My Redemption Story: A "New Song" from Then to Now (Birth of a New Road)

by Erick Duran Manard

"Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts" (Ps. 33:3).

Watch Erick's Video "Story" Here 

~ ~ ~

The Story of my Journey Begins with a Public Confession:

My mom always says, "Everybody's got their story." Well, I've got mine. My life fell apart from early 2020-'21: I experienced marital separation/divorce, COVID lockdowns, bankruptcy, job loss, living on unemployment, demonic oppression, suicidal ideations, months of debilitating gastric ulcers, and I nearly died with Pancreatitis with two weeks to live. Topping things off, I was diagnosed with Tinnitus--an inconvenience for a musician who needs his ears--along with cataracts in both eyes. Everybody's got problems. Just another challenge to conquer.

I was, quite literally, on my deathbed in June 14, 2020, facing the wall, with no hope and in "the abyss of despair." That night, Jesus came to me in my room, restored me to functional health, gave me a renewed spirit, and He began a path of deliverance for me thenceforth. His life became mine. For a year or so afterward, I had a lot of cobwebs to clear out, bad habits to overcome, destructive behaviors to conquer, resentments to work through, etc. It's called progressive sanctification, a marathon and not a sprint.

But I found with Jesus, there's no turning back because He's been able to gradually (and painfully) transform me from the inside out. In A Road without Any More Detours, I take a risk and put myself "out there" publicly, exposing my past and present sins, vulnerabilities, flaws, and weaknesses, but also exulting my victories and triumphs. Why so? I have a story worth sharing, and I can't keep quiet. Maybe someone else will resonate and be encouraged. By showcasing my story and struggles, I'm creating a human connection with listeners and spreading hope in a fallen world.

I'm certainly not proud of my past much less do I think I'm anybody special; but my story testifies of the manifest transformative deliverance Jesus has wrought in me, and His obligation rests on me to testify to "every creature." Listen, I was a former wretch, heretic, blasphemer, and immoral pervert with little self-control over his thoughts, behavior, and tongue. I've been on the opposite side of God, and I paid dearly. It's not worth it. The "pleasures" of sin last only for a season, then the baked-in consequences come due.

Trust me, reader, rebelling against God is never worth it, and you'll lose that fight every time. The most profound truth I've learned in life is that He is God and I'm not.

So, chickens came home to roost, as they say, from a lifetime of wayward living for self, without God in my thoughts. The waywardness had included several years of daily drunkenness, lifelong secret porn addiction, and decades of verbal abuse toward others without due regard for the wounds I inflicted. I still suffer from the physical afflictions, and battle the mental health effects, in the aftermath of those traumatic events beginning in 2020.

That's not to elicit sympathy, but simply to reiterate how there are consequences to sin, after all. Sin is ugly, and its fruit is death. The divine principles which govern God's universe can't be thwarted just because we ignore them, any more than I can ignore laws of gravity when stepping off the cliff and expect to stay floating in air. The laws will remain operative, ensuring I hit bottom. Newton was right, once again. So, I see how foolish I was all along by ignoring the obvious and being so arrogant to live as if God's laws won't affect me eventually.

God doesn't promise to remove all ramifications which may stem from our bad choices in life; but He does promise to turn all things for good and His glory (Rom. 8:28).

My Testimony to the World

The release of my testimony via this new record is proof of God's promise being fulfilled in me. I can take God at His Word, as consistently verified by real life experiences. Thus I write and sing. The result is A Road without Any More Detours.

Get FREE CD "A Road without Any More Detours" from Artist 

I was reborn a warrior for Christ on June 14, 2020, on a still summer's night. Today, I am a broken and humbled man, maybe even dysfunctional with tethered baggage; but I'm not destroyed nor defeated. I've been redeemed for this time and place. I am a work in progress, as we all are.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in [me] will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

I'm pressing forward in the journey, step by step! The underlying theme throughout my music is that if Jesus can redeem a former wretch like me, He can transform anyone into a renewed creation! There's always hope in Jesus! Praise His name!

About This Album

Two years in the making, this album, A Road without Any More Detours, chronicles my journey with Jesus in ten chapters (musical vignettes), an accurate and dramatic portrayal of my life's struggles and victories, while trodding that "narrow road" (Matt. 7:14) and stepping toward an "upward call," at the end of which is heavenly light and no more detours!

(Hence the album cover concept.)

I openly sing about my weaknesses and triumphs to testify of Jesus and so that Christ's power may rest on me (2 Cor. 12:9). This record is my joyful, visceral, and authentic testimony, while encouraging listeners to keep pressing forward no matter the detours ahead.

In this record, I take the listener on my journey as realistically as I can through symbology, orchestral elements, vividly descriptive lyrics, and cinematic sound effects.

