Creatures

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song, "Creatures", from the album "The Chronicles of Bren: Captured – Songs for the Journey". That mp3 is available at https://www.thechroniclesofbren.com/store/captured-songs-for-the-journey-album/ The lyrics can be found below.

You can join Dennis and the people of All In All Church for live-stream worship on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/therealdennisjernigan at 7 PM CST. Mark it in your calendar. Worship with All in All Church - First Wednesday of each month.

Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX

Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

You will find the show notes and lyrics below:

 Welcome to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast. The purpose of this podcast is to help you find healing for your wounds; find hope in your despair; find intimacy in your loneliness; find refuge from the storms of life; Basically, to help you find a deeper walk with Jesus. There is one thing I know after having lived all these years: God wastes nothing. Not our sorrows. Not our wounds. Not even our failures.
 Hi. I am your host, Dennis Jernigan, and I am so excited about the next few weeks of the Dennis Jernigan podcast because I absolutely love the subject matter that we're covering. I really do.

 For the past few weeks I have been sharing the stories behind songs inspired by a fantasy book series I wrote for my children and grandchildren…but something I have forgotten to tell you (I will blame my forgetfulness on the Parkinson’s) is that the underlying reason I wrote these stories was to paint an allegorical picture of what it means to come to Christ for salvation and how to view the word from Christ’s point of view. I wrote the books in such a way that people would not be deterred from reading the books if they felt they had overtly religious undertones. You will be able to find pictures of Jesus and discovering none’s identity in Christ painted throughout The Chronicles of Bren.
 And there’s one more thing to tell you. I have actually written 2 series of books. The first series is called The Chronicles of Bren Trilogy and the second series (which is about to have its 4th book completed) called The Bairns of Bren. This second series features my grandchildren as the heroes of the stories and it has become quite a wild ride. I’ll let you know when book 4 in that series is available.
 You are used to hearing me share the stories behind songs of worship and praise; songs of ministry; songs of comfort; songs from Father God’s heart to ours…but the song I am sharing today was inspired by a 3-book series of fantasy novels I wrote for my children and grandchildren way back in 2015. The first book in this three-book series is called Captured (Book 1 in The Chronicles of Bren Trilogy). You may be asking yourself, “Why would a worship leader and song receiver write  series of books and songs about a fantasy world?”
 I won’t share everything that has led me to the writing of fantasy novels. You can simply listen to the podcasts from the episode called “Riding the Wind” all the way up to today’s episode in order to catch up. 
 This week’s song, “Creatures”, was received sometime in 2015 0r 2016 is a very scary song and was intended to paint a picture of the evil that is at work in the spiritual realm. Some of the creatures are good. Some are evil. My goal was to teach my children and grandchildren to walk in discernment and to trust their consciences and to remember that the enemy sometimes presents himself as an angel of light.
 My desire is that my grandchildren would learn to be vigilant because the enemy goes about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour with his lies. I’ll just mention a few of the lyrics that are meant to instill that vigilance. 

Better watch out. 
Better watch out
When you pass through
Forest or valley
Whatever you do

Better watch out
Better watch 
Whatever you do
Better be watching 
But who’s watching who?

 Following is a list of the creatures found in Bren. Ogres, Werewolves, Terrebithians (a race of men who live under the ground), Hawken (Hawk people who are faifthul to Bren), Wolfen (wolf people who are faithful to Bren), and Treesant (faithful, yet cautious of Bren). Swine rats, demons, unicorns (always good), dragons (fifty fifty chance of being good), fiends (never a good thing), Witches (never good), warlocks (never good).
  Captured is a tale as old as time.
Day at war with night. I painted a saga of peril and balanced it with faith, because I want my grandchildren to know life is not always easy but it always best lived by walking in faith with Jesus Christ. In this story The Founders represent the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let me highlight a couple of the creatures to give you some insight as to why I created them.

Sylvan – Treesants – These people of the forest – tree spirits, if you will – were inspired by my love for the woods. On our farm, we have acres and acres of forest. In fact, my sons and I have cut trails through the forest and have built a campground in those woods. The campground sits atop a small hill we have dubbed Stirling Mountain after the famous battle of Stirling depicted in the movie about William Wallace, Braveheart.  As a teenager studying vocational agriculture, I actually spent time studying trees and was tested on identifying various species native to Oklahoma. Throughout the history of fantasy and mythological writings there have been depictions of tree spirits. I had to include my own version in this story. The Treesants – Sylvan in particular – represent the mystery of life and the joy of trying to unravel the mystery…which Leonolis never does. But I don’t think he will ever stop trying. After all, isn’t that where the fun is?

