Sara Groves
"The Collection"
I
made a map of my life on my 40th birthday, and remembered in broad strokes the
first 20 years of my life, and then the second. Drawn out in a sort of
graph, I was amazed that there was rarely just one monolithic line, plummeting
and rising, but that in the darker hours, there was almost always a
counter-rise - this hard thing was happening, but at the same time, this other
(sometimes completely unrelated) wonderful thing was happening.
Coming-of-age vulnerability alongside finding genuine, life-giving mentors
(and authors), young adult angst alongside finding a voice, marriage joy
alongside marriage pain, birth alongside depression, sin and self alongside
truly breathtaking revelations of grace, tearing relational missteps alongside
burgeoning life-long friendships. You know what I'm talking about because
when I go out and sing, you come and tell me about your plummeting and rising,
and these songs that mark each turn in the line. Here we have done our
best to compile a group of songs to follow that line and 15 years of making
music! Thank you for listening - we are profoundly grateful for you!
Love,
Sara
Release Date: September 17
Pre-order the album now and get an instant download of the entire album!
Pre-buy link: saragroves.com
Yeah "rarely just one monolithic line"... I agree with that. For instance, even if life looks pretty much loveless (it certainly does for many of us) there are those flashes of things, like friendships, or even a sense of sharing life itself - even with our cat or dog (some people don't find better friends). But indeed these things do not suddenly replace the way we experience life, they appear like a star in the dark sky, while we're walking, pondering this life, the only life we have.
ReplyDeleteYour "breathtaking revelations of grace" I think are often related to discovering a true human being behind the facade. Grace is sort of a discovery of what really matters - what is really good. And the good some call god, others don't personify it (anymore) - but in both cases it is a discovery of grace. I think this is what being Christian should be all about.
Unfortunately this isn't always the case - and certainly isn't goodness only a Christian ting - I guess you would agree with that, more or less(?)
I'm not familiar with all your songs - I've heard you every now and then, when video's where posted - I also have one of your albums somewhere. You have a voice which reminds me of Brooke Fraser, very sweet, graceful, and tender, too.
I'm not a Christian anymore - sometimes things in life hurt so much it changes people to the point they just stop believing in certain things and there is no way back. But grace is always a worthy cause (or love - as in one of your songs). You talk about "burgeoning life-long friendships" - I don't know much about that (with a few exceptions of online friendships) but I do know that we can always give love. I think that's what grace does.
Even while it may be hard to receive or experience love (depending on what kind of life we got - it seems very arbitrary what we get), somehow, Love, or Grace, are, I think, so much a "giving thing", it is always possible to decide to be a giver. It may give us peace of mind if just we decide to give what we'd like to receive.
I think Jesus was this kind of person too - I'm still some kind of Jesus freak. An atheistic Jesus freak if you want. I'm not really in the denial business - I just lost god along the way. I sort of adopted an adage from a Dream Theater song, when they sing "Some of us choose to live gracefully". I choose this, no matter what happens. Even if it hurts. Maybe this is religious in a certain way - who cares?
I believe you have a good heart, Sara. The world is already a better place with people like you in it. And if you're only 40 as you say, the best part may lay ahead of you. You lucky girl;)
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I'm surprised this blog doesn't have more commenters! You're such a big star! Your introduction says you love hearing from people. I've been writing a letter to you, to ask your blessing for using your music in a special way, but it's a bit complex and I wish I could just have a conversation with you. Too much to ask a very busy lady?
ReplyDeleteI want to express my gratitude for the richness of your work in general and for "Why It Matters" in particular. On March 23--not quite two weeks ago--my mother was murdered in a home invasion robbery. My wife used "Matters" in her memorial video, and the song has been of profound comfort to me since. I am a disiciple of the Thomas type, and the testimony of that song is faith strengthening in this most difficult experience of my life thus far. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Sara, I've been thinking of writing to you for probably 10 years. At different crossroads of my life your songs have absolutely captured my thoughts and feelings in an almost uncanny way. Talk about music therapy :-). Sometimes, I'm just, like, "God, did you have her write this just for me!?!?" :-) I remember jamming out to your songs in college while struggling with my faith and purpose in life. I then found Christ in a powerful way while serving in Wilmington, DE for 8 years. And then, a year ago God called me back home to N. Little Rock, AR to start an inner city ministry. I put the c.d. back in and thought "painting pictures in Egypt" described exactly how I felt. At the end of my first year of launching a ministry I'm singing "remember, surrender" and "less like scars" and it is so refreshing to sing words that express my own roller coaster of pain, discouragement, and absolute joy in following Christ. So, after all of this time, please know I am so grateful for the calling on your life. I pray for you that you will keep singing, advocating, writing, and experiencing the deep joy of knowing the personal love of our Savior. Blessings, my dear sister! Thanks for being a wonderful part of my journey.
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