For a couple of my university years I often wore a little white badge with green letters saying 'Don't be afraid'(quite a few of us at Uni wore badges in the late 60's). As it happens, it's one of the most common sayings in the Bible, often translated as 'Fear not!', usually coming from God or one of the angels. I always wanted to write a song of this title. The phrase has popped up in some, I've often sung John Bell's chorus of that title, but maybe I'll just have to be content with the general idea.
'Wherever I go', written in '97, with some help from Dorothy, & also from Thom, is on the right track. Especially because the song partly grows out of the story of Jacob's dream, & reassuring words from God. One of the best comments I ever got about a song came about this one, from a wheelchair-bound young woman, a cerebral palsy sufferer, who told me that the chorus line 'however I move, you walk at my pace' felt like it had been written just for her.
And after I'd written it, Dorothy reminded me that our wedding text was the same reassuring statement from God, found in Genesis 28!
Reassurance is one of the key feelings I have from being a Christian. Lots of my songs say it in one way or another. It's not a strong sense of confidence in how well I'm doing, but in how well God takes care of us. Titles like 'Father welcomes', 'Comfort comfort', 'Jesus, please watch over us' point the way.
'On every day of every year
the weather may change - but you're still here!'
('Wherever I go': in 'God Version 1.0' & 'All together Whatever')
