Get In, I’m Driving is the new album by Ginny Owens, and kicks off with the upbeat and clever title track, with a great play on words considering Ginny’s blindness. The fact is that we’re all spiritually blind without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the song talks about our need to rely on God. Ginny has consistently been one of my all-time favorite female singer-songwriters, since her debut album Without Condition and stand-out songs, “If You Want Me To”, “Free” and “I Wanna Be Moved.” There’s a definite resemblance between that album and this latest one, featuring relatable themes, hooky melodies and Ginny’s gorgeous and penetrating vocals.

Born in Jackson, Miss., Owens has been blind since the age of two. When she graduated from Belmont University with a degree in Music Education, she found that most people were skeptical about hiring a blind music teacher. Instead, she concentrated in singing and songwriting and began making albums, and has been producing them since 1999. Owens also has received three Dove awards, including New Artist of the Year (2000).

I had the opportunity to interview Owens about her new song, “Before You Fly.”

Please tell me the personal story behind writing “Before You Fly.”

I remember the day I began writing this song. I was walking along the beach of the Gulf Coast soon after Hurricane Katrina left its indelible mark of disaster, and reflecting on how difficult tragedy is to comprehend. The first lines of the song came to me: “The world is wide / You can’t crawl under it / you can’t climb over it / Baby, I’ve tried…” My progress on the lyric ended there, as finding words of comfort and encouragement to share with those who have experienced extreme loss is nearly impossible.

In the same season, I was grappling with my own inner hurricane. I often wondered if I’d actually make it through the tumultuous time. And if I did, would I have words of hope to offer on the other side? The answers didn’t come quickly; the song took five years to finish because there were more disasters—both internal and external—that had to be faced before I had any words of hope to offer.

Please tell me about any Bible verses that you used to write the song.

Psalm 37:23-24: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.”

What do you consider to be the takeaway message for listeners?

As time passes, I understand that wisdom comes only from placing one foot in front of the other, moment after moment, day after day, seeking the face of God. I fall. I fly. And as God’s truth grows bigger in my life, the highs and lows of the journey take on deeper meaning. Life is full of joys and tragedies, and holding on tightly to the hand of our Heavenly Father is the only way to get through. If any wisdom came from my hurricane, this was it.

Lyrics:

The world is wide,
You can’t crawl under it, you can’t climb over it,
Baby, I’ve tried.
And the water’s deep;
Better fight the current now,
Or you’ll be carried out
By the tide.
When you wash up on the shore,
Wondering what this journey’s for-

Spread your wings in the sun,
Don’t give up, there’s more to come.
You will find when you try,
You always fall before you fly.

Talk is cheap,
Work’s the currency, sweat’s the equity,
Take that to the bank.
It’s up to you to make some mystery
Out of this history
So fill in the blank.
When you’re broke and overspent
Wondering where your fortune went—

The world is wide, the water’s deep;
It’s up to you, ‘cause talk is cheap;
The universe is yours to climb
If you take one step at a time—

Matthew Henry’s commentary on Psalm 37: “In singing this psalm we must teach and admonish one another rightly to understand the providence of God and to accommodate ourselves to it, at all times carefully to do our duty and then patiently to leave the event with God and to believe that, how black soever things may look for the present, it shall be “well with those that fear God, that fear before Him.”

“Before You Fly” comes from Ginny’s experience in helping her hometown recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. “Before You Fly” is vintage Ginny Owens, as she is one of my favorite lyricists.

She challenges listeners in the great bridge, “The world is wide, the water’s deep, it’s up to you, ‘cause talk is cheap.” Welcome back, Ginny, I’ve been yearning for more “gourmet” songs like these since 2005’s Live From New Orleans. If you like that album and Without Condition, then don’t hesitate to pick up this great return from one of CCM’s top female artists. In my opinion, Get In, I’m Driving is the best album of Ginny’s incredible career.