I have just added more dates to my summer schedule and will be adding more into the fall! It's been a busy season of blessing and joy and I am excited to keep seeing so many of you at the churches and events I get invited to play. Hearing your stories and worshipping along with you is one of my favorite things about what I do! Still working on new tunes..just recorded some new tracks this week! Hopeful to being sharing them soon. Keep checking back here for new dates into 2018!
Welcome
Welcome Friends!
Thanks so much for visiting my site! Take a moment to peruse through and see what's going on. I have started working on new material that I can't wait to share with you. This has been a busy year already. I am currently booking dates for the Fall and Winter. Keep checking back for a cities near you! Looking forward to seeing you out there!
Stay tuned!!!
Jeff
After completely selling out of You Make My Whole Heart Sing again we have manufactured more just in time for summer! I am so thankful that this rendition of hymns has seemed to connect with its listeners. There is no doubt that these long valued songs are a special part of our heritage as the church! I am running a sale to celebrate Summer for the entire month of July! You can get your copy shipped to you or a friend or family member today for only $7.99 (while supplies last)! Also be sure to get your download of my record In the Shadow also available in the "music" section of my website. Thanks again for stopping by!
Merry Christmas!!!
“(John 1:1) In the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God…(John 1:14) and the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.”
A friend of mine recently introduced me to a very fascinating piece of history that I wanted to share with you. This cultural phenomenon will make you think twice about denying who Jesus is. I thought it would be very fitting for the current Christmas season.
There is a group of European Jews called the Ashkenazi Jews that have held an inspiring custom for the last 400 years. When their sons are circumcised, the mothers wrap them in swaddling clothes. They then take that garment and decorate it personalizing it to the boy and his family. When the boy comes of age (13) he moves from boyhood to manhood were he is required to recite from the Torah. After he has done so his mother will take those same swaddling clothes (from the child's infancy) and wrap the Torah scroll with it becoming a cherished family heirloom.
This tradition is particularly interesting because when Jesus was born he was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. Jesus was and is “God in flesh” but is also known as the “Word of God.” The actual Word of God was wrapped in swaddling clothes just like the Ashkenazi custom. It is astonishing to me how God has revealed Himself here by taking the culture of a people group who will not recognize Jesus as the Messiah and use that as a profound revelation as to who Jesus really is. The living Word of God.
Merry Christmas!
Busy Fall& Booking Dates this Winter
This year has been such a whirlwind! I have been busy writing new music and playing some amazing church communities across the country. Stops have included San Diego, Albuquerque, Lake Havasu, St. Louis, Silver City, Orange County, Denver, etc! It's been an incredible blessing to be able to see so many old friends and to be making new ones in a refreshing new season of life. I am currently booking dates for the fall/winter so contact us here if you want to bring me in! 
Inspired
Inspiration comes in so many forms. I have been able to see much of this beautiful country these past 2 months. I recognize so much of God in His creation. You can literally see him moving in and through everything. I watched a Hawk stay almost still over a cliff in the midst of strong wind. His muscles were flexed using incredible strength but still remained so graceful. It reminded me of when Jesus remained calm in the storm and quieted the the waves by speaking to them.There was a breathtaking field of wild flowers which made me think of the passage about considering the lilies of the field. It is so important to stop and reflect on the good things surrounding us every day and toss the negative things aside. It is so much easier to see Jesus that way. This gets the creative juices flowing to make music and that's just what I am doing. Stay tuned there is new music on the horizon!
I Surrender All
I was 7 years old, it was a cold January night in 1986 and my family was going to throw our Christmas tree out. On the way home, I said to my Dad "I want to ask Jesus into my heart." I remember praying a prayer with him giving my life to the Lord that night. I have followed Him ever since. When I was baptized, our pastor brother brown played the the hymn "I Surrender All". Every day I have to surrender all to Jesus. Not an easy task. Lots of ups and downs but remember that Jesus' mercy is new every morning.
"All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live
I surrender all, I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all"
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Thomas Chisholm wrote “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”. He lead a very ordinary life selling life insurance. Towards the end of his life he stated, “My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.”
