Beckoning listeners to pause and reflect through intimate moments of worship, award-winning singer/songwriter Justin Gambino is set to bow Garden Of The Lordon July 17. The Residence Music EP was produced by Gambino and longtime collaborator Walter Halliwell and showcases five original selections along with the aptly titled instrumental “The Invitation.”
Co-penning all the project’s vocal tracks, Gambino’s first-ever worship set celebrates the Master Gardener who lovingly nurtures new growth in His children. Highlights of Garden Of The Lord include “Depend on You (All I Need),” a poignant heart-cry written in a season of infertility for Gambino and his wife; the stirring modern hymn “Let Me Not Forget,” co-penned by Gambino, Halliwell, and Tony Wood; and the album’s title-cut, a song of gratitude for peaceful pastures of rest and still waters of renewal.
“The inspiration for this project came from my testimony,” Gambino says. “As I began telling my story publicly–one that had been buried for so long–I felt as though I was walking through a neglected garden. Looking back on my life became an invitation from the Lord to walk with me through the garden of my heart and tend to the places that had gone dormant over the years.”
“I held onto these songs for a while feeling they were just meant for me in my secret place with Him, but God ultimately led me to record and share them, and now my hope is that this music will allow others to enter into their own secret place with the Lord,” Gambino adds. “Perhaps He is inviting you to take that same walk with Him through a neglected garden.”
Gambino’s prodigal story–the impetus for Garden Of The Lord–began when he was arrested for theft at the age of 18. Opting for military enlistment and community service in lieu of incarceration, he spent eight years in the U.S. Navy. While serving in Iraq, Gambino was asked to lead worship on base, rekindling a love for music he first embraced as a child. Battling PTSD and anger issues following his military service, Gambino turned to alcohol and spiraled into depression and despair. One night, on the floor of his apartment, he cried out to God for help, and a new journey of redemption, hope and purpose began. Coming full circle, Gambino now holds the Brazoria County Revival each year on the steps of the Texas courthouse where he was sentenced as a teen.
