It’s disorienting when your theological framework—once solid, certain, and safe—no longer fits the reality you're living in.
It’s taken me years to recognize how deeply the performance-based theology of my youth shaped my thinking — not just spiritually, but socially and creatively, too. I don’t think that was anyone’s intention. It was just…
“I’m going to start with this: I’m on my journey. I’ve not landed. I’m still moving forward. It’s okay if you disagree with me (if you leave comments, please disagree civilly).”
We’ve talked about letting go of certainty, valuing experience over persuasion, and experiencing creativity as spiritual practice. So what now?
In previous entries, I unpacked how I let go of certainty, how I began to value credibility over charisma, and how I came to terms with not always “knowing.” Today’s post is about something softer — how I started to rediscover God… not in doctrine, but in creativity.
Rehearsal = Preparation; Preparedness = Technical Success
In Part 1, we talked about how not everything is meant to persuade. In Part 2, we talked about how “credibility” is often quieter (and more reliable) than confidence. Now, I want to talk about what happens when certainty becomes a trap — and how I started to claw my way out.
Remember your "vision statement"? I'm going to be alluding to that a lot, so hold it close! I've found that if I'm able to implement my "vision statement" into my day to day life, it makes implementing it on stage easy.
Last week, we talked about how not everything is meant to persuade — and how lived experience should speak louder than a well-argued thesis. This week, I want to talk about credibility.
You are a communicator. Let that sink in for a second.
Not everything we write needs to persuade. That’s a thought that’s been ringing in my ears lately…
Before upgrading your guitar rig, put in the hours. Why practice matters more than pedals — and how to earn your dream gear the right way.
The blog is back! Let’s talk music.
It’s been a minute since I’ve published here, but somehow, people kept finding this blog. That tells me something important:
Music creators, listeners, and curious minds are still searching for depth, nuance, and something real.
So here we are. The Listening Room is back, and this time, it’s not just a blog. It’s a place for:
🎵 Behind-the-scenes process and production
🎤 Thoughts on creativity, practice, and performance
💡 Tips for sync licensing, DAWs, and digital tools
💬 Reader and viewer questions (from TikTok, Instagram, YouTube & more)
🧠 Niche ideas that don’t quite fit anywhere else — but matter
Who’s this for?
Musicians learning their craft
Listeners curious about how the sonic sausage gets made
Fellow creators trying to navigate the modern music world
Anyone who loves to geek out about sound, process, or purpose
What to expect
It’s still me writing the posts and coming up with the ideas, but with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence, posts won’t be overly polished or bloated with jargon. I’d rather be clear than clever.
I’ll aim for consistency over perfection. I’ll answer questions you actually ask.
And I’ll keep it honest.
If you’re new here, welcome.
If you’re returning, thank you for sticking around.
And if you’ve got a burning question… LET’S HEAR IT!
Welcome to The Listening Room. Let’s press play.
The most frustrating part about being an independent musician in 2018 is that you don't just get to be a musician... Instead, you get to be a player in what I'm going to refer to as "The Game".
Finding thanks in the good isn't too difficult, but finding thanks and gratefulness in the midst of the bad and the ugly can be a bit more challenging.
Happy Halloween! WATCH The Great Pumpkin Perform His Waltz!
![So Ya Thought Ya Might Like Ta Go To the Show... [Gripe Post]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55c50cb5e4b04683999e88cc/1508174531319-BWGDNLXSAJBORVFNFWXT/e3e12886c4e2a4ab7e3f389daa529465--rock-posters-concert-posters.jpg)
*Trying to buy tickets for a show in KC*
FRIDAY! EXCELLENT!
