Sarah Kroger recently released her Integrity Music album, A New Reality, following up her album Light, which featured the stand out song, "Belovedness." Sarah led a stunning performance of that song at the 13th Annual New Release Today We Love Awards in Franklin, Tennessee, on April 8, 2025. My daughters are 25, 21, and 18 years old, and Sarah's album is perfect for them. Her album also features the songs "No Filter," and "Still Yours," and was one of my top 10 albums of 2024.
Kroger's summer itinerary includes an abundance of conferences and festivals. Moreover, she's also currently booking women's events in support of her upcoming devotional, Belovedness: Overcoming Your Inner Critic (DaySpring). The book will be released on May 6. It is named after the debut author's popular song, "Belovedness," which is featured on her 2020 collection, Light.
It has been one of my missions in sharing the biblical truth behind songs by Christians to help women who are bombarded with negative messages from the world, regarding identity and purpose, to know that their true identity and purpose is found in God and her album is all about committing our hearts to God with Sarah sweetly singing in her single, "Still Yours": "You're still good and I'm still Yours/Yours and Yours forever/Loved, adored and treasured." I had the chance to speak with Sarah in person before the We Love Awards about her standout song, "Humbled Heart."
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
The songs that have come out of this season of my life and my worship leading have taught me the value of humility. It's not my identity, I'm reorienting myself. "Humbled Heart" came out of a time when I was hearing about and reading about scandals in the church. I feel like it's angering and sad to see it happen. I've given my life to the church. That was the environment I was living in at that moment. I did realize that anyone is able to let power corrupt them. One of the only ways to fight that is humility. Kneel at the foot of the Cross. Lay all our pride at His feet. It's not about us, it's about Jesus and His name being glorified.
This song has always felt like a meditation to me--a moment to pause, surrender, and meet Jesus face-to-face in His humility on the cross. I intentionally chose specific offerings including "Humbled Heart" from A New Reality for the acoustic recordings that organically fit for a congregational setting. This gives worship leaders a resource that allows these songs to be presented in the way they were originally crafted--with minimal production and raw, heartfelt praise.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Matthew 18:3 (NIV): And He said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
1 Peter 2:24 (NIV): "He himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; By His wounds you have been healed."
Jeremiah 29:11 (VOICE): "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Eternal, "plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope--never forget that."
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."
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV): "But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."
1 John 4:18-19 (NKJV): "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us."
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."
What is the takeaway message?
For a lot of early stages of my career as a creative, as an artist, I embodied a false sense of humility. Honestly, this song is the prayer of my heart in this season. I want to dedicate my life to the Cross. In this day and age, I get so distracted and consumed by other things. This song cuts out the noise and focuses me in on why I do this. I'm trying to reach the silent strugglers, the closet doubters, and anyone who has felt alone in their spiritual battles. I hope people feel encouraged to bring their imperfect, questioning, doubting selves to God. I want people to be reminded of the beauty of His presence in the world. He's more real than we can comprehend.
Lyrics
I come again to the humble King
Bowed at the cross where He died for me
Look at the love and the blood poured out
The scars in His hands and His feet
The son of God hung on a tree
All I can say is I need You
All I can do is fall down on my knees
All I can offer is praise upon praise
For the grace upon grace I've received
From a humbled heart
To the humble King
I come again to a table set
Remembering how You bring life from death
The Author, Creator, and crucified Savior
Paid every price for my sin
Forever and ever amen
All I can say is I need You
All I can do is fall down on my knees
All I can offer is praise upon praise
For the grace upon grace, I've received
From a humbled heart
To the humble King
From a humbled heart
To the humble King
Be exalted
Be glorified
Our humble King
We lift you high
Be exalted
Be glorified
Our humble King
We lift you high
Be exalted
Be glorified
Our humble King
We lift you high
All I can say is I need You
All I can do is fall down on my knees
All I can offer is praise upon praise
For the grace upon grace, I've received
From a humbled heart
To the humble King
From a humbled heart
To the humble King
Closing Thoughts
Sarah Kroger's gift of encouragement shines in A New Reality. Her infectious musical style and strong vocals are layered over hook-filled melodies, creating a powerful listening experience. This uplifting album ministers to anyone struggling with fear and self-doubt. C.S. Lewis defines humility as not thinking less of oneself but rather thinking of oneself less. He emphasizes that humility is about self-forgetfulness, a state of being where one is less preoccupied with their own self-image and more focused on others and the world around them. This means being aware of one's own limitations and flaws, but also not dwelling on them or allowing them to dictate one's self-worth.
Being a Christian father of three young daughters, Sarah's songs all reflect the yearning for Jesus to make us whole that I pray for my daughters to feel in their hearts as well. I love how this song celebrates God's sovereignty, professing that God is the ultimate ruler over our lives. I love how this song expresses the truth of our earthly challenges. This song has really resonated with me as I realize that Jesus commands us to trust God completely no matter our circumstances or personal distractions or concerns. The song is about faith and humility and letting God's plans be revealed in your life.
Jeremiah 29:13 says, "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." God tells us in the Bible that we can do anything in Christ with faith. The impactful lyrics convicted me, and I find immense comfort in this song filled with biblical truth. The Holy Spirit gives us new life, and we no longer have to live with our guilt, fears, perfectionism, or worries. We are new creations in Christ.
This song has resonated with me as I realize that Jesus commands us to trust God completely no matter our circumstances or personal distractions or concerns. The song is about faith and letting God's plans be revealed in your life.
God tells us in the Bible that we are all sinners, and we've all fallen short. We need to serve God because of who He is, not what He does for us. God doesn't promise to spare us from pain, but we need to trust Him. You have to trust Him and wait on Him and wait for Him to orchestrate the plans for your life. This is a wonderful song of encouragement to live as a light and know that in Christ we can do anything. God will never fail us or forsake us until the work of the Lord is finished.
Sarah 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. We can all celebrate the truth behind this song. In our busy society, many of us may miss God's blessings in our lives by turning away chances to live life with people. Come alongside someone who doesn't know Jesus as Lord and allow them to have curiosity about who Jesus is by having civil conversations and dropping your defenses. Be vulnerable and meek like our Savior. Have that childlike faith that we are called to have as believers.
We should never forget that Jesus our King was humbly born in a stable, probably a cave, with animals. There are still billions of people on earth who don't know Jesus as their King. One day He will rule the new heavens and the new earth, and every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord. The world is still crying out desperately for a Savior, and our job as followers of Jesus is to tell the world that He came, He lived a perfect, sinless life, He died for our sins, and He is risen! Ask the Lord Jesus to look into your heart and allow you to receive Him with a childlike wonder and sing, "All I can say is I need You/All I can do is fall down on my knees/All I can offer is praise upon praise/For the grace upon grace I've received/From a humbled heart/To the humble King." Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a longtime enthusiast and dedicated collector of Christian music. He attributes the message of Christian music to guiding him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
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