I’m sitting in my eleventh grade computer class. This class is always a bore. I’m always shocked on the rare occasions that we actually do something. Whenever we do something, it’s usually editing some video, or sometimes just working with music or photos or other types of media. The work is always so easy that I’m usually done within ten or so minutes, the end of the class period at the latest, even though the teacher gives us a week or two to do the project.
Today’s one of those days where I’m doing absolutely no work. I finished the current project that the teacher assigned to us. I have absolutely no homework for any other classes. So, I’m on the computer, playing a game. In this game, you have to make the robot go through the portal to get to the next level, but all that you have is bombs which, when they go off, make the robot move.
“Liam, help me with this level”, I say, turning to my best friend, who is sitting right next
to me. He simply says, “No.” Angrily, and yet teasingly, I growl at him like a dog who’s eating his food and doesn’t want anybody to disturb him, pretending that I’m mad at him for not helping me with the level of the game. He just stares at me for a second, shakes his head, smiles, and then goes back to whatever he is working on. Feeling defeated, I give up on the game. All of a sudden, a thought comes to my mind.
I remember that my favorite band, the Newsboys, a Christian rock group, are releasing a new single today. I’ve always loved their music. Even with their new lead singer, every one of their songs makes me feel good about myself and helps me get through the trials that life brings to me. When I open up their webpage, I see the blinding red background shining in my eyes, telling me that something important happened. I see the words, “NEW SINGLE” in enormous silver letters on top of the page. I skim through the article, and finally, I see the download link entitled “saveyourlife.mp3”.
Once it is completely downloaded, I grab the old-fashioned, pitch-black headphones from the table, plug them into the computer, and put them over my ears. Suddenly, everything is quiet. I hear nothing except the piercing sound that is silence. But, it’s a peaceful quiet. Nobody can disturb me from listening to this song. Even if they tried to, I wouldn’t be able to hear them. I open up the mp3 file and, nervously, press the play button, not knowing what kind of song I would be listening to.
There’s about two seconds of silence before I hear the soft electric guitar. Then, I hear the vocalist starting to sing the lyrics.

Dear friend, you’ve been trying again.

Doing whatever it takes just to fit in.

Falling for the lies of the world.

You tell me you’d pay anything just to not hurt.

What you want, I ain’t got.

What I have, can’t be bought.
I pause the music. As I think about what I just listened to, I realize something. I recognize that there’s really a message in those lyrics. I understand that it’s talking to me. I become excited like a dog who wants to be walked. I anxiously press the play button once again, and the chorus plays.

There’s something better that I can give.

If you surrender, than you will live.

Just gotta taste and see it’s good.

I’d make you see it if I could.

It’s gonna save your life.

It’s gonna save your life.
I pause again. This song is bringing me back to a time where I thought that going to church was just something to do on a Sunday morning. There was one point in my life where I did not really know who Jesus Christ was. I didn’t understand why people believed that he was their savior. To me, it just seemed like he was some old dead guy who made up stories in order to become famous.

Dear friend, I’d be lying to you,

If I told you this road that we travel would be smooth.

Sometimes, you just wanna give up.

Trying and trying but nothing is ever enough.

Chasing things, but what for?

You’ve seen it all, but want more.

The chorus repeats, and then a small bridge.

I can see now you want this.

Now you know that you need this.

Get away from the darkness.

Gotta know who Christ is!

This song has already become my favorite song ever, even though I’m not even finished listening to it for the first time. I’m under the impression that this song describes a big part of my life: the time when I found Jesus. I used to think that life was too hard and sometimes, I just wanted to completely give up. But then, Jesus was brought into my life. I started to understand who he truly was and why he was brought into this world. I also found that, once I started to trust in Jesus and give up my problems to him, life became easier, and I wasn’t so stressed out.

This song is indeed my favorite song. It hasn’t changed my life per se, but it does describe a time when my life did turn around 180 degrees. I truly love this song, and I especially love the message behind it.