Faith That Falls Forward

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Psalm 57:10 — For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

I have a distinct memory of learning how to ride my bike. I was ready to race down the driveway the moment my dad removed the training wheels.

Instead of reaching the speed of a cheetah, I lost my balance and started to fall. But the moment before I hit the ground, I felt these tree trunk-sized arms catch me and lift me back onto my bike.

It was my dad. There he was, blocking the sun out of my face while looking down at me, smiling. He laughed and said, “Try again.”

In seconds, I was pedaling off, only to fall again. Each time, my dad was there, catching me at just the right moment, over and over. Of course, as a little girl I was afraid of falling, but I also trusted that when my dad was near, I would be okay.

I had faith he would catch me.

Since learning to ride my bike, I’ve fallen down a lot in life.

Growing up in church, I learned that God is a faithful Father. Even so, there are still moments when I wonder if He’ll really come through for me. What if He’s tired of picking me up? What if He’s frustrated that I keep making the same mistakes?

Thankfully, God isn’t that way.

His faithfulness isn’t based on my performance. His love doesn’t run out when I stumble. It stretches farther than I can measure—higher than the heavens and steadier than my footing has ever been.

But you and I are in good company because God’s got us.

When I find myself in a season of doubt, I often think about the story of Peter walking on water to meet Jesus. Even though Peter’s faith wavered, God was still faithful. The same God who reached for Peter in the middle of the waves is reaching for you in the middle of yours

So, when you feel unsteady, remember this:

God’s faithfulness is not fragile.

It isn’t shaken by your doubts, your questions, or your repeated falls.

Just like my dad standing behind that bicycle, God is closer than you think.

He’s steady when you’re not.

He’s faithful when your faith feels small.

And He’s still teaching you how to ride.

— LeAnna Crawford

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When life feels uncertain, what helps you remember God’s faithfulness?
  • Have you ever worried that God might be frustrated or disappointed with you? Why?
  • How does the image of a loving father teaching a child to ride a bike change the way you view God’s relationship with you?
  • Where do you need to trust God’s steady presence in your life right now?
  • What is one way God has shown His faithfulness to you, even when your faith felt small?

Lyrics:

I try to pray but the words aren’t coming out the way they used to
Did I lose my faith God do I still trust You (mmm)
I try to worship but when I lift my hands it all just feels so empty
Is it the heavy of the world or is it just me (mmm)
Though I’ve sung a thousand times
You’re perfect and You’ll never leave leave my side

Can I be honest
I just wanna know that You still got this
When all I’m holding onto is a promise
God You promised
That You’ll never leave me
When I’m scared of the dark You’re right there with me
Your kindness never fails, it’s always reaching after me
But right now, God all I need
Is to be honest

Oh I’ve heard stories of you showing up when it was least expected
Every time you prove your timing always perfect – and the wait was worth it
Again and again and again – see your power coming through
You bring life to what is dead – no there’s nothing You can’t do
I believe you did it then – so won’t You do it now

Can I be honest
I just wanna know that You still got this
When all I’m holding onto is a promise
God You promised
That You’ll never leave me
When I’m scared of the dark You’re right there with me
Your kindness never fails, it’s always reaching after me
But right now, God all I need
Is to be honest

Is Your breath when I can’t breathe
Your eyes when I can’t see
An anchor as the waves crash all around
Be my heart when I can’t feel
And show me something real
Just one taste of heaven here and now

Can I be honest
Can I be honest
I just wanna know that You still got this
When all I’m holding onto is a promise
God you promised
That you’ll never leave me
When I’m scared of the dark You’re right there with me
Your kindness never fails, it’s always reaching after me
But right now, God all I need
But right now, God all I need

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From Dusty Bibles to Daily Bread

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Matthew 4:4 — But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

There’s something haunting about the phrase “dusty Bibles.”

Like… I can remember to charge my phone every night, but my Bible can sit untouched on a shelf for weeks. That image is what sparked Josiah Queen’s song “Dusty Bibles.”

And the song isn’t really condemning technology. After all, social media helped launch Josiah Queen’s career. Instead, it asks a harder question: what has our attention?

