Christian music artist Joseph O’Brien’s musical gift doesn’t fall far from the tree, as his father is singer/songwriter Michael O’Brien. Joseph first rose to fame when he appeared on Season 13 of America’s Got Talent singing “Hello” by the iconic pop artist Lionel Richie. Throughout his AGT journey, he performed two original songs: “The Average” and “We Could Build A House.” Although his AGT journey came to an end, his music journey did not. O’Brien still writes songs about his faith and life. Here are five tracks that everyone should listen to.
“Take Your Time”
Joseph’s song “Take Your Time” is about the importance of patience in waiting. If you’re like me, patience seems like an impossible task, and surrender doesn’t come easily. However, if God isn’t rushing, why are we? “Show me how to hold on, slow down/Don’t gotta get what I want right now/‘Cause You’ll come through again, again, again, again.” This song teaches us to slow down and surrender our lives into God’s hands: “But even if You take Your time/Even if You say I gotta wait in line/Go ahead and do what You gotta do/God I’m giving You control.” I hope these lyrics remind you that God hasn’t forgotten you; instead, as Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, He makes everything beautiful in its time.
“Give Up On Love”
This song can resonate with many people. In it, the artist opens up about a past relationship and how it did not exactly work out: “You are patient, you are kind/So I thought I finally got it right this time/You are lovely and full of life/But honestly, I felt it wasn’t right.” It can be tiring to try again and again in these situations, only to have relationships not work out the way we want them to, but Joseph knew not to give up. “I don’t wanna give, I don’t wanna give up on love, up on love/I know I’m not alone, but when I’m alone, it’s so rough, and it’s so much/Took a chance, it didn’t work out/Doesn’t mean that there’s nobody to find now” After quite a bit of waiting, Joseph O’Brien finally found his person and married. This is all because he didn’t give up on God and love. It’s amazing how He cares about the “little” things, such as love, and writes our love stories.
“Won’t Let Tomorrow”
The lyrics of “Won’t Let Tomorrow” are based on Matthew 6:34, which says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” I often get caught up worrying about the future; I rarely focus on the present. This usually results in anxiety and fear, which Joseph points out in the first verse: “Stressed out/I’ve got a lot that’s on my mind now/There’s so much to do/But I can’t seem to do enough.” While being prudent is important, it's also vital not to let future worries overshadow each day. “I won’t let all the worries of tomorrow get to me/‘Cause you said you’ll be right by my side/And everything I can do is because I’ve got you/So I won’t let, won’t let tomorrow get to me.” We are blessed to have a Heavenly Father who holds each day in His hands.
“Who’s This Man?”
This song, “Who’s This Man,” is one of my favorites from Joseph O’Brien because he narrates the story of Job as if he were there: “Ran inside the master’s house/With these heavy words to shout/Mighty winds had struck/His children all had died.” Job’s story in the Bible is inspiring because even though everything was stripped away from him, he still said, “Blessed be the name of God/You can give and you can take away/take away/Naked I came from the womb/Naked I’ll return to dust one day/To dust one day.” The faithfulness of Job is what I aspire to achieve whenever trials come my way. Even though we may sometimes falter in remaining faithful, God remains constantly faithful through the highs and lows of life.
“I Feel Home”
“I Feel Home” conveys the safety and comfort we experience when we fall into the arms of Jesus. Joseph opens up about some struggles he has faced in the first verse: “This heart is shaking, I think it’s broken/‘Cause I’m not feeling how I should/The fire’s still burning, but the tears aren’t helping/Can you turn this all for good?” In this honest confession, the artist is reminded of what can help him feel whole again. “And oh, when I’m falling apart/And I don’t know where you are/Your love’s still with me/Oh, when I’m broken and scared/You’re still meeting me there in the darkest valley/I know when I call you are always listening/When I am alone, in the arms of Jesus I feel home.” Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” The peace of God can overcome the darkest moments of our lives; it is unlike anything else. I pray that in those dark moments, we rest in the arms of Jesus and find peace in His presence.
Gilead Adams is a Music Therapy major at Concordia University of Wisconsin. She's one of NRT's newest contributors.
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