"Let Your River Flow"
Gregory Paul Smith
Words & Music by Gregory Paul Smith

ALL THAT I HAVE ALL THAT I AM I GIVE TO YOU
JUST TAKE MY SOUL AND SET ME FREE
I WANT TO FEEL YOUR HEALNG SPIRIT
MAKE ME NEW
SO LIKE A RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME

LET YOUR RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME
LET YOUR RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME
LET YOUR SPIRIT PURIFY UNTIL
THERE’S ONLY YOU INSIDE
LET YOUR RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME
LET IT FLOW THROUGH ME

AND SO I TAKE THIS ROAD AHEAD
AND FOLLOW YOU
THIS CROSS I BEAR WAS YOURS BEFORE
I’LL CARRY ON AND LOOK TO YOU IN ALL I DO
TO LET YOUR RIVER FLOW ONCE MORE to Chorus…

LET YOUR RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME
LET YOUR RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME
LET YOUR SPIRIT PURIFY UNTIL
THERE’S ONLY YOU INSIDE
LET YOUR RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME
LET IT FLOW THROUGH ME

(8 bar interlude)

LET YOUR RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME
LET YOUR RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME
LET YOUR SPIRIT PURIFY UNTIL
THERE’S ONLY YOU INSIDE
LET YOUR RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME
LET YOUR RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME
LET YOUR SPIRIT PURIFY UNTIL
THERE’S ONLY YOU INSIDE
LET YOUR RIVER FLOW THROUGH ME
LET IT FLOW THROUGH ME

(4 bar Outro)

Cover Letter

In John chapter 7, Jesus said, "‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.”

In his new single, “LET YOUR RIVER FLOW,” singer and songwriter Gregory Paul Smith writes, “All I have, all that I am, I give to You / Just take my soul and set me free / I want to feel Your healing Spirit make me new / So like a river flowing through me / Let Your river flow through me / Let Your Spirit purify til there’s only You inside / Let Your river flow through me.”

Jesus promises that we will never be thirsty, that the flow of His Spirit will run through our lives each day. But we can stop the flow of God’s living water through disobedience, or just plain apathy. This new single from Greg is a great prayer that should be on our lips each morning opening the floodgates and allowing God to flow in and through us so we can live life to the fullest and touch the world around us.

Okay…I’ll stop preaching (I’m a preacher’s kid so it can come rather naturally at times) but you get the message. Now here’s your chance to share this message with your listeners when you add “LET YOUR RIVER FLOW” from Gregory Paul Smith.

This is a wonderful song in the same vein as his Top 10 “I Can Begin Again” and Top 20 single “I Can See Beyond Tomorrow.” It has a great sound that should work well for all Inspirational and Soft AC stations. And, once again, there is a special feeling of honesty and vulnerability in Greg’s music that will touch your listeners where they live today.

Give “LET YOUR RIVER FLOW” from Gregory Paul Smith a listen RIGHT NOW. We are going for your IMMEDIATE ADD and IMPACT!
 

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Biography

Sometimes the most meaningful art can come from life’s most tumultuous storms, which Gregory Paul Smith can cite through a season of internal wrestling, outward struggle and eventual resolution. Even though the singer/songwriter found an elixir in a pen and pad (along with countless prayers) he’s been moved much more by the tangible impact his honesty and vulnerability has on listeners all across America.

“In concert, I talk about how God can take situations that are unbelievably challenging, lead us to the point of brokenness and then turn it all into a very strong positive,” says the Kansas bred tunesmith. “It’s amazing how much people can identify with that idea and I can actually see it in their eyes as I’m performing. No matter how difficult your experience, God can bring about a joy and peace that’s unimaginable. I wouldn’t have thought I could get through the trials and dark times I experienced, but He’s seen me through.”

While the burgeoning troubadour admits experiencing multiple emotions like doubt, despair and even a sinking self-esteem, that questioning has all been erased by the embrace of God’s unconditional love on the subsequent musical outpouring I CAN LIVE AGAIN. However, his confidence and ear pleasing experience only came after a total surrender of the fragile situation.

“I accepted the Lord at age 14, but spent many years making my own decisions,” he explains. “When those choices led to failure, I began to get very angry with God and I spiraled into a phase of inner turmoil and utter despair. But I remember very clearly falling on my knees, shouting out to God and praying for Him to take away my feelings of worthlessness. And through a period of several days, it was seriously supernatural how He began to lift me out of my misery and bring a silver lining into all of this.”

Never a stranger to artistic expressions with previous time spent as a Junior College All-American Jazz trombonist, a stint fronting Christian rockers the Mars Hill Band and even a period of singing lead with the southern gospel quartet Calvary Echoes, Smith returned to the outlet he knew best. After his restoration with the Lord, his passion for music came back at full force and he began exploring various production options. After sending out some demo packages with his long time friend, business partner and executive producer health Bechler, the folks at the lauded Creative Soul Records came calling and a trip to Nashville to meet with one of the label’s top behind the board’s talents was right around the corner.

The main portion of Smith’s pilgrimage to Music City revolved around setting up shop in the studio with producer Eric Copeland (Kristyn Leigh, Brett Rush) along with a cast of A-list sessions players. His band included bass player Matt Pierson (Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith), drummer John Hammond (Russ Taff), guitarist Tom Hemby (The Imperials) and highly sought after keyboardist Jason Webb.

“For about the first ten minutes, it was a little intimidating, but once the process got going, it became very comfortable,” Smith uncovers. “We were all on the same page in so many instances and everyone was such a pro with the best attitudes you could imagine.”

The fruitful sessions were influenced by a wide swath of influences, from old school contemporary Christian favorites The Imperials and Steve Green, to the current class’ Jeremy Camp and Casting Crowns, plus perennial favorites like Steven Curtis Chapmen, The Eagles, Bryan Adams and the David Crowder Band.

As for the message, the title cut is replete with the aforementioned concepts, citing Smith’s own ordeals, along with David’s redemptive path throughout the Psalms. “Broken” contains equally weighty subject matter, but adapts a fairly light hearted, breezy demeanor as it speaks of complete concession. Additional mending comes through an uplifting cover of the classic praise reflection “Solid Rock,” which again cements the idea of relinquishing control from life’s stresses and laying them on an alter of spiritual abundance. There’s also been significant response from “Beyond Tomorrow,” a track about living each moment to the fullest without fretting about the next.

“Everybody has their own problems that they can reference and apply to this song,” smith cites of the latter. “With me, it got to the point where I couldn’t continue on my own and I began to experience what Christ has to offer. In doing so, I quit worrying about what I can’t control. Instead of living on day or even one hour at a time, I literally live out every moment at a time as I try my best to serve Him.”

With that in mind, Smith isn’t all that concerned with laying out a master plan or charting a strategic course of promotion action for I CAN LIVE AGAIN. Even with touring as an inevitable choice that will continue into the new year at a feverish pace, the troubadour makes it clear he’s not interested in amassing recognition, but rather making a personal connection with everyone he encounters along the way.

“I have a real heart to present where I’ve been and all that God is currently doing in me, but also to listen to people’s problems and be a listener long after the concert is over,” he adds. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a coffee shop, youth rally, pastor’s conference or just any concert. I want to meet people where they’re at and communicate Christ to them in any way I can.”

“…That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…that you may be filled with the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17, 19
 

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Extras

VIDEO
"Let Your River Flow" LIVE @ GMA
From the 3rd annual Creative Promotions GMA
Dinner and a Song

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