When I look back, I’m astonished at the power and the strength in the personal connections found in some of these Maverick City Music songs. Yes, of course, there are those original classics from other albums that reappear again like “More Than Able,” “Firm Foundation,” “Promises,” and “No Longer Bound.” Save those for another time. I’m here to look back on the beauty of the feature songs “Worthy Of My Song,” “Good News,” “YET,” “For My Good,” and ”Waves.” The first three I have heard featured on Christian radio, specifically on Air1 worship. The last two I have listened to on my own, and I like them just as much. They all tell special stories.

“Worthy Of My Song” is a declaration of making a commitment to worship God. To summarize its many lines, it’s a promise to worship God forever because God is worthy to be praised.

“Good News” is much more of an advertisement song. I haven’t really thought of it in this way before, but really listening to it sounds like a TV advertisement. They’re advertising God’s love like it’s something people haven’t heard of before. There is much positivity presented in this song that fits in the uniqueness of the message. I know that the idea of “Jesus is in love with you” might sound a bit misleading, as I have read, but it’s trying to point to the love that God would do anything for us. I didn’t see the live version before so I didn’t realize that there’s a portion where they tell people to take out their phones and record something to send to someone. That’s quite weird for a song to do that, but that goes back to the advertisement idea. They’re advertising a love story for people. That’s quite an interesting way to spread the good news. It’s not a normal love story, though. What other love stories are about empty graves?

“YET” is an honest song and to me presents much of humility. It’s a way to stop the world and just to focus on God. It’s really a conversation between man and God, and although we believe that God isn’t going to give up on us (Prodigal Son story, of course), it’s still so reassuring to be saying those words to let God know how much we value His care for our lives. When I heard this song on its popular time during Spring 2024, I was in a time of getting ready for personal growth and stepping into a wider world. I could think about how the whole world in all its worldly perfection was staring at me, saying that I didn’t belong and that I wouldn’t measure up. In life, I face many worldly standards and demands, but this song points to the idea that the relationship with God is what matters most. So I ignored the world and carried on paying attention to God’s story.

“For My Good” is quite a complexity. It starts off with some strong language mentioning the cursing of the barriers in life… but for a good reason, saying that God was working it for our good and that we shouldn’t be so hostile to the things that hurt us. We should see them as blessings, or at least as opportunities for blessings. The song then goes on to talk about beauty in the hard times in life and God’s continuous presence. It was such a meaningful song that I started dreaming about it… it was so strange that I had to remember to write it down: “There was one dream I had in the wintertime (early 2024) that was particularly memorable to me. I woke up after remembering experiencing it, and I felt like it was one of the dreams where God was trying to send me a message. It involved a family, an old house, and a glass house. The people were running away, running to safety, and in the end, if I could remember it, perhaps they were rescued in the water. They were being chased by men who were trying to shoot them for some reason. However, I remember that instance (maybe it was in a cave) where I remembered the lyrics “You kept my heart alive” and that joyful shout of “I’m alive, I’m alive!” (from the song “For My Good” by Maverick City Music). The story ended with the good people winning, and I guess asking God for a little bit of help, that might have represented that family values in this society will always win? It’s worth a shot trying to interpret it.” It was one of those instances where I was half asleep and waking up where my mind had to go to asking God to explain me the meaning. That’s such a rare thing. Yet, I had to do it, and that’s what I got. I tried thinking about that, and that’s what I got. So if people are coming at you and shooting you or doing any other type of evil to you, remember that God can keep your heart alive through those hardships (and God can help you get to safety). In this case, I think Maverick City Music is referring to the spiritual heart, the heart of worship, that transcends the importance of a physical heart. Obviously, as Jesus said, spiritual health is more important than physical health, for the soul, for a soul that worships God as first priority. When there’s a safe soul, that’s a reminder that God is always there protecting us, and that we prioritize Him even in the hardships. That takes following what God asks of us through every situation, no matter how painful it might be.

“Waves” has a similar theme as “For My Good,” by addressing the hardships in life and turning them back to knowing that God will help us through them, but it’s in more of a metaphorical sense. Waves are the representations of hardships. Drowning is the representation of abandonment. God won’t let me drown means that we’re saying that God won’t abandon us. And when waves are crashing over us, that’s a representation of us being burdened by many troubles in life. When they say that God will help us swim to shore, we’re thinking that God will help us get to a safe place. Isn’t that the same message as “For My Good”? Blake Proehl, who sings the song, has a background as a football player, but he seemed to make a song about swimming. It would be great if you could make some songs about football too… just saying.

In all of these songs, I saw the meaning that I was longing for. I saw a way out to a brighter future. I saw a motion to worship God no matter what. And even though the songs stopped playing, the concepts they represented didn’t leave my mind. I’m still here to live in that way, to remember every day that God deserves my worship, that Jesus loves me, that God is not going to give up on me, that God will keep my heart alive, and that God won’t let me drown.

Those are things to live by. Thankfully, these songs gave me great reminders.

Even though I might change, and even though the setting around me might change, God does not. God’s love is constant… (another Maverick City Music reference? “Constant”) and inescapable. God will love me until the end, and through the end, and through the eternity. We have a lifetime to see this love and to believe it.

So what are you waiting for? “Step Into Love” was the setup that I didn’t know what was coming. That’s Tedashii’s motto there.

Trust in God’s love, then. Now is the best time, because God loves us in the “now.” Our beliefs and our souls will be safe.