This entire self-titled debut project by Essential Records' The Neverclaim--produced by Paul Moak and Jason Ingram--has captivated my spirit. The album includes standout recordings like the congregational friendly, sing at the top of your lungs anthems "One Truth, One Life" and "Mighty Jesus" and the southern rock tinged vibe of "Revival," "My Soul Longs" and "Burn." 

The Neverclaim is the most clearly Jesus-focused collection of worship songs I may have ever heard, which is so refreshing in this musical era of ambiguity and euphemisms. If you've been desperately waiting for a fresh filling of The Holy Spirit-led worship that is truly unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then don't miss out on this incredible album. If you feel like most of what you sing in church sounds the same, and you want to experience an uplifting soul-stirring and completely worshipful album, look no further than The Neverclaim. 

The single "Steal Their Hearts" is a wonderful prayer for parents everywhere who want to raise a godly family: "That they would know Your great mercy, and walk in all Your ways...may they sing of sweet salvation and Your amazing grace, 'cause one day I know I'll have to let them go, Would You steal their hearts? Would You call their names, in a broken world trying to do the same?" I'm drawn to Jeremiah's sincerity, emotive singing and profound, biblical songwriting. I had the chance to interview lead singer Jeremiah Carlson about the song.

Please tell me the personal story behind writing this song.

Going into the songwriting process of writing for the last album, I wrote ideas in my journal that were burning in my heart to sing about. I had known that I wanted to sing something about my two daughters, and I didn't know exactly what. I co-wrote this song with Tony Wood and Scott Krippayne and it was a songwriting session that started way too late, like at 9 o'clock at night, which is ridiculous. We were jamming around and I told them I wanted to write a song about my girls.

I've been praying this prayer over my firstborn daughter ever since she was in her mom's womb. The prayer was simple, "God would You steal her heart?" The premise of the prayer being that my desire is to see her not simply adopt Christian religion but fall head over heels in love with Jesus because He's worth that. When you encounter God's love that way, it really does steal your heart. 

Jesus is real and His love is worth our lives. I've been praying that over both of my daughters since conception. We added to that prayer in the songwriting process, "Would You call their name?" Calling their name has a lot of biblical significance. You see in the Bible that when the Lord spoke to Gideon or Moses or Paul it was always this encounter and He would call them by name. He would even give people a new name. That was a second part of the prayer.

Then, we acknowledge that there is a broken world out there trying to do the same thing. The world is trying to steal the affections of our kids, with false promises. Being a youth pastor for 14 years I've seen so many kids fall victim to those empty promises and get chewed up and spit out. We wanted to adopt the Lord's Prayer, "Deliver us from evil." Taking that prayer and aiming it towards our kids. Praying, God deliver them from the evil one and his scheming and the evil ways of the world. Then the last part of the prayer is "Would You let them see the majesty of who You are."

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."

Jeremiah 1:4-5 (NKJV): Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

Jeremiah 3:15 (NIV): "Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding."

Luke 11:1-4 (NKJV): "Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

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?

The Bible speaks really clearly. The whole story of Creation and Redemption is centered on the glory of Christ and Him being glorified. The question of why did God create us and do all of this? Simple, because He is amazing and He is going to be glorified, that's why. He deserves it. He is the only One worthy. When our children understand that, and when they see Him for who He is and understand that our walk with Christ isn't about what we get out of it, but what God gets out of it, in that process God shares His glory with us.

In the Bible, Jesus says "everything that the Father gives to Me, I give to you." That is so generous. We don't deserve it but He does it anyway because He is so good. Those four prayers: steal their hearts, call their name, protect them from a broken world trying to do the same, let them see the Majesty of who You are, became the chorus of the song and it was an easy song to write because it came from experience. The only challenge in writing was to rhyme the words so it sounded like a song. 

It is a true story and every night when I tuck my girls in to bed, I read the Bible to my oldest daughter. We pray together and I pray this prayer over them. At the end of the day, it is our job to be good stewards with the gift that the Lord has entrusted us with, our children. He has also called us into this relationship to pray for them so we can see the hand of God move in their lives. Once again, He gets all the glory. He is the only One who can reveal Himself. It's up to Him. That takes the burden off of parents. I speak with parents who try to raise their children in the ways of the Lord, and when they don't follow Jesus their faith is rocked and they are broken. Hopefully the song gives them words to say to God, "Lord, would You steal their hearts." 

Lyrics:
Dear Lord, I come a desperate man
Just tryin' to do the best I can 
I know my children look to me
So I'm on my knees, 'cause it's You they need

Would You steal their hearts
As You call their name 
In a broken world
Tryin' to do the same 
Would You let them see the majesty of who You are 
Oh Lord, would You steal their hearts

I'll try to lead them by Your truth
I'll tell them life is found in You 
But even that won't be enough 
Because only You can reveal Your love

Would you steal their hearts
As You call their name 
In a broken world
Tryin' to do the same 
Would You let them see the majesty of who You are

That they know Your great mercy
And they would walk in all Your ways 
That their days would overflow with peace and hope 
May they sing of sweet salvation and of Your amazing grace 
Cause one day I know I'll have to let them go

Would You steal their hearts
As You call their name 
In a broken world
Tryin to do the same 
Would You let them see the majesty of who You are

From my first listen, I wanted to tell others about this great new band from the Portland, Oregon area, who immediately reminded me of my favorite band NEEDTOBREATHE. They named their band based on the idea that "We never want to claim God's glory as our own" according to lead singer Jeremiah Carlson.

When I first heard this song, as a dad of three daughters I immediately adopted this song as my prayer. The words of this song express exactly the sentiment I want them to know that I think and pray over them. The band has started a website, stealtheirhearts.com, with a series of video devotionals from Jeremiah. This song is something that they would like parents to adopt as their prayer over their children as we celebrate Mother's and Father's Day. This message is the gift God our Father wants parents to have, remembering to give Him all the glory.

The band's hope is that the song can start a movement and be a resource for parents to say these words as a prayer over their kids. I have been so blessed by this song and have joined the band in saying these prayers over my children: "Would You steal their hearts, As You call their name in a broken world trying to do the same, Would You let them see the Majesty of who You are, Oh Lord, would You steal their hearts." Amen to that!

(Watch the music video here.)