After recording Hello Lord, I did something very brave - I asked Jesus: “Does it matter to you if I love your mother or not? I’m afraid she might be trying to steal your glory - so protect me from her, but if you want me to love her, let me know. Amen.” I think both Mary and Jesus had a good laugh that day. After re-reading a five-year prayer journal I had kept during my singing-in-the-bar days, I was horrified to see my pride, arrogance, and judgemental attitude. Depressed at what a hypocrite I was, I threw the so-called ‘prayer-journal’ in the trash and went to bed, but could not get to sleep.
That‘s when the refrain to “Strength for the Journey” began running through my mind so I got up and wrote it out. When I die, I hope to meet whatever angels helped me write that song. This collection seems to have more of a Lenten feel. The song: “Your Giving Life” is a thank you to all moms. “The Pieta” is all about Mary’s suffering in relation to her acceptance of all her son suffered for our sake. I’ve always puzzled over Simeon’s words to Mary: “And your own heart will be pierced as with a sword that the thoughts of many might be revealed.” Mary? Called to suffer for my benefit? One way to know you have drawn close to Mary: When your own heart is pierced by that same sword that pierced hers.
