Believe for It, page 13
AN UNUSUAL RECORDING
Making my first live record ended up being nothing like I’d imagined when I first agreed to it. Instead of a packed venue of 3,500 people, only fifty could attend that October 2020 evening. Once we knew we were putting on a live recording, I asked a small group of people to be intercessors for the project. That night, I invited them to the performance to pray during the recording while the others stood in front of the stage and worshipped with me. I knew this couldn’t just be entertainment. People needed to have an encounter with Jesus.
I knew from the start that I wanted to create an experience. I wanted listeners and viewers to feel as if they were in a church service, since many of us had been kept from church during the pandemic. I told the Lord, “God, just let me capture Your Spirit. If I capture Your Spirit, then people are going to receive what they need.” God answered that prayer. He took that intimate setting and did what only He could do. As we sang the tracks, I gave each one to God and asked Him to respond to our worship.
Spirit-directed singing is a Winans family tradition. The Winans is still my favorite gospel group, and when I was younger, I used to go to my brothers’ concerts. We called my oldest brother, Marvin, the “Vamp-pire,” because every song had a vamp. A vamp happens when you improvise. You sing the song and then just sit there a minute and think, What else can this song do? The Holy Spirit gives you a thought, and you follow the wind. The wind might go somewhere different than you planned, and you just go there with it. I gave myself that freedom during the live performance, and the Spirit showed up.
Knowing my tendencies, Calvin was careful to bring in singers who could be flexible when I improvised. I wanted the performance to be interactive between the Lord, the listener, and the musicians. Partway through the performance, I brought the singer-songwriter MDSN (pronounced “Madison”) up on stage. She was nineteen at the time and had been writing music since she was nine. She even turned down talks with interested Disney Channel music executives because God had placed a specific calling on her life. In her words, “I want to see people’s lives changed. To be an influencer for my generation and to make music that helps Christians deepen their faith while introducing others to Jesus.”1
I had selected her song “Hunger” to be on my live album because every time we sang it at Nashville Life, I felt we were in the throne room of God. I have found that when a song ministers to my heart, I’m able to minister more deeply to other people. During the performance, I brought MDSN up to sing part of her beautiful song.
“I wasn’t trying to do this song better, because I know I can’t,” I said facing her on the stage. “I’m doing it because I want people to experience the anointing that’s in this song. I’m a worshipper. And I want you to know God has used you to take my worship to another level.”
I handed her the mic, and she began to sing part of her song in a higher key than I could manage. As we stood there listening to her ethereal voice, I thought about how this young woman is our future. She has already made tough decisions to follow Christ. Even the fact that she sang the song in a different key than me felt symbolic. When I am gone, MDSN and young women and men like her will carry the torch, spreading the gospel in ways I never could.
That’s why I’m so passionate about collaborating with young people. The producers and cowriters of “Believe For It” are the upcoming generation. I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with Lauren Daigle, Carrie Underwood, Tauren Wells, and celebrated youth choirs and singing groups. I love working with the next generation and putting together our unique gifts and talents to create something that inspires people to have a closer walk with Christ.
GOD OF ALL GENERATIONS
The longer I live, and the more people I meet, the more I recognize that every generation has its challenges. A global pandemic only highlighted some of the great difficulties and hurts, such as depression, anxiety and loneliness, our young people are walking through. The enemy is crafty and constantly coming up with new tactics. Here’s an example of one specific challenge: Those of us born before the digital age didn’t have to contend with bullying on social media. We may have faced in-person bullying or even discrimination, but we didn’t have to worry about it coming from a handheld device 24-7. Online bullying is a serious problem that has led to a myriad of mental health struggles and even an increase in suicide rates in our young people. Whereas in some previous generations, young people may have died in wars or as a result of being in a gang, today the enemy has modified his tactics to exploit an ever-widening circle of issues plaguing our kids.
The enemy’s mission is consistent: steal, kill, and destroy. But his methods are ever-changing, and he enacts his carnage in different ways for different generations. We must constantly be alert to his strategies. He uses the currency of confusion, division, chaos, anger, and hate. Where we find these things, we can be sure he is at work. Despite his gains, avoiding his schemes is actually very simple. James 4:7 tells us how: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Submit yourselves to God. He’s a God of every generation. His Word works every day. It worked back then, and it will work until Jesus returns. The power of God is still the power of God, and it is the greatest power by far. In this present age, He’s still the everlasting Father. He still knows all things. He’s still the King of kings and Lord of lords. He’s not diminished. He’s not watered down. He’s not afraid. And nothing takes Him by surprise.
Our young people need to know this is the God in whom we place our trust. A great God who sits on a throne. Our world is dark, but God is not afraid of darkness; He pushes it back. As we submit to Him, we can experience complete victory over darkness. To the Christians in Rome, Paul wrote, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20). Jesus won the battle a long time ago—He finished it. And it’s still finished.
