Music Monday: “The Me That Remains” by Amy Grant
by: Debbie Waltz
As you might have noticed, maintaining a balance between marketing my book and my devotional practices has been a struggle for me lately. I’m searching for a new devotional resource that’s a good fit for me, as I’ve finished The Bible Recap. While the year-long devotional was a valuable resource offering biblical insights into God’s unchanging nature from creation’s dawn, I’m seeking something different for this current period. I was looking for something deeply personal that would offer me a new perspective on my relationship with God. It would help to deepen my prayer life if you will, making it less transactional and more conversational. That’s exactly what His Princess every day: Letters From the King is doing.
This year-long devotional by Sheri Rose Shepherd begins each day with a letter written as if from God himself. Each piece offers a personal reflection on the everyday struggles of Christian women, framed as letters. The content covers a spectrum of issues, including how women present themselves and the daily act of spiritually preparing with God’s armor. Each entry also explores the complexities of father-daughter relationships, driven by a desire for her well-being. Shepherd’s prose cultivates an intimate relationship with the reader, giving them the sensation of hearing God speak to them personally.
I encountered Amy’s song “The Me That Remains” some time ago while I was publishing my book. While the song addresses the theme of conquering challenges, it also looks into the capacity for resilience and personal development during a particular period of life. Amy’s song serves to underscore the inherent difficulties of this earthly existence, while simultaneously emphasizing its crucial role in the cultivation of a more Christlike character. This process will not be completed until Christ’s return. As Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:13-14: “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
The process of becoming the person God intends for us to be is much like the formation of diamonds. Both require significant time and considerable pressure. Adversity strips away the superficial, revealing what is truly essential. This process aids in self-assessment and serves as a reminder to rely on God instead of our own strength. As Paul writes in 1 Peter 1:6-7: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a while while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”