After two top-selling and critically acclaimed releases, Francesca Battistelli's third studio release If We're Honest, is available everywhere April 22. Preceding the album release, "Write Your Story" has already been a hit single, and was previously featured as a behind the song devotional article. You can read that here. 

Like her previous releases, the album's central theme is about finding our identity in Christ, and being honest and transparent with ourselves and others to allow God's grace to shine in our lives by demonstrating how in our weakness, His strength is made perfect. We display that we are His sons and daughters through our words and actions.

I am very impressed by the album, as I feel like we are getting to hear more and more of Francesca's personal story and where she is coming from as a fellow believer in Christ. In particular, throughout the album you'll hear many different expressions about the Lord, about Who He is, and what He is doing in our lives. I know personally that I am in a better mood after I finish listening to her album as it transforms negative things I am thinking about myself to the truth of what God thinks.

One of the songs that really hits home with me is the standout track, "He Knows My Name," which is a truth that we all need to hear. This song is about finding our identity in Christ. I spoke with Francesca about the song.

Please tell me the personal story behind writing this song.

This is one of my favorite songs on the album. I think it is so fun. It is so timely and so needed in this generation. For me, I know my whole life I have struggled with believing what other people say about me. To listen to the voices of the world in our culture and people in general, whether it is good or bad, I put too much stock in what other people think and say about me. At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter.

My mom had this saying growing up: "what you think of me is none of my business." It's so hard to live like that, because we want to know what they are going to call us. Do they think we're pretty, smart, funny, and cool and worth their time? At the end of the day, none of that matters.

The fact that the God of the universe--Who created every atom on this planet and every star in the sky--knows my name and calls me by name, and even named me, there's such a power in knowing and understanding what that means. For me, it's an anthem, and I really hope this song can be become that for young women and young men, everyone from kids to grandparents.

We all need to be reminded that God calls us forgiven, chosen, wanted and loved. That's the inspiration behind the song, wanting to get that out there and remind people that the name that matters is the one that God gives us.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
  
Psalm 139:13-14 (NKJV): "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well."
 
Psalm 139:17-18 (NKJV): "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You."

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT): "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago."
 
1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV): But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

Romans 12:2 (The Voice): "Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete."

What is the takeaway message?

It is a song that talks about how when you look in the mirror and think you wouldn't choose yourself, and about the insecurities we all have. That's a common and universal feeling that we all have, as we wonder why God would call us or use us or name us. For me, especially, the song plays on what I do for a living: "I don't need my name in lights I'm famous in my Father's eyes."

Even in this job that I have, this song reminds me that no matter how I did today as a Christian, that's not what it is about. Rather than think about how I am ministering the Gospel or beating myself up and wonder why God is using me at all, the good thing is that it doesn't matter.

God can use anybody who is available to Him. I can't do any of this in my own strength. He brought me here, and He gets the glory. That applies no matter what you do in life. This song is about celebrating what God calls us. He calls us loved and forgiven and chosen and free and beautiful. He knows our names. There really is something amazing about that. If you think about the billions of people on earth and everything God has created, it is amazing how He specifically knows you by name and He loves you so much. I hope people feel encouraged when they hear it. 

Lyrics:
Spent today in a conversation 
In the mirror face to face with
Somebody less than perfect
I wouldn't choose me first if
I was looking for a champion
In fact I'd understand if
You picked everyone before me
But that's just not my story

True to who You are
You saw my heart
And made something out of nothing, so

I don't need my name in lights
I'm famous in my Father's eyes
Make no mistake
He knows my name
I'm not living for applause
I'm already so adored
It's all His stage
He knows my name
He knows my name 

I'm not meant to just stay quiet
I'm meant to be a lion
I'll roar beyond a song
With every moment that I've got

True to who You are
You saw my heart
And made something out of nothing

He calls me chosen
Free, forgiven
Wanted, child of the King
His forever
Held and treasured
I am loved

I don't need my name in lights
I'm famous in my Father's eyes

For me, having three young daughters, it is so important for them to hear this message. They need to look so far beyond what the world says and really find their true identities in the Lord. 
Our thoughts are constantly under attack by the enemy, and this song is a great way to submit to Him and commit to ourselves and to God: "I don't need my name in lights I'm famous in my Father's eyes." God's Word assures to trust in what God says about us, no matter how we feel about ourselves.

God knows us intimately, and because of what Jesus did on the Cross, He sees us as holy, righteous, redeemed, chosen, fully known and forgiven no matter what you've done. If you've put all of your hope and trust in Jesus, there is nothing that can separate you from His love. God sees us as He sees His Son. He knows our names, He named us, and He loves us so much that He came to die for us.

He makes something out of nothing in each of us. That's reason to sing this song at the top of our lungs in gratefulness to Him. The bridge has inspiring, biblical reminders: "He calls me chosen, Free, forgiven, Wanted, child of the King, His forever, Held and treasured, I am loved." This song is a celebratory anthem about what it means to have hope in Christ, and that if you know Christ, you don't have to be ashamed or beat yourself up because you belong to someone greater. Amen to that! 

(Watch Francesca talk about the song here.)