When I had Tamara Bennett (Tammy to me, and the daughter of our childhood pastor, Pastor Stacks) on the Generations show to talk about passing on faith, we discussed generational blessings and curses. She made a powerful point: “Sin cursed us all,” she said. “His grace cuts the curse.” Even things that appear good, such as religion, can be a curse, she reminded us, because religiosity is a form of godliness without power (2 Timothy 3:5). “The curse is broken when I accept Jesus Christ,” she said. “That curse is over. That’s what we take to the next generation.” While generational curses are real, all curses are broken through Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:2 says, “Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” The same grace that broke the curse when Jesus rose victorious from the grave breaks the curse today. So whether I accepted Jesus fifty years ago or today, the curse is lifted and I can walk in freedom.
We must stop believing what society says about our kids and believe the report of the Lord. Acts 2:17 tells us our sons and daughters will prophesy. Our children are the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13). And they can do all things through Him who gives them strength (Philippians 4:13). We must keep believing God is who He says He is and that He will be that for our children. His faithfulness is not contingent on our choices or a cultural moment. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and He’ll continue to be faithful to every generation.
MODELS OF FAITH
At the Generations Live conference, I had all my speakers, along with my mother, Delores Winans, and my daughter, Ashley Phillips, come on stage to record a live Generations show for YouTube. Toward the end of our discussion, the moderator asked each woman on the stage to tell us how we could pray for her. Some of the women asked us to pray for wisdom for making big life decisions or pruning commitments from their lives. Others asked for prayer for the ability to be still and listen to the Lord in the upcoming days. I asked for prayer for discernment as I led Generations.
Among these petitions, my eighty-five-year-old mother’s request stood out: “I ask for the Lord to give me patience and guidance and wisdom for what I need to do today. I pray that He would order my steps and show me what I need to do and who I need to tell. I don’t want to rust out. I want to be used until I leave here.” Instead of asking for something that would make her life easier or more fruitful, she simply asked for the stamina to run her race well to the finish. Then she offered a word to the women in attendance:
I thank God for my life in Him. I found Him when I was young, and in serving the Lord, I missed a lot of pitfalls. The Lord offers life or death. When I said, “I believe the Lord Jesus Christ is my Savior,” I meant it. My word to the younger women is this: Fall in love with the Lord. Fall in love with His Word. Believe the Word of the Lord. He had the answer when I was seventeen, and He still has the answer today.
Every woman in that room hung on every word that came out of my mother’s mouth. They were hungry for her testimony and time-tested wisdom. She has been places with the Lord that we have never been. She has seen Him do things we have never seen. Because of that, she carries spiritual authority. Her words are credible.
When I was growing up, I wanted to be like my mother. Even as a child, I understood that her beauty came from God dwelling in her. The law of kindness was on her tongue. I never had to guess what it meant to be a godly woman. Her love for Jesus was evident.
God provided other role models from the older generation as well. I looked forward to attending Bible study on Tuesday and Thursday night to hear Pastor Stacks preach the truths of God’s Word. I’d bring my notebook and pen and take notes as fast as I could. Sometimes it felt as if smoke was coming off my pencil from writing so fast! At those meetings, God’s Word truly was sweeter than honey to my mouth (Psalm 119:103). It left me wanting more. And by the time I returned on Thursday, I would have seen the Word of God in action in the events of my life. I didn’t know it then, but those messages would affect me for the rest of my life.
And I must mention once again my Grandmother Howze. For many years, she was my best friend. I hung out with her and the other mothers of the church and would accompany her to 6:00 a.m. prayer before school. That’s where I first experienced the presence of God and learned to crave it. Even as a child, I recognized that those dear older women had peace and joy and the presence of God.
Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Because of those women, I never wondered if I was missing out. I knew God’s presence was the most joyful place to be because I’d experienced it through the adults in my life.
Now it’s my turn. I get to be that person in someone else’s life. Passing on faith, while a sacred responsibility, is not complicated. As we take what has been handed down to us and walk in relationship with Christ, we naturally invite others to experience the Lord’s goodness. We set the blueprint they can follow. As they watch us go through the ups and downs of life, biblical principles come alive.
The power is in coming together—learning from the generation ahead and pouring into the generation coming behind. We do this in many ways, including through mentorship, the strengthening of family bonds, service in the church, and community outreach. However, we must keep in mind that passing on faith is less about what we do and more about who we are. Second Corinthians 2:14 describes the knowledge of God as an aroma, something that tangibly permeates a space. This was what I felt when I joined my grandmother for morning prayer and soaked up the godliness of those church mothers. It’s what I felt sitting in the church pews next to my siblings. And it’s what I felt growing up in that small home that busted at the seams with love and joy.
