When the young Isaac Watts wrote the lyrics for Joy To The World, he didn’t intend it to be a Christmas song. Frustrated over how solemn and boring the other hymns in church were, he was challenged by his father to “write something better”. He turned to Psalm 98 and found his Joy! However, the lyrics were not written about the baby Jesus in the manger but the glorious Savior at His second coming that Christian’s have been looking forward to and still anxiously await!! Several years later, no doubt inspired by George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah”, an American composer named Lowell Mason added the melody we now know and love. Because of his obvious connection to Handel’s melodic lines in the Christmas section of the Messiah, the song quickly became associated with Christmas (and aren’t we all glad it did). Inspired by this story, I decided to write a song building on Handel, Watts and Mason’s work but bringing it back to Watts’ original intent. A song about the Second Coming of the Savior!!

How amazing the Lord allows us to be a part of His great work of gathering, lifting and inviting all to come to Jesus Christ and feel His peace, His light, His joy! It’s a call to leave aside things of this world to live in a higher way and to help others to find it as well. This song combines original lyrics and music with the hymn “Hope of Israel” and focuses specifically on the rising generation and their desire to be a part of His great work!

One of the biggest struggles of mortality has got to be the battle in each of us between fear and faith. I think of Peter jumping off the side of the boat to run towards the Savior, so full of faith and trust!! Until, in a moment of doubt, fear, humanity, he looked down. In the torrent of waves he took his eyes off the Savior and began to be overcome by the waves around him that previously he had walked on. Oh how well I can relate to Peter. How badly I want to have the kind of faith that allows me to run to the Savior without fear, without doubt! And yet, much like Peter, I get so caught up in the waves, the world, anything that takes my focus off Him and I also start to sink. And yet, I can see Him looking at me, just as, I’m sure he looked at Peter, with love, compassion and no judgement as he tells me, “don’t look at the waves, just take a step and breathe, you can walk on water when you walk with me”

I wrote “She Is Love” for my amazing mama before she passed away and ended up singing it at her funeral. I wanted something joyful that she could dance in the kitchen to. Something that reflected the joy, optimism and love that she had for life and for so many people I can’t even keep track. While this song was written for my mom I really hope everyone can hear their own mom in this song. I have come to appreciate motherhood so much more through my imperfect attempts to raise my own kids and have come to realize that just showing up and loving, however much of a hot mess we may feel some days, is more than enough. I hope my own kids will feel as loved as I do!!