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All Songs © Gerald Sharp

All rights are reserved.

About the Album

This was the second "Raven Rain" album, the first being a musical collaboration with Tony Drake. Nick Coetzee really arranged and produced this album and though what we had was limited his musicality shines through. 

In 2014 a man wrote this public testimony on sharparrow.org:  "Thank you for your music. I've listened to Ordinary men embraced from 1989 and have never gotten tired of it. It remains one of my favorite albums ever!!" He was one of many who appreciated this humble album. It was created from 2 cassette collections, recorded over a period of 4 days each. The writing of teh songs occurred mostly on a mountain called Legogotte, between White River and Numbi gate. The Petra Mountain Inn,  was home to the Acts Teams then, under the leadership of Francois DuToit of Elyon Ministries. Sometimes I travelled with him by road and sometimes in a Piper Saratoga plane. Francois preached and I supported his ministry in song. Many of these songs grew directly out of his preaching. Later Nick Coetzee arrived and added his beautiful keyboard sounds to the music. It was a wonderful time. We learned about God's righteousness by faith, and I got back to my first love. I had spent too many years, not understanding fully what had happened when I was born again.  I learned one important aspect there. I learned to ask forgiveness and receive by faith that forgiveness, so that I got up as white as snow! This became the secret to living and "walking in the light" and getting back to my first love. Sadly, the ministry that started so well and impacted so many collapsed. The enemy found a way to join and destroy it. God allowed this. 

My mother visited me there one day. The result of my conversation with her, inspired the song "God is love", which has became one of the songs n the album I am most requested to sing.

Credits

Francois Du Toit, Gerry and Mary Schoenby, the Petra Hotel owners and all the Acts Team. I learned so much from you all and my time was so special, with you on that mountain. The presence of God was for some years so tangeable and the impact great on those who were priveleged to have been there.

 

Nick Coetzee

Your musical input in this Raven Rain album, made it travel to distant lands, without being part of the commercial world. I appreciate your excellent gift and friendship over the years. Thank you.

My Mom 
She visited Elyon and a conversation with her led directly to the song GOD IS LOVE. 


Our heavenly Father. 
Without his Word, we are nothing, but "dust in the wind"  "Like the flower that fades" " A mist about to vanish". As those "who bring up their children for the murderer".

 

 

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