John Waller [As For Me And My House]
Posted April 26, 2011
By KevinDavis_NRT, Staff Reviewer
From his early days leading the critically acclaimed band According to John to his impactful ministry as a solo artist, John Waller has continually used his gifts as a singer and songwriter to inspire, educate and encourage the body of Christ. With such powerful songs as “The Blessing” and “While I’m Waiting,” from the motion picture "Fireproof," Waller is back with a brand new collection of Scripture-based songs and declaration-style anthems designed to inspire listeners to fight the good fight of faith. Waller articulates what it means to live a God-centered life in a turbulent world. As For Me and My House is a potent collection of songs buoyed by Waller’s insightful songwriting and compelling voice. “The title track is, to me, the heart of this record,” Waller says of “As For Me and My House,” which joyfully declares “we belong to the Lord, and we will not give our hearts to another.” For sure, the title track, based on Joshua 24:15 is one of the stand-out songs of the year and as a husband and father of three young daughters, I have personally signed the Joshua 24:15 declaration on John’s website: http://johnwallermusic.com.
The album opens with the anthemic “Our God Reigns Here,” a song Waller felt strongly about revisiting from the his previous album, which is direct spiritual warfare. “Yes” is a sonically vibrant song that reverberates with the truth of God’s goodness and positive touch on our lives. “Because God is Good” is a celebration of the Lord’s grace and sovereignty. “Every believer that I know can relate to the fact that life doesn’t go the way we plan it all the time,” Waller says, “but the Bible promises all things work for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Things have not gone the way I thought they would go, but God has always been good to me. It’s because God is good that sometimes life doesn’t go the way we want it to go. It’s because of His goodness that He spares us from going the way we think things should.” Waiting on the Lord has been a theme in all of John’s albums. His faithfulness and commitment to write and sing songs based on his personal experiences makes him one of the most relatable artists I’ve ever heard.
“Man of the Valley” is a poignant song about the challenges that help us grow. Among the album’s many highlights is “The Marriage Prayer,” a beautiful duet featuring John’s wife Josee. “She’s always sang with me and when we lived in Colorado, she was on my worship team. She’s done backup vocals on my records, but this is her debut singing her own,” Waller says of the song. “Somebody Else’s Story” is a tender prayer that captures Waller’s heart for sharing Jesus with others as he sings “I want to be a part. I want to be a part of somebody else’s story, somebody else’s story of redemption. I want to be the one to shine the light of Jesus into their darkness. Lead me to that someone I pray. Lord I want to bring You glory.”
The messages of the album are all extremely biblical and uplifting. Every song seems to have lyrics that come straight from The Bible. For example, “Count It All” is based on Philippians 3:8: “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowingChrist Jesus my Lord.” That type of Biblical Truth is throughout the album, especially in songs like “As For Me And My House,” Yes” and the worshipful closing song “Bless Us And Keep Us.”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
This is a great adult contemporary worship album. If you like Steven Curtis Chapman, Casting Crowns and MercyMe, then you should really enjoy John Waller. If you like the song “While I’m Waiting,” then you’re in for a real treat with the entire album. Musically, I feel that the album is a slight step up, in particular with the songs “Our God Reigns Here,” “Yes,” “Because God Is Good,” and “The Marriage Prayer” which are my other favorite songs on the album in addition to the title track, which is an amazing song. As For Me And My House will have you singing along in praise to our Savior! View All Music And Book Reviews By KevinDavis_NRT | View KevinDavis_NRT's Profile
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