Chapter 1

I’ll Follow You

I found a small café by the ocean.
It was midday, so I ordered toast and a smoothie for lunch as I stared into the cloudy horizon.
In the springtime, nature always shows us what it looks like to transition from old to new, from rest to awakening, from death to life.
I noticed it more this year because it was my turn to shed old ways, old friends, and an old place I’d called home that was thousands of miles away from here. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
While listening to the ocean waves, I overheard footsteps coming from behind me.
It was two young ladies.
They asked if they could sit with me at my table.
I nodded my head and told them “yea”, and we all had lunch together.
We talked about life, how they were both illustrators at the local university wondering what life has in store for them next, and how I was also an artist, a musician rather, wondering what’s to come next for me.
I engaged with one of them more.
She talked about her style of art. I talked about my style of music.
Our conversation settled down so I could let the two ladies talk more to each other while I turned to the ocean to secretly talk with God.

After a couple minutes, I turned to the young lady I was engaging with earlier. Before leaving, I wanted to have one more brief convo. I told her I wasn’t from this town, I’d made all of my social media private, and I would be starting my life over somehow, somewhere, someday, as somebody new.
She replied,
“Me too.”
I asked her,
“Would you like to create art with me?”
She tore off a page of her notebook, grabbed a pen, and wrote down her contact information.

I messaged her sometime later explaining that the “new me” would be a man committing himself to Jesus (Galatians 2:20), and my artistic efforts from now on would be focusing on glorifying Him. (Colossians 3:16-17) I further explained how I didn’t want this artistic creation to interfere with her beliefs and how it was OK for her to choose not to participate.
She replied,
“I’d be more than honored to illustrate a cover for you!!”
I sent her a sample of an unfinished beat that was inspired by my decision to follow Christ.
I told her,
“You have freedom to draw whatever you feel.”
For a month, we went back and forth showing each other the evolution of our art. By giving her the freedom to illustrate what she chooses and by talking with God before playing each melody, I practiced something I haven’t done in a long time; completely surrendering. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

My melodies changed over time with each version of the beat I sent to her. Her art changed over time. She told me she had a bit of a struggle to find the right creation that satisfied her.
I replied,
“Me too.”
It was a vulnerable experience for both of us, especially as strangers.

I settled on one of my simpler versions of the beat to be the final product. It was soulful, kinda eclectic. She captured the beach vibes of the beat with her imagery, drawing a man and a woman facing the ocean, staring into the horizon.

We shared a moment, then parted ways.