Q. You have a new solo worship album called The Road, plus you're touring with Superchick. You are very busy. I don't know many artists who have been able to keep up not only a budding solo career, but also that of their own band.
A. My record label signed me knowing that Superchick stays pretty busy and with the understanding that the two could help each other. I'm supporting the record and the show and talking about it with Superchick.
Q. How has the response been when you perform songs from The Road on stage with Superchick?
A. It's been so good. I think that there's been other times when Superchick has ended with a worship time, and we always get such a good response from people. Our show is a rock show and a ton of high energy. When we slow down and have some serious points, it really has an impact. So this song seems to connect. There's just something emotional about the lyrics, and I feel that people worship to it the first time around, which is just really, really cool.
Q. You've said that you're not leaving Superchick. So, what led you to do a solo project and more importantly a worship album?
A. I know it’s not what people expect. I grew up on hymns. So this album is a reflection of that. That was what was worshipful to me until I was 17. So I wanted to reflect that. Ultimately for me, this was a step of faith, because the last few years in our lives have been struggle after struggle. I start to feel like I am drowning in my sorrows, and then I see how so many of the guys who made it in the Bible talked candidly about these struggles that they were going through and they always pointed back to God. It’s all to bring Him glory. "I’ll go through this, and I can make it through." I love to see a person who is willing to share what’s going on in their life and not just say that everything is good and God is good. Here are the things going on in my life, but I'm holding on still and that’s what this is meant to be, an album of worship in a time when sometimes I fell. I still need to be rescued. Sometimes I’ve not seen that my prayer is answered in the last few years and I still see people struggling and struggling and barely making it. Holding on, but believing in God... that's such an inspiration to me.
Q. I was glad that you mentioned that. I thought about Beauty from Pain, which was a whole album that was mostly about rising above when the rug is ripped out from under you. Then, Rock What You Got still had the underdog theme. Then listening to this, I was thinking that someone needs to give Tricia a hug, because it sounds like there is so much going on and it’s been going on for years. But you're finding that worship is helping you through this.
A. I have to say that it’s been struggle after struggle in our lives. My husband’s mom is fighting cancer that just seems to keep coming back. My mom had a heart attack last year. I struggle for her and my dad and the stress on him. It’s just been like heaviness, one thing after another and it hasn’t really stopped. There are moments obviously of rest and I think God knows what we can handle. Sometimes, I think God thinks more of me than I do, because I don’t know if I can handle this much but He must think I can. I think that we all have to just cry out for help and admit that we need God and decide that we’re going to hold on to Him even when the world.
Q. How does praise help and heal through difficult times?
A. It's never wrong for me to reach for more of God. We forget when things are great, but when we’re at a broken place, we push towards Him. There’s an urgency for what can save you, what can rescue you and for Christians, we know that prayer and time with Him is going to be soothing to the soul. He knows that there’s times where I’ve been like, "I really don’t want to worship You". That’s awful and I hate to say that, but it’s the truth and He knows our hearts. We can still come to Him and say "I’m even kind of angry. I don’t get life. It doesn’t seem fair, but I’m afraid of life without You. So here I am." He’s so gracious that He accepts us that way.
We’re not meant for here. This is kind of a temporary little trip, a little vacation and then in Heaven, everything will be made whole.
Q. What do you want people to be able to take away from The Road when the listen to it?
A. I pray that people know whatever struggle they’ve been through or whatever place that’s broken inside of them, they can find some healing through it. It was able to get me through things that I had never been through. God sees us where we are. He brings us healing and meets us exactly when we need Him in the right way. He allows us to doubt Him and question Him, but really we have no right. He’s looking so much further ahead then we can see; He always does want the best for us.