When you’ve experienced the atmosphere of God’s love, holiness, hope, peace, laughter, and wellness, you want to create that for others. When you take your eyes off yourself and look for somebody you can be a blessing to, blessings will increase in your life. When she was on the show, Tamara (Stacks) Bennett blessed me by sharing how my life had affected her. During some of her teenage struggles and doubts, she was watching. “I saw that you and your sisters were beautifully saved, and that became my hope,” she said.
You never know who may be looking to you for hope today. Jesus declared we are the light of the world, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). We must not underestimate how brightly we shine in a dark world. We will never hear about some of the biggest ways God uses us, but we can be sure that as we proclaim His goodness, He will always do His part.
SONG OF HOPE
The live concert titled Believe For It made its debut on the Trinity Broadcasting Network on March 19, 2021, almost one year to the day from when nationwide lock-downs went into effect. The response was overwhelming; messages poured in describing how the music had arrived just in time. The “Never Lost” lyric video, produced by Cmon Creative, released as a single before the live concert and received one million views in the first three months.
When the Believe For It live performance won three Grammy Awards on April 3, 2022, I was stunned and overjoyed. I felt such deep gratitude to the amazing team of people who had made it possible. Who would have ever imagined I would record my first live collection during a global pandemic? But what is more meaningful to me than any award are the testimonies from people around the world whose lives have been changed. I asked the Lord that the album capture His Spirit, and I believe it did. I give all the glory to God.
We’re in a time when we cannot back up. We must stand firm and believe for all that God will do in the next generation.
As I look back on my life, God has been faithful in every stage. I included “Goodness of God” in my live performance because it expresses so well how I feel about what God has done. From growing up in David and Delores Winans’s family and enjoying a successful career in music, to meeting my husband, raising a family, and founding a church—God has been so good.
His closeness as my Father and my Friend has given me hope and inspired me to praise Him with my song and my life. I have learned that God is always faithful. His love conquers hate. His tenderness mends broken hearts. His compassion never fails. We must be convinced that God is able to do what He said He will do. I want to pass all of that on to my children so that they will be the house that’s built on the rock and stand firm through the storms of life.
I love seeing the raw faith of my children’s generation. Their faith looks different than mine, but they have what it takes for the cultural moment in which God has placed them. I believe God equips every generation for what that generation needs. He shapes us for our harvest. We just need to be faithful to plant the seeds and nurture them. God will make them grow. We learn from the past and honor those who’ve gone before us, but there’s always so much more to discover. As we take what the Lord has given us and pour it into others, we will see His mighty acts and praise them to our children.
We’re in a time when we cannot back up. We must stand firm and believe for all that God will do in the next generation. I’m believing for miracles to happen. And I’m not waiting until I see them; I’m going to praise God for them now.
QUESTIONS to CONSIDER
• Who are some of your models of faith?
• What are some ways you can invest in the next generation?
• What are you believing for God to do today?
1. “Integrity Music Welcomes Teen Artist MDSN,” Gospel Music Association, August 2, 2017, https://gospelmusic.org/integrity-music-welcomes-teen-artist-mdsn/.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I want to first give thanks to my Heavenly Father for His steadfast love and faithfulness to every generation. God, I love You with all my heart, soul, and mind because You were kind enough to first love me. Thank you, Jesus, for paying the ultimate price so I could experience abundant life through no goodness of my own. By your grace, I am who You say I am.
I would like to thank my husband, Alvin Love II, for your support and encouragement. You have been a faithful partner and friend, a wonderful father and grandfather. We have adventured together through the highs and lows of many seasons, and I am so grateful to be walking by your side.
Thank you to my children—Alvin III and Ashley, and son-in-law, Kenny. I am so proud of you and blessed to see you walking diligently with Christ and proclaiming His goodness to your generation and the next. Thank you, Wyatt, for your unconditional love, worship dance parties, and sweet morning wake-up calls.
I thank my parents, David and Delores Winans, for their faithful, godly example. Dad, you were the foundation of our home. You made everything fun, and taught me to always praise the Lord. I still love and miss you. Mom, your steady love and perseverance in the faith has made me who I am today. I love you with all my heart. Thanks to my Grandma Howze for being my best friend. Thanks to my siblings—David, Ronald, Carvin, Marvin, Michael, Daniel, BeBe, Angie and Debbie—who helped shape me and show me what it means to be an imperfect family loving the Lord and growing in grace. I understand how very blessed I was to grow up with you all—in a place full of love, faith, music, and laughter. You have never stopped encouraging me, and I thank God for you.
Suzanne Gosselin, thank you for sharing your God-given talent and allowing Him to use you to bring this vision to life. I believe many will be blessed because of you.
Thank you to the team at EMF Publishing / K-LOVE Books. Dave Schroeder, thank you for your enthusiasm for this project and heart for people to experience the transforming power of Jesus. Jenaye Merida, I am grateful for your excellence and energy in managing the details and marketing of this book.
