Nichole Nordeman was raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she played the piano in church. She got her start when she entered a Gospel Music Association (GMA) contest in Los Angeles, California and was noticed by a music producer. She has won multiple GMA Dove Awards, including two awards for Female Vocalist of the Year. Her best-known songs include "Why," "This Mystery," "Holy", "Legacy," "Brave," and "What If." She also sang a song on the soundtrack Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia, called "I Will Believe"
Live
Nichole Nordeman Lyrics
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Did you come so we could just get by?
Did you walk among us
So we might merely limp along beside?
I was bound, I have been set free
But I have settled for apathy
Did you come to make me new
It's where I am, not where I've been
You make me want to live
You make me want to live
You came to shake us
And to wake us up to something more
Than we'd always settled for
And you make me want to live
We've all been up on the mountain top
A golden glow that's bound to soon wear off
Then it's back to the mundane telling tales of glory days
When we were hopeful that this change was here to stay
So why would a young man
Live in a waste land
When the castle of his dreams is standing by?
Why would a princess
Put on an old dress
To dance with her beloved and a chance to catch his eye?
The above lyrics are from Nichole Nordeman's song, "Live." The song reflects on our tendency to settle for mediocrity even though God has called us to live abundantly. The opening lines of the song question whether Jesus came to earth so that we could just survive or if his intention was for us to thrive. The following lines suggest that Jesus came to make us new, but we often fall back into old habits and ways of thinking, settling for apathy rather than fully embracing the transformative power of his love.
The lyrics "It's where I am, not where I've been" acknowledge that our past experiences shape us, but they do not define us. The chorus, where Nordeman sings, "You make me want to live" repeatedly, is a declaration of surrender to the transformative power of God's love. The song concludes by posing two questions: "why would a young man live in a waste land?" and "why would a princess put on an old dress?" In both cases, the actions of the individuals are in direct conflict with what they truly desire. The song challenges us to consider if we are settling for less than what God has called us to live.
Line by Line Meaning
Did you come that we might just survive?
Were you sent to earth just for us to barely make it through?
Did you come so we could just get by?
Did you come here so we could live a mediocre life?
Did you walk among us
So we might merely limp along beside?
Were we meant to live a life where we only get by with your help?
I was bound, I have been set free
I was a slave, but you freed me from that life.
But I have settled for apathy
However, I have chosen to be indifferent towards my new life.
Did you come to make me new
And know I'd crawl right back into the skin you found me in?
Did you intend to transform me only for me to revert to my old ways?
It's where I am, not where I've been
I need to forget my past and focus on where I am now.
You make me want to live
You make me want to live
You have inspired me to live a fuller life.
You came to shake us
And to wake us up to something more
Than we'd always settled for
And you make me want to live
You arrived to jolt us from our limited perspective of life and to encourage us to elevate our standards.
We've all been up on the mountain top
A golden glow that's bound to soon wear off
Then it's back to the mundane telling tales of glory days
When we were hopeful that this change was here to stay
We have all experienced success only for that feeling to fade away, and we reminisce about the days when we were optimistic about a better future.
So why would a young man
Live in a waste land
When the castle of his dreams is standing by?
Why would someone choose to live an unfulfilled life when their desired life is easily attainable?
Why would a princess
Put on an old dress
To dance with her beloved and a chance to catch his eye?
Why would someone settle for less when they can have something they desire?
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: JOYCE, NORDEMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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One of the best songs of all time
Rhea Aker
Sooo Beautiful πΉ. She's just as Beautiful as her song πΉπππ
Jeffrey McCullough
This song is Flawless
Victoria McIver
I have always Loved her and this song a favorite of mine from her and Love this beautiful Version!π
Velocity Sam
There's something about this song that makes me weep and say, please Jesus Christ forgive my sins I beg you.
NJeri njeri
I love this π΅
Nicole Cummings
Love this song
Mb
Awesome
Tristen Bradley
ππΌππΌπ₯°
Fire Fire7
Many roads but the only one road is lead by JESUS.