Here is the challenge. I can see the unending mercy of Jesus all around me if I can only make myself aware. We are quickly approaching the Thanksgiving holiday and with that in mind, we should put effort into being more grateful in life for the astonishing goodness of our Lord. Try to see all areas of your life, both big and small, that God has so intricately provided for you and be thankful for his faithfulness and I bet you will see more of God's goodness than you knew before. Happy Thanksgiving!
"Great Is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father!
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Though changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
Pardon for Sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great Is Thy faithfulness,
Great Is Thy faithfulness,
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me!"
Be Thou My Vision
"Be Thou My Vision" speaks for itself. An 8th Century Monk named Dallan Forgaill is responsible for this gem. He wrote it in response to the bravery of St. Patrick who defied a kings order to not light any candle or fire on Easter until the his pagan festival was launched by the lighting of a fire. St. Patrick chose to light a candle in honor of the death and resurrection of Jesus even though he was threatened by death by doing so. The king was moved by his bravery and let him continue his missionary work unhindered.
I feel that this hymn in particular clarifies a proper perspective of what it means to follow Jesus Christ. It brings into focus the important truth that at the end of all things it will be just you and the Lord. I'll let the lyrics speak for themselves...
I feel that this hymn in particular clarifies a proper perspective of what it means to follow Jesus Christ. It brings into focus the important truth that at the end of all things it will be just you and the Lord. I'll let the lyrics speak for themselves...
"Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven's joys, O bright Heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all."
Click on here to get your copy of "Be Thou My Vision" today.
Nothing But the Blood
I love "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus". This hymn has always shown the weight of the cross in such a simple way. I have heard renditions of this song my whole life but nothing beats the original by Robert Lowry. It is the most liberating truth to know that Jesus came way before us knowing every single sin in His past, present and future. With this knowledge He endured the cross, despising shame, and through his gruesome murder took on every single sin we will ever commit. He saw everything and still loved us. Jesus took our sin and threw it as far is the east is from the west and when He rose Himself from the dead He finished it. He brought salvation in to the world and gave us a way to freedom and God that was new. In fact He said, "I make all things new." All we have to do is believe in Him, confess it with our mouths and this salvation is ours. This is the greatest story of love, friendship and sacrifice the world has ever known and why it was a must for You Make My Whole Heart Sing.
"What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus."
How Great Thou Art
"How Great Thou Art" is a powerful hymn with profound imagery. I was recently on a hike with my dad in the Rocky Mountain National Park. I couldn't help but think about the majesty of God as a creator. I was mesmerized by not only the beauty but the magnitude of my surroundings thinking how amazing it is that the one who can create these vast mountains cares for me. God considers every little detail of His creation from the tallest mountain to the tiniest insect. If that is the case, shouldn't we feel confident in Him that he cares about every finite detail of our lives. It changes perspective to think this way and should give us immense hope and trust in our great God.
"O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed"
(Rocky Mountain National Park)
On Christ the Solid Rock
"On Christ the Solid Rock" is a profound hymn by way of the imagery. I think often of the parable about the man who built his house on the sand versus the man that built his house on the rock. In life it is all about your foundation. If you have a sturdy and stable foundation, your house remains intact when the violence of a storm comes. I find that when our hope is built on anything but Jesus, the very foundation of life becomes weak and our "house" starts to show wear and tear.
I have sung this song a million times from childhood un till now and the older I get the more close to home it resonates. Lyrics like...
I have sung this song a million times from childhood un till now and the older I get the more close to home it resonates. Lyrics like...
"My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand."
Thes lyrics stand the test of time and give credence to the faithfulness found in the Lord. I think the challenge is that we put in the effort, daily, to build and rebuild our house on the solid rock.
It is Well With My Soul
"It is Well With My Soul" echoes in the hearts of Christians around the world since the late eighteen hundreds. This song has a specific and special place in my heart because of the backstory. This story has challenged me to the core to try and find the goodness of God in every hardship remembering that, when you feel the world cracking beneath your feet, Jesus is the only soft place to land.
