EMILY WALKER

Of all the songs I have written this is by far my favourite and the most special.  I wrote this song in 1995, eleven years after the death of my parents.  It is a testimony of who God is and who He has become in my life.  I promised God that whenever I have the opportunity I will always sing this song as a testimony to Him and I have sung this song many many times and every time is special.  It is a constant reminder of His grace and mercy to me.  One of the most memorable was singing this song at a meeting in Finland before 6000 people.  It felt like I was singing to one person and God's presence was so evident.  It was truly remarkable.  

I had this picture in my head of a pair of hands rising from the waters to touch the sun.  To me this song is about: when we are in the midst of turmoil, destruction, despair or conflict - we need to lift our hands to Jesus and He will give us beauty for ashes and a garment of praise. 

I haven't been writing as much as I used to, mainly due to having three young children in the house!  I wrote this in April 2009 for an Easter service in a local secondary school.  I didn't intend to write anything but on the Wednesday I wrote this song in about 15 minutes and sang it on the Friday.  It usually doesn't take long for me to write but it will take a good few months to get to know and tweak the song. 

My husband and I wrote this song together for our daughter Elyce in 2007, the year she was born.   "Elyce" means "the Lord is my God" and her Chinese name is Yun Yee . " Yun" means grace and "Yee" means a child. 

I wrote this song for my friend's wedding in 1998.  I have known KL since he was a little boy and he is like a little brother to me.  So it was a privilege when he asked me to write a song and sing it at their wedding.  God bless you both!  

We were really blessed to have attended St Andrews Baptist Church and in our three years there I wrote five songs.  I had great support from Tim Burns who was the pastor at that time.  He gave me the opportunity to sing at their First Sunday services.  It was a service held once a month in the local secondary school aimed at outreach, to both students and the local residents.   

​

When I got married in 1999 I left my family, my church of 11 years and moved to St Andrews where my husband was studying.  Everything was new to me.  I left behind my family who supported me, a church I love and helped to start, and a group of great friends who saw the best and the worst of me. I can't begin to say how much they have helped me grow in my Christian faith.  

​

So here I was in a new place, starting from scratch and for a long time...not being involved in anything.  I assure you I welcomed the break but part of me was itching to do something.  As I recalled I think my husband mentioned to Pastor Burns one day that I used to lead worship.  Well, they were about to launch the First Sundays and so I got involved with the worship group.  

​

I was inspired to write my own materials, not because there weren't great stuff around but it was easier to sing songs that I could relate to, but most of all it was to write something that hopefully spoke to the people there.  They had fantastic musicians, especially the pianist Steve Guthrie.  I would play him the song and straight away he was able to play it and accompanied me - super talented and very gifted.  He reminded me of Betty - the pianist I served with for 11 years.  She could play anything, everything and in any key...a remarkable servant of the Lord!

​

My husband and I wrote this song together.  We wrote this especially for our wedding.  It was written in July 1998 a year before our wedding; recorded at a studio in Dundee and it was played during the signing of the register.  This song and 'I call Him Father' were recorded in one take so not very polished; we had limited studio time! 

I haven't felt like nor had the time to write for a while.  But this was another song that I wrote probably about 10 - 15 minutes and a couple of days to finalise.  I have been writing a personal journal for my children - from the day I was born to the present.  It has been a real revelation and I think inspired me to write this song.   

This song was written in 2001 when we were attending the Baptist Church in St Andrews.  During the 3 years we were there I was blessed to have the opportunity to sing at their services and have written a few songs. I also performed this song in a TV broadcast of one of their Sunday services.

When I was in secondary school I went through a difficult period.  I was truanting and everyone was baffled by it because I was a quiet, well-behaved girl who never got into trouble.  I didn't fully understand it either, but it happened and I got found out.  Needless to say, I was on a downward spiral both academically and personally. I had nowhere to turn but God.  I was already a Christian, but to me, God was this stern figure sitting on His throne in heaven looking down at me.  In 1982, my last year of secondary school, I got baptised and in 1984 both my parents died in the same year.  Again, my world fell apart.

My father and I were never close.  He was in London when I was born and I have no memories of seeing him until I was 7 years old when I moved to London.     My relationship with my mother faired better but again, separation played a part in our lives.  When I was 2 years old, she left Hong Kong to join my father, I saw her briefly again 3 years later when she came back for a visit but it wasn't until I moved to London at the age of 7 that I was living with my parents. Therefore, their deaths did not hit me hard at first, but it had affected me more deeply than I realised.  

It was through these tough times that God began to reveal Himself to me as God the Father, my Father.  It was a revelation that changed the way I saw Him, the way I saw myself and the way I relate to Him.  I am where I am today because of this relationship.

This song, written in 1991, was a culmination of all that had happened.  I graduated in 1990 with a Law Degree.  God can make a way where there seems to be no way.  God can make the impossible into reality. Hallelujah!  

​

From a very young age my dream was to get married and have children.  Little did I know those dreams took longer than I expected.  By their early 20s all my 5 sisters were married, friends around me were either married, getting married, having children or going out with someone and here I was hitting 30, with this God given desire... but no husband!  The amount of time I had moaned and groaned to God about this seems like eternity.  "Why put this desire in my heart when You're not doing anything about it?" you would hear me cry.   Even in desperation and frustration, I knew deep in my heart that God had the perfect partner for me.  But the waiting was hard, really hard.  I tried to do it my way and failed miserably, only becoming more frustrated and more disappointed.  Finally, I gave up, gave in, and said to God "Ok, I've had enough of doing it my way, You know me, You know who is perfect for me, it's in Your hands now."   This song was a kind of surrender, written in 1996.  

​

I met my husband at the end of 1997 in the most unusual circumstances that only God could have engineered.  Now, I look at my husband and our 3 beautiful children I can truly say: God answered my prayers in style!  

​

God knows what we want but more importantly He gives us what we need.  When we trust God’s timing, He always sends us the best.