Mandisa ‘Out Of The Dark’

Written by: Kelly Meade (05/12/2017)

The deeply personal Out Of The Dark was born from a place of the sadness & depression that Mandisa experienced after the death of a close friend and the testimony of God’s faithfulness that carried her through. From feelings of anger, doubt and confusion to finding the strength to press on and trust God once more, Mandisa gives listeners one of the most real albums I’ve heard in a long time.

“I’m Still Here” sets the tone telling of someone who realizes that every breath, heartbeat & every second of every new day is a reminder that your life has purpose & meaning.

“Out of The Dark” celebrates the re-awakening of faith after having strayed away from a relationship with God, remembering that you’re never too far away for Him to reach you. The visual provided by the lyric, “Like a crack in the clouds when the sun starts to break through”, effectively represents the message of the song as it brings to mind the dawn of a new day or the rays of sunshine appearing after a storm giving hope that darkness won’t last forever.

“Unfinished” openly shares a struggle with doubts and having questions when something you don’t understand occurs. When your world crashes down, you may be tempted to turn away completely, but never forget that you’re a work in progress and God’s not finished with you.

A powerful intro to “We All Bleed The Same”, featuring Kirk Franklin, shines a light on issues all too prevalent in our society today. The song itself features TobyMac & Mandisa singing together with lyrics calling for unity in love as it points out the fact that we were all created by the same God and regardless of race or social status, we are all human beings.

“Good News” is a joyful celebration of the message of hope & salvation God has given us to share with others as we live our lives.

“Prove Me Wrong” is filled with emotion as it depicts the difficult questions and doubts that test our faith to the limits through an inexplicable tragedy, asking for God to prove His promise that He is present in the middle of heartbreaking grief.

“The One He Speaks Through” touches the hearts of listeners urging them not to ignore the promptings to help someone or reach out to a loved one when they cross your mind. You never know when God will work through you to show kindness, encourage and perhaps even save a life.

Closing the regular version of the album, “My First Love”, featuring Jeremy Camp, tells of returning to a closer relationship with Jesus. We are all guilty of drifting away, whether we intend to or not. We can have peace in knowing that our Savior will never give up on us and welcome us back to Him with open arms.

The deluxe edition of Out Of The Dark features three additional tracks including the stand-out anthem, “Back To Life”. The song is a bold declaration of the revival of one’s faith as they surrender their fears, doubt & anxiety to Jesus; claiming the strength, peace & hope found in Him.

Too many times there seems to be a misconception that as Christians we are immune to sadness, pain or loss. We may even feel shame to admit that we’re struggling. Because we believe doesn’t mean that we don’t experience these things, but it’s through faith in God that we can find the tiniest glimpse of hope and somehow make it through what feels like even the darkest of nights. Holding on to this hope can be extremely difficult, but so important as we face the trials of life. From start to finish, Out Of The Dark, inspires with songs that don’t shy from the brokenness and places of hurt that we all experience. The message of not giving up and daring to trust God’s promise to never leave you is a common thread throughout this album as Mandisa shares her journey in an honest way that we can all relate to.

4.8/5