"You Lift Me Up" | Behind the Song

It was sophomore year at Florida State University. I was sitting on the floor of my room feeling lonely and confused about my future. In that moment I did what I almost always do in those situations, I picked up my guitar and started to play.

Sometimes writing a song takes the shape of describing what I'm feeling in the moment. However, God often uses songwriting as a little window to shine some of His truth on the situation I'm in. He uses the process to shift the small, worldly view I have in the moment into a realization of His greatness.

As I turned to music that day during sophomore year, God met me with the truth that He was greater than my circumstance. He reminded me of Isaiah 40:

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

While I felt confused about the path ahead of me, God reminded me that He offers His joy and peace in every situation. "You Lift Me Up" is a simple song, but we (at least I) need these simple reminders on a regular basis of who God is and how His ways are better than our own.

I've played this song at most of my shows since writing it sophomore year. It always seems weird to look back and think about the confusion and emptiness I felt before writing the song compared to the joy and hope that this song communicates. But isn't that how God's grace works? He finds us in our darkness and offers a little window of light and truth — and that changes everything.