Music for the Christian Warrior
Original music by James A. Hronchek & Chandra L. Hronchek
Album: You Are My Friend
Song Title: You Are My Friend
©1993 James A. Hronchek & Chandra L. Hronchek
CCLI Address: 1933862
Album Back-Story
You Are My Friend is a collection of songs in which we explored relationships – from the relationship with God to the relationship with your spouse, and from the relationship with your mother to the relationship with someone you might not even know.
We were young at the time – young in ministry, and with a young family. We especially wanted to explore friendships. This album was actually written with our friends in mind. It was never offered for sale, but we made a limited number of copies and gifted them to our friends to help let them know how special we thought they were.
This was the first album that we recorded in our own studio. The music was written and arranged, and all of the instrumental and vocal parts were done by Jim and myself. Jim was also the studio engineer and used a small eight-track recorder.
This was also the first time that we used the donkey image as a visual representation of Music for the Christian Warrior. Why a donkey? In the book of Numbers, chapter 22, God reprimands Balaam by allowing a donkey to speak to him prophetically because he ignored the warning of the prophet that God sent. We simply wanted to remind ourselves that, while God prefers to use His people, He can use any method He desires to get His message across. This was our semi-humorous way of constantly reminding ourselves that HE is the Creator and we are the created.
You Are My Friend
You Are My Friend is the title cut for the album. In this day of dissimulation and hiding or minimizing feelings, my poet-husband was able to express the depths of feelings for our friends.
The song is not based on any specific scripture reference. The one that comes to my mind, however, is John 15:15 when Jesus said, “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends …”.
LYRICS
Verse 1
In this world of constant change
Moving to and fro
Faces come and faces go
Who knows when they’ll show
Doing things together
But sometimes we’re far apart
Still we keep in touch
We’ve borrowed part of each’s heart
Sometimes it seems like ages
‘Til I see you once again
But in between time
There’s a feeling that won’t end.
Chorus
You are my friend
In love we have been bound
You’re more important
Than any other crowd
Of greater value than all that I desire
I love you dearly
You are my friend.
Verse 2
Thanks for standing by me
When I couldn’t stand alone
Your strength was what I needed
To keep me on the road
There were times I looked for cheer
Companionship and love
And there you were
A smile, a hand
Soon my need was gone
You didn’t want a thanks
But gratitude was in my eyes
I’ll tell you in the way I know
The reason why.
Chorus
You are my friend
In love we have been bound
You’re more important
Than any other crowd
Of greater value than all that I desire
I love you dearly
You are my friend.