June 1999

Track List | Song By Song | News Items | Lyrics

Track List

1. Shine (4:06)
2. Holy Holy Holy (3:55)
3. Closer (4:36)
4. Part of Me (4:43)
5. Thank You for the Cross (4:41)
6. Rainmaker (2:10)
7. All Over the World (4:08)
8. Greatest (4:18)
9. If (4:24)
10. Calling Out (3:21)
11. Here (5:53)

Song by Song

Shine
Written during the spring of 1998. It came from the teaching that we are the light of the world, a city on a hill cannot be hidden etc. We have to be Jesus where we are and to whom we’re with. The chorus says here’s the hope because when the Son shines through us the world gets the victory. The song ends with a triumphant call to all of us to let our light shine, and also for Jesus to let his light shine through us, so when you sing it you’re singing it to God and to yourself! Go shout it out!

Holy Holy Holy
Written back in 1994 ish. An anthem that calls us to praise, jump, shout, and give Him the glory as we do. I can’t punch the air as we sing it because I’m strapped to a guitar but my spirit does cartwheels!

Closer
Written early 1998. If I had to choose this is my favourite, because it’s so personal. It comes from a time I’d completely blown it (again) and I curled up with a guitar and poured myself out before the Healer, feeling totally unworthy of anything He had to give. The song is a testimony of the purest grace that picks you up and restores you no matter what you’ve done. I guess it’s the gospel that’s proclaimed in the words, it’s still as real and reminds me of where I was during the spontaneous time it was written and where I find myself time and again as I struggle with my salvation.

Part of Me
Written October 1998 after we’d visited Neil to show him the stuff. He said the songs were great and wanted to do the album. Imagine, God provided the money (at least enough to start - that’s where the faith comes in!) and now one of the top producers was with us. The opening line says where’s all this blessing coming from when I’m still far from being sorted! But we are in the Father and the Father is in us. We’ll never deserve it, but we get blessed because He chooses to.

Thank You for the Cross
Written autumn 1997. The title says it, thank You! When I recorded the vocals for this song I got the first line out and broke down. The spirit just totally flooded the place! What you hear is a very emotional 2nd take with lots of shaking and tears. A great time!

Rainmaker
The idea for the album’s title came in the autumn of 1998 and I wrote a poem. It followed a time that God decided to remove his presence from me, which was very bleak, but I’d found that it was scriptural (you can read about it in the song of songs). During one of the breaks near the end of making the album (yes there were a few!) I was with Gav working on some keyboard ideas when the rainmaker music fell out of the sky and was finished very quickly. I re-visited the poem to find that it fitted as the lyric and added the cry! The words are hidden in the artwork to reflect the fact that God hid Himself!

All Over the World
Written late 1997. It coincided with an obscure news report that Handel’s Messiah was being performed simultaneously around the world. It was also during a time that my thoughts focussed on revival, (see Greatest). So can it be this generation that will hear revival’s song as we see Joel’s prophecy come true?

Greatest
Written early 1998 and very quickly. I love the times when I can escape on my own with God and a guitar. Again it talks about revival but then takes the plot further to when we meet with Jesus Himself! I’m looking forward to see the crowns laid down from all the amazing behind the scenes people, the prayer warriors, the missionaries, the people who’ve given up so much for the gospel. I truly believe that we’ll see the real crown jewels from those unrecognised by the world!

If
Written late 1997. My mate Ed persuaded some of us to start an early morning friday prayer time and opened it up with 2 Chronicles 7:14. It stayed with me all day and as soon as I got to my guitar, the song fell out! It was Dez who suggested the change to the personal tense! This is a call to prayer with a promise of a blessing if we do what God says, so let’s humble ourselves before Him because our land needs healing!

Calling Out
Written around the same time as Greatest. During a personal worship time I found myself calling and crying out before God, although I didn’t know for what. It’s an intercession song that the spirit himself gets involved in and directs us. we’ve had some really powerful times like praying for Northern Ireland prior to the cease-fire using this song as a platform. My spirit is touched every time I hear or sing it. Let yourself get swept away and us let us know where He takes you.

Here
Written Christmas 1997. It’s about sitting on the Fathers knee, wrapped in his arms, with no words spoken - because it goes so much deeper, and wanting more and more of Him. get this, He wants more of us too! our spirits’ sing I will worship You and our soul’s respond- oh yes!

News Items

• Cross Rhythms Review

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