The idea for Water Of Life first began when Jesus planted a seed in me at primary school; my favourite school assembly hymn was ‘Water Of Life’. When I gave my life to Jesus at age 30, I instantly remembered the song and promised God that one day I would write a song all about the water of life.

The challenging seasons in life can be like a raging storm out at sea, and for me this was my mental health battles, which can feel like a never-ending storm when we are in the middle of them. But the Holy Spirit is metaphorically known as ‘The Water Of Life’ and he can calm any storm with his peace which is beyond all understanding. I remember that first miracle, for the first time feeling the Holy Spirit entering me and how peaceful, joyful, cleansing, and holy I felt. The final chorus is inspired by my experience of deliverance, “cleansing the sharks away”.

Jesus spoke about water in John chapter 4 with the woman at the well. He explains we will never thirst from the water that he gives, which is a spring welling up to eternal life. It was to this Samaritan woman that Jesus first chose to reveal himself beyond his close friends and family. To access this living water of eternal life we have to believe in Jesus, follow him and invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, to cleanse us and grow good fruit in us and transform us through the renewing of our minds, this influences the lyric “believe in me, you'll flow rivers of living water.”

Jesus is ultimately in control and can calm any storm, and he can develop and grow the things we have learnt from the most difficult times in our lives, turning them into an ocean of dreams. The first ever worship song I wrote was called ‘Ocean of Dreams’.