Heratio Spafford is responsible for this timeless anthem. It was 1873 and he had made plans to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre. In a late change of plan, he sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sea vessel, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone …". Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, his ship crossed the wreckage where he lost his family, he then penned these words...
"When peace like a river attendeth my way.
When sorrows like seas billows roll.
Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul!"
(Original Lyrics)
My Jesus I love Thee
"My Jesus I Love Thee" is one that reminds me of some of my most favorite times as a child growing up. I have fond memories of my beautiful grandmother, Carmen Parks, at her home in Georgia sitting down at her antique honky tonk piano to play. She would play our family different hymns singing at the top of her lungs. My brothers and I would sit laughing in enjoyment as grandmother would break out into rock-a-billy riffs harkening to Jerry Lee Lewis. We realized where our musical abilities probably stemmed from. Last time I was in Georgia, my grandmother who is 92 years young, once again sat down at my parent's piano and lit up the keys playing:
"My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now."
I Need Thee Every Hour
The hymn " I Need Thee Every Hour" is a very special tune to me. I sang it countless times throughout my childhood and was especially fond of the melody. However, the song really came to life for me this year as I followed the story of country duo Joey and Rory Feek. Joey had been diagnosed with cancer and was bravely fighting the disease. A friend sent me a short video clip of Joey singing "I Need Thee Every Hour" from her hospital bed and it struck me. I watched her grapple with facing death as she clung to hope and joy with all of her might. I was so inspired by her spirit and how she was finding comfort in Jesus amidst such tragedy and hardship. I was deeply moved as I listened to the truth in this old hymn's lyrics:
"I need Thee every hour in joy and in pain.
Come quickly and abide or life's in vain.
I need Thee.
Oh I need Thee.
Every hour I need Thee.
Bless me now my Savior as I come to Thee."
Sometimes this truth is all we have to grip. I decided to include this song on my hymns project as my own personal way to honor Joey's inspirational journey. Joey + Rory actually released their own hymns project before Joey passed away and you can grab it here...
"I need Thee every hour in joy and in pain.
Come quickly and abide or life's in vain.
I need Thee.
Oh I need Thee.
Every hour I need Thee.
Bless me now my Savior as I come to Thee."
Sometimes this truth is all we have to grip. I decided to include this song on my hymns project as my own personal way to honor Joey's inspirational journey. Joey + Rory actually released their own hymns project before Joey passed away and you can grab it here...
Give Me Jesus
Give Me Jesus is an old tune that is so simplistically profound! It struck me when I heard Fernando Ortega's version. I was brought to tears listening to the melody and connecting with the depth of it's lyrical content. "In the morning when I rise... Give me Jesus." "When I am alone... Give me Jesus." "When I come to die...Give me Jesus." This sums it all up to me. In joy and in pain give us Jesus. At the end of my life it will be just me and Jesus. He is all I need. This one was a must for the record. No matter in rising or falling all we can rely on is Jesus.
Hymns in Post Production!
Hello all!
Wanted to give y'all an update on the upcoming hymns record "You Make My Whole Heart Sing". We are almost done with post production and will be ready for your mp3 player of choice. Wanted to give you the track listing so you can be excited for what's coming. These songs have been so influential in my life and I hope that they will inspire your day to day life too! Check out this track listing...
Wanted to give y'all an update on the upcoming hymns record "You Make My Whole Heart Sing". We are almost done with post production and will be ready for your mp3 player of choice. Wanted to give you the track listing so you can be excited for what's coming. These songs have been so influential in my life and I hope that they will inspire your day to day life too! Check out this track listing...
Be Thou My Vision
Give Me Jesus
I Need Thee Every Hour
Great is Thy Faithfulness
My Jesus I Love Thee
It is Well With My Soul
On Christ the Solid Rock
I Surrender All
Nothing but the Blood
How Great Thou Art (You Make My Whole Heart Sing)
I can't wait to share this music with you. I'll keep updating you as we go. Tunes soon!
Jeff
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