Watches Over Me
Written from Psalm 121, as an assignment at the 2003 worship songwriter's retreat (seminars4worship). Three other
friends and co-writers (Cheryl Smith, Dave Nicola, and Gene) got together and co-wrote this until almost 2am. Collaboration
is such a cool way to write songs. I think unless the Lord directly drops the song on me, I will make this my preferred
method of songwriting in the future.
Jesus, My Rock
As this song came to me, I had this picture of standing on a beach. It had big rock outcroppings and such so it
had to be the west coast ( prophetic maybe? ). There was a storm coming up and the wind was starting to whip the ocean
and the waves were building up. Yet, I wasn't afraid. In this vision, I just stood my ground and started singing
to the surging oceans.
Jesus, My Rock, where no waves can reach. Defender of my Life, my Fortress or Peace.
I pour out my heart to You, I pour out my heart to You. Lord, You are strong, Lord, You are loving.
As For Me
At Middlesex UMC, where we attended many years, I loved when Pastor Gene would recite from Psalm 19 before his sermon.
"may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You..." Upon reading more of Psalm 19, I noticed
that all of creation was worshipping with a voice and language that can be heard throughout all of creation. The stars
declare His glory and skies proclaim... Then it hit me... I heard the Lord saying, "what about you? What is your choice?
How will you worship me?" And so my chorus - As for me, I will worship, my glorious King, my life
shall proclaim You. I will worship, my lips will sing, Jesus, my King, worthy is the Lamb!
Mighty River
I believe this will be the title cut for the CD. It is a fishing song. If you've ever waded in a stream
and fished, you know that you can't always move in the direction you want to go or go where you want to. The water's
current changes your direction, forcing you to take a different path. The LORD's great love is like that. His
love and the One who is Love (our Savior, Jesus), moves our hearts and lives with with His awesome, unchanging, powerful Love.
He loves us like no one else. When we experience that great love in times of prayer or worship, it astounds us. The
love of Jesus changes our lives and the course of our lives forever!
Your Love is a mighty river
Flowing from your throne
Your love is a mighty river
Carrying me along
Your love is a mighty river
Flowing from your hands and side
Your love is a mighty river
Flood over me, flood over me
Draw Closer
Draw Closer is really just a prayer song, asking the Lord to...well, draw closer. When I sing this, I am praying
for the Lord to come sing and dance over me. There are 3 names that He gave me to know Him by in this song.
He is Endless Mercy, Endless Love, and Endless Peace. Just recently, while singing this, the Lord revealed this corelation
to me, Jesus, as Him who is Endless Mercy. The Father, who is Endless Love. And The Holy Spirit, who is
Endless Peace. I tell you, He is Holy. He is perfect and absolutely pure mercy, love, and peace - absolute escence
of each ot these. And he will spread out the corner of His garment over us if we would only ask Him. So as Ruth
did with Boaz, lie down at the Lord's feet and ask him to spread the corner of his robe over you. There you will find
He who is Endless Mercy, Endless Love, and Endless Peace. And he will cover you, embrace you, and fill you with His
Peace. He is the Lord, our God. There is no other....
Tender Love
Tender Love came while waiting to minister worship at a Christ Community Singles night. I was a little early and
so I went into the sanctuary to play to the Lord and pray. The words "Tender Lover" came, the chords came to me, and
the verse came in bits and pieces. This song is about having faith, about praying, and about proclaiming the Lord even
before we see Him or His Presence or provision come. He has such a father's tender love for us. What
a good place to rest.
Returning
This song is about the prodigal in all of us. What part of us do we keep from from the Lord? What part
of us runs away from home? We are all continuously turning more and more to the Lord. Even more so, it is my prayer
that this song goes out to His sons and daughters who don't have relationship with Him yet. His Love is calling
out to all of us. Calling for us to come home to the One who loves us like no one else ever could. He is so waiting
for all of us to respond, turn, and come home. Home to His house! Our Father's house. To come home
to the Father.
Mighty River CD