His band, the Nashvillians, lead worship annually at Crossroads Worldwide Summer Camp in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. Carl also hosts Inspire Worship Conference each May in Nashville, which teaches young worship leaders how to be both musically and Biblically sound.
His biggest influence to begin leading worship comes from his grandfather, Ed Hamrick, who, in Carl's words, "never sang a single concert in front of thousands of people, but who lived his life so that everything that he did, he did so for the benefit of others."
He models the songs he writes after the Psalms of David, whom Carl believes to have the most emotion-filled lyrics of any songwriter to date.
Honestly
Carl Cartee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could I let go of all that You've given
If it meant that it all would be Yours
Could I sit at Your feet and forget about me
And remember what I'm here for
Honestly I need to be broken
Honestly I need to fall down
‘Cause honestly I'm figuring out
That of all that I have
All that I need is You
The lyrics of Carl Cartee's song "Honestly" speaks of surrendering oneself to God and realizing that He is the ultimate source of everything that we need. In the first verse, the lyrics talk about letting go of all that God has given if it means that it will all belong to Him. The lyrics also mention the need to forget about oneself and remember why we are here in the first place – to serve and glorify God. The chorus then speaks of the need to be broken and fall down in surrender, allowing God to shake our foundations and help us figure out that all we need is Him.
The lyrics of "Honestly" are a poignant reminder of the importance of putting God above everything in our lives. It emphasizes the need to surrender our all to Him and trust in Him to provide for our needs. The song speaks of a desire to lay down our own desires and selfish ambitions to follow the path that God has set out for us. It is a message of hope and encouragement to those who are struggling in their faith and need a reminder of the true meaning of surrender.
Line by Line Meaning
Could I let go of all that You've given
Would I be able to release all the blessings and gifts You have granted me?
If it meant that it all would be Yours
In exchange for surrendering them to You, would everything I have belong to You?
Could I sit at Your feet and forget about me
Am I capable of giving up my selfish desires to humbly worship and learn from You?
And remember what I'm here for
To always keep in mind my purpose, which is to serve and glorify You.
Honestly I need to be broken
Truthfully, I require hardship and adversity to bring me closer to You and to strengthen my faith.
Honestly I need to fall down
Honestly, I need to experience failure and hardships to realize that I am not self-sufficient and need Your help.
Go ahead and shake my foundations
You have permission to test and challenge my beliefs and values that I hold onto for security.
‘Cause honestly I'm figuring out
Truthfully, I am currently in the process of learning and understanding.
That of all that I have
Out of everything I possess and value...
All that I need is You
I realize that all I need in this life is You.
Contributed by Aria I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.