Help Fund a 3-Song EP about Grief, Grace, & God in the Waiting

Hi, I’m Brian Spahr. I’m a songwriter, a pastor, and a storyteller.

In 2025, I gave myself a challenge: Write and share a new song every single week for a year. It was a messy, beautiful discipline. I recorded voice memos in my office, in the car, and at the kitchen table. Most of them were just rough sketches—moments in time that I shared and then moved on from.

But three of them stood out. They kept raising their hands and didn't want to stay as rough drafts on my phone. They wanted to be finished. These three songs tell a specific story about a place I visit often. It’s a place I call Struggleville Junction. Before you read any further, here's what I'm doing:

I am raising $4,500 to take these songs into the studio and bring them to life!

The Songs

This EP is a collection of "quiet companions" for the road between grief and grace. You can listen to the voice memo versions of each song by clicking on the title. Hopefully you'll be able to sense there is more here than my iPhone can capture.

1. Struggleville Holiday

This is the anthem for anyone who has ever felt stuck in a loop of anxiety. It’s about a town where the "currency is universal" and you can visit the "What-If Gallery" or the "Trail of Regret." It’s a little funny, a little sad, and very real.

2. Garbage and Gold

We all have that one box in the basement full of "hand-me-down clothes" and "worthless baseball cards." This song is about the hard work of letting go. It’s about realizing that sometimes we have to clear out the clutter—physical and emotional—to "make room for peace."

3. The Waiting Room

This song is the heart of the project. It’s set in a room with "humming fluorescents" and "chicken soup philosophy" on the wall. It’s a song that asks: What if the waiting isn't just wasted time? What if the waiting is where we find out we aren't alone?

Why I Need Your Support

I don't just want to record them; I can do that on my own. For these songs, I want to add the cello that makes you feel the "lonely relief," and percussion that sounds like a clock ticking in the waiting room. I want to involve some of my amazingly talented friends and work with Aaron and Vanessa Johnson and producer Nate Yake at Elev8 Sound Studios in Detroit (these folks get me and I'm can't wait to work with them!) This kind of work isn't cheap but I think creating something lasting and beautiful is worth investing in. 

Here's what your support will provide:

  • Studio Time & Production: Producer Nate Yake is going to breathe all kinds of life into the songs and help the recording best express the heart and message behind them
  • Session Musicians: I have incredible friends who can play the crud out of their instruments.  More important, they know how play what a song needs.
  • Mixing & Mastering: The final polish. This is where it all comes together.
  • Physical Copies of the CD: I like music I can hold! CDs aren't as cools as Vinyl, but they are still pretty awesome.

I hope you’ll join me in bringing these  songs to life. Thanks for all your support!

The Roundabout (Donate Any Amount)
  • The Roundabout (Donate Any Amount)

The Roundabout (Donate Any Amount)

REWARD: The joy of supporting an indie artist (No physical or digital rewards) A virtual wave as you drive by "Come and see the roundabout; you'll love going round in circles."   Sometimes you don't need a souvenir; Read more

REWARD: The joy of supporting an indie artist (No physical or digital rewards) A virtual wave as you drive by 👋 "Come and see the roundabout; you'll love going round in circles."   Sometimes you don't need a souvenir; you just want to help keep the car running. This is the option for those of you who want to support the music without adding more "garbage and gold" to your collection.  Whether you drop a few coins in the toll booth or fill up the gas tank, this tier comes with no rewards and no clutter—just my deepest gratitude for helping us get out of the loop and into the studio.

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The Roundabout (Donate Any Amount)

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The Visitor Center ($15)
  • The Visitor Center ($15)

The Visitor Center ($15)

REWARD: You’ll receive a digital download of the full 3-song EP once it's finished. It’s a great way to carry these "quiet companions" with you wherever you go. Welcome to Struggleville Junction. Stay awhile!

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The Visitor Center ($15)

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The Visitor Center ($15)

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The What-If Gallery ($50)
  • The What-If Gallery ($50)

The What-If Gallery ($50)

REWARD: Everything from the previous tiers + a physical "Postcard Bundle" (Lyrics & Stories) + a CD of the songs with cool artwork that you can hold in your hands. Inside this gallery, we look at the moments that are "too real to hide".

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The What-If Gallery ($50)

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The 3 AM Thoughts Observatory ($150)
  • The 3 AM Thoughts Observatory ($150)

The 3 AM Thoughts Observatory ($150)

REWARD: Everything from the previous tiers + a limited Edition "Observation Journal." This is for the moments when "certainty unravels" in the middle of the night. Along with the music and postcards, you’ll receive a limited-edition "Observation Journal." It features my own notes and sketches from my 2025 "song-a-week" journey.

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The 3 AM Thoughts Observatory ($150)

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The Hazy Bean Diner ($300)
  • The Hazy Bean Diner ($300)

The Hazy Bean Diner ($300)

REWARD: Everything from the previous tiers + an invite to a private, online "Living Room Session." Pull up a chair at the diner. Instead of "catastrophe coffee," let’s share a real conversation. This tier includes an Read more

REWARD: Everything from the previous tiers + an invite to a private, online "Living Room Session." Pull up a chair at the diner. Instead of "catastrophe coffee," let’s share a real conversation. This tier includes an invite to a private, online "Living Room Session." I’ll play the songs, answer your questions, and share how we found the "sacred in ordinary moments".

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The Hazy Bean Diner ($300)

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The Hazy Bean Diner ($300)

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The Trail of Regret ($500)
  • The Trail of Regret ($500)

The Trail of Regret ($500)

REWARD: Everything from the previous tiers + Executive Producer Credit + Framed Handwritten Lyrics, ZERO REGRETS!

This is the "Sponsor" level that helps us "make room for peace" by fully funding the studio time. To thank Read more

REWARD: Everything from the previous tiers + Executive Producer Credit + Framed Handwritten Lyrics, ZERO REGRETS!

This is the "Sponsor" level that helps us "make room for peace" by fully funding the studio time. To thank you for clearing the path, you will receive "Executive Producer" credit on the EP and a hand-written, framed lyric sheet of your favorite song from the project.

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The Trail of Regret ($500)

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Click on the map for some fun souveniers from  Struggleville Junction!