Because attention is never neutral.

Whatever consistently fills our minds eventually starts shaping our hearts. And that’s why so many people feel exhausted right now—not just physically tired, but spiritually drained.

You know what I mean. Constantly connected. Constantly consuming. Constantly scrolling… yet still somehow hungry for peace.

Maybe that’s why this song has resonated with so many young adults. Underneath all the noise, there’s still a hunger for something real.

Jesus once reminded people that life is more than bread. Human beings carry a deeper hunger—one that food, success, entertainment, or distraction will never satisfy. Souls were made for truth. Souls were made for the voice of God.

And here’s the tension: it’s possible to feed every appetite and still starve spiritually.

But the good news is this—God doesn’t wait for people to get it all together. He meets us the moment we turn our attention back to Him.

Not when we become perfect. Not when we finally “fix everything.” Just when we turn.

And the beautiful part is this: the moment we return our attention to God, we realize He never stopped giving His attention to us.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What tends to consistently capture your attention most throughout the day?
  • How has constant “consuming” (social media, news, entertainment, etc.) affected your peace or focus?
  • What would it realistically look like for you to give God your attention first—even in a small way this week?
  • Where do you notice a “spiritual hunger” in your life right now?
  • What might change if you believed God has been fully attentive to you all along?

LYRICS:

We got dust on our Bibles
Brand new iPhones
No wonder why we feel this way

Hey, how you been?
It’s been a while and I’m just checking in
I miss the way things used to be back in 2017
And I just miss my friend

Hey, I’ve been fine
I’ve been struggling to find some peace of mindFrom Dusty Bibles to Daily Bread
It’s the problem of our nation and in our generation
We’re too busy and can’t find the time
Are we busy or is it all a lie

We got dust on our Bibles
Brand new iPhones
No wonder why we feel this way

We walk with our eyes closed blind leading blind folks
I’m done with those idols and dusty Bibles

We only get this one life
I don’t want to sit and watch it pass me by
I’m so done being complacent
There ain’t no replacement
For a life in the light of your way
Oh I’m done, had enough of my way

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Leaving No Survivors

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1 Peter 2:24 — He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds you are healed.

The hardest things to surrender are usually the things we’ve learned to survive with.

Maybe that’s why Jeremy Camp’s song “No Survivors” hits so hard. Beneath the gritty guitars and explosive chorus is a deeply honest truth: the old life doesn’t go quietly.

Most of us know what it’s like to keep parts of the old self (who you were before Christ) on life support. Maybe it’s pride dressed up as independence. Maybe it’s the need to control every outcome because trusting God feels too risky. Maybe it’s a habit, a wound, a bitterness, or a private struggle we keep trying to “manage” instead of surrender.

But the gospel was never about management.

Jeremy Camp sings, “My ego, my pride / My grip on my life / Throw it all into the fire…” Those lyrics feel intense because surrender is intense, but that’s the tension in the song. It’s the battle between flesh and spirit…the daily war between who we used to be and who God is making us into.

Jesus didn’t come merely to improve us.

He came to make us new. The old self was crucified with Christ, and now we learn each day to walk in the freedom He purchased for us.

Real freedom begins when we stop trying to leave escape routes for the old version of ourselves. It begins when we trust God enough to give Him everything and let Him transform us from the inside out.

Scripture paints that picture clearly: “He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds you are healed.”

Maybe that’s the invitation today. Not striving harder but surrendering deeper. Let God have the things you’ve been holding onto—the pride, the control, the bitterness, the habits that keep pulling you backward—and step into what He’s been offering all along.

And maybe somewhere in that surrender, you’ll discover the strange freedom of leaving behind no survivors.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What part of your old life are you most tempted to keep “on life support”?
  • Is there an area where you’ve been managing a struggle instead of surrendering it?
  • How does Christ’s sacrifice on the cross give you confidence to let go?
  • What would deeper surrender look like in your life right now?
  • What freedom might God be inviting you into if you fully trusted Him with that area?

