
Please click below to listen….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VMEImuB2bw
We crossed the Atlantic ocean in 1994 and in the following few years traversed the American continent discovering and befriending our new homeland and its citizens.
Father continued to give me new songs journaling our journey of Ad-venture across the sea and into this ‘New World’
Having left behind in Belfast the gifted brothers and sisters who had produced the Come Lord Jesus, Good Mornin’ Dad and O Ireland albums I wondered if these new songs would ever get recorded for posterity.
Then one Sunday afternoon at St. Brendan’s Launch in Kieran’s Irish pub I met Tim Lyles.
We got chatting and I discovered he was a guitar teacher, a mean bass guitarist himself, and that on the side he also did some recording work.
‘Sure, I’d be up for helping you’ He said as I outlined The Bright Hostage project I had envisioned. Subsequently Tim magnanimously produced the first two albums of the Trilogy, The Voyage and The Trek of the Bright Hostage.
Arriving in Belfast a few weeks ago I learned of Tim’s death.
He had written a piece to be posted on FaceBook letting us know “I’m no longer taking up residence on this planet.” …but that he had moved on ’to ‘the Great Mystery Beyond’
The final paragraph read,
“Anyway, I hope there are many fond memories and funny stories you tell when you think of me. In the salient words of the great Memphis musician Jim Dickinson, “I’m not gone. I’m just dead.” I’ve planted enough surreptitious musical mayhem….that you should be able to recognize traces of me here and there. Hope you smile and chuckle a bit.”
I did indeed smile and chuckle when I read this, recalling the track, ‘Shake The Heavens’
To Tim’s chagrin I insisted that his lovable goofing around be preserved in the introductory bars of the final mix.
You can hear and engage with him having ‘a really fun time’ in the first 12 seconds of the track🤣
Last Sunday we joined with family here at Every Nation Church, Belfast. I was greeted at the door by Les, wearing this shirt….

(He told me he’d decided to change into this one at the last minute🙂)
The service opened up with a song with the words
‘There’s joy in the House of the Lord’
I knew Tim was sending us a message…….that he was now having ‘a really fun time’ in the Great Mystery Beyond😀
As I am typing this blog I’m sitting in a coffee shop …….and the song comes on……”I’m knock, knock, knocking on heaven’s door.”🤣
…….I see heaven’s door opening, the angel turns and announces…..
“Relax. The Bass Player is Here.”
Like Nathaniel, Tim was ‘a man without guile’
Jesus told him,
‘You will see heaven opened and the angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man.’
He was referencing ‘Jacob’s ladder’ in Genesis 28.
As we shared the communion meal together at the close of the service on Sunday, I reflected on how the Son of Man, our crucified and risen Lord was himself, ‘Jacob’s ladder’ …….the bridge connecting these two realms of heaven and earth.
Tim now knows this more fully than ever accompanying us from the heavenly realm in the song……..
‘We now, our feet on earth
But hearts with Him in heaven above
He now, by sovereign grace
Is forming us as one in love. ‘
Indeed
Tim is not gone…….He is just dead.
…….and we continue to be connected
…….through the ‘Jacob’s ladder’
…….that is in our hearts.