Becki Ryan has the heart of a worshipper, but it wasn't always worship first, as she shares in this very honest conversation with a passionate God-follower.
Becki Ryan's self-titled pre-release reveals a heart devoted to worship and the One we lift it to. Click here to read Suite's review of that stirring project.
Suite: Becki, because you knew in your heart from an early age that you wanted to pursue a singing career, you moved from your home near Seattle clear across country to Nashville right after high school. How hard was that for you to do at so young an age?
Becki: Well, first you must know… I was incredibly rebellious. I wasn’t walking with the Lord at all during those years. Yeah, I said I was a Christian, went to church, said the “right” things… but ultimately when it came down to it – I wanted success for myself. I was an ambitious driven teen who was after HER dreams. So in short, it wasn’t all that tough to move at all. I was on a mission. Little did I know that even when we are in the height of serving ourselves, the Lord is right beside us. He doesn’t leave us just because we don’t talk to Him any more. He’ll do anything to “woo” us back to Him. And that’s exactly what happened. The “woo,” as my husband and I like to call it, began! What a love story it has been ever since!
Suite: You were pretty successful in beginning a burgeoning career in commercial pop. When the Lord began to call you away to worship, was it a difficult choice to walk away?
Becki: Yes, I have been SO blessed by Him despite myself and all my flaws. I still can’t believe the things He’s allowed me to do, be a part of, and the people He’s put in my life to work with. All I can say is that it was seriously ALL Him. I couldn’t have orchestrated any of those things on my own. He allowed me to taste a bit of what I “thought” I wanted in life, only to realize just how miserable I was even in the midst of my “success.” I thought for sure I was done – music was over, at least on a professional level. That idea was very hard for me to swallow.
So there I was, at the top of my game, doing things people only dream of. I was married to most amazing man in the world (still am!), and I was terribly EMPTY. I knew that if I didn’t just stop, sit and wait on the Lord the rest of my life could end up just like that…Empty. I wasn’t willing to take that chance. So I stopped. I sat. I waited. For two long years.
It was during that time that I began to serve on the worship team. I must admit that after all that work in the secular music world, it seemed more like a “demotion” than a life passion to join the worship team. Oh, how wrong I was! All I can tell you is this: I’ve never been so at peace, so happy, so overjoyed in all my life. Sure I was confused and even a bit frustrated at times. I didn’t have a clue what was next for me as far as music was concerned, or even if music was to be part of my life. But I learned at that time just how WORTH it Christ was to me. He became my EVERYTHING.
Suite: What have you enjoyed most in the past three years of serving as a worship leader in your church?
Becki: The authentic freedom in worship. I’ve grown up in the church. I never understood what TRUE worship was until I started serving on the worship team. The worship leader Jess Cates at our church is one of the most anointed worshippers I’ve ever met.
This is where I learned that to truly be a great worship leader… the congregation must NEVER see me. My goal should be that they only see my dust as I sprint to the cross in worship. For I have NOTHING to offer them. Only Jesus can take them there. I’m just excited to be in the race along side of them!
Suite: What would be your greatest dream or hope for your first full length album?
Becki: That hearts would change, that lives would change all for one cause: Jesus.
Suite: What songwriter would you most love to co-write with? Your wildest dream co-writer?
Becki: That is a tough one. Because I’ve been so blessed to write with such talented people. Paul Duncan, and Jess Cates are some of the most gifted writers I’ve ever met. I can’t believe I got the opportunity to write with them… and that they hung in there with this rookie!
So I would have to say, I would love to someday write with Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Charlie Hall, Michael Ferrin, Ed Cash, and although she doesn’t write music, I would love to write with Beth Moore. Those are just a few I can think of. Really I would just LOVE to meet other worshippers who desire the same thing: to worship Him in each and every song we attempt to write!
Find out more about Becki Ryan at her website, and look for her upcoming debut from Eb+ Flo Records.
