Nicole Nordeman: BRAVE

God has consistently used music to move me. It usually starts in my heart and moves to my soul and mind, and eventually to my strength (that is, action). I have a list of songs that I can point to and say "ah...that's the one that God use to..." and the story begins.

A few years ago I was privlidged to hear Nicole Nordeman at Willow Creek (Arts Conference in 2005) where they gave her time and space to do more than a mini-concert. This song was new to me then and it knocked the socks of complacency right off my feet. This was a message my fearful heart needed to hear in ways I'd never needed before.

Now, 3+ years later, I needed to hear it again. This morning it is one of the songs that played on my iPod as I walked (in the gentle rain) through my neighborhood. God knew that I needed to be reminded that I have been released from the fear and sin and darkness that keeps me from stepping out of the boat whenever God's voice nudges me to it. He knew that the shadows of those things were creeping in through cracks around the edges and I can too easily focus on the darkness that was or could be rather than the Light who IS.

Here are the lyrics, in case you, too need a reminder.


Brave (Nicole Nordeman, Jay Joyce)

The gate is wide
The road is paved in moderation
The crowd is kind and quick to pull you in
Welcome to the middle ground
You're safe and sound and
Until now it's where I've been
'Cause it's been fear that ties me down to everything
But it's been love, Your love, that cuts the strings

So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
The way it always was
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave
Brave, brave

I am small
And I speak when I'm spoken to
But I am willing to risk it all
I say Your name
Just Your name and I'm ready to jump
Even ready to fall...

Why did I take this vow of compromise?
Why did I try to keep it all inside?

So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
The way it always was
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave
Brave, brave

I've never known a fire that didn't begin with a flame
Every storm will start with just a drop of rain
But if you believe in me
That changes everything
So long, I'm gone

So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
I wanna be brave
The way it always was
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave
Brave, brave