On October 14, 2016, Tenth Avenue North, a Christian band originally from West Palm Beach, Florida, released their new album, "Followers". The theme behind the album is that God does not call us to be leaders but followers. Mike Donehey, the band's lead singer, said about the lead single from the album, "What You Want":

“I cannot find one place [in the Bible] where Jesus asks anyone to be a leader. In fact, He doesn’t even consider himself a leader. He says, ‘I don’t do anything of my own accord. I just do what I see the Father in Heaven doing.’ So, if that’s the case, then there’s only one leader and we’re all followers...leadership should never be sought for leadership itself, but it must always be the by-product of being a great follower."

Before the release of the full album, Tenth Ave (as fans affectionately call them) released five songs leading up to the October 14th digital release date for those who had preordered the album. "What You Want" was released in May, "Afraid" in early July, "Overflow" in August, "I Have This Hope" in September, and "Control (Somehow You Want Me)" in October, a week before the album release.

Tenth Avenue North is known for their life changing, God-breathed music. Their songs have spoken into many, many lives, and they have given hope to so many hurting people. I have seen friends completely turn their lives around because of Tenth Avenue North's music. Singles like "By Your Side", "You Are More", and "Worn" continue to affect people since their releases in 2008, 2010, and 2012. It seems that the band's theme of life-altering music is not changing with their fifth studio album. In fact, somehow these five pre-release tracks have hit me exactly when I needed them the most.

1. What You Want

What You Want, the lead single from the album and title of their fall tour, was released in May, the day before I graduated from high school. It was stuck in my head all day as I got ready to walk across a stage and accept a diploma that meant I'd finally made it through twelve years of childhood, education, and growing up. It was crazy to believe that I was moving on to a new chapter in my life. And what's more, I would be leaving just seven days later to embark on a summer of ministry. The lyrics, "There's no greater plan / That I need to know / You only ask me to follow" was indicative of the unknown of the summer that laid ahead of me on tour with a non-profit called CIY that ministered to kids through high-energy, week-long conferences across the country. I had no idea what I was doing, but it was what He wanted.

2. Afraid

Afraid was released with the pre-order of the album at midnight on July 7th after I'd already been touring for about a month. I immediately pre-ordered the album while at our tour stop in Florida and listened to the song the next day. All day I jammed to a song that I felt was so timely, especially with all the terrible things happening globally and nationally this year. "Afraid" reflected the simple truth that God is in control and we are safe from the world in Him. I was so excited about the new tune that I even posted some word art on Instagram of the lyrics from the song, and Tenth Avenue North re-posted it!

That's my hand on Tenth Avenue North's Instagram! So cool!

Little did I know that a few hours later I would be going through one of the most traumatic injuries of my life because of an accident while working with some heavy machinery at work that night. I was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, my arm badly bleeding, with the words, "I'm safe in your love, O Lord" echoing in my ears--quite literally, thanks to the lovely EMT who let me listen to music on our way to the hospital to calm me down. There is no way it is a coincidence that this song was released on the same day I was injured. The Lord used those lyrics to get me through an impossibly difficult night.

3. Overflow

Overflow came out just a few short days before I started college on one of my last days on tour. As I flew home from Santa Fe, New Mexico, I listened to this song reflecting on my summer of ministering to Middle School students through summer camp conferences. Every week we were in a new location, I was hardly home all summer, and I was exhausted in the best way possible. But, we had hundreds of middle schoolers give their lives to Christ over the summer. We watched as students prayed for other students, leaders poured out so much love to their kids, and friendships were grown and strengthened because of Jesus. The lyrics, "We receive your love / and Overflow...Let Your perfect love / come and fill us up / until we can't help but / overflow" truly told the story of my summer. I, like many teenagers and adults, was so filled by the grace of God that I couldn't help but live overflowing Christ's love onto Middle School Students all summer. It made every cut, scrape, bruise (and otherwise!), every homesick night, every day I missed back home worth it. Flying out of New Mexico, as much as I missed home, felt like I was leaving a piece of my heart on the road.

