On Friday, emerging worship leader and artist Jesse Pruett released his new solo worship album, The Journey. The independently released project is available to stream or download on all digital platforms, including iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify.

The album contains eleven songs, including titles such as, "Come to the Throne," "At the Cross," "Light the Way," and "Praise to You," along with Pruett's own interpretations of evergreens such as "I Saw the Light," and "This Little Light of Mine."

Pruett is thrilled about the release, saying, "I am very excited for the release of The Journey! The songs from this record are from the heart, giving all the praise to God. My hope is that they will encourage, uplift, bring hope, and draw people closer to Jesus. I had a lot great friends be a part of this album and I am grateful to share these songs with everyone now."

Talking about the songwriting process behind the album, he explains, "There is something special about the creative process, particularly when it comes to writing and recording faith-infused songs. And there is nothing quite like having the opportunity to share those songs with my home church, Calvary Baptist in Lake Havasu City."

Although Pruett was raised in church, he acknowledges going his own way and getting lost for a while:

"I lost my way spiritually after high school while I was in the punk band. I was partying a lot and not focusing on my relationship with God. A lot of great things were happening, but I was destroying myself."

He goes on, "In the late 90s, I realized I needed a change. I moved back to my hometown of San Diego, and my uncle took me to church. I was literally in tears, realizing how far I had strayed from my faith. That was the first step. I started going back to church, reading scripture, going to Bible study, and rebuilding my relationship with Jesus. I began surrounding myself with other believers and musicians who loved God."

Eventually, Pruett and his family made their way to Arizona where he was working on a film score. One day, a friend mentioned that a church in Lake Havasu City, where both Pruett and his wife Valerie had gone to high school, needed a worship leader.

"Valerie and I were not planning on moving back to Lake Havasu City," Pruett remembers. "But they asked me to help them out while they were in transition. I agreed, and within a month, I realized it was where God was calling our family to serve. Six years ago, I joined the church staff as a worship leader. Along the way, I was ordained, and now I serve as the worship arts pastor. My family and I are so happy in Lake Havasu City, where we are surrounded by friends and family who encourage us in the Lord."

"My passion has always been to write and record music that inspires others," says Pruett. "Having the opportunity to act and write music for film and television is incredible, but nothing is more fulfilling to me than leading worship and joining with other believers in singing praise to God. My purpose in life is to serve others and bring hope to the world through Jesus Christ."

For more information on Pruett and The Journey, visit his official website, Twitter, and Facebook.