Today's music landscape is rich with artists who create compelling melodies and delve into deeply personal and spiritual themes, offering listeners both solace and reflection. This feature highlights some of the most inspiring albums from contemporary Christian artists, each exploring themes of mental health, faith, and personal growth. From Josh Wilson's introspective Mental Help to Cory Asbury's honest journey in Pioneer, these albums resonate with raw vulnerability and a message of hope. Through their music, these artists remind us that we are never truly alone in our darkest moments and that faith and creativity can be powerful tools for navigating life's challenges.
Josh Wilson - Mental Help
I was excited about the latest hit song, “It Gets Better,” from contemporary artist Josh Wilson's newest full-length studio album, Mental Help. With a probing spiritual curiosity and imaginative, self-examining lyrics, the album solidifies Josh’s place among the finest songcrafters of his day.
We should not be ashamed to sing of our dependence on God and to show Him reverence. What things are beyond you that you can turn to God? Allow Him and His supernatural ability to take you to places you can't handle alone.
I admire how Josh turns moments of personal anxiety and panic about his ability as a follower of Jesus into prayers of surrender to God. He writes about themes that cause me to hold on to every word he sings; this song is no exception. This album again exhibits Josh’s gift of relating life's challenges and needing a savior like no one else. Mental Help shows the depth of Josh’s songwriting, from the celebratory pop-driven track “I Surrender All” to the beautiful and moving anthem “Jesus and Therapy.”
- Kevin Davis
Cory Asbury - Pioneer
After writing one of this decade's most popular worship songs with "Reckless Love," contemporary artist Cory Asbury released his third full-length studio album, Pioneer. It's a sincere album from an artist who has been incredibly honest and transparent about his journey through mental health and addiction. But this album is more about walking alongside and acknowledging life's many hardships as much as it is about the difficulties themselves.
There's a quiet invitation here to lean in and reflect on the "beauty and the mess" ("My Inheritance"), on our hidden brokenness ("Misunderstood"), the weights and stresses ("White Kuckled"), the ways we've grown ("Pioneer"), and what we've lost along the way ("These are the Days"). Cory bookmarks it all with a gentle instrumental breath at the beginning ("Dawn [Intro]") and an encouraging, patient goodbye at the end ("Until We Meet Again").
This is an album to put on when you feel lost, hopeless, and desperate for a reprise from the stresses of a life that never promised to be perfect. Once again, Cory reminds us that God's love is ever-present, always available, and still reckless. - Kevin McNeese
Jason Gray - Order Disorder Reorder
In 2020, Jason Gray released his full-length album Order, Disorder, Reorder, which mirrors the themes of the pandemic in many ways. In three volumes, Jason tells a story of the process of transformation. It's "order" when life goes your way, "disorder" when life gets out of your control, and "reorder" when you persevere through hardship, becoming wiser, stronger, and more humble.
Similar to his previous albums, the central theme of this release is discovering our identity in Christ, being truthful and open with ourselves and others, and allowing God's grace to illuminate our lives by showcasing how His strength is flawless in our vulnerabilities.
“Right on Time” is about crying out for God's presence and desiring to know Him personally. Let's strive to know God, and He will come to us. We have the privilege to know Him, and if you follow Jesus, He lives in you and has made you His home.
- Kevin Davis
Ross King - Unfinished
If somebody asked me my favorite song, which I used to sing through my struggles, I would say “Things That I'm Afraid Of" by musician Ross King from his album Unfinished. This song sums up the emotions you feel when anxiety and depression are taking over, and you feel like you are losing hope. It’s an anthem you can claim over your life, knowing that Jesus is right there with you: “My fears would surely kill me if I didn't know the truth; the things that I'm afraid of are afraid of you." Every song on that album has a special place in my heart.
"Believe In The Desert" reminds me that my faith can be as strong in the desert as it is when I am on the mountaintop. "Golden" reminds me that I am not the only person who often feels like I am leading a life a little too similar to Job's. It also reminds me not to listen to all the negative voices in my head and to pray instead.
In "Things that I'm Afraid Of," Ross says, “I can get the medication and the counseling. Still, I can hear the fear calling out to me, and I don't feel brave, but I don't have to be." Getting help is a sign of strength, and there is nothing wrong with needing medication to help regulate the chemicals in your brain. If you are on this journey now, I pray that you know Jesus loves you and that He is right there with you. I know I will be okay because even though “there's no place where my demons can't find me... just wait until they see who’s standing behind me," I know I will be okay.
- Katie Donovan
Lacey Sturm - Life Screams
From rock band Flyleaf's explosive debut nearly twenty years ago to her two emotive solo records, Lacey Sturm has consistently proven to strongly advocate for mental and spiritual health, showing that the two are interconnected. Her debut solo record, Life Screams, released in 2016, proudly advocates the correlation between mental and spiritual health.
Fans of Lacey, who may have read her books, too, know she was a suicidal, depressed teenager who was nearly ready to end it all. But thanks to her newfound relationship with Jesus, she began to love life, and with the album Life Screams, she shared her heart more. From first to last, each song tells this message. The opening track, "Impossible," is a bold declaration of every day being a gift, and the closing track, "Run To You," tenderly highlights our relationship with God as the center for healing and comfort.
- Ryan Adams
Brandon Heath - Enough Already
Even with his countless accolades, singer/songwriter Brandon Heath is no stranger to rejection and identity struggles. In a world constantly shouting lies, sometimes the most significant lies we believe are the ones we tell ourselves.
“Nobody's harder on me than myself/And I'm about as beat up as I've ever felt/So help me see how You see me.” Lyrics from his title track, “Enough Already,” paint the picture of the self-inflicted pain and the victory we find when we learn to see ourselves as God does.
In this candid album, Brandon shares lyrics laced with the vulnerable topics of hopelessness, the frailty of our human nature, making mistakes, doubt, insecurity, failure, inadequacy, and the darkness we face. The album is also drenched with messages of truth and hope, reminding us that God is for us and that His love never changes.
- Janice Henriquez
Assembled from the four corners of North America and many other corners in between, the NRTeam comprises staffers whose energy is equally dispersed towards loving and writing about the music they love.
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