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FamilyChristian.com: I read that you've started journaling.

Bryan: I did the journaling thing until I started doing the Nifty Noodle [newsletter on Bryand.com]. It's kind of turned into something of a journal. I must have three or four hundred entries in that. At some point, it comes down to getting outside of yourself and getting your eyes off of yourself and involving yourself in someone else's life.

FamilyChristian.com: That's a good point. When I think of Bryan Duncan, the record that comes to mind is Mercy, which is not an upbeat record, but has ministered to many, many people.

Bryan: It wasn't a fun time in my life either. But it sold very well. It was probably the best-selling record I've ever had. That's where most people are. I went to see The Lion King yesterday and they were trying to get him to go back and deal with something. And he said, "I'm not going to mess with that. That's all in the past." The monkey reaches out and whacks him on the head. He goes, "Ow! What did you do that for?" and he says, "It doesn't matter, it's all in the past!" I thought that was the greatest line in the whole movie. There's a point to that kind of stuff. But there's also a point to just going out and having a good time. You walk out of something like that and go, "Wow, that was great."

FamilyChristian.com: Twenty-three years into the songwriting process, where do you find inspiration?

Bryan: I always wonder that myself. It's kind of like wandering through the grocery aisle and you just pick a little bit of fruit off of this and that and you make your own salad. Inspiration is about staying well-read, continuing to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, dealing with your relationships with your loved ones and your not-so-loved ones, listening to music and seeing what other people are doing. Then you make your humble offerings and if you're fortunate, people will relate to it.

FamilyChristian.com: What is God teaching you now?

Bryan: This is what God is teaching me now: The valley of the shadow of death will always be the valley of the shadow of death and there's nothing to do there but fix your eyes on Christ and walk through it. It's painful. There are things in life that are painful and there are things in life that will probably never improve in this lifetime. It doesn't mean that you give up and become apathetic, but you start to understand that there's no way to eliminate all pain in your life. The pursuit of pain relief is usually what destroys us. I'm sure that there are theses written on that, but all I know is that I want aspirin for my headaches and whatever I need to get me out of this thing. I've understood that some days are just painful and some things have to be done whether you like it or not.

Lifting weights is not my idea of a good time, but it can be easier if you have a friend with you. So while he's calling you vanilla pudding, you can be pushing the weight a little more and telling him to stop making you laugh. The diversions in that way don't necessarily take you away from your work, but help you get through the work.

FamilyChristian.com: What have you learned through the process of making Joyride, which is obviously a very upbeat record?

Bryan: All I know is that every day of my life there's a tune flowing through my heart. Sometimes the notes are happy and sometimes they're sad and to be in tune with that is a great thing. It is a joyride—It's a chance to let the wind blow through your hair with the top down in the convertible. The Joyride project is more about being thankful to Jesus than anything that I've ever written, and it's less about trying to reach anybody or say anything particularly deep.

FamilyChristian.com: You have a duet with ShineMK on the Left Behind Soundtrack. Have you read any of the Left Behind books?

Joyride Bryan Duncan

Bryan: I have not. My wife has read every last one of them. In fact some of my neighbors who have not shown a real interest in Christ have been absolutely fascinated by the books. I grew up in a Pentecostal church and we certainly covered all the last days information down to the finest wire. I read the early story and The Late Great Planet Earth. I was actually alive in the days when A Thief In The Night came to our church about fifty times.

FamilyChristian.com: What are you reading?

Bryan: Ironically, I got stuck on the plane yesterday and I read The Old Man And The Sea. I read the whole book, because we were stuck on airplanes all day. That was a rare thing. My entire life has been completely absorbed in all things Christian and at some level, mentally and emotionally I just like to get out of the Christian mindset, just to find out what else is out there and to see what people think.

Jen Abbas, a writer in Grand Rapids, Mich., originally conducted this interview for Family Christian Stores' All Access music catalog.

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