Lyrics:

I’m at war with my humanity
Trying to reclaim my sanity
Nothing in my veins but vanity
It’s the same old, same old

You told me it’s Your battle, God, so I need You to fight
‘Cause if I’m gonna live then there’s some things that need to die

My ego, my pride
My grip on my life
Throw it all into the fire
And leave no survivors
Survivors

Somebody give my past my sympathies
Tell the old me I’m not missing me
He can call, but I’m not listening
To the same old, same old

My ego, my pride
My grip on my life
Throw it all into the fire
And leave no survivors
Survivors

You’re pushing back the dark to get me closer to the light
Somebody tell my enemies there’s nowhere left to hide
You told me it’s Your battle, God, so I need You to fight
Cause if I’m gonna live, then there’s some things that need to die

My ego, my pride
My grip on my life
Throw it all into the fire
And leave no survivors
Survivors

Cause if I’m gonna live, then there’s some things that need to die
Survivors
Survivors
Throw it all into the fire
And leave no survivors

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When Joy Fills Rooms

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Psalm 70:4 — But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “God is great!”

The room is loud before the first note even lands.

Lights rise, hands follow, voices spill forward like they’ve been waiting all week for this. From the stage, Darren Mulligan, the lead singer of We Are Messengers, saw what most people couldn’t.

A girl near the front is singing, but her mascara is running. Off to the side, a man stands still as stone. His eyes are shut tight, like if he opens them everything might fall apart.

And still… they’re singing.

There was a time Darren would’ve called the feeling in a room like this “happiness.” Everyone’s singing. This is it.

But life has a way of telling the truth after the music fades. Because happiness is loud. It rises fast. It disappears just as quickly.

Joy, though… joy is stubborn.

These aren’t people who showed up because they were happy. They came because they were looking for Jesus.

And in that stubborn reaching toward God, something was happening. You could almost feel it rising in the room. Like a current running underneath every voice. A gladness that doesn’t wait for life to make sense. It wasn’t shallow or forced. Together, the crowd was declaring, “God is still good. He’s still worth it. He’s still here.”

There on the stage, Darren was struck by this thought.

“Those who go looking for Him somehow find gladness. Real joy meets people in their hunger and desperation for Jesus. And the ones who’ve tasted even a little of His rescue can’t help but say it over and over again: ‘To God be the glory.’”

Maybe that’s what these songs are for. Not to help you escape—but to help you find God. To trade the fragile kind of happiness for something stronger. And over time, almost without noticing, your own song will start to rise…one that sounds like this.

To God be the glory.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What is the difference between happiness and joy in your own life?
  • When have you experienced joy even in the middle of difficulty or pain?
  • What does it look like for you to genuinely “search for God” right now?
  • How has worship helped strengthen your faith during hard seasons?
  • What are some ways God has shown His goodness and faithfulness to you recently?

L Y R I C S

When the ground beneath my feet
Is shaking like a leaf
God, You’re still good to me
When my hope is all but gone
And I’m barely hanging on
God, You’re still good to me

When my heart can’t find the beat
When it’s dark and I can’t see
I will put my hope in You

I’ll trade ashes for beauty
I’ll trade joy for my mourning
I’ll trade, to God be the glory
To God be the glory
I’ll trade strength for my weakness
I’ll trade pain for my healing
I’ll trade, let this be my story
To God be thе glory, oh

You love mе at my best
You love me in my mess
God, You’re so good to me
There’s one thing I am sure
Your promises endure
You make a way for me

When my heart can’t find the beat
When it’s dark, and I can’t see
I will put my hope in You

I’ll trade ashes for beauty
I’ll trade joy for my mourning
I’ll trade, to God be the glory
To God be the glory
I’ll trade strength for my weakness
I’ll trade pain for my healing
I’ll trade, let this be my story

To God be the glory
to God be the glory
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

And whatever comes my way
I will always praise Your name
I will put my hope in You
When I run into Your courts
I will fall into Your arms
I will sing a song of praise
I’ll trade ashes for beauty
I’ll trade joy for my mourning
I’ll trade, to God be the glory (forever and ever)

To God be the glory
I’ll trade strength for my weakness
I’ll trade pain for my healing
I’ll trade, let this be my story (forever and ever)

To God be the glory
I’ll trade ashes for beauty
I’ll trade (I’ll trade), joy for my mourning
I’ll trade, to God be the glory

To God be the glory
I’ll trade strength for my weakness
I’ll trade pain for my healing
I’ll trade, let this be my story
To God be the glory

Songwriters: Ran Jackson / Darren Mulligan / Taylor Hill / Andrew Lee Bergthold

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Paddleboards and Praise

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Revelation 15:3-4 — Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.

