Country Faith
Scripture is like an emotional anchor that can provide strength and stability in life’s storms. It can uplift, educate, and inspire, but most importantly, it remains our conduit to the Almighty, the vehicle by which we grow in our relationship with the Father.
I know when I pick up my Bible, it often feels like God is speaking directly to me through the Good Book. I’m sure I’m not alone. How many times has your Bible fallen open to a page, and when you began reading, it was just what you needed to see? The words on the page somehow always seem to fit the challenges we find ourselves in at the time and serve as a reminder that He’s with us. We’ve all heard that old hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” and it’s comforting to know we’re always in His sights.
I’ve spent nearly forty years interviewing singers and songwriters about their music, gathering stories behind the songs, and getting scoops about an upcoming album or tour, but getting to speak with these artists about their favorite Scriptures and the impact those verses had on their lives was truly special. I have pages and pages filled with personal stories of how the Word of God healed those who were dying and freed others from the bondage of addiction. Many singers revealed the Scriptures they use as the guideposts for everyday life and the things they’ve learned from the Bible that help them better serve the Lord.
I’ve always felt that God put me here to help people share their stories, and it’s a privilege I don’t take lightly. Writing these words has been a wonderful journey, and I’m so happy to be able to take you along on even just a glimpse of this beautiful ride.
-Deborah Evans Price
Carrie Underwood
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. --- ROMANS 8:38-39
This Scripture says that you are always loved – no matter what. I love all the commas in these verses: neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons... it’s so powerful. Nothing in the world can separate us from God’s love, and that’s so comforting. The thing that draws me to it as an adult is the way it reminds us of God’s unconditional love. I love it because it basically says, “You can make a mistake, and it’s okay.” There’s nothing that can separate us from God’s love. Just knowing that in my heart brings comfort. When I’ve messed up or when I need to know that I’m loved no matter what, I can think of that Scripture and feel peace.
Romans 8:38–39 are important verses for everyone to hear. I feel like there are probably so many people out there who stay away from God and from God’s love because they think, I’m not good enough. To me, that’s the devil talking and getting in your head saying, You’re not good enough. Look at all these things that you do. There are too many things in your past and in your present, too many things in the world that make you not good enough for God’s love. That’s just not true because this Scripture tells us that absolutely nothing can separate us. Look at all the examples that these verses use: neither the present, nor the future, nor powers, nor height, nor depth. It just doesn’t matter. Your Creator loves you unconditionally no matter what.
Brad Paisley
Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. —JAMES 2:17
“Those Crazy Christians.” I have a song on my album Wheelhouse by this title. The song is written from the point of view of someone baffled by people of faith. Most puzzling to the skeptic in the song is not the faith itself, but the actions that such faith produces. Things such as mission trips to dangerous regions, baptisms, hospital visits to strangers, sobriety, forgiveness of atrocities, talk of heaven, etc., all must look insane to someone who is agnostic. But there is something so inspiring about watching believers do good things. As I grew up in a small church, this was what stuck with me. That’s why James 2:17 resonates with me.
The most impactful examples of someone’s faith in action that I can remember aren’t hands raised in the air, or shouts of hallelujah and joy, or judgment. It’s the church members gathered around my cousin’s bedside as he breathed his last breath, and how they took shifts around the clock with his family in those last two weeks while he fought for his life and lost.
It’s the Vanderpool family, who donate most of their income and time to charity. It’s my wife, who found the same fire in fighting for the cause of relief in Haiti, taking multiple trips there to nurse the sick and the poor.
These are the people who inspire me. It’s not someone telling me how they think it is. No scare tactic or fire-and-brimstone sermon ever did diddly-squat to strengthen my faith. It was the works I saw believers do.
Trisha Yearwood
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. —JAMES 1:17
When I made my first record for MCA in 1991, I wanted to thank God for all His blessings, but I didn’t want to sound trite or insincere. I decided that rather than just saying thank You, I’d find a Bible verse and put it in the liner notes of the album. If folks wanted to look up the verse for themselves, that was good by me.
I picked James 1:17 for that record because I believe with all my heart that everything good in my life comes from God. I truly believe He gave me the gift of music, and He expected me to use it.
Over the years, I’ve included a Bible verse in every studio album I’ve made. It’s my way of expressing my faith. I don’t wear it on my sleeve, but it’s always there.
When I made that first album, I was twenty-six years old. I didn’t have the life experience I have now. I hadn’t lost my father and mother. I didn’t know just how much I would need that faith. I don’t think I could face every day if I didn’t believe that God existed, if I didn’t believe that one day, I would see my precious parents again.
Charlie Daniels
“Because he loves Me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call on Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.” —PSALM 91:14–16
I committed Psalm 91 to memory quite a while ago. It’s a psalm of trust, of safety, of leaning on God for your protection, of knowing that He is in charge. I like that. It doesn’t make a difference what anybody else does or what happens with any other situation—you have protection over your life. These are not just pretty, poetic words. These are promises, and I have committed them to memory. I do so much traveling, and I will recite Psalm 91 to myself. I remember being in Iraq, and it meant a lot to me there to be able to remind myself of that psalm. I was definitely protected in Iraq. We got shot at when we were heading to a remote base to entertain the troops.
Psalm 91 is a comfort to me. It’s just talking to God, saying, “I serve You, and I believe in You. I know that You are taking care of me.” It’s a very special psalm to somebody who travels as much as I do. God protects us. Every breath and every heartbeat are blessings from God. We tend to sometimes forget that the next breath we take is a gift. Every beat of our heart, every sight we see, every sound we hear, every note of music I write, sing, or play—they are all blessings from God. Psalm 91 is one of God’s presents to us. It’s saying, “I’ve got you, son. I’ve got you covered. You don’t have to worry about that. Let Me worry about that. You go ahead and do the best you can, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
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