Refreshing to the Soul — Five Songs to Listen To
I’ve been thinking about how amazing it is that though I have heard the same gospel truth so many times, art has the ability to creatively capture that same “overtold” message in new ways that are refreshing to the soul. Being someone who is constantly on the lookout for new music, I want to share five lesser known songs (and artists) that I have been listening to recently. I hope that they bless your day!
Adonai by Chris Renzema
I promise you I will not waste your time
Thinking of ways to clear my name
Oh Adonai, have mercy on me
Chris Renzema, a singer-songwriter from Michigan, bleeds authenticity in his songs. Adonai, one of my favorite songs of his, is about humbling ourselves before God, recognizing that it is by God’s grace and mercy alone that we are declared righteous. I often find that I deceive myself into thinking that I’m some hotshot who doesn’t owe anybody anything. But when measured against the backdrop of God’s glory, truly I have nothing to bring.
Thank You by BELOVED
Looking to fill my heart with anything
All I found out there were ashes in my hands
BELOVED only has three songs on Spotify, but they’re all golden. The artist behind BELOVED is David Cho, a multi-instrumentalist and producer, who maintains the Beloved Music Youtube channel where he periodically posts worship song covers. Although “Thank You” is Cho’s personal testimony song, it resonates so strongly with my own. Each time I hear this song, I am reminded of the empty place that I once was in, and the moment that God softened my heart and pulled me out of darkness.
Godly Love (ft. nak) by Sam Ock
What if God speaks in a whisper
To teach me how to hear the echo?
Hip-hop artists Sam Ock and nak are frequent collaborators and released a masterpiece of a song earlier this year titled “Godly Love”. The piece expresses the hodgepodge of emotions that many of us experience as we wrestle with God and fluctuate between stages of cold-hearted rebellion and pleas of desperation. One thing I’ve learned the past few years is that our doubts don’t simply disappear when we become Christian, but our faith is tested as we are taught to trust God through our most confusing times. In moments when life is so overwhelming that it becomes paralyzing, we can remember that God hears our cries and will fill our cup with His love if we simply ask for it.
Father’s Embrace by Ben Potter
All the pressure, all performance
Falls away in Father's arms
Ben Potter is an Australian songwriter whose latest album, Heavenly Spaces, is exactly what it sounds like — a collection of beautiful songs with large, spacious sounds. “Father’s Embrace” is about learning how to rest in God after having been conditioned by the world to constantly strive for approval. This is a real challenge for me, having grown up as an ambitious, Type A person always working towards the next success. Although it’s been a little over two years since I became a Christian, I am indeed still learning what it means to be a son of the Heavenly Father.
I Don’t Have Much by Mission House
I don’t have much
I don’t have much
But I have a heart that beats for You
Mission House is a female folk-rock duo formed by Jess Ray and Taylor Leonhardt, two extremely talented songwriters and musicians. “I Don’t Have Much” is such a simple song, but speaks to the core of what it means to live out Christ’s greatest commandment: to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This song challenges me to live every second to honor God, even if it feels like I have so little to offer.
In writing this, I realized how although each of these songs tells its own story, all of them give praise to God. What a beautiful thing it is to all be a part of the same great story, recipients of the same amazing love.
Ethan is a rising senior studying Computer Science and Cognitive Science. He enjoys reading and making music, and is overly competitive when it comes to sports and board games.