Ruach Breath of Life

Lament and Light by Robert Weston, arranged by Peter Richards It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord can be rejoicing with the bride and groom who are plighting their troth to one another, at the very same time as He suffers alongside those who are grieving the loss of the beloved partner. How is it that Heaven is able to delight in those who are coming to faith or entering its gates, even while...

I recently made a study of more than ninety occasions when the word ‘sustain’ appears in English translations. (https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5564.htm) So many around the world are in tight and uncomfortable places, in need of God’s special sustaining – whether physically, mentally or spiritually. Not only those who are physically confined, but those who have to trudge great distances to fetch food...

Enjoy this extempore prayer that I recorded as part of a series of teachings and meditations on the theme of rest. I wrote the first piece of music some years ago. In the second, Francesco Barsanti's setting of a lilting Scottish melody, Jane Horsfall plays the Celtic harp, Francis Cummings the violin, Catherine Muncey the viola, Natalie Halliday the cello, Megan Mellumphy the flute and James Hors...

There remains a Rest I was struck this morning by these verses from Hebrews: 'There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for anyone who enters God's rest rests from His own work. . . . Strive, therefore, (make every effort) to enter that rest!' (Heb. 4:9,11). As a result I recorded an extempore prayer along those lines. It is set to a beautiful piece of music that Colin Owen wrote specifi...

In this talk that was recorded early in 2011, Robert encourages us to look for where we might find rest for our souls. So many people live in a state of debilitating chronic fatigue, and even many parts of the Church sometimes appears to be in danger of both succumbing to it themselves and adding to people's sense of being overburdened. It is so good to take time out to come apart with the Lord an...

A Psalm for Storm-tossed Times Many of the Biblical psalms begin with a superscription, giving a brief overview of the context of its writing, and its musical setting. Noting that what I had written in many ways mirrored the framework that many of the ‘testimony-psalms’ employ, and well aware that I had been looking to find a way to capture something of the essence of a very turbulent period in ou...

A Pilgrim's Inn Psalm – A joyous Round! – Here is something entirely uplifting: a tune to set your heart and feet a-dancing. We took 'Sellinger’s Round', a popular sixteenth century dance, and had fun arranging it for different instruments, including recorders, lutes, bassoons pretending to be crumhorns, percussion and trumpets. Picture a cheerful innkeeper raising a measure to King Jesus, and inv...

There is no one like You: Carol Sampson / CT Studd The lyrics and music of this beautiful song are by Carol Sampson, but we have prefaced it with some powerful words by CT Studd, the pioneer missionary to Central Africa. We are commissioned to extend the Kingdom of God, and to do that, we need strength, resilience and considerable determination in our spiritual warfare: qualities which Studd was c...

La Sandanga Oaxaca is a set apart Mexican isthmus, of which this stirring piece of music that Andrew plays on the marimba might be said to be an unofficial anthem. The local word 'Sandunga' embraces the concept of gracefulness, elegance, charm, wit and celebration. See where the music takes you!

Beyond the Shafts of Rejection Reawakenings cd2 Corelli

The Power of Prayer Reawakenings cd2 CPE Bach

Lord hear us Reawakenings cd2 Written by Grace Nadin and sung by Sue Perks

Tune your hearts and souls as one as My pillar of fire leads you on from theme to theme As My pillar of fire leads you on from theme to theme, be led by My Spirit as you pray, until you have covered all that I am wanting you to discover. Tune your hearts and souls as one: in song or silence, one instrument under My control, following the rhythm of my beat. Trust and understand each other in a unit...

In a world where so many strident sounds threaten to drown out the melodies of Creation and the voice of the Lord, how precious that the Lord invites us to still our souls, and to tune our hearts to catch the whispers of His Spirit sends our way. This lovely reflection, set to beautiful music by Vivaldi, welcomes us into His consoling and empowering peace. May the bolts of your gates be of iron an...

Comparisonitis Reawakening cd2 Recorder improvisation that emerged from playing the trio sonata by Vivaldi

Dance of Creation Reawakenings cd2 Dvorak

Saints on the seashore Reawakenings cd2 Memories of the sea shore. Composed by Japanese marimba player Keiko Abe, Memories of the Seashore started out as an improvisation for children. It is a hauntingly beautiful piece which evokes the sound of waves washing on the beach, pebbles rattling, breeze blowing, the sun setting in a blaze of glorious colour - eventually fading away to stillness.

Poignant Pageant Reawakenings cd2 Cello music by Corinne Frost

Suffer-Reign Reawakenings cd2 Bach Adagio Toccata

Let all mortal flesh keep silence Rekindle ancient giftings High King of heaven, comfort victims of shock and loss and double cross; and all who feel aimless as the result of suffering great injustice. As we lift specific people and situations to You now those we know or have heard about, and those You know, dear Lord, we bring them as representative of all who are caught in the grip of misery. St...

Our feet may well be pierced Reawakenings cd2 Pergolesi Dont' let the ensuing down-drop prove a dampener from pressing on In God's economy this may yet be a Divinely appointed forerunner that paves the way for the real thing to come to pass. For in much the same way no one could predict what a tomato would look like from its seed, so what you sow does not come to life until it dies. Give special g...

All that You have been to us The heart of the wise is always to push on, even though ultimate victory often seems to depend on our willingness to be trampled underfoot. I let men ride over your heads; you went through fire and water, but I brought you to a place of abundance. (Ps. 66:12) The less full you are of self the more room there is for the One who became poor for your sakes. Lord, “You bec...

Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honoured his name. “On the day when I act,” says the LORD Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will see the disti...

Holy Highway Reawakenings cd2 Words and music by Carol Sampson

A reflection loosely based on John 17, and on the hymn ‘O Jesus I have promised.’ Peter and Shirley Richards have beautifully blended two of the best-known versions of this, the tunes Wolvercote and Thornbury, while Robert and Ros Weston lead us in this reflection, which was recorded under lockdown conditions.