Listen to the song; #5 on THE SOFTER SIDE OF ME
1984 - I got the idea for this one shortly after I had returned to the States from Venezuela. Let me just set the scene a bit here. We really have no idea how much the culture surroundingus affects us; the way we think, the decisions we make, our priorities and all. But whenyou get away and go to a culture so absolutely foreign and opposite than the one you’ve been immersed in all your life, you begin to see things you never saw before. This was so true for me, but I’m writing in 3rd person here because I truly believe that it is universally true. Back in my little house in East San Diego, it no longer seemed like a tiny little dump, but a wonderful piece of heaven. My old car (75 Plymouth Duster) with cheap stereo from Pep Boys seemed like a limousine to me; the music sounded so great cranked way up with my ten dollar power booster/EQ! So I was on cloud nine, seeing the hand of God in everything going on around me.I stayed involved with Mexico ministries with Rick, and at CCCC, Tecate, Brick Village,etc. The music and inspiration seemed to be flowing freely also. I kept up my newly formed habit of bible study every day and organized my tiny secluded yard for this purpose.
General Dynamics had told me that when I got back they would rehire me, and that was the plan- to get my old job back. So on the day I was to go back and check in with Joe Hoover, I decided to stop in and say hi to all my old friends at M. Rosenblatt & Son. Everyone wanted to hear all about my trip to the jungle and I shared a few accounts with them. Then the boss asked me to stop by his office before I left. When I did, he told me they had just gotten a new military contract for Navy submarines and offered me my old job back with a pay raise, and also offered me half my seniority back. He wanted to promote me to Coordinator and give me the submarine projects. It was a very good opportunity, so I accepted the offer and went back to work for there.
One afternoon I was reading my bible and I came across the verse that says, “For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country” John 4:44. Not that I considered myself a prophet, but I began to wonder if the Lord was directing me to the mission field on a more permanent basis. Thus THE REGIONS BEYOND was born. In it I tell the story of leaving my own comfort zone for a distant land and finding how badly needed the Word of God was there. I contrasted the cultures and shock of going back and forth and emphasized the blessings I had taken for granted here in the USA. I incorporated a strange dream I had into the second verse. Mark Crafford helped me to create a slide show of pictures taken in Venezuela choreographed to the words of this song and we presented it at the CCCC church. I thought that was really cool. So this call to missions was heavy on my heart at this time,and yet I never felt God’s peace about leaving San Diego. Turns out He had other plansas the testimony of the next season of my life will demonstrate. Now on to the song…
THE REGIONS BEYOND
Words & music by Reggie Michaud © 1984(ref: John 4:44, II Cor. 10:16)
I climb aboard a passenger plane.
Flying halfway around the world.
Feel the heat of the day coming down.
Letting go of the world behind,
I feel the strength of the Lord within.
Through a new set of eyes, I look around.
And the faces I see reflect their hunger for THE WORD.
But starvation seems to rule in this land.
I must go, take me Lord. Build me up and make me strong.
Follow thee to the regions beyond.
Flying back I had the strangest dream.
I was sitting high upon the rocks.
Above the angry waves, crashing down.
They tossed and turned upon the heads of men.
And claimed the lives of every soul within.
These waves of ruin abound in every land.
And the faces I see reflect the depth of their despair.
But Salvation is only foreign to these men.
I must go, take me Lord. Build me up and make me strong.
Follow thee to the regions beyond.
La la la, la la la (through chorus until last line)
I must go, take me Lord. Leave the land where I was born.
And follow thee to the regions beyond.
Back at home, I’m in my car again.
Driving slowly on the city streets.
Among the busy people, rushing around.
I pass a church and then another one.
I thank the Lord for all that he has done.
Through a new set of eyes, I look around.
But the voices I hear calling me from far away.
Take me back to a village across the pond.
I must go, take me Lord. Build me up and make me strong.
Follow thee to the regions beyond
1984 - I got the idea for this one shortly after I had returned to the States from Venezuela. Let me just set the scene a bit here. We really have no idea how much the culture surroundingus affects us; the way we think, the decisions we make, our priorities and all. But whenyou get away and go to a culture so absolutely foreign and opposite than the one you’ve been immersed in all your life, you begin to see things you never saw before. This was so true for me, but I’m writing in 3rd person here because I truly believe that it is universally true. Back in my little house in East San Diego, it no longer seemed like a tiny little dump, but a wonderful piece of heaven. My old car (75 Plymouth Duster) with cheap stereo from Pep Boys seemed like a limousine to me; the music sounded so great cranked way up with my ten dollar power booster/EQ! So I was on cloud nine, seeing the hand of God in everything going on around me.I stayed involved with Mexico ministries with Rick, and at CCCC, Tecate, Brick Village,etc. The music and inspiration seemed to be flowing freely also. I kept up my newly formed habit of bible study every day and organized my tiny secluded yard for this purpose.
General Dynamics had told me that when I got back they would rehire me, and that was the plan- to get my old job back. So on the day I was to go back and check in with Joe Hoover, I decided to stop in and say hi to all my old friends at M. Rosenblatt & Son. Everyone wanted to hear all about my trip to the jungle and I shared a few accounts with them. Then the boss asked me to stop by his office before I left. When I did, he told me they had just gotten a new military contract for Navy submarines and offered me my old job back with a pay raise, and also offered me half my seniority back. He wanted to promote me to Coordinator and give me the submarine projects. It was a very good opportunity, so I accepted the offer and went back to work for there.
One afternoon I was reading my bible and I came across the verse that says, “For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country” John 4:44. Not that I considered myself a prophet, but I began to wonder if the Lord was directing me to the mission field on a more permanent basis. Thus THE REGIONS BEYOND was born. In it I tell the story of leaving my own comfort zone for a distant land and finding how badly needed the Word of God was there. I contrasted the cultures and shock of going back and forth and emphasized the blessings I had taken for granted here in the USA. I incorporated a strange dream I had into the second verse. Mark Crafford helped me to create a slide show of pictures taken in Venezuela choreographed to the words of this song and we presented it at the CCCC church. I thought that was really cool. So this call to missions was heavy on my heart at this time,and yet I never felt God’s peace about leaving San Diego. Turns out He had other plansas the testimony of the next season of my life will demonstrate. Now on to the song…
THE REGIONS BEYOND
Words & music by Reggie Michaud © 1984(ref: John 4:44, II Cor. 10:16)
I climb aboard a passenger plane.
Flying halfway around the world.
Feel the heat of the day coming down.
Letting go of the world behind,
I feel the strength of the Lord within.
Through a new set of eyes, I look around.
And the faces I see reflect their hunger for THE WORD.
But starvation seems to rule in this land.
I must go, take me Lord. Build me up and make me strong.
Follow thee to the regions beyond.
Flying back I had the strangest dream.
I was sitting high upon the rocks.
Above the angry waves, crashing down.
They tossed and turned upon the heads of men.
And claimed the lives of every soul within.
These waves of ruin abound in every land.
And the faces I see reflect the depth of their despair.
But Salvation is only foreign to these men.
I must go, take me Lord. Build me up and make me strong.
Follow thee to the regions beyond.
La la la, la la la (through chorus until last line)
I must go, take me Lord. Leave the land where I was born.
And follow thee to the regions beyond.
Back at home, I’m in my car again.
Driving slowly on the city streets.
Among the busy people, rushing around.
I pass a church and then another one.
I thank the Lord for all that he has done.
Through a new set of eyes, I look around.
But the voices I hear calling me from far away.
Take me back to a village across the pond.
I must go, take me Lord. Build me up and make me strong.
Follow thee to the regions beyond
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