New Centricity artist Jordan Feliz's debut full-length project The River features standout songs that were co-written by Feliz, including hit single and We Love Award-winning Song of the Year "The River," which sings "We're goin' down to the river, down to the river, down to the river to pray. Let's get washed by the water, washed by the water, and rise up in amazing grace."
That first smash hit single was followed-up with "Never Too Far Gone." The energy and infectious enthusiasm of the musical feel and celebratory message of these songs cause me to worship along loudly "in Spirit and in Truth." The combination of the stellar vocals, up-tempo melody and OneRepublic-like musical inflection really brings home these solid Gospel messages. God's grace washes us clean in the River of His Holy Spirit, and we become a new creation in Christ. I had the chance to speak with Jordan in-person at Creation about another highlight of his debut, "Best of Me."
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
This song was the last song that was written for the full-length release. I wrote it with the same two guys that I wrote "The River" with. I was in this season of life where my wife and I had lost a baby in 2013, and then we had our baby and now she's eleven months old. In the writing process, I had this stirring of realizing that no matter where you are in life, and this stems out of a lot of my songs because I was in a season of brokenness and also this amazing season of blessing and favor in my life, that we can search in so many different places to fill voids that have been created in our lives. In this season of coming out of being broken from our miscarriage into this season of becoming a new dad, I was questioning my ability to be a father and to be in charge of this little person.
I remember thinking that I didn't know how to handle the amount of different emotions that were being tossed around in me. I was mad at the Lord for a season because of our miscarriage, and I came back to Him knowing that He was the answer all along. The one person who I was the most angry with was the solution to the problem I was having, God.
Coming into being a dad and realizing how much I needed Him, when I give Him my life, and what that really looks like, handing over everything--that's much easier to say than to do. The moment you do that, you find the best version of yourself that you can possibly give to the Kingdom and to this world. The moment that He is your life, He is your pursuit and you pursue Him on a daily basis, then you find the best version of yourself that you can offer everyone else. That's the heart behind this song.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
John 7:38(NKJV): "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
2 Corinthians 5:17(NKJV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Ephesians 2:4-5(NIV): "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions---it is by grace you have been saved."
Psalm 103:1-5(NASB): "Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle."
Psalm 119:105(NKJV): "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Psalm 40:17(VOICE): "Meanwhile, I am empty and need so much, but I know the Lord is thinking of me. You are my help; only You can save me, my True God. Please hurry."
Isaiah 40:31(VOICE): "But those who trust in the Eternal One will regain their strength. They will soar on wings as eagles. They will run--never winded, never weary. They will walk--never tired, never faint."
What is the takeaway message?
This is such a personal song, and there is also so much energy in the song. I remember telling the guys that I wanted the song to have a lot of energy because it was such an energizing moment for me. Yes, I want to shout this from the rooftops.
You hear all the time about how you can do so much more through Christ. It is one thing to hear it, and another thing to apply it in your life. I feel like a lot of people hear it, like on a typical Sunday morning hearing truth and not applying it in your life. What happened for me is that I realized that I needed to put my faith into action. A seed into an action of growth. For me it was realizing that the best of me comes from God.
The story of Paul, dying to himself and being a new creation, is also part of this song. The best version of ourselves is to allow Christ to live in us. I've grown up in the church and was raised believing in the Lord and loving Him. My grandmother told me before she died that who she is today is different than who she was yesterday. This song is about shedding who you were yesterday and growing into the person He wants you to be today. It's about the constant pursuit of being closer to Jesus. The world tells us to be something we aren't, which isn't authentic.
Lyrics: I said goodbye to my chains
When I said hello to Your perfect love
I turned my head from my shame
When I looked upon the face of love
Givin' me a reason
Givin' life a meaning
Givin' out hope, that's what You do
All I ever needed
All I ever wanted
All that I seek is found in You
You got my heart flyin' up in the clouds
Lifting me up high above my doubts
Living in Your presence, now I can see
Only You bring out the best of me
The best of me
The best of
The best of me
The best of
You are the fire in my life
That makes me stronger than I am on my own
You are the peace that I find
The hand that holds and always leads me home
Givin' me a reason
Givin' life a meaning
Givin' out hope, that's what You do
All I ever needed
All I ever wanted
All that I seek is found in You
You got my heart flyin' up in the clouds
Lifting me up high above my doubts
Living in Your presence, now I can see
Only You bring out the best of me
The best of me
The best of
The best of me
The best of
Your Love inspires
Takes me higher
In You I find the best of me
You make me stronger
I'm a fighter
In You I find the best of me
You got my heart flyin' up in the clouds
Lifting me up high above my doubts
Living in Your presence, now I can see
Only You bring out the best of me
The best of me
The best of
The best of me
The best of
Your Love inspires
Takes me higher
In You I find the best of me
You make me stronger
I'm a fighter
In You I find the best of me
This song reminds me that we need to have the type of faith that Jesus describes in the Bible: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Being a Christian means that you walk by faith, not by sight. Remember the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1: "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."
As believers, it would be powerful if we could start to show our witness of God not only in our times of hardship, but also by leaning into Him and showing our joy in terms of celebrating God. That in some ways is just as inspirational. Joy isn't just a happy emotion. It is also a deep peace and understanding, knowing that we are loved without a shadow of a doubt. We should not be ashamed to sing of our dependence on God and to show Him reverence. What are those things in your life that are beyond you that you can turn over to God? Allow Him and His supernatural ability to take you to places that you can't handle on your own.
This song really connects with me as a believer, a fellow husband and fellow father, in sharing Jordan's sentiments behind the song. You can hear Jordan's vertical expressions of relying completely on God for His breath and Holy Spirit to sustain him in this song. I absolutely love his intentionality and complete focus on God's provision in his life. The song has quickly become one of my daily devotional prayers of thankfulness to God for showing me grace and forgiveness in spite of my failures. We serve a loving and merciful God who accepts us as we are, not who we pretend to be.
I hope you feel the same joy and hope in Christ expressed in this song and remember these truths: "Lifting me up high above my doubts, living in Your presence, now I can see, only You bring out the best of me." I hope you gratefully accept that gift of God's love that you freely receive from accepting Him as your Savior. I love how this song gives us words to express our gratitude and reminds us to sing out to God: "Your Love inspires, takes me higher. In You I find the best of me, You make me stronger, I'm a fighter. In You I find the best of me." Amen to that!
Watch the music video below.
NRT Lead Contributor Kevin Davis is a longtime fan of Christian music, an avid music collector and credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
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