Journey Prayers

A few weeks ago I was doing some planning work for the trip and I thought I would listen to some music while working on the computer. I remembered an album from Jeff Johnson called Pilgrimage. It seemed appropriate so I put it in the CD player. As I was working and listening it dawned on my just how much influence Jeff Johnson has had on my approach to this trip to Europe. It had been a while since I had checked out his website, so I web-surfed over there ( http://www.arkmusic.com/ ) and discovered he has a new release out called Journey Prayers. So of course I had to complete my Jeff Johnson collection and get this album that had a title appropriate to our upcoming trip. It arrived last week and I have been enjoying it ever since. I was so struck by this connection of Jeff Johnson and the trip to Europe that I sent him an email. As always he was gracious in his reply and encouraged us with these words "I'm very excited for you both being able to take this pilgrimage together. Whatever you do, take your time and make time to stop and take in some of these places."

Jeff Johnson has influenced this trip in a few significant ways, first by describing trips to Europe in his own life as pilgrimages. In his songs and writings I have encountered a very spiritual approach to touring Europe. In his work I have sensed that it is possible to have a trip to Europe that is far more than just a sightseeing venture; that it is possible - even in this day and age - to be a pilgrim, a spiritual seeker, rather than simply a tourist.

Even on his earliest albums (created back in the 1980's) Jeff would weave ambient sounds recorded in Europe into the music tracks. As I listened to Pilgrimage I suddenly realized that my desire to record the ambience of various places we visit and weave those recordings into music projects I have in mind, this has its origins in the work of Jeff Johnson. (As a side note, recently I have been testing out my little Yamaha recorder, including last night when I recorded a concert by one of the choirs our middle child, Joshua, is in. The Pocketrak works pretty slick, I'm looking forward to using it in Europe).

For years Jeff Johnson has recorded albums that are based on the novels of Stephen R. Lawhead. It was through these Lawhead novels that I came to deeper love of Celtic lore. My favourite Stephen R. Lawhead novel is called Byzantium which follows the journey of a Irish monk who is captured by some vikings and eventually ends up in Byzantium before returning home to Ireland. It was this book that first made me realize how intertwined the history of the Celtic and Nordic people are. The Byzantium recording by Jeff Johnson remains one of my favourite of his many albums.

If you have never read any Stephen Lawhead books I would recommend them as a great source of entertainment and education. I have learned new things with each new Lawhead novel I have read. You can find out more about this interesting author at his website ( http://www.stephenlawhead.com/ ). If you'd like to give a Lawhead novel a try I would recommend either Byzantium or Patrick: these books are self-contained (meaning they are not part of a series) and they are two of my favourite novels of the past decade.

I would also encourage you to check out the music of Jeff Johnson either by visiting his Ark Music website (where you can find music samples to listen to), or by searching for Jeff Johnson on iTunes. (Be aware that there is more than one Jeff Johnson who is a musician with recordings out, visiting Ark Music will tell you if a particular recording is from the Jeff Johnson of which I write).

To conclude this entry I would like to quote the lyrics of the title song from Jeff Johnson's most recent recording:

JOURNEY PRAYER ~ GODRIC’S THEME
Words & music by Jeff Johnson

Father, bless to me this day,
And Jesus, bless to me this night,
Spirit, bless each hour of life,
Bless me, God of grace I pray.

Bless the path on which I go,
Bless the earth beneath my sole,
Bless me God and give Your love,
Bless my rest and my repose.

Father, keep me in Your eyes,
Jesus, keep me in Your love,
Spirit, keep me in Your Truth,
Bless me, God of grace I pray.