BRETT WARREN

GO ON AND RISK LOVE
GO ON AND RISK TIME
WALK THE PATH THAT’S HARDER
GO ON AND RISK IT ALL

NO TELLING WHAT YOU’LL FIND
IF YOU’RE WILLING TO WANDER
RISK A PAINFUL CONVERSATION
GO ON AND RISK IT ALL

FOR ITS THERE I FOUND THE WATER
I’M NEVER LOOKING BACK
FOR NOW I CRY IN WHITE
I'M NO LONGER BLEEDING BLACK

THERE AINT NO EASY WAY AROUND
YOU GOTTA’ BE WILLING TO FALL
ITS ONE THING TO WANT TO
ITS ANOTHER TO RISK IT ALL

OH THE MEMORIES I’VE MADE
FINDING MY WAY HERE
WELL I HAVE RISKED IT ALL
I HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO FEAR

"BRING DOWN THE FIRE"
C. 2008 / NATHAN LEE

IT AINT FAITH UNTIL YOU JUMP
IT AINT FAITH TILL’ THE 11TH HOUR
IT AINT FAITH UNTIL YOU’VE LOST YOUR WAY
IT AINT FAITH UNTIL IT BURNS LIKE FIRE
IT AINT FAITH UNTIL YOU’RE OUT OF ANSWERS
IT AINT FAITH UNTIL YOU’VE GOT NO PLAN
IT AINT FAITH UNTIL YOUR STANDING IN THE MIDDLE
OF WHAT YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND

SO BRING DOWN THE FIRE
SHOW ME THAT KINDA’ FAITH
BRING DOWN THE FIRE
SHOW ME THAT KINDA’ FAITH
BRING DOWN THE FIRE
SHOW ME THAT KINDA’ FAITH
SHOW ME THAT KINDA’ FAITH
BRING DOWN THE FIRE

IT AINT FAITH UNTIL YOUR LAST BREATH
IT AINT FAITH UNTIL YOUR LAST CENT
IT AINT FAITH UNITL YOU GET THERE
IT AINT FAITH UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
IT AINT FAITH UNTIL ITS TOTALLY QUIET
AND YOU QUESTION WHERE YOU STAND
IT AINT FAITH UNTIL YOU’RE IN THE MIDDLE
OF WHAT YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND