Our creative blog, words, music, films and imagery are to serve you...our heart is to bring hope into suffering, light into dark places, and inspiration to release God's love like a wave of restoration into a broken world.

Neil & Julie

Dwell at Christmas

In this season of giving, it is hard sometimes to cut through the commercial trappings, rise above the “perfect Christmas” expectations and truly connect with loved ones to give a gift that is really yearned for. We (like most creatives) sometimes find it hard to “push” our own work, to believe that our music can really bless others the way it is intended to. Yet strangely, as I find myself in a broken place surrounded by much sorrow and pain with friends and family, I have needed to “Dwell” myself! Searching through my CD’s I have come back to this album as the space it offers me helps me to pray and intercede for those suffering, even in the darkest times. We thought we would share with you a quote from a recent review of the album by writer and blogger Freya Pickard. It encourages us that “Dwell” can connect with and carry others:-

“This cd was the perfect gift at a very difficult time…Not since I discovered the music of Iona in the 1990s, has a cd had such a profound effect on me. Hearing it gives me goosebumps. I find it both relaxing and challenging. When I first listened to it, I felt like a dry sponge soaking up cold, refreshing water.”

(Read this review in full at Dragonscale Clippings Blog)

So, we hope that others will choose Dwell as a gift for loved ones and that the Holy Spirit would find space in the lives of the listeners to heal, restore, envision and keep them.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Here are some excerpts from Dwell:-

It’s possible to buy “Dwell” by following this link.

A Beautiful Prayer

I think one of our deepest longings as humans is to know that there is a purpose for our lives, that we have a role to play in this world. Thankfully as Christians we can be certain that life isn’t just a random series of events. God the creator of the earth and the heavens is still at work now, intricately weaving beauty and purpose into our lives, building His Kingdom here on earth.

The prayer of St Richard is very special to me. I performed in the musical “Godspell” in my teens, and sang “Day by Day” as a solo. Although I didn’t feel at that time I knew God, I truly meant the words “to see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly” and “follow thee more nearly.” It was many years later that I realised that I had travelled to study in Chichester where St Richard lived when he wrote this prayer! And in my journey to knowing Christ as a young person these words have remained with me, like a mantra! God brought me to Chichester. He can and does weave all things together. I now realise that the living Lord responded to my earnest desire to know something of Him in my life, and he has directed my path. For it was in Chichester that I did find faith, began writing with Neil, and Prayerscapes was born. Look for the Kingdom story in your life – journeying with Christ is such an amazing adventure!

Here is this beautiful prayer. St Richard is said to have utter these words in his final hours:-

It’s possible to download this film in HD for a small sum by visiting this page.

The Prayer of St Richard (Bishop of Chichester between 1244 to 1253)

Thanks be to you, our Lord Jesus Christ,

for all the benefits which you have given us,

for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us.

Most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,

may we know you more clearly,

love you more dearly,

and follow you more nearly,

day by day.

Amen.

An Ancient Celtic Blessing

“May the Road Rise Up To Meet You” is a beautiful old Celtic blessing. Blessings are a gift and ancient ones like these help us to become open channels for the fragrance of Christ to surround those we give out to. I love the references to creation – the sun, the wind, the rain – that these elements are in God’s hands:-

“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

A blessing is not a whimsical “I wish, I hope for” etc. It is more powerful than this because the faith of the one who blesses connects with God the Father, Jesus the Saviour and the Holy Spirit the comforter. Just as negative words can damage and corrupt us, there is power in a blessing to change lives. Words spoken in faith have an ability to change the emotional climate, to prepare the ground ahead, and to watch over our rest and our dreams. We hope that this song and film can become a gift that you can give to someone who needs a blessing from God. And we trust that if you are in a hard place yourself that you can receive this as a gift from us. As you watch this film we pray that you might deeply know that you are in the most secure place on earth – in the palm of your Father God, and that your heart may be able to rest in this life changing knowledge.

When we truly grasp the power of blessings we can indulge in blessing others wherever we go. We can speak out love, hope and faith over those who are enchained and see the transformational equation of Christ’s legacy in action. There is indeed power in the name of Jesus. Thanks be to God.

This track is taken from our new prayerscapes album “Dwell”, available by clicking here. It’s also possible to download the film for a small fee by following this link.

The Nicene Creed

In August of this year, our church asked us if we might create a film recording of the Nicene Creed (this creed is an ancient declaration of the Christian faith dating back to A.D.325 and the early church communities).

We decided to record many different voices because we wanted to build a diverse picture of what it means to be part of church family – the young and old together, from many backgrounds and upbringings, all united in their love and adoration of Christ. So, on this recording you will hear Scottish, Irish, English and even Afro-French accents! In the western world we value highly our individualism with “I” and “my” being some of our most frequently used words. Christ knew that it was “we” – the church – that would become a beautiful family of relationships – his bride and treasure on earth. He knew that if we continued to view the world and understand ourselves with an “I” outlook, that we would fall to confusion or comparison. “We believe” is then a transforming creed, “we” are whole within the body, we are valued within the body and “we” are sheltered within the body.

We hope that the imagery we have woven into this film will help others who are on a journey of faith to distil, contemplate and rest in these ancient statements. We are “one” in belief, connected to our brothers and sisters of faith through many generations in Christ. “We” can play our part – not with fear, comparison or insecurity, but with confidence. “We” belong – accepted, loved, forgiven and free. “We” can rest when we are tired, question when we doubt, and be carried when we can no longer stand because we share in the love and the legacy of others who have gone before us.

This film can be purchased and downloaded for a small fee by visiting this page.

Here are the words to this glorious declaration of Christian faith:-

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

Dwell – a new worship film meditation

Sometimes God can surprise us with His presence. We read in the bible that He is always present with us – it’s just that we often forget this (or prefer to ignore this truth!) On the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-31) the disciples didn’t even realize it was the risen Jesus who they conversed with, until he broke bread with them.

On one particularly stressful day, I had a moment waiting in the car for my son to come out of school. I just found myself saying “God, thank you for your goodness to me”, over and over again, so much so that I was overwhelmed by the presence of God. Gradually the cloud of anxiety and fear lifted, and I knew in my inner being that I could relax and know that “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well”
(Julian of Norwich ca.1342- 1416. Christ is said to have uttered these words to Julian in a near death apparition)

It was in this moment that I sang the first line of “Dwell”. I knew that what I needed to do with the rest of the song was to somehow recreate this peace that I had experienced. I hope that as you listen to the track you will encounter this rest for your soul. But before you do so, I want invite you to get somewhere were you won’t be disturbed for five minutes, switch your mobile off, invite God to speak to you, and then press play:-

This track is the title song from our new prayerscapes album “Dwell”, out now on iTunes, and downloadable from our site here.

The chords, lyrics and full piano score (in E minor) are also available on this page.

Dwell – the new prayerscapes album

We’re super-excited to announce the release of our new album “Dwell”, now available globally via iTunes, Amazon and on our site at prayerscapes.com.

Some of the material on “Dwell” is taken from the videos that you may already have seen at prayerscapes. The album weaves inspirational poetry, foundational scripture and song ministry together with filmatic soundtracks.

Here’s what others are saying about “Dwell”:-

“If you are looking for a recording all about Biblical meditation and reflection you won’t find anything better than the prayerscapes albums. We’ve used them for years at our creative prayer workshops. Yet again Neil & Julie prove that they have a God given talent by producing this unique new album.”

Ishmael & Irene Smale

(Ishmael – singer/songwriter – writer of “Father God, I wonder” and numerous children’s albums.)

Much of the material on the new album has been born out of some of our life experiences over the last few years. “May the Road Rise Up to Meet You” came out of praying for Julie, soon after our second child was born. I stumbled over this ancient Celtic blessing and found myself praying/singing it for her. It became a gentle reminder that whatever stresses we face (and these were plentiful with a small baby & a six year old child!) God holds us in the palm of His hand, and His faithfulness and love will never let us go:-

Other tracks have emerged from flashes of inspiration and creativity. The words to the track “Prayer Connects” came to Julie as one continuous stream of ideas – she scribbled the words down with the aid of a torch during the middle of the night! The poem is about God’s amazing gift of prayer, and charts the many different ways in which we encounter prayer in our lives:-

Other tracks simply invite us to return to our maker, and dwell on His goodness and provision. “This I Know” takes the form of a gentle lullaby, reminding us that whatever befalls us, we have a refuge, a safe place, a sanctuary we can abide in and find freedom:-

Dwelling is about finding a home, about connection with our Eternal Creator, pushing our roots deep into God’s Kingdom. To find “home“ we need to settle, unpack, relax and feel welcome. ”Dwell” is an open door leading us to moments that crystallize our beliefs, shelter our troubled hearts and inspire us to connect, to rest and to seek after the love of Christ.

