In 2015, Fireflight released their first independent album INNOVA, which includes the hits, "Resuscitate," "Lightning," "Here and Now" and "We Are Alive," as they celebrated their new life as a band. Since then, the band has released the Re-Imag-Innova EP, and two hit singles:  "I Won’t Look Back" and "Die Free," featuring Disciple's lead vocalist, Kevin Young.
 
Now, Fireflight’s lead singer, Dawn Michele, readies her first, full-length solo album, Surrender, and is inviting others to participate in the journey to the new worship album, via PledgeMusic. "This project has been a labor of love for me and all the incredible people who have supported me so far in this journey," says Michele. "Now, in the home stretch of making this dream become a reality, I have the unique opportunity to connect personally with all of you who have so lovingly come alongside to support the album's release." I had the chance to speak with Dawn Michele about her debut worship song, “I Surrender All,” featuring Tim Timmons.
  Please tell me the personal story behind the song.

With this whole project, my overarching goal was to help people find new and more ways to connect with God in worship, and to tap into the power that God has for them, when they drop the things they hold onto instead of glorifying Him with their lives. This song is really a key piece, because the biggest thing that keeps us from connecting with God is all of our distractions. We attempt to be in control of our lives and find our own solutions. And we have an overall fascination with being entertained. Being distracted is a kind of sickness that we have. "I Surrender All" speaks to the heart of that, because we have to put down the things we hold onto, which take a higher position and higher priority than God in our lives, in order to connect with Him.

This song is about letting go of the façade of being in control and thinking that we're the ones who can solve our problems, thinking life is all about us. Also, the reality and truth is knowing Him and what He has already done. When our lives are in crisis again and we scramble to find solutions to save ourselves, the chorus talks about surrendering and remembering. A big theme in the Bible was to get the Israelites to remember what He had accomplished for them and to have faith when they faced obstacles. God would have them place stones to remember and change the names of people and places, trying to get them to remember who He made them to be and that He would continue to be faithful.
 
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

Psalm 46:1 (NIV): "The Lord is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble."

Psalm 59:16 (NLT): “But as for me, I will sing about Your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about Your unfailing love. For You have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV): "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Psalm 119:105 (NKJV): "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Psalm 119:114 (NKJV): "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word."
 
Luke 22:42 (NKJV): "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."

Acts 20:24 (NKJV): "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."

Romans 8:28 (VOICE): "We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan."

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV): "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV): "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV): "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
 
What is the takeaway message?

I need to be able to connect with God more. Every word of the song is an affirmation. Just singing the words has put my heart in check. It’s not about my strength, but His power. He will continue to be faithful. For all of us, we have to put down the baggage that says we can’t and pick up God’s truth. That truth will set us free. What we say becomes what we do. What we think helps what we say. I hope people use "I Surrender All" to renew their minds to face their lives in the light of God’s glory instead of living in the light of their fears and weaknesses. For this song, a large part of it is being able to stop being focused on the storms all around us, and to start focusing on God and His reality which is more important than the things that we can see.

The world throws so many negative ideas, feelings and lies our way every day. My debut album, Surrender, is meant to inspire us to find more time and space in our lives to recognize that God is number one, and to connect with Him in worship. When we worship God, we line up everything that we're saying, thinking and doing to please God. There's never a more powerful time in our lives when what we say, think and do come into perfect alignment. I want people to step into the truth through worship. There are so many negative messages out there and negative thoughts that we have about ourselves that play as a soundtrack in our heads. Every song on Surrender has its basis in Scripture, which is our source of truth. We have to remember that we're dealing with a God who can walk on water. It doesn’t matter if the waves are high.
 
Lyrics:
When the weight of all I hold is pulling me
When the waves have grown so tall that I can’t see
You will stand before me
As the water’s rising
I am not alone or out of reach

Help me to remember
When my hope is sinking
You’re the God who walks on crashing seas
Here now I surrender
All that takes me under
Your loves calms a fear inside of me
I surrender all
I surrender all
 
There’s no other place that I would rather be
When I’m safe inside the shelter of Your wings
You will stand before me
As the water’s rising
I am not alone or out of reach

Help me to remember
When my hope is sinking
You’re the God who walks on crashing seas
Here now I surrender
All that takes me under
Your loves calms a fear inside of me
I surrender all
I surrender all
 
Closing Thoughts

We should not be ashamed to sing of our dependence on God and to show Him reverence. "I Surrender All" challenges me to think about what I'm allowing to rule in my heart, instead of giving myself completely to God. This song is all about trusting in God and confessing to Him and others when we fail or have struggles. God knows what we need, and loves and cares for each of us deeply. It's so easy to compare ourselves to others and feel like God is blessing someone else with something that we want.

"I Surrender All" is a faith statement. We need to have the faith that the Bible describes in Hebrews 11:1 (NIV): "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." This is a great and challenging song for believers to cry out "help me to remember." We raise our hands to celebrate and surrender. We can lift up our hands in confidence to God and know that His mercy is unfailing. His love is never-ending. He is our refuge and our strength. God's ultimate will is not to bring affliction upon people, but to restore us so that we may experience His unfailing love. This is a wonderful song of encouragement and a prayer to ask God to break our pride, live redemption's story and move closer to who we're meant to be in Christ.
 
"All things are possible" when we put your hope and trust in the supernatural power of God. Worship is about giving God our best, offering all of ourselves to Him. All we can do is submit to Him and give everything we have to Him. According to God's Word in Jeremiah 29:13, we need to search for God with all of our heart, and then we will find Him. Lift up your voice and your life to God and submit to Him.

My hope for "I Surrender All" is for people to pray along and live out these words. Our weaknesses are nothing to hide. In fact, because of our weaknesses, God's grace and strength are perfectly revealed. The theme of this song should be the heartbeat of every faithful Christian. You'll be raising your heart and hands in worship along with this great new song, proclaiming to God: "Here now I surrender/All that takes me under/Your loves calms a fear inside of me/I surrender all/I surrender all." Amen to that.