As a follow-up to her hit song, "Real Love" from Blanca's EP Real Love, she has released her full-length album Shattered. These engaging and poignant songs are a follow-up to her debut self-titled solo album, which featured the standout songs "Not Backing Down," "Greater is He," "Different Drum" and "Who I Am."

"This new chapter in my life and career has been amazing," Blanca says. "I feel that with every song written and every show performed, God is stretching me and showing me more and more of who I am and what He has created me for. I also feel incredibly blessed to embark on this new journey with my family right by my side."

I had the opportunity to speak with Blanca about the stirring title track, "Shattered."
 
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

Given that we talked about "Real Love," you know my story of what I've walked through over the past year and a half with my mom passing away from cancer. To paint the story, I was in the middle of writing songs for this album, and I felt overwhelmed and emotionally drained. We brought some producers to Orlando to help me with songwriting. I had a list of words and notes about what impacted me and one of the words I had written was shattered. This was one of the first songs I wrote after my mom passed away. I wanted the song to be about God's restoration. When my mom was sick, and she was in hospice care, it was a very hard realization for me and my family. My brother took me aside and told me to prepare my heart because it wasn't looking good. It was an impactful moment, as I tend to go numb and not let myself feel, and my brother told me I needed to be ready for what was coming. I talked with my husband about if I let all these emotions come out of me and I lost her, I didn't know how I would handle it. Somehow I managed to have the strength to get through those moments even though I felt so weak inside. When I lost her, I didn't go crazy but I was able to keep pushing along for my family and my son and my husband. God gave me that peace and strength that I needed at that moment in my life. "Shattered" is about that time in my life. In my most broken and shattered place, somehow I felt like I was stronger than I ever was before.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV): "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Philippians 4:7 (NKJV): "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

1 Corinthians 2:9 (VOICE): "But as the Scriptures say, No eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard and it has never occurred to the human heart all the things God prepared for those who love Him."

Hebrews 13:14 (NLT): "For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come."

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV): "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
 
2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV): "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

Romans 8:28 (NKJV): "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV): "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

1 Peter 5:10 (NIV): "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."

Revelation 21:4-5 (NKJV): "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

What is the takeaway message?

Losing someone is something you can never prepare for, and it feels like the floor has been swept right out from under your feet. That's what it felt like when I lost my mom to cancer in 2016. Sometimes I feel guilty because I feel like through my career or my traveling that I missed out on so many opportunities to be with my mom. I always think back on a conversation that I had with mom where she cried to me and said "I don't want you to stop" and "I know you're feeling that I need you here with me but I find my most strength when I see you doing what you were called to do, which is to bring hope to people." Loss is different for everybody. Maybe you've lost a child or a job or you are in a difficult place. Through this song I wanted to express that God can use anything that you've gone through to help other people. He shows you a newfound strength that you didn't know that you had. I don't want to negate the fact that there is hurt and pain. As I think about my mom and her joy it brings back so many memories, and the hurt and pain is real. You learn to live in a new normal. My prayer for this song is to make music that inspires people and I think back on my mom and pray that I'm honoring her and God. I want my healing to be your healing.

Lyrics:
I have seen valleys
The lowest of lows
I have felt heartache
That would not let go
I have been shaken
Deep in my soul
I have been broken
More than you know

But here I am still standing
So believe me when I say

If you're shattered
Every piece of you that's on the floor
He can restore
And after
You'll be even stronger than before
He can restore
What shattered

Nothing is wasted
There's always a plan
He has a purpose
You may not understand
He's never been closer
If you just hold on
He'll take you deeper
He'll give you a song

Cause here I am still standing
So believe me when I say

If you're shattered
Every piece of you that's on the floor
He can restore
And after
You'll be even stronger than before
He can restore
What shattered
 
If I am still here standing
You can believe me when I say
That He is more than able
To redeem your every pain

If you're shattered
Every piece of you that's on the floor
He can restore
And after
You'll be even stronger than before
He can restore

If you're shattered
Every piece of you that's on the floor
He can restore
And after
He will make it stronger than before
I know He'll restore
What shattered 

Closing Thoughts

This is one of those songs that I could instantly sing with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and I wanted to know the story behind writing the song. The beauty of God's Word is that it doesn't return void and it provides a constant source of comfort, guidance, and truth of how to us draw closer to Him and live for Him. Whatever your circumstances, you can celebrate that Truth. You may be going through some of the worst earthly things that you can imagine, but "no human mind can conceive all the things that God has prepared for those who love Him" (1st Corinthians 2:9). If you think about the type of faith we are called to have as believers, it is described as the faith of a mustard seed, and we are called to "walk by faith, and not by sight." God can do immeasurably more than anything and everything one can ask or even imagine, and this song is a true celebration of the great biblical truth of "Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" from Ephesians 3:20.

We all need to remember that earth isn't our permanent home and our freedom from the restlessness of this world will come when we enter the true rest that can only come from living eternally with Jesus Christ. This song has become a personal worship anthem for me to sing daily and remember that "Nothing is wasted, there's always a plan, He has a purpose, You may not understand, He's never been closer, If you just hold on, He'll take you deeper, He'll give you a song." I've never heard such emotional vocals as I hear in this song from Blanca and knowing the healing the song gives her, I know this song can bring healing and strength to others and provide a supernatural peace that only God's children can know. Our natural state is fearful and anxious and full of worry and sadness, and tears. Those are all natural because we are in a fallen world, but for the saved In Christ, one day "God will wipe away every tear, there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying" (Rev 21:4).

With many areas in our lives, we spend a lot of time worrying. We need to let that go, and allow the Lord to be our Redeemer. He'll restore you and make you stronger than you can be on your own. We can all find comfort in seeking God's presence and know that He is always with us and wants to make His home in our hearts. As believers in Christ, we know that we are made for God. We were all created to find our home in Him. No matter what your worldview, we all need to remember that Earth isn't our permanent home and our freedom from the pain and suffering and heartache of this world will come when we enter the true rest that can only come from living eternally with Jesus Christ. That's cause to reflect and sing out: "If you're shattered, every piece of you that's on the floor, He can restore, and after, He will make it stronger than before, I know He'll restore what shattered." Amen to that!