It wasn’t a stage. It wasn’t a writing room.

It was water.

During the chaos and uncertainty of 2020, Chris Tomlin found himself in Montana, sitting alone on a paddleboard in the middle of a still lake at sunset. No noise. No crowd. Just water and silence.

And on that lake, something unsettled him—in a good way.

He became deeply aware of how small he was… and how vast God is.

Not in a crushing way. In a clarifying way.

He had spent years writing songs of deliverance—songs people cling to when they need rescue, grace, and mercy. And those songs matter. Deeply.

But out there on the water, something else was rising.

A different kind of worship song. It was not one that sounded like “God, come through for me,” but “God, you are holy.”

The kind that echoes what’s already been sung long before any of us arrived:

There in that awe-inspiring setting, Chris was reminded of the book of Revelation, where believers from every nation worship before God’s throne crying out, “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God Almighty… for you alone are holy.” He also thought about the angels surrounding God’s throne declaring, “Holy, holy, holy.”

That’s where Holy Forever was born—out of stillness, not striving.

It holds both sides of worship we often separate: the God who rescues us, and the God who stands far above us. Because we need both the God who meets us in our mess, and the same God who reminds us He was never overwhelmed by it at all.

And maybe that’s what your soul needs today—not just rescue, but reverence.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When was the last time you truly stopped and felt awe at God’s greatness?
  • Do your prayers lean more toward asking God for help or worshiping Him for who He is?
  • How does remembering God’s holiness change your perspective on your problems?
  • What helps you slow down enough to notice God’s presence?
  • Why is it important to remember both God’s nearness and His majesty?

Lyrics:

A thousand generations falling down in worship
To sing the song of ages to the Lamb
And all who’ve gone before us and all who will believe
Will sing the song of ages to the Lamb

Your name is the highest
Your name is the greatest
Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions
All powers and positions
Your name stands above them all

And the angels cry, Holy
All creation cries, Holy
You are lifted high, Holy
Holy forever

If you’ve been forgiven and if you’ve been redeemed
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
If you walk in freedom and if you bear His name
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
We’ll sing the song forever and amen

Hear your people sing, Holy
To the King of Kings, Holy
You will always be, Holy
Holy forever

You will always be, Holy
Holy forever

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When Silence Finds a Song

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Isaiah 65:24 — I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

No singing in the house—that was the rule.

Jamie MacDonald’s parents had already split up when she was young, and somewhere in the aftermath, her voice became something to hide. She was a kid who loved to sing, but she learned to swallow it—the music, the feelings, all of it.

But at age twelve, at youth camp, something broke through anyway. She felt the nearness of God in a way she couldn’t explain. He wasn’t distant or cold. No, He was close and personal.

But she went home, and real life got loud again. That closeness faded into the background.

By sixteen, she had dropped out of high school. Life became unstable—partying, drugs, just trying to survive. The people around her were unraveling too. Some overdosed. Some ended up in jail. Some didn’t make it out at all.

“I’m tired of that life,” she finally said in the weight of it all. “I remember what You spoke to me, God… and I want to live for You.”

That’s where things began to change.

Not all at once. Not perfectly. She quietly started showing up. She read her Bible, slipped quietly into church, and let God begin rebuilding what had been worn down. Over time, doors opened. She led worship. Served on mission trips. She even helped with prison ministry, where she saw something she’d never forget. She saw women clinging to truth in the prisons like it was oxygen.

Five years later, after spending time caring for her father through Parkinson’s and dementia, she returned to Nashville carrying carrying profound heartbreak and a deep need for healing.

And that’s where the song “Desperate” was born.

Not as a performance, but a real prayer.

“I’m not asking… I’m begging.”

