Canter Bridge

Twila Paris did not develop one of the most loyal fan bases in Christian music by blowing their ears off. If smoke is found on any stage on which Paris performs, it’s evidence of a short circuit rather than choreographed dry ice.

Ms. Paris is not spectacular. She is merely very, very good, song after song, one well-considered, hope-mongering tune after another.

Paris has sunk deeply into biblical faith and soaked there for a good long time before opening her mouth. The result is a superbly marinated feast for the soul. One can listen to a Paris album over and over again because the message is so profoundly rich.

This is no doubt what the singer of True North would want.

A gently self-deprecating lingering over grace seasons Paris’ vocal offerings. She has understood the idea of grace and by all accounts considered its many-hued beauty. The aesthetics of grace flow over into her music-making with organic ease:

All alone in my own self will
Old familiar story
So determined to try until I fail
You’ve been waiting as I learn again
Straining to the pressure
And you offer me a better way
Hear me pray
Hear me say

CHORUS:

I choose grace, I choose mercy
I choose love and all it means
I choose grace, cause I need the power
And I need to walk in humility
Just how often have I let You down
And all the hope around me
Break a gentle heart along with mine
You keep holding out Your arms again
Just the way you found me
And you carry me across another line
Hear me cry
No more pride

CHORUS

I am growing weary of this foolish independence
I reach out for grace and I will reach out to extend it
I will reach out
I will reach out?I will reach out

CHORUS

Teach me to walk in humility

Then, as though even this much focus on duty might become egocentric, she reverts on the following track to the imitatio christi:

He was a friend to sinners
He was a gentle man
Beautiful, humble master plan
His voice could pierce the darkness
Quiet an angry sea
I hear Him saying follow me
I look in your eyes and I tell you these things
But somehow I know that it’s hard to believe

Could you believe if I really was like Him
If I lived all the words that I said
If for a change I would kneel down before you
And serve you instead
Could you believe
He was the Lamb of mercy
Undying hope of men
Waiting for love to come again
He is the light of heaven
Radiant Prince of peace
I Hear him saying, “Follow Me”

I look in your eyes and I tell you these things
But somehow I know that it’s hard to believe
Could you believe if I carried my own cross
If I saw that the children were fed
If for a moment I held my opinion
And quietly led Could you believe
I am meant to be a pure reflection of the truth
So above it all I pray that I will not obscure the view
Could you believe if I stood here transparent
And through me you could see his eyes

It is one of Twila’s most passionate, interrogative, musical statements. And it is beautiful.

There is autobiography in the song. She cannot sing about grace in the abstract, but rather must tell the stories of those whose lives have known its imprint.

This includes her own:

Looking through this window pane
At the world nearby
I see nothing there but rain
Makes me want to cry

How did this circumstance find me
Hidden so safely here?
What have I done to deserve this truth and these tears?

I’m just wondering out loud
Underneath the blue and cloud
I don’t mean to draw a crowd
I’m just wondering out loud

Then again another day
Different point of view
Searching higher than before
This time I see You
How did this miracle find me?
Why do You know my name?
What have I done to deserve this love anyways?
You know I can’t say
I’m just wondering out loud
Could it be that I’ve been proud
Here beneath the blue and cloud
I’m just wondering out loud

Now I’m driving down the road
With great music on the radio
And a great big sun in the sky
It’s good to be alive
It’s good to be alive
And after this, we go to Heaven
After this, we go to Heaven

Can the joy of life be found in simple gratitude?
And is gratitude as simple as perspective?
I’m just wondering out loud
Underneath the blue and cloud
It may be that I’ve been proud
I’m just wondering out loud
I don’t mean to draw a crowd
These are things I think about
I’m just wondering out loud

I’ve been wondering out loud

Twila Paris’ unornamented voice weaves these tracks together into a coherent statement of deeply considered gratitude.

For grace.