Here’s the next installment of “Melodies with Meaning,” where our columnists tell you about some of their favorite spiritual songs. Today, we’re hearing from Sister Vicki.

By the time this publishes, I will have celebrated my 40th spiritual birthday. It seems unreal just typing that sentence.

A spiritual birthday is so different from our natural birthdays. I can’t possibly view it as any sort of accomplishment on my part, or an accolade of my character, but only a celebration of a Savior who literally bought me with His blood and brought me through every step to this day. The day you decide to follow Jesus for the rest of your life, He begins a good work in you that only He can perfectly design and finish. (Philippians 1:6).

Trying to align this personal event with Melodies with Meaning sent my overthinking brain into overdrive. I have way too many favorite hymns and inspiring songs to pick just one!

One song, though, began running through my mind. Oddly enough, it wasn’t at all on my initial mental playlist to share for this assignment. On our very next Wednesday night Zoom church meeting, a brother shared his testimony with the same song! So who am I to ignore that nudge?

Before I reveal the song, I’d like to note one term I keep hearing during the current pandemic crisis we’ve found ourselves in this year: unsustainable. By definition, it means “not capable of being prolonged or continued.” News reports repeatedly say that the temporary remedies in place for combatting the virus, our overstressed healthcare systems, and current state of the economy are simply unsustainable. It’s a scary, but valid assessment of the limitations of our physical world.

Think about a few synonyms of unsustainable: insupportable, unprovable, unverifiable. Pretty hopeless group of words, isn’t it?

But the good news is that a life given to Christ, no matter how bleak and lost, becomes one of hope and complete sustainability. Whether you’re still contemplating following Jesus, or celebrating Him beginning a work in you one year ago, a dozen, or 40-plus years, there’s nothing more sustainable long term than learning to trust in God and depend upon His word “Through It All!” Through every trial, crisis, confusion, doubt, and fear we encounter through our entire lives.

This song was written and recorded originally by Andre Crouch. Instead, I’m sharing a link to a version by Lynda Randle, whose voice I grew to love, hearing it in my parents’ home.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.