Since releasing their self-titled debut in 2004, Rebecca, Alyssa and Lauren Barlow of BarlowGirl have continuously inspired fans with such intimate portraits, as with their sophomore set, Another Journal Entry and with such bold challenges as 2007’s, How Can We Be Silent. For BarlowGirl, the focus is always on sharing what God has placed on their hearts. They continue to do just that with Love & War, my favorite overall album by BarlowGirl and one of my top albums of the year.

"I think there are two continuous messages that we are trying to get across on this album," explain Becca Barlow. "One is that time is short and we don’t have time to not follow the Lord. We don’t have time to do the things we desire to do. It’s time to be bold and follow the calling God has in your life. The second message is that it’s all about being in love with the Lord and about that relationship with Him. If we don’t have that relationship with Him, we can’t have the boldness."

The album’s lead single, "Beautiful Ending," is a shimmering ballad that perfectly showcases the sisters' gorgeous vocal blend as well as their emotionally weighty word play.

I got the chance to interview Lauren Barlow about Beautiful Ending. You can listen to our entire interview here.

Please share the background that led you to write the song "Beautiful Ending."

You see great people in history, who have followed God passionately, have dedicated their entire life to Him. When you get to the end of their lives, and you see the end of their story, it's like they have lost their first love. They lost their passion with God; it was so sad to see how they walked away and just stopped loving Him. We said "God, we never want to lose you. We never want to lose our first love. We would rather not have this ministry. Could we lose seeing you in the midst of serving you all the time?" We would never want to happen, so that’s how this song came about.

The biggest response we get is from fathers. The economy has been really hard on them. They are really desperate for God to show up in their lives because they have lost their jobs. The song has really encouraged them to have a beautiful ending. Our hearts are for the whole family unit, so it’s been awesome to see the dads really embrace this song.

Please tell me the Bible verses you used in writing the song.

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Here are the lyrics to "Beautiful Ending"

Oh Tragedy has taken so many
Love lost cause they all
Forgot who you are
And it scares me to think
That I would choose my life over You

My selfish heart divides me from You
It tears us apart

CHORUS 1:
So tell me
What is our ending?
Will it be beautiful, so beautiful?

Oh, why do I let myself let go
Of hands that painted the stars
And hold tears that fall
And the pride of my heart
Makes me forget

It's not me but You
Who makes the heart beat
I'm lost without You
You dying for me

CHORUS 2:
So tell me
What is our ending?
Will it be beautiful, so beautiful?
Will my life find me by Your side?
Your love is beautiful, so beautiful

At the end of it all
I wanna be in Your arms
(x4)

CHORUS 3:
So tell me
What is our ending?
Will it be beautiful, so beautiful?
Will my life find me by Your side?
Your love is beautiful, so beautiful

As a father of three daughters, BarlowGirl is a band I’ve always enjoyed, and I love how these three sisters never fail to really grab me and fire me up to stand up for God and for my beliefs. "Beautiful Ending" hits me even harder with the challenging "it scares me to think that I would choose my life over You, My selfish heart divides me from You, It tears us apart. The song is beautiful and encourages me to live for God. If you are looking for this album’s "Never Alone," "I Need You To Love Me" or "Here’s My Life," this is it. Keeping with the theme of not living for earthly pleasures, this song is a great reminder that we should all be living for a "beautiful ending."