KANSAS
CITY, Mo. -- Balancing college classes, a passion for music, and
married life is never simple, but 2007 Burlington High School graduate
Jason Waller is up to the challenge. Waller, an avid singer and
songwriter, was married in June and attends Midwestern Baptist College
in Kansas City, Mo. He recently released his first collection of songs,
Made New EP. “EP” stands for Extended Play--not quite a full album,
traditionally containing four to six tracks.
“For
as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed listening to music,” Waller
said. “I didn’t become interested in making music until four years ago,
when I bought my first acoustic guitar.” He admits he didn’t originally
intend to pursue music. “I bought a guitar to learn how to play and
sing songs to girls. But within two months, God saved me and I started
writing and even recording my own songs within the year.”
Waller’s
passion for God, in addition to the urging from his cousin and best
friend, Joel Dale, led him to start playing for other people. His first
experience was at Brothers and Sisters in Christ (BASIC), an
organization for Burlington High School students. “I was so nervous
that my hands were shaking when I started playing and I can remember my
voice cracking at one point. It truly is humbling to see God use
someone like me,” Waller said.
Following
his first performance, Waller began practicing several hours a day,
sometimes until his fingers bled. He was involved with the worship team
for a local youth group. After graduating in 2007, Waller began
attending Emporia State University. Despite moving away from a lot of
his friends and family, he found the experience to be beneficial.
“When
I wasn’t surrounded by people I knew really well and who I could count
on, I honestly felt weak,” he said. “During those times God helped me
understand that His grace is enough for me, no matter how I might feel
at that time. It caused me to rest on His power and not my own, which
in return showed me what it meant to be a humble servant.”
In
creating his EP, Waller admits the most difficult part was not writing
lyrics, chords, or melodies. “When I start to write a song, everything
just seems to fall into place. The tricky part is recording,” he said.
After recording his first song, “Who Is This Man,” with the help of a
friend at ESU, Waller taught himself how to record.
“It
was a difficult, timely process that included a bunch of retakes and
skipping a few meals, but all in all I am so glad I was able to record
it myself,” he said. “I learned so much about recording equipment and
computer recording programs in the process. I don’t always have the
necessary skills or equipment to get the quality of sound I would like,
but by the grace of God, I finished recording my last song, ‘Made New,’
in July,” he said.
All
of the songs on the Made New EP are originals. “I believe that when
people write songs, they write them about what they enjoy,” Waller
said. “When I became a believer in Jesus Christ, I wanted to write
songs about the work He did for me on the cross. I wanted to glorify
God in Jesus Christ because praising him has become my joy.”
Waller’s
title track, “Made New,” is an echo of 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new
has come!”
When
it comes to the songs themselves, Waller said his favorite is “Jesus
Loves.” The lyrics plainly display the message of the gospel of Christ.
“It shows us the state we are in apart from Christ, and it says what
Christ did in the midst of our condition,” said Waller. “The lyrics
explain that: ‘Broken, sick depraved; I was lost without a way, but You
saved me. You took the cross upon yourself, and now I live in sickness
or in health just to praise You.’”
Waller
believes his CD has something for everyone. “I’m not specifically
trying to reach a certain audience, but rather those who are broken and
in need of a savior,” Waller explained. “My vision for the listeners of
this CD is that they would find their utmost joy in Jesus Christ and
would make Him supreme in all areas of their lives.”
At
the end of the day, Waller finds support from his wife, Lauren. “She
has helped humble me when I get caught up in logistical things like the
quality of my sound or equipment,” he said. “She points me to the
object and purpose of my singing, writing, and faith: Jesus Christ.”
(i'm a musician too..)
