Consider the Lilies

Whilst the songs are still in the process of being recorded, here is a bit of the background of how and why these songs were written.

It seems to always happen like this with me...I didn’t plan the songs out to have a common theme or have this project in mind for a long time and suddenly got inspired...no this project like a good wine, so I’m told, has matured and blossomed through the passage of time.  It’s been kept away from direct sunlight and hasn’t really been handled.  Some of it is quite dusty already....and here I unfold it to you...

The oldest song in this album is actually where the title comes from (Once again not planned)......It’s basically what the album is about. There are many things in life which we cannot control, a broken relationship, illness, financial difficulties etc....some of these things can shake the very foundation of our lives and if these foundations are not founded on something solid then our whole life crumbles and sometimes the pieces are too small to put back together or even find!  There are substitutions and alternatives to overcome situations but things can’t be swept under the carpet, not for long anyway.  The only way to face life’s challenges and overcome unscathed, or marked but for the better, is through Jesus. 

The song Consider the Lilies, is an illustration of what a life of total dependence on God’s Love and care is founded on....God. He knows us, He made us and everything around us.  If we surrender our lives to Him albeit with our mistakes, confusions and questions, our lives creases won’t suddenly become straightened nor will all our questions be answered, or our life be exempt from more trouble. BUT our lives will not rest in our own feeble strength, or limited understanding, the bedrock of our lives is now the Creator of all things, the Saviour of our lives, the one who never changes......whose love will never wane, whose understanding no-one can fathom and whose strength cannot be measured.     I couldn’t live any other way!

Cherish the Love is a portrayal of how your life can become absorbed and even dependant on things that are detrimental to your health and sanity.  Overindulgence, abuse and excess can become addictions and are very real issues faced by many in this day and age.  The struggle with letting go and allowing God to move in our lives can appear too daunting.  It’s only when we realize how futile a life lived without Him is and how much we are in need of his love, that we can be set free from the shackles that weigh us down. 

The Mystery of Life.....The idea for this song came to me after listening to a sermon one Sunday morning in church.  There are people that are consumed with their thoughts and grappling with trying to understand what life is really all about.  Basically we only have one life to live.  I don’t think anyone will fully understand or be able to explain the meaning of life, but one thing I know is that in God we will find the fulfilment that we need for this life and eternity.  I don’t want to miss out on that! And I don’t want to spend the life that I have left with furrowed brows and headaches!! Live!

Dream & Believe..... this brings back memories.  I have to give you a bit of a background but won’t go into too much detail. One of the major blows in my life has been a divorce.  It was the most difficult situation I had ever had to face up to then, and it left me drained emotionally and physically.  If it wasn’t for God, my family and friends I really don’t know where I would be.  This all sounds quite dramatic but I honestly never thought something like that could happen to me. 

During the course of the years I became aware that the way I had tried to cope and compensate throughout this time was by shutting people out and also trying to look as good as I could, placing my confidence and trust in my appearance.  I realized that I was wearing a mask and that life’s challenges had to be faced in order to move on, hiding was not the solution.  I had to look beyond the horizon of my present circumstances and fix my gaze on the one who holds my past, my present (with all it’s hurts and insecurities) and my future. Dream....and believe!

On my own.....you can be surrounded by a huge crowd of people and still feel alone.  You can busy yourself with tasks and not have a minute to spare and yet feel desperately unfulfilled and empty.  Hectic, eventful active lives are not always complete and happy.  Everything is so hurried that precious moments pass us by without a pause for reflection. Time is taken up with activity and before we know it we are caught up in a whirlwind of events that desensitizes us to others needs and even our own.  Stop, think........

I Believe....this is basically the creed.  It’s a prayer to God.  A cry of hope in Him to sustain me no matter what....you can say it too!

I surrender.....a Psalm, this song calls our attention to the place where we may find that all we can do is just that “Surrender to Him” the closer we get to God and the more we know Him, the easier it becomes because our knowledge of Him gives us this freedom “I have tasted and have seen that you are good”

Close to you.....We will never find anyone bigger or better than God.  Our security can only be found in Him.....only in Him can we find the rest that our souls yearn for.

My Reason..... a love song! God makes me smile!

Medley of Hymns..... “All to Jesus I surrender”, “It is well with my soul” and “Great is thy faithfulness”.... Why hymns?  Because the lyrics are timeless, steadfast and provide a platform of durability and authenticity.  These songs have withstood the test of time and belong here. They point us to Jesus, His Kingdom.....Consider the lilies....

Not too late..... sometimes it may seem that it is too late, a past riddled with mistakes, a situation that has you bound up, circumstances beyond your control, tragedy.... I hope this song doesn’t come across as too simplistic, believe me the story this song relates is by no means simple.  It talks about poverty, desertion, the debasement of life on the street, loneliness, sorrow and hardship. Now to add some hope to this picture we see a baby born in a stable,  the Son....who left his throne of Glory in obedience to His Father.  He came to serve, to live amongst us, to feel like us, to die a criminal’s death, to pay for our sin.....to rise again....it’s not too late.

You never change...... have you changed at all throughout the years? If your answer is no then you are not being very honest!  We all change, if nothing else our appearance does....gravity calls, and time has it’s toll on us all!  What if there were someone who never changed?   Who cannot change, because He is perfect.... This is the God I love.  I try to describe Him through the beauty of His creation....the sun, the seasons, the mountains etc....these are a reflection of His greatness but can never truly depict His awesomeness.  Once again a Psalm, a song of beauty and trust...for He will never change.

See you in the morning........ in this song I am sharing the saddest and most difficult time of my life to date.  It has also been the time where I have felt God’s presence in a way that I cannot even begin to explain.  Two and a half years ago my youngest sister then 29, died in a tragic car accident in Wales. 

We were all gathered by her bed in hospital saying our last goodbye’s and a family friend said a prayer that has stayed with me throughout the years.  Five words in his prayer “See you in the Morning” inspired this song.  Two and a half years ago I wrote the chorus to the song but I couldn’t bring myself to complete it until now. 

God has used this song to bring healing to me and I pray that he will use it to bring hope and peace to many.  It is only because of what He has done that we can say this life is not the end....there will come a time when we will see our loved ones again.

If you want to know more about Christianity and the message I am singing about, please visit this site.  You never know..... it might change your life!