Because somewhere along the way, she realized something she didn’t know before. Life was no longer about staying quiet or praying perfect prayers. It was about being real.

Even as a girl forced into silence, God had been leaning in the whole time. Listening before she could finish the sentence. Moving toward her before she found the right words. He’s the kind of God who answers before we call, who hears even the prayers we can barely get out.

And maybe that’s where this meets you. Not in having the right words. Not in having it all together.

But in letting yourself be honest right where you are, trusting that even your most desperate prayers are already being heard…

And right now, in your desperation, you are already being held.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Have you ever felt like you needed to hide parts of yourself from God or others?
  • What does this devotional teach us about God’s response to desperate prayers?
  • Why do you think honesty before God matters more than having “perfect” prayers?
  • Have you experienced a season where God was working in your life before you fully recognized it?
  • What would it look like for you to bring your real struggles honestly before God today?

L Y R I C S:

I’m at the end of myself and I’m
Tired I’ve tried all that I know to do
Right now it’s just by a thread but I’m
Hangin’ onto You

I’m running outta hope
I need a miracle
And if I ever needed You it’s right now

Oh God I’m desperate
Down on my knees
Send help from Heaven
Cuz that’s what I need
Redeem this wreckage
Restore my peace
I’m not asking I’m begging
Lord come through for me

I need Heaven and I’m
Desperate
Desperate
Oh, I need Heaven
Need Heaven and

I’ve prayed all the prayers I can pray but I
I won’t stop knocking til You open the door
You can move a mountain, You can calm a storm
I know You can cause I’ve seen it before

Oh God I’m desperate
Down on my knees
Send help from Heaven
Cuz that’s what I need
Redeem this wreckage
Restore my peace
I’m not asking I’m begging
Lord come through for me

I need Heaven and I’m
Desperate
Desperate
Oh, I need Heaven
Need Heaven and
I’m
Desperate
Desperate
Oh, I need Heaven
Need Heaven and I

Oh
And You’re my only hope
I need a miracle
If I ever needed You it’s right now
Oh God I’m desperate
Down on my knees
Send help from Heaven
Cuz that’s what I need
Redeem this wreckage
Restore my peace
I’m not asking I’m begging
Lord come through for me

I need Heaven and I’m
Desperate
Desperate
Oh, I need Heaven
Need Heaven and I’m
Desperate
Desperate
Oh, I need Heaven
Need Heaven and I

More About Jamie MacDonald in her interview with Rita Springer on her podcast, Worship is My Weapon

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The Blood-Bought Glow Up

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Ephesians 2:13 — But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

It started with a question: “What has God done for you?”

Charity Gayle and others were sitting in a loose circle at a songwriting retreat. Around the room you could see faces of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds all carrying their own story to tell.

One by one, they began to share what God had done for them.

A man talked about who he was before grace found him—how far he ran from God for years. A woman followed, sharing her past regrets and breakthroughs. Then another shared. And another.

And without anyone planning it, a pattern began to form.

Every story started in the same place: far from God.

And every story ended the same way: Jesus met them there and gave them new life.

Lost, then found.

Charity sat still, listening, feeling something stir. She thought about the songs she used to sing in church as a child. You can almost hear it—threads of Amazing Grace weaving through the air, carrying the steady truth of Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.

It was the reality that people who were once distant didn’t stay that way. They were brought near by the blood of Christ.

That moment would become the heartbeat behind her song, “Thank You Jesus for the Blood.”

But the story didn’t stay in that room.

Because it’s your story too. And mine.

Maybe yours doesn’t feel dramatic. Maybe it’s simple or you grew up in church or it’s hard to put into words. But it still holds the same miracle—a before and after and a life that didn’t stay the same.

And somewhere, someone is sitting across from you, needing to hear it. You’re living proof that Jesus is alive and that His blood was enough. There’s power in your testimony.

And I hope you will tell it too.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Your Story:
When you think about your own life, where do you see the “far” and “brought near” moments in your story?

Recognizing Grace:
Is there a part of your past you’ve minimized or overlooked that actually shows God’s grace at work?

Sharing Your Testimony:
Who in your life might need to hear what God has done for you—and what’s holding you back from sharing it?

