One of Christian music's most recognizable and prolific female voices, Christy Nockels, was born in Ft. Worth, TX. Together as Watermark, Christy and her husband Nathan recorded five albums with Rocketown Records that produced a number of hit songs including “Knees To The Earth,” “My Heart Your Home” and “Glory Of Your Name.” Christy and Nathan have served at Passion Conferences since 1997 and in 2008, they moved to Atlanta, GA to be a founding family of Passion City Church. The title song “Life Light Up” is the newest single by Christy Nockels from her amazing solo album debut.

I got the chance to speak with Christy about her song and you can listen to our entire conversation here. The following are excerpts from our conversation.

Please share the background that led you to write the title song "Life Light Up"?

I started writing this lyric and chorus melody in the Autumn of 2007, after a Passion regional conference in Boston. The worship was explosive that weekend, and the anticipation of the students to see God move was life changing for me. When I flew home from that weekend I looked over the city from the airplane and a melody and lyric came from my mouth, “let my life light up like the city lights...” I prayed for the students, that each of them would have the courage to be a light in a dark place, and to take the songs we had shared together into their everyday lives... Upon returning home, I learned that I was invited to go on some of the Passion World Tour stops in 2008. I have to admit that I was fearful to go. I was mostly anxious about being that far away from my kids and not being able to get to them quickly if they needed me. This would be a mission of total trust, and one of humble obedience to the One I knew was calling me. The verse and pre-chorus of this song, for me, was my “yes” to God...realizing there will be moments and seasons He calls us to go beyond our comforts and trust Him with total abandonment.

Please tell me about the Bible verses you used in writing the song?

Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” This is who we are as the people of God...we are a lamp set up on the lamp stand...a city, set up on a hill for all to see. We are the light of the world...

How has that passage and the message of this song been a part of your life?

What’s even more amazing to me is that we’ve recently moved to a new city and into a new home and neighborhood. I can tell you that it has been just as much of a challenge for me personally to be a light in my own neighborhood, if not more challenging, than flying thousands of miles from home to “light up” in the darkest night. This song proclaims that He is the song we bring with us, and in us, into the darkest places of this world. It is a prayer and a proclamation that says, “my light will shine on earth and my Father will be praised!” This can look like a trip to China, or sometimes, it’s just walking into “open house” with my kids at their public school down the street. Both are equally challenging for me...both require an “offering” of myself unto God, letting Him shine and show others His fame and His love through me in all that I do.

Here are the lyrics to “Life Light Up”

With You, I can go anywhere
I can do anything
You are the song I bring...

With You, You are the air I breathe
'Cause You are my everything
And I am Your offering...

I may live and I may die
Either way You're glorified
Bless the day I give my life away!

Let my life light up like the city lights
And let it burn for You in the darkest night

In You, I can begin again
I'm part of a bigger plan
'Cause You are the Great I Am!

In You, Your life is in my veins
And You've broken all my chains
'Cause You are the God Who reigns!

My light will shine on earth
And my Father will be praised!

What a great song and anthem of praise! Many of my favorite songs are based on this passage including “Let Your Light Shine” by Bethany Dillon, “The Lost Get Found” by Britt Nicole, “Shine On” by Needtobreathe and “We Shine” by Fee. In fact, that passage is basically the theme of the entire Passion: God of this City album, which features Christy singing “Hosanna”. As Christy and I discussed that passage, we both thought of how convicting it is to really try to live out that command to “let your light shine”. What a great and awesome responsibility we have as followers of Jesus to “be the light of the world”. This song is great way to have encouragement because “With You, I can go anywhere, I can do anything...”

You can listen to “Life Light Up” here.