Kristene DiMarco ‘Mighty’

Written by: Laura Chambers (7/16/2015)

The Bible is responsible for inspiring more works of music, art and literature than any other ancient source. Whether it’s archetypes, poetic turns of phrase, or classic themes, writers frequently draw from God’s word for their own. Kristene DiMarco’s first full length live album Mighty is drawn from one of the most fertile grounds for lyrics in the Scriptures; the Psalms. With 150 different selections to take inspiration from, they’ve produced no shortage of music in the past; every new song written takes a slightly different slant on the ideas expressed. This album focuses on God’s consistent, faithful love.

“Jesus Your Love” sings the virtues of a love that outlasts everything else in our lives. The certainty of it allows us to rest no matter what we are enduring. Because He precedes us where He’s calling us, we don’t have to fear the unknown. “Eyes on You” brings our focus towards Jesus, knowing that He holds everything important in his arms. We don’t have to be certain of anything else but Him. We can trust Him to carry us through everything if we look to him in times of hurt and joy. “Be Still” softly recalls that resting in the Lord is far better than struggling in vain to keep our fortress walls from crumbling. God is a constant presence in our lives, no matter what changes around us. I found myself lingering on the chorus for a while afterwards. The same God who made such impressive things is by my side. (“Open up my heart and trust/Open up my eyes to see/That He who placed the sun/The moon and stars/Is here with me”) “Mighty” declares the power of God compared to our relative weakness. He takes all our troubles on His shoulders and bears them for us, replacing them with his healing and strength. We are victorious in Him and have nothing to fear from defeated death.

In “I Will Follow You”, DiMarco promises God that temporary pleasures won’t attract her away from following Him. Having been made to long for and seek Him, anywhere that He can be seen is worth going to. Our fear doesn’t change His faithfulness. “It Is Well” maintains a sense of calm even when one’s life is in turmoil. As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can truly claim peace in our souls.  The mood of the melody is soothing at first, like waves lapping softly against a boat, but swells into a crashing triumphant wave. “Song Of Your Love” joyously reminds God of the promise He made to us; that the hope we thought we’d lost was ours in Him. His love rescues us from our imprisonment and depression and gives us a reason to rejoice. We may believe that we’ll never rise from our misery, but God knows otherwise.

“Carry Me” praises God for carrying us everywhere we may go. When our strength is not enough; when questions and doubts plague us; when everything we reach for fails to satisfy us, He more than supplies what we’re lacking. We can lean on His arms and trust His love to keep us moving in the right direction. “Lily’s Song (Praise The Lord)” reads like a declaration for personal healing, promising to speak of God’s greatness.  No matter what happens next, praising God will always be the first response to it. “Wonderful” celebrates the cross where new life is found. Our sins are forgotten and far-removed from us; our chains are shattered and have no hold on us. Instead, we stand cleansed and free in the power of God. Our frustrations give way to praise.

“Over And Over Again” describes a continuing stream of experiences that together prove God’s love and provision. We are covered in every circumstance, guaranteed to walk from disgrace into splendor. His blood covers us in every trial; we can trust Him to guide us wherever we go.

With a voice that reminds me in some instances of Lanae Hale, Kristene DiMarco expresses a quiet trust in God’s unchanging nature. He is faithful to walk beside us wherever He calls us to go. Every song resonates with a calm, assured mood, underscoring the peace we can experience if we trust Him in all things.