During my time in college studying a Music BTEC, I heard one of my teachers Paul Harper playing some of his songs in the live recording room. I felt inspired by his song ‘Field of dreams’ and didn’t realize at the time how meaningful it would be to my own journey several years later.
I look back on the Friday night that changed my life when I was 17. Up to that point, I had enjoyed some success in music. I had won the best singer-songwriter in my local area with a radio station which had led on to performing at festivals on the same bill as some of the celebrities of the time. Many things had happened in my teenage years which had left me a bit bruised and shaken, so music was something that gave me a sense of worth and purpose. But deep down there was a numbness, something deeper that I kept shutting out and filling with anything that would distract me from my burning questions… Why am I here? What is the purpose of my life? Is the God I heard of as a child really there? What is the meaning of life?
It was on this Good Friday when my bf/date suggested that we go to see a film as it was too early to hit the nightclubs. Despite my resistance, we ended up seeing ‘The passion of the Christ’. I can only describe what happened in that movie theatre as a life-changing moment! It was as if I had lived my life in a darkened room and someone had walked in and switched the big light on! I believed and somewhere deep inside knew this was the truth and it had been there all along! I was so humbled seeing Jesus on the cross and it broke my heart when God’s presence surrounded me and I realized just how far the creator of this universe went to try and reconcile us back to Him. That night I asked God for His forgiveness and began a life of speaking to God, this is something you might already know as Prayer!
Started out at 17, so many places never seen. The people that I’m yet to meet, I’m just trying to find and keep my feet
After that good Friday encounter at 17 I began a journey of discovery as a born-again follower of Jesus. The path of faith led me to places I never thought of going and interesting, beautiful people I never imagined I would meet!
During the first few years of my faith, I gave up some of the things that had been my anchor in life. In order that my new life as a Christian could spring forward, and I really wanted to make God my everything and so I put my trust in His plan for me. God led me to a Bible college in Swansea (another miracle story) and during those 3 years, I decided I wouldn’t be taking to the platform in song all the time, and I also gave up dating relationships and just enjoyed a few years being single. This allowed me time to be free from social pressures, to enjoy friends and most of all to grow into the person God had created me to be. He did a deep healing work in my life during my time in Swansea and I started to feel much more at peace. It was at the point when I was most content being single that God brought Josh into my life. He was in the year after me at Bible college and we got to spend my final year of Bible college dating. It was such a blessing to marry Josh and I realized that if I had not trusted God with my life, things could look an awful lot different now!
During my time in Swansea, I journaled and some of the prayers I wrote in them turned into songs. Unlike the songs I used to write before coming to faith, these new songs seemed to hold weight and meaning. God was restoring my dreams and they were aligning with His purpose for my life. I wasn’t singing for the sake of singing anymore, but rather out of experience and from a message burning inside my heart of God’s grace, hope, love and joy! When I married Josh and returned home from Bible College after 3 years, I met with Rik Staines and Paul Harper and began to put an album together to express the hope and joy I have found.
In my own interpretation, Field of dreams captures something of the journey of life. Each of us has a life, and like a field, you can decide what to plant in it and how much life you want to grow there. Often, the joy and excitement of small things we appreciate as a child, we can easily overlook as adults. And yet it is the simple wonder of creation, people, animals, music etc, that Father God designed for His children to enjoy with grateful hearts when He made us! When you delight yourself in the Lord, He will give you the desires of your heart. I believe this verse is referring to those desires which are your most innocent, the most glorious, the desires that align with God’s dream for you! In the music video I wanted to capture something of innocence and child-like faith and trust. I couldn’t think of anything more lovely that these 3 little girls that we know and love in West Virginia. The idea is that when we give our dreams to God He can do amazing things with them.
Some people would say I’m crazy to ‘dream with God’ but if I’m so crazy, I would have to ask ‘well then, where’s your field of dreams my friend?’ Where is your treasure?
Life is a journey and a precious gift. Be encouraged that you have been made with a purpose and the one who created You is always worth trusting with your life and your dreams