Waterfall was written by my dear friend Gary Leach for a solo project I did called Point of View. This song speaks beautifully about living your life separated from the presence of God. Several times in my life I’ve found myself seemingly alone, “far from the morning, away from the light”
In 1994, I went through a bout with cancer. I had surgery and did chemotherapy. After I had finished treatments, I went through a severe time of depression. Looking back on that season I realized I didn’t own the skills required to pull
myself through. After much struggle, trial and error, I did finally see my way through. One thing I learned from that ordeal was the importance of not isolating myself from seeking help, either from close friends that you trust, or from seeing a professional that is well versed in walking someone trough trials.
In the last few years, my wife Deanne and I have had more that our fair share of trials, i.e. the death of our oldest daughter Megin, the loss of my brother Jack, and the loss of Deanne’s only sibling, her brother Roger. We found ourselves part of a club we never would have joined willingly. In the light of our trials, and by watching many friends go through similar situations, whether it be losing a spouse, or sending kids through rehab, we realized there wasn’t a ton of resources readily available to help people cope.
Deanne has been tirelessly working on a website called myhopeglobal.com. This website contains tons of free faith-based resources with a wide variety of topics to help people with mental heath issues.
I have had seasons where I have felt what these lyrics communicate. Even though I haven’t been in this place for as long as the words would intimate.
Here are the lyrics:
Far from compassion away from the truth
Drifting aimlessly in my own ways
Far from the time of my youth
When I walked with the Ancient of days
Like ground that was hardened
From years without rain
Cracked and drying beneath cloudless skies
So was my unbroken heart
Until You brought the tears to my eyes
And You broke forth in the secret place
With a storm of Your most tender mercies
And the light of the Son shone upon my face
How my joy is renewed as Your love flows down
Just like a waterfall
Flowing over me
Just like a waterfall
Far from the morning, away from the light
Others have fallen again
Lost in the cold desert night
Of confusion resentment and pain
I can see where a river once ran from the source
Through a land of contentment and peace
But the pride of an unbroken heart
Stopped the flow of Your spirit’s release
How I pray you break forth in the secret place
With a storm of Your most tender mercies
May You reign in our hearts with Your precious grace
How my joy is renewed when Your love flows down
Just like a waterfall
Flowing over me
Just like a waterfall
Flowing over me
Just like a waterfall