Books by Dale Harris

Books by Dale Harris
A Feast of Epiphanies

Though I Walk, A Novel

Daytime Moons and Other Celestial Anomalies, a book of poems

Second Wind

Second Wind
An album of songs both old and new. Recorded in 2021, a year of major transition for me, these songs explore the many vicissitudes of the spiritual life,. It's about the mountaintop moments and the Holy Saturday sunrises, the doors He opens that no one can close, and those doors He's closed that will never open again. You can click the image above to give it a listen.

The Song Became a Child

The Song Became a Child
A collection of Christmas songs I wrote and recorded during the early days of the pandemic lockdown in the spring of 2020. Click the image to listen.

There's a Trick of the Light I'm Learning to Do

This is a collection of songs I wrote and recorded in January - March, 2020 while on sabbatical from ministry. They each deal with a different aspect or expression of the Gospel. Click on the image above to listen.

Three Hands Clapping

This is my latest recording project (released May 27, 2019). It is a double album of 22 songs, which very roughly track the story of my life... a sort of musical autobiography, so to speak. Click the album image to listen.

Ghost Notes

Ghost Notes
A collections of original songs I wrote in 2015, and recorded with the FreeWay Musical Collective. Click the album image to listen.

inversions

Recorded in 2014, these songs are sort of a chronicle of my journey through a pastoral burn-out last winter. They deal with themes of mental-health, spiritual burn-out and depression, but also with the inexorable presence of God in the midst of darkness. Click the album art to download.

soundings

soundings
click image to download
"soundings" is a collection of songs I recorded in September/October of 2013. Dealing with themes of hope, ache, trust and spiritual loss, the songs on this album express various facets of my journey with God.

bridges

bridges
Click to download.
"Bridges" is a collection of original songs I wrote in the summer of 2011, during a soul-searching trip I took out to Alberta; a sort of long twilight in the dark night of the soul. I share it here in hopes these musical reflections on my own spiritual journey might be an encouragement to others: the sun does rise, blood-red but beautiful.

echoes

echoes
Prayers, poems and songs (2005-2009). Click to download
"echoes" is a collection of songs I wrote during my time studying at Briercrest Seminary (2004-2009). It's called "echoes" partly because these songs are "echoes" of times spent with God from my songwriting past, but also because there are musical "echoes" of hymns, songs or poems sprinkled throughout the album. Listen closely and you'll hear them.

Accidentals

This collection of mostly blues/rock/folk inspired songs was recorded in the spring and summer of 2015. I call it "accidentals" because all of the songs on this project were tunes I have had kicking around in my notebooks for many years but had never found a "home" for on previous albums. You can click the image to download the whole album.

Random Reads

A Drink Offering for Jesus, a devotional thought

In 1 Chronicles 11 we find this strange story about King David and his mighty men that leaves me sort of scratching my head. Here’s the Coles notes: it’s during one of his battles against the Philistines, and the Philistines have set up a garrison at Bethlehem (his hometown). It says: “David longed for water and said, ‘Oh that someone would get me a drink from the well near the gate of Bethlehem.’”

It’s not clear if he was serious about this or not, but his Three top warriors hear it, and take up the mission. They break through the Philistine ranks, draw the water from the Bethlehem well, and bring it back to David.

And here’s the head scratcher: when they give him the cup, David refuses to drink it. “God forbid that I should do this!” he said. “Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?” So instead, he pours it out on the ground. It’s a bit strange, because it seems like these Three men have just stared down death itself to get a glass of water for their King, and rather than being honoured by it, he pours it out. But when you realize that he’s pouring it out as a libation (a drink offering) to God (v. 11:18), it comes into better focus. Rather than receiving this costly cup of water for himself, David gives their risky, daring, valiant exploit to the Lord.

This story upgrades from curious to powerful as soon as you remember that, as King of Israel, David is a type of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because the point here is that the true Messiah is worthy of every feat of daring, every risky venture, every life-on-the-line mission we take for him, and as we step out in faith on these (apparently) foolhardy missions, he takes all that courage and daring and devotion and bravery, like a tall cool drink of water and pours it out on our behalf before the Lord God himself. Who wouldn’t risk life and limb for a Messiah like He is?

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