Personal Connection to the Gospel:
Does your relationship with Jesus feel personal right now, or more distant? What would it look like to lean back into that closeness?

Gratitude and Worship:
How can you intentionally thank Jesus today for bringing you near—through your words, actions, or time with Him?

 

 

L Y R I C S

I was a wretch, I remember who I was
I was lost, I was blind, I was running out of time
Sin separated, the breach was far too wide
But from the far side of the chasmYou held me in Your sight

So You made a way, across the great divide
Left behind, Heaven’s throne, to build it here inside
And there at the cross You paid the debt I owe
Broke my chains, freed my soul, for the first time I had hope

Thank You Jesus, for the blood applied
Thank You Jesus, it has washed me white
Thank You Jesus, You have saved my life
Brought me from the darkness into glorious light

You took my place, laid inside my tomb of sin
You were buried for three days but then You walked right out again
And now death has no sting and life has no end
For I have been transformed by the blood of the Lamb

Thank You Jesus, for the blood applied (thank You, Jesus)
Thank You Jesus, it has washed me white
Thank You Jesus, You have saved my life
Brought me from the darkness into glorious light

There is nothing stronger
Than the wonder working power of the blood, the blood
That calls us sons and daughters
We are ransomed by our Father through the blood, the blood
There is nothing stronger
Oh, the wonder working power of the blood, the blood (it calls us)
That calls us sons and daughters
We are ransomed by our Father through the blood, the blood

Thank You Jesus, for the blood applied
Thank You Jesus, it has washed me white
Thank You Jesus, You have saved my life
Brought me from the darkness into glorious light

Glory to His name
Glory to His name
There to my heart was the blood applied
Glory to His name

Songwriters: Bryan McCleery / Charity Gayle / David Gentiles / Ryan Kennedy / Steven Musso
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Peace is Still Preaching

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Colossians 3:15 — And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Some stories don’t begin with peace. They begin with the storm.

That was true for Hope Darst when she walked into the songwriting room. Anxiety swirled around like a storm she couldn’t outrun. And her friend and co-writer, Mia Fieldes, was carrying her own struggles she couldn’t shake on her own. Things like disappointment, fear, uncertainty.

“We need to write a song about peace.” Mia said, breaking the silence.

It was not because either of them felt it, obviously. But it was because they didn’t.

So, they began writing. Not for a performance. Not for applause. But as a declaration over their own hearts. You may have heard the chorus:

“Peace be still. Say the word and I will set my feet upon the sea ‘till I’m dancing in the deep. Peace be still. You are here so it is well. Even when my eyes can’t see, I will trust the voice that speaks. Peace. Peace over me.”

Hope had to sing those words over herself long before anyone else ever heard them. there’s power in moments like that—when we let the peace that comes from Christ rule in our hearts, not just visit when life feels calm, but take authority even in the middle of the storm.”

When we come in agreement with the storm-calmer. The peace that comes from Heaven is greater than our emotions, and it speaks a better word.

Maybe today, you’re carrying something heavy—fear of what’s next, anxiety that won’t quit, disappointment that lingers. What if peace didn’t wait for circumstances to change? What if you let it settle in your heart and rule your thoughts and choices even when the waves are still crashing around you?

It can. So just declare it today.

Peace.

Peace over me.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Where in your life right now do you need God’s peace to take the lead instead of your emotions?
  • What would it look like today to let peace “rule” your thoughts, not just visit them?
  • Is there something you need to declare truth over—like Hope did—even if you don’t feel it yet?
  • How can you intentionally invite God’s peace into one stressful moment today?

