Song of the Bride
(CD companion webpage)
Here you will find extras that will hopefully make listening to the CD more meaningful: stories behind the songs, sound clips, scripture verses and recommended reading, more.
or mail a check to:
Longpaw Music
P.O. Box 3452
Ogden, Utah 84409
You can hear the full length opening track, "Immanuel", at: www.indieheaven.com/artists/wendyjepsen
Album Reviews
" a warm and lovely case of "deep calling to deep," in the best sense of the phrase...Jepsen is the master of Quietly Passionate." Kevan Breitinger, Suite 101
"...His love is so evident on this disc..." Paul Gentry, Sockspider Reviews
"..There is a warmth and reverence felt throughout the album." Bill Bolte, Circle 37 Music Reviews
"...a lovely acoustic-based praise project featuring a classy batch of songs...graceful, soaring vocals and harmonies aplenty." Barry Nothstine, Phantom Tollbooth
"...a good album of well crafted, original songs." Ian Hayter, Cross Rhythms
"...a very inspirational and magical collection..." Ken Wiegman, Alpha Omega News
Radio Interview
I was recently interviewed on the Z Channel's Music Show with Zeph Daniel (Saturday, 1/27/07). If you missed it, you can still listen if you go to Z Channel Music Show Interview It was a lot of fun, and God had His way. We listened to and talked about several of the songs from the new CD, my testimony of coming to know Christ, and explored the topics of the love of God and His desire for fellowship with us...
Extra liner notes
1. Immanuel (John 1, Isaiah 9:6) listen lyrics
One morning in December, 2005, I woke up with the chorus of this song swirling round and round in my heart and mind, ran to my guitar and found it was in my favorite guitar key, E…I had been meditating on John 1, marveling that God would love us so much He would step into history as a human infant and lay down His crown, His throne, His deity…all the way to the cross, all for the sake of Love. I never want to lose the sense of wonder at the compassion and mercy of a holy God who chose to reach down and redeem me!
2. Be Still (Psalm 46:10, Romans 8:38) listen lyrics
What an unpredictable, unstable world we live in! And it’s so natural to give in to the fear that it’s spinning out of control. Stress levels are at an all time high, as people give in to worry, stress, and a sense of entitlement, feeling like the world owes them something. No wonder there is so much road rage, etc. If it seems the world is out of control, then we must ask, “whose” control? And maybe it’s time for each of us to let go of our own need to be in control. The psalmist speaks of the turbulence and chaos of this world, yet with a sense of hope and of surrender to the power of God, who says, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted above the earth.” This statement follows several verses describing the worst that could happen. If I am not at peace, if I am experiencing stress, anxiety, fear, depression, any number of emotions, I must learn to be still. To listen to my emotions as signals, (nothing more) that there is something in my soul that needs attention. To know that He is God, not I, not others around me, not the circumstances that are overwhelming me right now. I cannot control those things. The only thing I can control is my response to the people and circumstances in my life. And surrender them to God, as He is the one who is in control.
I wrote this song at the end of August, 2005, the week before Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Most of the time, I have to work so hard to get to the point where I know the song is finished. Not this one. I wrote it in 3 sessions, all within a week. I wrote it as if I am speaking to my soul, to be still. I wanted to convey the message of God’s unfailing love in the midst of fear and loss. If God Himself dwells within us, how can there be anything that can shake the core of who we are? He is the Mighty One. He is the Eternal, the Uncreated God, dwelling in weak human flesh. And He waits in the deep, the secret place, for us to have fellowship with Him. For us to run to Him when we feel we are being shaken, so we can find refuge and solid ground.
When Katrina hit, I found myself watching the news and interceding for those who had been impacted by the disaster. And fear and grief seemed to swell up in me as I saw the devastation and thought about the level of human suffering that was shown. The song I had written just a week before surfaced in my heart, and the Holy Spirit quietly made His presence known as I found myself singing it to comfort myself. It was as if He had given me the song in advance to help me keep my perspective straight…there is nothing, there is no one who will ever separate you from the love of God in Christ.
3. Faithful (Hosea 2:14-16, 19-20) listen lyrics
Several years ago, I lost my voice and was unable to sing for 2 1/2 years. I often refer to it as my "wilderness". The Lord directed me to read this passage in Hosea, and I felt He was giving me a promise that I would sing again. I went through many ups and downs during the process of healing, but He met my needs every time I called out to Him. Through that time, I discovered He is faithful to His Word, faithful to His character, and faithful to me, even when I am faithless.
The wilderness is a place I believe every believer walks through at least once, and more realistically, many times during his or her walk with God. It is a place of barrenness, without and within, and can be terrifying if we don't "press in" to the things of God, learning to lean on Him in complete dependence and trust. His character is to be trusted, but we have so many false ideas about Him that must be stripped away so we can learn Who He really is, and who we are in Him.
4. Be Thou My Vision listen lyrics
My favorite hymn! I love the sweet traditional Irish melody, and the depth of devotion in the lyrics.
Inspired during a time of personal worship, while meditating on Ephesians 1:17-21. The world promises so many things to make our lives fulfilling, but they will only blind us to the Truth, and even to our need for the Truth. Remember the story of Mary and Martha? Martha's focus was on doing. Mary chose to be in the presence of Jesus, learning from Him. She had her eyes fixed upon Him, intent on seeing the Truth. As she gazed upon the beauty of this Man, she was captivated by a devotion to Him that transformed her life. And when her sister criticized her, He defended her, saying to Martha, "...only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her." Mary chose to invest in a depth of intimacy with Jesus that would eventually move Him to tears as He witnessed and felt her grief over the loss of her brother. A depth of intimacy that would also lead her to literally pour out her entire life's inheritance in one dramatic and lavish act of worship. this is the kind of devotion I want. And it's the only way we can truly surrender to Him, when we are captivated by the reality of the One who IS Beauty. The One who IS Truth.
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8. Lift Up A Song listen lyrics
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10. I Remember You listen lyrics
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12. Song of the Bride listen lyrics
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Recommended Reading
Here are some of the authors and books that I have gleaned from. These are just a few of the resources available to anyone interested in learning more about the "Bridal Paradigm" as it relates to our spiritual intimacy with God, or theology concerning Christ and the Church as seen allegorically in the Song of Solomon and all throughout scripture. This is fascinating to me, and I am just scratching the surface here, so if you know of any good resources I would be interested in hearing about them!
Holy Bible: (For starters of course!) Song of Solomon, Hosea, Zephaniah 3:17, Ephesians 5:22-33, Revelation 19:1-9, 21-22 , etc......
Bernard of Clairvaux (12th century, he devoted 18 years of his life to studying the Song of Songs, and in 86 sermons only made it through S of S 3:3) A good place to start is with Bernard Bangley's Talks on the Song of Songs, an edited and modernized version.
George A. Maloney, S. J. Singers of the New Song
John Eldredge Anything he has written but especially The Sacred Romance
Ken Gire Divine Embrace
Dana Candler Deep Unto Deep
Bob Sorge Secrets of the Secret Place
Website: www.ihop.org There are a lot of resources available here, about prayer, fasting, worship, and the bridal paradigm.