Way Beyond Myself

I don't know why, but I thought it seemed appropriate to have a different post explaining the title of my blog.

Anywho, ever heard of the band Newsboys? Well, 'Way Beyond Myself' is a song on their newest album, the one with the new lead singer (the guy from dcTalk whose name I can't remember)... it's a good album, but this song is my favorite. You'll have to look it up, it's a song that really gets me pumped up for God.

One of my favorite things to do is listen to and interpret music. I really love a song with good lyrics, and if it's got a good rythym, that's even better. So I'm going to recite the lyrics and give an interpretation, even if you look up the song yourself.

The song starts out:
"I've been thinking it's about time,
to win the war that fights against all these lies invading my mind.
You have brought me to my senses.

Even though you built this world to shake,
you still love me in a personal way.
So I think it's time to leave my doubt behind."

{Interpretation:
Well, every time I interpret a song it's different depending on my mood and what I've been going through recently. The first time I ever heard this song I was struggling a lot with the whole God thing. I'm the type of person who thinks too much, and sometimes I overthink things, making them more complex than they really are. So at the time I was having a lot of doubt in God, whether He existed, what I was really supposed to feel in my relationship with him, all that kind of stuff. And then I heard this song, and that line "to win the war that fights against all the lies invading my mind." That really hit me. That was exactly what I was feeling, overwhelmed and confused by this whole issue. The lyrics go on to say "Even though you built this world to shake, you still love me in a personal way." This is so true, even if you don't feel yet, or are still doubting me, it's true. God loves you in a way that no one else ever will. Even though I had my doubts, I was sure I believed, and just the idea that God loves me that way gave me the hope and motivation to keep trying.}

Next part:
"There's so much more than meets the eye of what's going on inside,
I believe in something way beyond myself.
Like the wind that moves the leaves,
Lord, you move me to my knees
Giving in to something way beyond myself
I'm giving in to something way beyond myself."

{Interpretation:
This is the chorus, but my favorite part of the song. There is so much more than what meets the eye. And this can be interpreted in a lot of ways. For me, I thought there is so much going on inside of me, and no one can tell. Some things good, some things bad. (But that leads to a different story to be told later.) When I first heard this song I wasn't feeling the inspiration to worship and believe like the lyrics suggest, but the more I listened to the song and the more I began to build my faith, the more the lyrics move me.}

Continued:
"Oh, the way we build our empires
hoping to impress our friends
we've forgotten how to inspire
those who fall to rise again

Oh my God you built this world to shake,
you still love me in a personal way
so I think it's time to leave my doubt behind

*Chorus*"

{Interpretation:
The 'empires' the Newsboys are talking about here are not the kingdoms you may first think of. No, the empires are something everyone has, something that is different for each person. It can be your new car, your iPod or even your boyfriend/girlfriend. Something near and dear to our hearts that we want everyone to know about and show off. Maybe it's even in the place where God should be. And the part about how forgetting to inspire... It seems that we get so carried away in life, as Christians we forget how we're supposed to be living our lives and being Christ-like examples for others. Well, I'm about to get carried away with this verse, so I may save the idea for a different post. Anyways, even though we act like this and maybe replacing God with something or someone else, He still loves us in that personal way.}

Last Verse:
"Storms are going to come my way I know
some things are out of our control
but there's a hope beyond myself

It's you, and you will never let me go
and now I want my life to show
and you got me thinking beyond myself
way beyond myself

*Chorus*"

{Interpretation:
As I think about what to write for this verse, I realize it's probably the most important. The storms are an obvious metaphor for everything that will challenge us in our lives and our faith. We can't control what will happen, but we can look to the one hope we have - God. And He will always be there for us, and still love us. The verse goes on, 'I want my life to show, and you got me thinking way beyond myself.' No longer are we selfish, but thinking about others, and I realize I've reached the level the last verse is asking us to go. Thinking beyond ourselves to share and help others meet God.}

Haha, well, you were spared the essay length interpretations I'm sure I could come up with. And maybe later on I'll go further in depth with this song, but hopefully this has given you a glimpse what this blog will be about. I'm still working on my faith, but I want to help others find theirs. And help them think beyond themselves, just as I am.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-C_ug44siA&feature=related