It’s possible to explore the album further by visiting this page and clicking on the samples from the tracks on “Dwell”. Clicking on the track titles will take you to the lyrics, scriptures and poems that are on the album. Here you can also buy the album, either as mp3s or as a good old physical CD!

A new film for Pentecost

Come, O Spirit of God,
Cause blind eyes to see.
In this day, awaken our land.
Come, O Spirit of power,
Breathe life through your church.
Come O Lord, bring Heaven to Earth,
Bring Heaven to Earth.

This is our prayer for Pentecost Sunday – the day we remember how the Holy Spirit came on the first disciples with great power. The word “power” (Acts 1:8) in the Greek is “dunamis” from where we derive the English word “dynamite”. So “you will receive dynamite when the Holy Spirit comes on you” is a more accurate way of understanding what Jesus was wanting to convey to his disciples!

It’s possible to download this film in HD by following this link.

The refrain of “Come O Spirit of God” is a heart cry to the Lord, that His Holy Spirit would move through the church with great power and awaken hearts and lives to him. The verses outwork this move of the God into the neighbourhood, taking as their base Isaiah 61 – words which Jesus presented as his manifesto at the beginning of his public ministry.

Sometimes as a songwriter, very occasionally, something seems to come from nowhere. It’s almost as if you’ve been wandering through a forest and uncovered a treasure that has been lying there hidden for centuries. “Come O Spirit of God” was one of those rare moments in my life. The main refrain, chords and melody came to me very quickly. Of course, like any song, it needed crafting. And that’s when I gave Malc Garda, a good friend of mine a ring and invited him round to see what he made of it. Malc had the great idea of developing the verses into a practical outworking of what this heart cry means.

Little were we to know that within a year thousands would be singing it at major Christians festivals up and down the land, and it would end up on several CD’s and song books. If you’d like to try this song with your congregation, here are the links to the chords/words sheet, onsong file & melody line score.

“Come O Spirit of God” is taken from our new album (entitled “Dwell” – out next month!) – a collection of prayer songs and creative readings that we’ve been crafting over the last few years. Some of these tracks are already backing tracks to videos on this site (such as “Prayer Connects” & “May the road rise up to meet you“) – whilst others are brand new for the album. However, it’s possible to download “Come O Spirit of God” as a single from iTunes or Amazon now.

Grace

One thing Jesus must have been very aware of as he walked with his twelve disciples, teaching and ministering to them, was the importance of grace! It was essential that these men understood what was about to be released – the blessing that would follow from the death of their leader, their mentor and friend. They had to grasp that the Kingdom of God would come within them, and that they really could be bold and free before God. Why? because he needed them to have faith and he knew that if they were trapped in their humanity, their sin, their fear, their resentment, their desires, they would never amount to anything.

Yet they were not perfect – they were fallen – yet saved – human – yet born again of the Holy Spirit. Grace needed to be a supporting structure beneath them, inspiring acts of miraculous faith, underpinning each letter, each preach and drawing the lost like a magnet to the Father heart of God! Grace makes us whole, it makes us free, it makes us humble, it makes us giving, it makes us ask – safe in the knowledge that we do not earn our way into God’s kingdom but receive our way by inviting Jesus into our hearts. And it worked!! Think now – if the Holy Spirit wasn’t a real tangible intimacy with an eternal God – how – how on earth would just twelve men have carried the message in the transformational way they did? It’s a message that is still bright and clear today. Grace is real. Invite Jesus into your life today.

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me”. (Rev 3:20, NIV)

Time for physio!

I love being part of a church, mixing with people of different ages, backgrounds, gifts and temperaments. We are the body of Christ, each playing a part, life-giving and unique!

But what happens when a part of the body becomes so broken that it can no longer function? This is something that we need to be aware of in our church families.

