Songs of Christian Worship in styles of Folk, Country Gospel, Contemporary, and soul searching Ballads. Receive a FREE download card when you buy this CD.

ENTER HIS GATES is John & Jane's 7th CD album project and incorporates cover tunes as well as originals. You'll enjoy styles ranging from Folk, Country Gospel, Contemporary and Ballads.
This

Songs of Christian Worship in styles of Folk, Country Gospel, Contemporary, and soul searching Ballads. Receive a FREE download card when you buy this CD.

ENTER HIS GATES is John & Jane's 7th CD album project and incorporates cover tunes as well as originals. You'll enjoy styles ranging from Folk, Country Gospel, Contemporary and Ballads.
This project also fetchers the beautiful voice of Marisol Ayala who is a twenty something naturally gifted vocalist. Her sweet personality shines through her singing. Look for more of her in the near future. About the songs on this album: "ENTER HIS GATES" (original by John in Folk style with John and Marisol singing lead, John and Jane singing harmonies, John played the guitar parts and the digital sequencing of everything else.) This song is based on Psalm 100 which encourages us to "enter His gates with thanksgiving, enter His courts with praise" and to "make a joyful noise to the Lord". If our praise is "Joyful" and "to the Lord" He will rejoice with us. "GOING TO THE CITY" (original by John in Country Gospel style with John doing all the vocals and guitars plus sequencing of the other instruments except harmonica which Jane has so much fun doing). This is a song of anticipation of heaven. The beginning of the gospel of John and the first five verses tell us that "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God [Himself]" ... He is the Light of men that shines on in darkness and nothing overpowers Him. We want everyone we know to come and go with us to that city. "THAT'S WHAT GOD WILL DO" ( Folk style with John and Jane doing all the vocals and John doing guitars and sequencing. This song fetchers a Taylor 12 string on the lead part) God wants to be our best friend and has an awesome plan for each of us. When we are unfaithful He is always faithful and just and ready to forgive us and heal us. As long as we let Him have control, He will bring us home. "THROUGH IT ALL" (cover written by Reuben Morgan - Contemporary Christian style with Marisol singing lead supported by John; John & Jane on harmonies; John did the guitars and sequencing and the organ parts that are only slightly reminiscent of "Whiter Shade of Pale") God's faithfulness will bring us through anything we will face in this life and causes us to sing for joy as we realize that we are being held in His everlasting arms. "TEACH ME TO SING" (original by John in Contemporary Christian style - John on lead and John and Jane harmonizing. John did the guitars and sequencing and the horn arrangement. The overall sound is a little like B.J. Thomas in style. John wrote most of this song over 30 years ago but wasn't happy with the structure until this project and was able to finish it ) This song is a daily prayer of trust and commitment. "HUNGRY" (cover written by Kathryn Scott - Contemporary Christian style - Marisol on lead; John and Jane on harmonies along with Marisol's brother Alex Sandoval; guitars, sequencing and lead guitar by John and harmonica by Jane.) Marisol's voice is perfect for this song and when we recorded this track with her she had just come through a difficult patch emotionally. You can hear in her voice how this song's powerful lyrics connect with her spirit. When we hunger and thirst for God, He will fill us. "GATHER" (original by John in Gospel style - John did everything on this one. Jane probably had a sore throat or something when this was recorded and John will often put scratch vocal tracks down to see if the arrangement will work. It came out pretty cool so we just left it as is) Because of God's merciful sacrifice of Himself on the cross in our place we have the hope of heaven where we will gather with all the saints who have gone before us in the hope of glory. "I GIVE YOU MY HEART" (cover written by Reuben Morgan - Contemporary Christian style - John on lead vocal supported by Marisol with John and Jane doing harmonies. All instruments played by or sequenced by John with Jane on harmonica) Seek first the kingdom of heaven... "WHAT DID JESUS SAY" (original by John and Jane - Ballad style - John did everything on this one including the horn arrangement) Quite a story behind this song. way back in the late 70s John and Jane sang with another couple as the group called GODSONG who made one vinyl LP of the same title. For at least two consecutive years they did music for a New Years Eve worship service. This church flew in a priest named Kenneth Roberts who had become know for his book "Playboy to Priest". He told us this story of an experience he had with some children at a middle school where they were all gathered in church for Mass and they were all sectioned off by grades. He read the Gospel from Jn. 15: 12 which says "This is my commandment; love one another as I love you". He closed the book and asked them, "What did Jesus say"? Being children, he had to ask them several time before they got it and then he taught them the difference between a suggestion and a command and that when we follow the commands of Jesus our lives will prosper and we can have peace. Some months later Fr. Kenny was walking to his car in a shopping mall parking lot when a young boy came up and tugged at his coat and said "I know what Jesus said". And so Fr. said "what did Jesus say"? The boy responded "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I love you". Then the boy's mother came up and greeted him and told him that she wanted to thank him for saving her marriage and family. It turns out the day Fr. met with the children this boy's parents had decided to get a divorce and when their son came home from school that day they took him by hand and sat down on the couch with him in between them and said to him, "now son you know that mommy and daddy love you very much but we don't love each other any more". Their son looked back and forth at each of them and asked them. "Mommy - Daddy, what did Jesus say?" They responded with "we don't know. What DID Jesus say?" "This is my commandment; Love on another... This confrontation startled them so much that they decided to surrender their lives to Jesus and they rediscovered their love for one another. They did not divorce and the family stayed together.
(an interesting statistic to note is that; despite what we have heard about marriage and divorce in our nation, most families who pray together do stay together. The actual divorce rate among committed Christians who attend church regularly and get involved in ministry is between 4-7% not 50%) I SURRENDER, JESUS" (original by John - Contemporary Christian style - John on lead vocal and John and Jane on harmonies; guitars, sequencing and lead guitar by John) John and Jane recorded a different version of this song in 2007 on their CD titled "WONDERFUL GRACE". (will soon be available on this site) This song is truly a prayer of surrender to God's will. We sometimes wonder about the "glory of God" and how He hears our prayers yet, when we recollect our lives, we recognize God's power and grace at work in us who believe. When we surrender our lives to Him we then come into communion with Him in such a way that we loose all fear. See 1st John 4: 16-18. "I BELIEVE IN YOU" (cover written by Bob Dylan - ballad style - John on lead vocal with John & Jane on harmonies; guitars and sequencing by John) This song can be found on Bob Dylan's album from 1979 titled "SLOW TRAIN COMING". He won a Grammy Award for the album and this song was really something John could Identify with being a thousand miles from home when he gave his life to Christ and finding some resistance from family and friends when trying, unsuccessfully, to explain the life changing experience of an encounter with Almighty God. The song's message is no less true today. We still encounter resistance and condescension from some professional church people who don't like to disturb their comfortable and fixed religiosity by following the lead of The Holy Spirit.
"REFINER'S FIRE" (cover written by Brain Doerksen - Contemporary Christian style - Marisol on lead, John and Jane on harmonies; guitars and sequencing by John) For many years this song has been a favorite of ours. The first time we sang this with Marisol on the lead we knew we had to record it. And it was difficult to get the recording done because our schedules and limitations of our little studio couldn't accommodate the three of us recording separate tracks simultaneously. Thank God for digital recording! The Bible describes the Holy Spirit as being a "Refining Fire" that purifies our hearts. Our hope is that you experience the power of God in your life as you listen. Post any comments you may have and stay tuned for more...