For our travels shall include, but not be limited to: 

• battles with raging sea monsters...
• travel in a roaring car down long highways and winding detours on a night drive by radio's light...
• walk down chaotic city roads to hear the "street preacher"...
• navigate a ship with pirates and mariners on stormy tempests in "the perilous strait" near Mediterranean waters...
• attend my funeral on a rainy day next to tolling church bells while I'm delivering my own eulogy as a disembodied spirit...
• walk on water amidst crashing waves and boisterous winds...
• drive a plow with Elisha in the ancient biblical countryside...
• breathe the atmosphere in landscapes of Celtic flutes, Irish mandolins, and Scottish bagpipes...etc. 

The eclectic nature of my music reflects the eclectic nature of my life's journey. We shall together face our greatest fears and challenges--all the while clinging to courage and hope through every situation.

Sound like fun? Hop on board! Engage!

Get FREE CD "A Road without Any More Detours" from Artist 

What Is My Purpose Here?

So, why do I create this website and include personal videos, album documents, written synopses for each song, and linked videos with a Christian worldview? My greatest desire for both my music and this website is to leave behind a depository of legacy for my children and loved ones. I've collated everything in one "education station" which I feel is most essential to know about myself and the reason I create music; and, most importantly, about the truth of Jesus and Christian faith.

This website is perfect (and free) to remain as my desired legacy that should outlive me and accurately represent the redeemed man Jesus has made me to be because of my sufferings, losses, trials, and afflictions in this life, as I am finding out who I am in the journey. Please understand, this isn't so much about looking at "Erick," but rather at what Jesus has done through Erick to the praise of His glorious grace.

I want my authentic heart and soul, reflected in my art and in my testimony, to be public record for Jesus and plain to all, for I am not ashamed of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16). I wish for this site to continue speaking for me in Jesus' name after I've gone to be with Him in heavenly light. Thus my testimony exalting Christ shall continue and be accessible into perpetuity (or till Jesus returns).

My dying breath declares to all, "Jesus is Lord, whether you believe it or not. Believe the truth of the Gospel and be saved! Romans 10:9-10!" No, I am not ashamed of my Jesus, nor my Bible, nor my Christian faith.

"For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels" (Luke 9:26).

Nothing pretentious here. At least I'm authentic. This is a simple website shared by one person openly sold out to Jesus, and promoting my music that testifies of grace, power, joy, faith, and exalts the Spirit of Jesus in life's struggles and pain. My legacy should point others to the power and Gospel of Jesus--all Jesus, all the time.

Therefore, everything on this site--including unpublished demos and past works to chronicle my musical development as a steward of talents He's given me--is designed to exalt Christ as ultimate focus, and not to really promote my music as the end itself for myself. Who am I, after all? Christ is all in all.

My Music: A Hopeful Light to the World

My desire also is to add a personable touch and be accessible as an artist. I can be my folksy self, and not some self-glorifying narcissist constantly baiting for subs. I want to share my traumatic life-altering experiences with you, the listener, in a humble, meaningful, and faith-filled way--i.e., via musical art while optimizing technology like personal video uploads and cloud drives which provide ready access for anybody who has an interest in the conceptual material behind these songs.

My music is to be a light and testimony in a dark world of fallen and broken people who need the healing and redeeming power of Jesus. If anything I write or sing can be encouraging to somebody and used by the Holy Spirit for God's glory, my goal's achieved. All I can do is plant seeds. Another may harvest. The Lord works in all. I take no glory for anything. Apart from Jesus, I can do "nothing" of eternal value (Jn. 15:5). I'm simply a tool in the Potter's hands, a jar of clay.

Praise Music with an Edge

What does my music sound like? Myself, but if you think Petra with a prog rock element, this album may fall in that range. (I think Petra is awesome.) If King's X, Petra, and Alice Cooper made a record together, perhaps this album would approximate that result?

You listen and be the judge. I call it rock for the Rock.

Get FREE CD "A Road without Any More Detours" from Artist

Regardless, please don't miss the consistent message of hope in the music. I think of my art for Jesus as essentially praise music but with an edge, because my songs share an existentially relevant message while having one focus after all: "Jesus is Lord" (Rom. 10:9-10). Isn't that message and focus the essence of any praise music, regardless of genre?

"Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre [stringed instruments], with the [stringed instruments] and the sound of melody!" (Psalm 98:4-5)

There you have it! God approves songs with joyous shouts of melodious praises and accompanied by stringed instruments, with all focus on due worship of "the Lord." There's no message more existentially relevant than the duty to worship God for the God that He is. At bottom, just as it was for the ancient psalmist, that's the point of my music. If God approves it, He can use it. That's my hope.

This album, every song, therefore, is essentially praise music as defined by Scripture: joyously inspired noises and melodic compositions of praise, played with various strings, and offered up to the Lord as a spiritual sacrifice of thanksgiving and worship for all that He has done for me. Thus I will make noise inspired by joy, deliver shouts of praises, and melodiously pluck my strings while exalting the Lord above all.

I believe; thus I play, in Jesus' name!

That's my story in brief. Thank you kindly for your time and attention.

"The blessing is in the struggle, for in it we are finding who we are!"

~ ~ ~

May God's blessings see you prosperously forward in your detours ahead!

~Erick Duran Manard

("Shamrocker")

Release Day, 10/12/2024

Contact me freely