Feature Image: eOnline
By: James Stinson
“God keep my head above water / Don’t let me drown / It gets harder / I’ll meet you there at the altar / As I fall down to my knees / Don’t let me drown / Don’t let me drown”
If you know Avril Lavigne, you will quickly notice that these lyrics are a long way from her 00’s classics such as “Sk8ter Boi” or “Complicated” — the songs that made her the iconic teenage sensation that she was.
After a five year break from the industry, Avril Lavigne’s latest release “Head Above Water” shares a story about her faith in God through her battle with Lyme disease that has kept her off stage since 2013.
Lavigne gave a moving and vulnerable statement about the depths of her battle: “I thought I was dying, and I had accepted that I was going to die. My mom laid with me in bed and held me. I felt like I was drowning. Under my breath, I prayed ‘God, please help to keep my head above the water.’ In that moment, the songwriting of this album began. It was like I tapped into something. It was a very spiritual experience. Lyrics flooded through me from that point on.”
If we had to choose a few words to articulate how most of the world feels on a regular basis, the phrase “keep my head above water” does a pretty good job.
We all struggle, we all suffer, and we are all looking to keep our head above the water — in fact, we seem to connect with one another through these vulnerabilities. Likewise, God connects with us in them as well.
The beauty of this song is the truth that Lavigne’s cry doesn’t go unheard, and nor does ours.
God meets us in our weakness, transforms us, and invites us to share His Good News with all.
Through Lavigne’s vulnerability, honesty and faith — this message of hope and truth is currently playing through millions of headphones worldwide (literally).
How can you use your faith story — not just the glamorous parts but the vulnerable and difficult parts as well — to share Jesus?
Article supplied with thanks to The Journey by yesHeis.
About the Author: yesHeis provides various resources to help share your faith in relatable ways.