(And, PS, kudos if you caught the lyrics in the second verse that reference the band's first album. That was my favorite bit of the song the first time I heard it.)

4. I Have This Hope

September 10th was a hot Saturday, and I woke up to my phone downloading this song. I remember it very clearly because as soon as I saw the song title, I jumped out of my (still kind of foreign college dorm) bed and rushed to get ready so I could listen to the studio edition of one of my favorite Tenth Avenue North songs to date. I'd heard the band perform this song acoustically on Way-FM back in July, but had not listened to it as much since. The piano and strings tracks in the verses of this song are so utterly beautiful, it made me fall in love with the studio version more than I thought possible. I was impressed by Tenth Ave's ability to make me fall in love with a studio track. I generally far prefer live or acoustic recordings, but with this track, I like both the studio and live version equally. I may go so far as to say I like the studio version more, but that's still up for debate.

If you are like me, you recall "Strong Enough to Save" from Tenth Avenue North's album Light Meets the Dark. To me, "I Have This Hope" feels like a sequel to that song. While in "Strong Enough to Save" Mike sings, "fear is just a lie / so open up your eyes ... / The One the wind and waves obey / is strong enough to save you," the lyrics of "I Have This Hope" boldly respond with, "So whatever happens I will not be afraid / cause You are closer than this breath that I take / You calm the storm when I hear You call my name / I still believe that one day I'll see Your face."

The song's opening lines reflect every college student's struggle with moving away from home. "As I walk this great unknown / questions come and questions go..." But, I have this hope that I am being guided on the path I'm meant to be on, no matter what that path may be. I leaned into this song (as well as Strong Enough To Save) that whole month, knowing that college, as scary and treacherous as it can be is the place where God meets you on your knees and says, "Let's walk this great unknown together."

5. Control (Somehow You Want Me)

The last pre-release song from this album took me by surprise in the best way possible. This month has been a strange one. My first week of college midterms ever was paired with unanswered questions spilling out of my stream of consciousness into prayers, asking God, "What am I doing? Where am I going? What should I do? What's my ten year plan? I don't want to let it go." I've been writing so much more than I ever have, and I love it. As much as I love everything I did this summer and everything I've done in the past few years within the Church via live production, none of it feels like me. I have felt like changing my major might be the right decision, but I've also felt like writing might just be a hobby. I have no idea what is going on with my life. So, I saw a new song and, seeing the title, knew it was going to be a prayer-filled afternoon.

"Control" is about laying down our plans, our obsessions, our idols, our dreams and exchanging them for redemption that only God can give. "God you don't need me / But somehow you want me / Oh how you love me / Somehow that frees me / To open my hands up / and give You control" the chorus declares. Somehow God wants us, even though he does not need us, and he wants to take hold of our lives and tell us, "You are fearfully and wonderfully made. I chose you. I choose you. Let me have your false sense of control, so that you can be freed to do the work I have set out for you to do: love people."

This song came to me at a timely moment. It showed up as I have been freaking out about changing my college major (or not...who knows) and figuring out what I want to do with my life. This song was God screaming, "Be a freshman. I have great plans for you. Just give me control."

So, I have a few words for you and my favorite band.

To you, dear reader: never underestimate the power of music, or what God can do through a simple lyric. Never tell God He can't or you won't. He hates both of those words more than you could ever know. Embrace the strange, weird, miraculous moments. They are truly great.

To Tenth Avenue North: Thank you for your music. I know you hear it often, but I hope you truly hear it. Although I didn't know it at the time, these five songs have really influenced this part of my life. These will be the songs I play for my children and will be able to recall exactly where I was at the time. God has spoken so many great truths into my life through the songs y'all perform and write, and I couldn't be more grateful. Thank you for being such a huge part of my story.