 

 

Lyrics

I don’t want to be afraid
Every time I face the waves
I don’t want to be afraid
I don’t want to be afraid

I don’t want to fear the storm
Just because I hear it roar
I don’t want to fear the storm
I don’t want to fear the storm

Peace be still
Say the word and I will
Set my feet upon the sea
Till I’m dancing in the deep
Peace be still
You are here so it is well
Even when my eyes can’t see
I will trust the voice that speaks

I’m not gonna be afraid
‘Cause these waves are only waves
I’m not gonna be afraid
No I’m not gonna be afraid

And I’m not gonna fear the storm
You are greater than its roar
Oh I’m not gonna fear the storm
No I’m not gonna fear at all

Peace be still
Say the word and I will
Set my feet upon the sea
Till I’m dancing in the deep
Peace be still
You are here so it is well
Even when my eyes can’t see
I will trust the voice that speaks
Peace, peace over me

You speak peace

Let faith rise up
O heart believe
Let faith rise up in me

Let faith rise up
O heart believe
Let faith rise up in me

Let faith rise up
O heart believe
Let faith rise up in me

Oh let faith rise up
O heart believe
Let faith rise up in me

Peace be still
Say the word and I will
Set my feet upon the sea
Till I’m dancing in the deep oh
Peace be still
You are here so it is well
Even when my eyes can’t see
I will trust the voice that speaks
Peace, peace over me

I hear You speaking
Peace, peace over me

Oh peace
Over me

You speak peace
You speak peace
Over me

You speak peace
You speak peace
You speak peace

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Hope in His Name

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Psalm 135:3 — Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his lovely name with music.

Our apartment in Houston was barely 800 square feet. Texas heat pressed against the windows, and I was sweeping crumbs across our tiny kitchen floor with worship music playing in the background.

I wasn’t trying to have a moment. Not really. But then “I Speak Jesus” came on—the Here Be Lions and Darlene Zschech version. The melody drew me in, and by the time the chorus rose, the room felt different. Holy in the most ordinary place.

My husband Ryan looked up to me, and we both knew.

At the time, I was finishing my album Endless Praise. I hadn’t written this song. It wasn’t mine to claim. But standing there with a broom in my hand, I felt it—this song carried something people needed.

“This is it,” I said. “This has to be on the album.”

It wasn’t strategy. It wasn’t about building the perfect track list. I just wanted people to know the beautiful name of Jesus.

Because when you realize how good He is, praise isn’t something you plan—it’s something that rises.

I knew that when His name is spoken, things change. Fear loosens. Peace settles. Because there’s a goodness in His name. When you know it, you know. His name is pleasant to the soul in a way nothing else is.

After the album released, the song started traveling. Into churches. Into homes.

Stories came in waves. A mother singing it over her daughter every night before bed. Friends blasting it in hospital parking lots during the pandemic when they couldn’t go inside. People speaking the name of Jesus over addiction, fear, and depression.

Every testimony reminded me: the power isn’t in my voice. It’s in His lovely name that is worthy of praise.

Now when I think about that day, I don’t picture a stage. I picture that tiny kitchen. The broom in my hand. A regular afternoon that turned holy. I know without a shadow of a doubt, His name still does what it has always done. It steadies shaking hearts. It pushes back darkness.

So maybe that’s the most important thing you could focus on today. Speaking His name right where you are—in kitchens, in car rides, in hospital hallways.

Because when you speak the name of Jesus, you are not just singing—you are releasing hope, healing, and freedom into places that desperately need it.

— Charity Gayle

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When was the last time you experienced God’s presence in an ordinary moment?
  • Do you tend to treat worship as something reserved for church, or something woven into everyday life?
  • What does it personally mean to you that the Lord is good?
  • How have you seen the name of Jesus bring peace, hope, or change in your life?
  • Is there a space in your daily routine (car, kitchen, work) where you could intentionally turn your attention to praise?
  • What would it look like for you to “celebrate His name with music” this week—not out of habit, but from the heart?

L Y R I C S

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
‘Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
‘Til every dark addiction starts to break
Declaring there is hope and there is freedom
I speak Jesus

‘Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over fear and all anxiety
To every soul held captive by depression
I speak Jesus

‘Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

Shout Jesus from the mountains
Jesus in the streets
Jesus in the darkness, over every enemy
Jesus for my family
I speak the holy name
Jesus, oh (oh)

Shout Jesus from the mountains
And Jesus in the streets (oh)
Jesus in the darkness, over every enemy
Jesus for my family
I speak the holy name
Jesus (Jesus)

‘Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

Your name is power (Your name is power)
Your name is healing (Your name is healing)
Your name is life (You are my life)
Break every stronghold (break every stronghold)
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
‘Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus

Songwriters: Jesse Reeves / Dustin Smith / Abby Benton / Kristen Dutton / Carlene Prince / Raina Pratt

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When Forgiveness Writes the Ending

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Colossians 3:13 — Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

The fall happens so fast.

