I wrote this song because of the hours spent on rail and subway trains while living in New York the summer we first started recording the album. The first time I came to New York, a summer before, I took a train from Los Angeles to Chicago to D.C. and then a bus up to NYC. The experience was unlike any I had ever had. It was like a post-modern Irish play or something. Everyone was in their places, and over the five day trip people came up, as if on their cues, to talk about God and the good things in life. I sat in the observation car for most of the ride and had many deep, profound, beautiful conversations that showed that so many have a deep yearning to know the Truth of existence. I would then retire to my coach seat where I could stretch out and sleep, and would sit up for some of the nights thinking. One night I had a vivid thought of Christ, not in any particular human form, walking down the aisle as people slept. As he walked by, certain passengers would awaken and glance into his face as he moved on. The Christ-presence followed me to New York and many times I would feel it on the subway trains. The most diverse, beautiful, amazing people would fill up cars in minutes, all packed shoulder to shoulder. There were many times where I'd survey the car and then close my eyes for the rest of the ride thinking about all the good I could see in them. Thinking about them as more than just people going to or from work, but as spiritual ideas that represented qualities expressing God like beauty, holiness, understanding, clarity, peace, and honesty, just to name a few.

I wrote the song on the Boston T coming from the bus station to the Back Bay. I just thought about life as this infinitely long train on one track. We're all on this train. It's not how much we accomplish in this world, how much we win, how much we attain - we're all on the same train, going the same speed to the same destination! It's how we enjoy the travel. It's whether we're engaging with those around us, appreciating them and willing to learn from them. And so I thought about how exciting it is to know that - to know that no matter what you do, no matter what happens, we're going to get to this location. Doesn't that just change everything? It allows us to take a breath, relax, and enjoy our lives! And, of course, God, Life, is the train. God, Love, is the conductor. And we can't change that. We can't make the train faster, we can't make the train better. We can't drive the train - we can't get off - we can only ride it. We're all passengers and it's beautiful.

There was a major change made to the chorus in the last recording session we did. The chorus used to be, "And I'll ride this train until I earn my place." It was a major shift in my thinking to realize we don't earn salvation. We have been given salvation through Christ Jesus' atonement. It's not about impressing or proving something to others or God. This is key to spiritual humility and honoring our commitment to Christ. I think I was way late on this theological train, haha, but I had to really understand that to be able to slow down and observe and let go of a lot of stress and anxiety about my place in this world and my purpose. It has led me to a lot more peace and prayer, and less scrambling and self-consciousness. Thank God for that. The train ride is so much better now. —Michael