We celebrated 20 years of marriage a few years back, and I wanted to write something to capture Liz’s extraordinary life.
I began playing a beautiful bouzouki which my co-writer and master luthier Anders Liljeström had hand made in Helsinki. As I jammed in his loft studio and workshop one day, the riff came quickly and the song grew from there.
Our good friend Nikki Denholm offered to take some pics of Liz and the family, and she and her team at Exposure in Auckland cut those with historic shots of her Glasgow upbringing.
We presented the song at our marriage dedication service, and then the full AV track at Liz’s 50th. I didn’t realize when i wrote the final verse – ‘she’ll dance in to the night, on heaven’s wings she rides’, Liz was about to embark on a huge journey with cancer, treatments including very invasive chemo and multiple operations…by God’s grace she is alive and well a further 8 years on! That’s my Caledonia Girl!
The exciting new singer/songwriter album ‘Endlessly’– a partnership with special friends in Finland is to be launched in Finland in July 2012 David has recorded vocals here in NZ – instruments played in Helsinki – a global recording!We are in the last days of recording in Finland this week
Small string section being recorded today!!
Final mixing over next few days, and then mastering is Wed 6th June
We need the artwork for the cover, and pressing of Cds to go well over the next few weeks
We will launch the album in Finland in July, and in NZ on Sat 1 September (Newmarket, Auckland – plan to come!)
Anders and Manku – our partners in this album – have been amazing in their writing, playing and production
Teemu Viinikainen – who is a new friend and a leading jazz/blues player in the nation, has brought so much freshness to this recording, and will be so inspirational on the live concerts
The songs are a mixture of blues, rock and acoustic
‘Well of life’ is a blues song which links with my Water Engineering in the past, and work with World Vision…
‘Desired haven’ is a haunting rock song based on Psalm 107
lyrics below
FINLAND/SINGAPORE TOUR – 27 June to 24 July
David needs prayer for divine inspiration and strength and protection for a full-on tour!! Great
Highlight dates here for you diary
FINLAND
based in Helsinki area with wonderful friend and host Jarmo and family
Wonderful mix of opportunities, with more gigs and media possible
Fri 29 Jun – Rehearsals Sat 30 Jun – Hameenlinna – Paiva event with small band incl Max Sun 1 July – Helsinki – Salem Pentecostal church with big band tbc?
Wed 4th – Helsinki – Radio Dei (national Christian radio) 1 hours live on radio from their studio Thurs 5th – Helsinki – Old Church in centre – evening small band event
Sat 7th July – Pietasaari (Road trip 1 – 6 hours) Radio Dei festival – big band, launch new album
Fantastic line-up of bands incl great friend Nina Astrom, who guests on our album Wed 11th – Seinajoki (Road trip 2 – 4 hours) Pentecostal church event with small band incl Jarmo S
Had wonderful time there last year, real joy of praise and flow of worship
Sat 14th – Helsinki – 2nd album launch event details tbc Sun 15th – Helsinki – churches – am One Way Mission tbc, pm Suhe
Mon 16th – Pori Jazz (Road trip 3 – 3 hours) Big band play at the big mainstream summer music festival
Where headline act is Norah Jones – Teemu our guitarist is well known at this event
SINGAPORE
20 to 22 July – details of ministry to be finalised.
Well of Life
Dedicated to World Vision
Come all you weary, find rest for your soul
At the well, well of Life
Wash dust from your feet dirt from your hands
At the well, well of Life
Channels of blessing, source of all healing
Love everlasting, heavenly rest
At the well, come to the well, draw from the well We may be well
Though we’re unworthy, acceptance we find
At the well, well of Life
Find ease for your load, receive from his hand
At the well, well of Life
Springs of refreshment, oceans of cleansing
Floods of forgiveness, rivers of peace
Wash your face clean now, forgiveness will flow
At the well, well of Life
Cool your frustration, redemption is found
At the well, well of Life
Grace overwhelming, mercy unending
Joy ever after, favour of Christ
Endless slavation, ceaseless attraction
Sense of elation, flavour of love
Cool water, so sweet
We will update you soon on David’s new album, his first singer/songwriter recording since Destiny, back in the 90’s!
Working with Finnish friends Anders and Manku. David will be releasing the album in Finland (1st 2 weeks of July) and Singapore 19 to 22 July, and in NZ on Sat 1st Sep – more details to come. thank for all your interest and support
Thanks for all your amazing support and prayer for Liz
And for my tour to Singapore and Finland
Liz is ok, and not having any further immediate treatment at the moment for her lymphoma. It is a journey ahead – please do keep praying for her complete healing thanks
Feedback from 2 tours
1. David and Finlay South Island NZ trip
Watched 2 Scotland Rugby World Cup games in Invercargill – brilliant fun!
Ministry
Balfour church Sunday morning – spoke and led worship(Team workshop Sat) super deep time
Invercargill – St Andrews 5pm youth service – sang and spoke to an amazing group of young Polynesian kids
Invercargill – Knox church – men’s outreach concert night. David and Finlay and great buddy Jeff Rea played some Scots classics and DLM material!
Hosted on 2 farms with the Reas and Elders – yay – thanks guys!
Dunedin – East Taeri pres service (team workshop Sat) led with their team and Finlay – powerful worship time
2. Finland and Singapore
Best ever ministry trip in so many ways
Finland – did a big road trip on the first weekend
Seinajoki -2 Jarmo’s and Jemina played so well with us
Free flowing worship time and super version of Finlandia
Jarmo’s parents and sister’s family came
Joensuu -2 gigs at Gospel festival -African guys helped to break out the dancing in both meetings!
A number of key town and business leaders were touched
Helsinki – Host family the Pouttu’s were so kind to me again
Played with some of the band from last 2 years – cello, percussion and vocals
Beautiful and powerful worship time
Titta and friend danced so beautifully.
Hameenlinna – My great friend Max M and family hosted me, and publisher Paiva (Merja
Kiitti!) were very kind as always
Max played perc and sang with me – always great to be together
Dancing broke out again and we had some amazing times around ‘Amazing grace’
and a U2 song Psalm 40
Radio Dei – national Christian radio – good friend Kirsi really open doors for our ministry
Really productive interview, and they played 4 songs Devotion incl ‘Your kindness calls to repentance’
Recording
Started an exciting new project with Anders and Manku – more a singer/songwriter/band album
Incl Caledonia Girl (written for Liz for our 20th), Tapestry now called ‘Something beautiful’, ‘Desired haven’, ‘Well of life’, ‘When love lies broken’ – will get some lyrics to you soon
Other songs like ‘Love and let go’ are also needing to be recorded – God is really pulling a lot out of us, as ever when things seem the most challenging!!
Singapore – fantastic worship weekend with a new bunch of friends
Band – massive group of great young people who were a delight to work with
Dancers – a group of 4 women were such a blessing
A professional dancer in training, stunningly interpreted ‘Stolen Years’
Joel 2 – wow!!
Response times were powerful, and even senior pastor responded at the end of meetings.
Delight to walk and play over people throughout the weekend
Sold a good number of the Cds, which were all signed – love the Singaporeans enthusiasm!
Integrity Asia have been so helpful and insightful in opening doors for our ministry – thanks guys!
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