Most of the lyrics come straight out of Psalm 139. How incredible is it that a Psalm penned by a Shepherd King almost 3,000 years ago and confirmed to have been written down before the birth of Jesus (verified in the Dead Sea Scroll discovery) is able to paint such an artful and scientific picture of how a BABY is formed in the womb?

Sit with that for just a minute.

The mere existence of this Psalm is proof of God's divine interaction with humanity and inspiring the Psalmist with imagery that was utterly impossible for him to have had otherwise. The phrase "knitted and woven in secret" depicts what is happening on a cellular level!

Life from conception is a sacred gift from God.

Yet even when the fallen depravity of the world seeks to disrupt the growth of life in the womb causing scars and death, God's gracious gift of salvation through Jesus can still bring healing to all who will surrender and cry out "search me O God, and know my heart and ways, lead me and try me, I will follow in everlasting Day." That is the surrendered cry of faith in a God who hears and a God who heals in His time and in His ways.

This song is:

Dedicated in memory of a child now in the arms of Jesus that my wife and I never got to hold or see this side of heaven...

Dedicated to my son Jeydan whose arrival on the scene of our lives not only launched us into the sanctifying work of parenthood but also into fulltime ministry...

Dedicated in loving honor of my daughter Hanalee who not only miraculously survived a utero brain cyst and a doctor's hopeless recommendation for early termination which we did not entertain; but then also after being healed from the brain cyst survived a pre-mature birth and a helicopter ride to a NICU for a working infant cpap machine...

Dedicated in honor of a Christian doctor who committed fully to "do no harm" and delivered my son Luke while unwrapping the umbilical cord from around his neck...

Dedicated to my daughter Selah as a rainbow baby arriving in the midst of the storm of 2020 to a quiet hospital where we were able to "be still and know" (Psalm 46:10)...

Dedicated to my son Ivan whose announcement came at a moment  of personally redefining my role and direction in life and gladly shouldering the load God has entrusted me with as a father. I am grateful you bear the names of my grandfathers... you remind me that life continues on...

Dedicated to my incredible wife and mother of my children who bore the brunt of the difficulty and did so as an act of worship unto the Lord and letting him refine you through the process into the incredible mother you are today. You are a fruitful vine (Psalm 128:3) May His blessing continue to multiply through your every word and deed.

Dedicated to every child who is born into this world feeling unloved because of their family's circumstances, or the difficult dynamics surrounding their conception, or the effects of the fallen world on their development and growth. You are PRECIOUS in the eyes of the Lord no matter where or what you come from! He loves you and wants you to be a part of His family through faith in His son Jesus!

Dedicated to every young mother, especially those in a very difficult spot. Life is worth it no matter the suffering ahead. Keep your eyes on Jesus and he will bring you through the suffering to joy!

This song was intentionally performed at approx.110 beats per minute... The average fetal heart rate of an at-rest human child safe in their mother's womb.

Cherish the LIFE God gives.

As a little child asks for daddy to pick him up…

As an enemy combatant drops his weapon to show he is done fighting and wants to reconcile…

As a person adrift on a life raft hails the passing boat or plane calling out for rescue…

As an athlete celebrates the victory and points to power that is not his own…

As the worshipper releases the burden while letting go of the top of the pew and sings from the depths of his soul…

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

What is "the truth?"

Everyone has an answer, everyone has a perspective... but can anyone truly hold the Truth in "its" fullness and claim "it" for their own?

If you believe that 1+1=2 then you believe in absolute truth. Its that simple, its that profound. And it is with an infinite amount of these little absolute truths that the very fabric of the universe holds together. 

But sin threatens to rip it all apart. Are we holding on to lies or Truth?

And that is why the Truth came and lived among us.

"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." Colossians 1:16-20

Have you surrendered to Him and let Him hold you together?

Many of the songs including this one were written at a piano next to a window with various views and scenes influencing the mood and direction of the piece. Have you let the window of your heart and mind be opened up to the Lord? Let your life be flooded with his light, love, and joy and a breath of fresh air... like the day of Pentecost!

