I wanted to give this some time to sink in. It's really beautiful, Michele. This is very good! It coheres nicely around the theme of God's building his kingdom in small, unexpected ways--including, of course, choosing to use us to fulfill God's plan. One of my favorite songs is "More." First, I like its connection to the title track... I see what you mean when you say that the songs should be heard in a specific order. But when you turn it around to yourself--"I want to be more than I am, too"--it's deeply moving.
In fact, the songs that speak to me the most are the ones on which you're most vulnerable, when you make that explicit connection between the scripture and your life: "my little world is so small these days," etc. Who in ministry cannot relate to "You Know Who I Am"? I love the repetition of the "if" statements followed by, "What is it to me?" Good, powerful message. My favorite song right now is the last one. Of course, any song that begins, "There's a certain amount of happiness in being unhappy," is onto something!
You have a good ear for a tune. These vocal melodies are strong. And I like your voice. It sounds a bit like Patti Smith to me--which is a high compliment!
A simple piano, bass, guitar, and drums would suit many of these songs. Regardless, the production is never distracting, and heaven knows I have quirky tastes when it comes to these things.
I hope you feel very pleased with this album. I look forward to hearing more.
Rev. Brent L. White (pastor, singer/songwriter, musician) (Aug 28, 2009)