Plumb's newest single release "Beautifully Broken" from her upcoming album, follows the success of her EP, God Help Me, her worship album Exhale and Need You Now, an intense collection that coincided with the artist's personal struggle in her marriage that led to her family's restoration. This story ultimately led to Tiffany Lee writing her memoir, Need You Now: A Story of Hope. The first time I heard Plumb's song "God-Shaped Hole," released at the end of the 90s, I immediately connected to the catchy melody and poignant lyrics. Throughout her career, she has continued to entertain and challenge listeners in that way, looking to point us to the One who can fill that "God-shaped hole in all of us."

Several of Plumb's songs over the years are accessible pop and worship songs that are deep in meaning and content. Thinking about the influence of Plumb's songs about identity, I thought of these songs which are based on deep spiritual truths about what God says about us. The picture of God's unconditional love for us after all that we've done wrong is profoundly captured in these songs. God wants us to know that He's faithful to complete what's He's started in all of us who have put our hope and trust in Jesus. Having recently celebrated Mother's Day, these songs all minister to women, especially, regarding being made in God's image. Struggling with identity issues is not limited to girls, but in today's society which sends out signals that image is everything, the messages of these songs are very edifying. I pray that we all know the truth of our identities that we were made in God's image and likeness. His Word tells us that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." Enjoy these videos of Plumb songs about identity.

"Cut" 
In her song about cutting and self-harm, Plumb emotes: "I do not want to be afraid, I do not want to die inside just to breathe in, I'm tired of feeling so numb, Relief exists I find it when I am cut." In the bridge, she cries out, "I am not alone!" When we don't like ourselves, we all need to "learn the unforced rhythms of grace." That is Jesus's heart for us. He does not want us to worry. He tells us "His yoke is easy and His burden is light." We all deal with some level of fear, worry, and anxiety. God knows that about us, and after I read that He tells us to not have fear or worry in His Word 365 times, enough for one time each day, I have been attentive to that concept in my daily Bible study. I have found that by being washed by the water of the Word, I am strengthened with the Truth that God wants us to know that fear, worry and anxiety is not His plan for our lives. By reading the Bible every day, God gives us a daily reminder to not be afraid.
 
"Beautiful"
The first part of the chorus--"You're beautiful, so beautiful, Oh and you hold me tight, You're beautiful, so beautiful, And I can't speak or I'll cry"--has been resonating with me as I realize that Jesus commands us to trust God's Word completely, no matter our circumstances or personal distractions or concerns or doubts about ourselves and our flaws. The rest of the chorus has an amazing reminder: "Oh I don't deserve You, Cause I always hurt You, Then You'll say the perfect thing, You're beautiful, so beautiful to me." We can't know everything and we are not in control, but trusting God gives us assurance that we don't have to be afraid. God will be there to pick us up when we fall. The song is a great reminder of the kind of heart we should have both as people valued by God and as Christians who can communicate our value to other people. As Christians, we are God's adopted sons and daughters and we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." Don't let the world tell you who you are. It doesn't matter what you look like if you have Jesus on the inside. That's where we can find our true identities, in Him!
 
"Don't Deserve You"
Tiffany wrote the song directly to her song Oliver, and as a father of three daughters, and a chosen son of my Heavenly Father, I can't listen to this gorgeous song without being moved. The picture of God's unconditional love for us after all that we've done wrong is profoundly captured in the chorus: "I don't deserve Your love / But You give it to me anyway / Can't get enough / You're everything I need / And when I walk away / You take off running and come right after me / It's what You do / And I don't deserve You." We sometimes put up a wall between us and God, and He just wants us to come home to Him. Many of us feel that we're not worthy of being near God and that He's using a checklist to determine our worthiness. That's not the Gospel. The Good News of the Gospel, which this song perfectly portrays, is that God accepts us no matter what we've done.
 
"One Drop"
I am in a similar stage of life as Tiffany, and I've been married to my best friend, Jennifer for 24 years this year, and we also have three children. Maybe that's especially why Plumb's songs tug at my heartstrings. I can perfectly relate to every single word she tenderly and gorgeously sings. The unity message of this song is also my prayer for my marriage--for God to be at its center. This song is an offering and submission to the God's supernatural ability to keep together what would otherwise fall apart. Christians in marriages need to stand up and pray, "I need you, and you need me, Left alone, We will never be, Who we could be, So take my hand, And don't forget, That we can do anything together."
 