If we are physically injured, several different types of cells work together in the human body to restore the broken part back to life, rather like a house being rebuilt with all the different trades (plumbers, electricians etc) working together as a team. We as church, the body of Christ can mirror this restorative work amongst ourselves! Life is complicated, and just as our physical bodies go through trauma, strain and illness, so do we suffer in our emotional, mental and spiritual lives. There are times when it is clear why a person may be broken, and I love the way in which church families re-arrange themselves to care for, protect and minister to the vulnerable. However sometimes wounds are not so obvious, so it is essential that the love of God reigns supreme, that the grace of God is flowing bountifully amongst us. It must flow before understanding, before judgement and before resentment. We may need to allow people to step back from a role without knowing why they have left it, forgive others abundantly when they seem troubled and release and support each other without questioning.

As we gather together, we release the Holy Spirit to move amongst us as comforter, healer and friend. I am always aware of the need to be guided by the spirit as I minister to others in a church service. To watch out for those whom need rest, to be aware of the wounded, sensitive to the weary, soft to those who feel hurt, and to be shelter to the broken. And I also believe God is into physiotherapy! He is into seeing our restoration right through to his children being strong, fit and released once again! That’s where the beauty of new hope needs to be proclaimed like a balm, where a message of understanding and truth can release the captive, and when a word of encouragement can breathe new vision into our hearts! Just like our physical bodies, there comes a time when we are strong enough to begin to re-exercise a gifting or re-activate giving. Sometimes we need to re-train ourselves to trust, care and love again, or to reclaim the power of forgiveness in our lives.

I have found myself on ‘the benches’ recently. I have not been able to be a major team player as I have been navigating family troubles. I am so thankful for others who have stepped in to take the strain, blessed by those who allow me to cry and see my hurt, and very grateful for the living body of Christ around me. So there is before us all a wonderful opportunity to be a part of this body! Could it be that you are needing rest, healing or ministry? Or possibly the rehabilitation of encouragement or in need of support to move into freedom again?

When the body of Christ moves as one, wrapped up in the grace of God, there lies a truly wonderful testimony and an amazing witness! Let’s be alive as a body! Who needs rest? Who needs a massage of hope? Who needs to start exercising those love, forgiveness or skill muscles again? Who needs some gentle support to do so? Who has recovered and is ready to go back into the team again? Who needs vision for the next step?

Let’s be active in caring for the body of Christ. And let’s be honest when we are the ones who are in need of physio for our hearts, minds or bodies. Let’s be real, wonderfully imperfect, yet amazing united as we join together to be the body of Christ.

Prayer for Easter

Love overcame,
Emerging from a cold tomb.
All the truth, majesty and creativity of a living God,
Transforming a broken heart.
Making a quiet return, in a still and sorrowful garden.
The grave stone rolled away, to release redemptive love.
Jesus resurrected and restored.
Comforts a weeping woman.
Speaks with travellers on a journey.
Meets with his faithful friends,
And they bow down before Christ alive,
And acknowledged that the saviour has arrived,
That the word of God has come alive,
And that the extraordinary transformation of heaven and earth
Is complete

This is the second poem of a triptych I have written. The first one “Love Came“, is about the birth of Christ. “Love Overcame” is about the death and resurrection of Christ, and the third (which I am currently working on, entitled “Freedom Reigns”) is about Pentecost.

I like the imagery of three – three cords in a marriage, the three persons of the Trinity. So I was drawn to the idea of there being three distinctive ways in which God’s love is revealed to us:-

Love born in the human form of Jesus.
Love overcoming the fall in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Love being set free, given into the hearts of men and women in the coming of the Holy Spirit.

These are all extraordinary events that have changed the course of history forever. And they are all as dramatic as they are unexpected. These are moments that inspire us and propel us forwards:-

To follow in the footsteps of Christ.
To live in grace and redemptive love.
To carry a piece of this revelation to those who are around us.

This Easter time, join with me in celebrating this wonderful love, as we pray together:-

Father, thank you that your son has stepped into history, and redeemed us. Thank you that you are with us right now by the power of your Holy Spirit. May all people taste and see this unending goodness. Amen.

Here is the film we have created based on “Love Overcame”:-

It’s possible to download and keep this film in HD for a small fee by following this link.