This story was shared with me on a youth mission trip in 2004 (originally this story was depicted in the 1978 film "The Bridge" and 2003 film "Most.” I have heard it may be based on a true story but cannot substantiate that. )

It helped to frame the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for the sins of the world in a way that I could easily grasp at 14 years old. This song was the result.

Inspired by the allegorical work Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, and spiritual symbolism in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, and of course various passages throughout Scripture. Take His hand and let Him lead you out of the darkness with the simple, blind faith of a child. 

Deitreich Bonhoeffer writes in his book The Cost of Discipleship about the sad existence of "cheap grace" amongst people who claim to be Christians. Either it is a simple "believism" that is nothing but a mental ascent for the sake of eternal fire insurance OR it is a rigid adherence to a set of standards in an attempt to earn or prove salvation. But neither of these views are of true grace or true salvation.

True grace is a gift... and it came at the cost of the Savior's life. To truly receive it, it will cost us our life as well. The consuming fire of God's presence and love burns away our pride and selfish motives to reveal what God has already purposed in us. His Grace changes us into the likeness of His son Jesus.

Do you have His gracious consuming fire in your heart? It is a gift freely received that cost Jesus His life, and our only right response in receiving it is to lay down our lives for Him each day at a time as we follow Him. Keep your eyes on Jesus!

Inspired by the music of George Winston

There is a spiritual war raging around us for the souls of humanity. Fear, pride, guilt, and shame are weapons being leveraged against us.

Every now and then we get a glimpse into this. Scripture is full of glimpses and hints... sometimes hidden right under the translations of names and shrouded by our postmodern lens of superiority towards former cultures.

"Oh... that's just superstition... or mental illness... or hallucination... or symbolic metaphor... or downright ignorance..." We say, trying to side step what makes us uncomfortable.

But Scripture does not lie.

-There was a host of fallen heavenly beings that tempted, perverted, and enslaved humanity. Rev 12:7-9, Gen 3, 6:1-4, Jude 6-7

-Pharoah's magicians really did mimic the miraculous with their demonic magic arts. Ex 7:10-13

-Witchcraft was a capitol crime under Mosaic Law for a reason. Lev 20:27

-The demoniac with a legion of demons exhibited superhuman strength and unnatural behavior before Jesus delivered him. Mark 5

-Paul and Silas were cast into prison for casting a demon out of a fortune-telling slave girl. Why was this a punishable offense? Because it was a real spiritual power structure the people depended on. Acts 16

And that is just barely scratching the surface.

If you have ever heard a dark voice whisper in your head suggesting you do something you know you shouldn't...

If you have ever had an experience with a demonic entity revealing itself in a dream, a dark corner of the room, or pretending to be the spirit of a deceased human, or even just as an oppressive presence in a place...

If you have ever had pictures fall off the wall, doors open and shut, objects turn and move in a menacing way, heard thumps and movement that cannot be explained by anything natural or mechanical...

If you have ever been shoved, scratched, choked, grabbed, or chilled by an unseen force whether awake or asleep...

If you have ever struggled with mental depression and anxiety for no explainable reason from a biological or physiological standpoint...

If you have ever looked into the eyes of another person (even someone under the sway of substance abuse) and beheld a depth of terror and self loathing while at the same time they are acting in desperate self preservation...

If you have seen the destructive and grotesque results of a person bent on violence to appease some ravenous hunger that makes no logical human sense...

If you have ever turned off the news or social media to find yourself depressed, agitated, fearful, envious of others, or even dismissive of other people's suffering...

Then, you have experienced evil at some level.

But do you acknowledge it? Do you name it for what it is?

But even more importantly, do you look to God for the solution? Do you trust Christ's power to overcome? Do you believe that the blood of His cross is enough to buy your soul and your situation back from the darkness? Do you believe that he wants you to live in victorious freedom over sin and the fear of death? Do you believe that as a blood bought believer, you are more than a conqueror by His holy Name and His power over darkness can be demonstrated through you in accordance with His will?

Whom the Son has set free, shall be free indeed! -John 8:36