Swine Rats – This particular creature was conjured up in my mind by the various wild animals I have experienced throughout my life – especially when growing up in the country. We often see coyotes and deer and bobcats and skunks and woodchucks and raccoons and squirrels and possums. When I was a boy in FFA, I had show animals. I bought my first pig to show at livestock shows when I was a freshman in high school. The pig was purchased from a friend who lived ten miles away. After getting the pig home and placed in the enclosure I had prepared for her, she promptly escaped! I searched for a couple of weeks to no avail. After a futile period of searching, I gave up. A week after my search ended I receive a call from the friend I had bought the pig from. He told me the pig had come back to his birthplace! As I secured the enclosure and went to once again bring my pig home, I could not help but imagine what she had endured and all she might have gone through just to make it those weeks alone in her incredible journey. All of that helped inspire the swine rats. I combined rats with a pig just because rats personify dirty, rotten, scoundrels, soaked in evil to me!
 My grandchildren love to scare me and I love to scare them when it is apprpriate. I do not want them to walk in fear but learn to discern when fear comes it can serve as a warning to be alert and to get themselves out of harm’s way if necessary. This is meant to be a scary song and is meant to remind us to walk in the light but walk prepared to stand against the darkness with the light of Jesus Christ.

SONG

[1Pe 5:8 NIV] 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

 I believe the roar of the enemy, Satan, is simply lies…noise meant to cause fear and to lead to temptation. I also believe he is like a lion who, though he makes a lot of noise, has no teeth because his only power over us is deception. It would do us all good to remember that.
 I hope this series of songs on my podcast has not been too off-putting for you. These stories truly do give me an inside track to the hearts of my grand children. Many of them are getting old enough now to understand the allegory and the meaning behind it and for that I am grateful.
 I hope you find joy and encouragement as you read the books and listen to the songs. They really are refreshing ways to help you find Jesus even through the most difficult times of life.

 Thanks for tuning in to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast. For more about me, my story, or my music, visit dennisjernigan.com. You can also catch me on Facebook and Instagram, and find my music on most major streaming services. And hey, if you really want to be a part of my team, you can even become a Patron over at Patreon.com/dennisjernigan. I'd love to have you on board! 

 The book “Captured” is available at Amazon in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats. I encourage you to read the book “Captured” and then listen to or download the songs inspired by each of the main characters for FREE. Just go to https://www.thechroniclesofbren.com/store/captured-songs-for-the-journey-album/ and download the entire collection for FREE.

 Thanks again for being part of today's podcast. Remember, God loves you, and so do I. Now, I challenge you to rise up and be the warrior for the kingdom God has called to to be today. And I urge you to put off the lies of the enemy and put on the truth of who the Lord says you are and then go and BE who your Heavenly Father says you are…

Creatures
WORDS & MUSIC
Dennis Jernigan
©2016 DennisJernigan

Verse
Ogres and werewolves and Terrebithians
Hawken and Wolfen and Treesant
Myriad creatures inhabiting Bren
Some of the dark - Some of Light

Swine rats and demons, a unicorn or two
Dragons and various fiends
Myriad creatures inhabiting Bren
Some of the Day - Some of night

Chorus
Better watch out!
Better watch out when you pass through!
Forest or a valley - whatever you do!

Better watch out!
Better watch whatever you do!
Better be watching
But who's watching who?

Verse
Witches and warlocks and men of every race
With just a thin veil in between them
Darkness has no place to go in the Light
But always they're hiding its face!

Chorus
So you better watch out!
Better watch out when you pass through!
Forest or a valley - whatever you do!

Better watch out!
Better watch whatever you do!
Better be watching
But who's watching who?
Better be watching
But who's watching who?

Bridge
Tale as old as time
Day at war with night
Tale as old as time
Day at war with Light

Chorus
So you better watch out!
Better watch out when you pass through!
Forest or a valley - whatever you do!

Better watch out!
Better watch whatever you do!
Better be watching
But who's watching who?
Better be watching
But who's watching who?