"Need You Now"
This is a wonderful song of encouragement and prayer to ask God to break your pride, live redemption's story, and move closer to who we're meant to be in Christ. Allow God and His Holy Spirit to change you to be more like Jesus, and move closer to His glory. The chorus of the song says it all: "How many times have you heard me cry out, "God please take this"? How many times have you given me the strength to just keep breathing? Oh, I need You, God, I need You now." God wants us to know that He's faithful to complete what's He's started in all of us who've put all of our hope and trust in Jesus for our salvation.
 
"Lord I'm Ready Now"
This song is based on my favorite passage of the Bible and my life verse, Isaiah 6:8. This verse stirs me to answer my calling as a Christian to do God's will. I'm consistently praying that I have the courage to say, "Here I am, Lord send me" when God calls me. This song is a great prayer and answer to that call. The song also celebrates restoration with the lyrics "You called my name, I turned away / But now I am listening / I was so caught up in who I'm not / Can You please forgive me?" God wants us to know that He's faithful to complete what's He's started in all of us who have put our hope and trust in Jesus. This song convicts me that I don't want to waste any more time. Sing along with Plumb: "Lord, I'm ready now / All the walls are down / Time is running out / I want to make this count."
 
"Exhale"
In listening to Plumb's journey over the past few albums, you can hear how her life and faith is reflected in her art, and never more so than in "Exhale," you can hear Tiffany's vertical expressions of relying completely on God for His breath and Holy Spirit to sustain her. I absolutely love Tiffany's intentionality and complete focus on God's provision in her life by expressing, "It's okay to not be okay." This song celebrates God's breath, His Holy Spirit is breathed into her life and her marriage. This worship album really engages me from start to finish in my own time of worship and reflection about the attributes of God. Tiffany writes and sings her breath, given to her by God, into anointed new songs for the church. You'll be blessed by this powerful song which is a stand-out anthem with a convicting declaration: "Oh God, We do not exist for us, But to share Your grace and love, And exhale."
 
"Smoke"
God's mercy is new each day, and it is not based on our performance, or what we can do for God. He pours out His mercy despite what we've done, there's nothing we can do except trust in His Son Jesus. You'll be blessed by this powerful song which is a stand-out anthem with a convicting declaration: "You are my hope, You are my song, You are the oxygen inside these weary lungs. You are my safe place, You are my home, You are my shelter when it all goes up in smoke!"
 
"God Help Me"
Continuing the discussion about how she's suffered from panic attacks, shortness of breath, and praying, "God please take this" from her song "Need You Now," this song celebrates how when we cry out "God help me," He hears us. God pours out His mercy despite what we've done, and there's nothing we can do except trust in His Son Jesus. Tiffany writes and sings her breath, given to her by God, into this anointed new song for the church. You'll be blessed by this powerful song which is a stand-out anthem with a convicting declaration: "Help me to go, or God help me to stay, I'm feeling so alone here, and I know that You're faithful, but I can barely breathe, God help me." 
 
"Beautifully Broken"
This song is a beautiful way to express our devotion and gives me hope and inspiration as one of God's children. For me, songs like "Beautifully Broken" provide opportunities for God to whisper to me my true identity--not found in what I do or don't do, but in who I am--more importantly, to whom I belong. This song and the biblical truth behind the song is such an encouraging reminder of God's sovereignty and that He has been, is, and always will be with us. If God is with us, we can endure anything. We are called as Christians to believe in the freedom that we have in the cross of Jesus. We are free from our addictions, our insecurities, and perfectionism. Jesus came to die for us so that we can all truly live in Him. This song is also about submitting all of your worries, anxieties, and stress to God and letting Him be your guide. God wants to walk beside you, and He wants us to be bold and unafraid. This song is about submitting to the Lordship of Jesus over our lives and acknowledging that, "You're beautifully broken, and you can be whole again. Even a million scars don't change whose you are, you're worthy, beautifully broken."