One minute Forrest Frank is skateboarding with his son—laughing, being a dad—and the next he’s on the ground, staring at the sky, realizing something is really wrong.

His L3 and L4 vertebrae are fractured. It’s the kind of injury that stops everything.

Back home, laid up in bed, his body is broken—but his mind won’t slow down. So he does what he’s always done. He sings. There he wrote songs about what he knew to be true. Songs about how “God’s got my back” and about Jesus turning his problems into lemonade.

He shares his journey on Instagram. Within days, Forrest’s back is miraculously healed. Around the same time, he posts another song to encourage David Crowder, who is recovering from a broken leg.

But the internet does what the internet does.

Parody videos start popping up—some playful, some careless. One comes from Cory Asbury. Though meant to be funny, it hits hard. Forrest and his wife remember the fear and pain of that day, and suddenly it feels like one of his worst moments is being reduced to a punchline.

Then Forrest does the bravest thing he knows to do. He posts online honestly. He admits the humor hurts. He knows no harm was meant—but it still hurt.

He doesn’t stop there. Instead of clapping back, he extends the olive branch by writing Cory a song. He posts it and invites Cory to help him finish it.

Cory sees it and takes the parody down immediately. He reaches out to Forrest and apologizes over the phone. He admits he didn’t stop to put himself in Forrest’s shoes, and what happens next is amazing.

What could’ve stayed awkward turns creative. Out of that conversation, the two artist collaborate to finish the song shaped out of forgiveness.

Forrest chose to forgive Cory fully, and there’s something so powerful about that. To admit your grievances and to do the hard work of forgiveness just like Jesus. It isn’t the way of the world. It isn’t trendy. But it is Kingdom. It is what breaks down barriers and turns enemies into friends.

So let’s choose the Jesus-way of forgiveness. Even when it’s hard, bear with one another and forgive as freely as you have been forgiven—letting grace guide your steps. Refusing to let a grievance define the relationship.

Because unforgiveness doesn’t get to tell your story. So refuse to let it write the ending.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is there someone in your life who has hurt you—even unintentionally—that you’re struggling to forgive?
  • What makes it difficult for you to “make allowance” for others’ faults instead of holding onto the offense?
  • How does remembering the way God has forgiven you change your perspective on forgiving someone else?
  • Have you ever seen a relationship restored after honesty and forgiveness? What did that teach you?
  • What would it look like for you to take one step toward forgiveness this week—whether that’s releasing it in your heart or reaching out?

L Y R I C S  for  M I S U N D E R S T O O D

One, two, three

Sometimes words
Hit you in the chest
Sting you like a bee
And rob you of your rest
And Heaven knows sometimes
People try to mean well
But trauma from their past
Got ’em stuck inside of Hell

Well, it’s okay if you feel misunderstood
There’s a Man who did as well when they nailed Him to wood
And even through all the pain
Still, He forgave them, mm
So I can forgive somebody too (Mm)

Sometimes words (Sometimes words)
Can cut so deep (Cut so deep)
It’s hard to be kind
When anger’s all you’ve seen
The shadow of home can
Stretch long through the years
It covers up the sunshine
Even when the sky is clear

‘Cause it’s okay if you feel misunderstood
There’s a Man who did as well when they nailed Him to wood
And even through all the pain
Still, He forgave them
So I can forgive somebody too (Yeah)
I can forgive somebody too (Come on)

Well, sometimes two friends are just one call away
Years full of hurt could be gone in a day
We’re all part of one family
So, who am I to cut down the tree?

‘Cause it’s okay if you feel misunderstood
There’s a Man who did as well when they nailed Him to wood
And even through all the pain
Still, He forgave them
So I can forgive somebody too
I can forgive somebody too (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
I can forgive somebody too

‘Cause the good Lord first forgave me and you
Ooh

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