Cheri Keaggy began her career as a worship leader at a small
church in Southern California. She put
out her debut album CHILD OF THE FATHER in 1994 and was nominated for a Dove
Award for New Artist of the Year. She
has had nine #1 songs and has won one Dove Award. Three of my favourite songs of hers are:
‘Make My Life An Altar’, ‘My Faith Will Stay’, and ‘What Matters Most’. Cheri’s latest and ninth full-length album is
NO LONGER MY OWN (2015, Psalm 91 Records).
Cheri produced it and is quoted in a press release as saying: “I have
often referred to my last album SO I CAN TELL, as my beauty-from-ashes project
or my bleeding heart album. But the Lord
heals. And this album feels a little more
broad. Brokenness humbles you and makes
you more sensitive to the world around you and, perhaps even more in tune with
the Father’s heart”.
Starting things off is ‘Overcome’ which is an emotional
adult contemporary song that is said to be “a response to recent news reports
of believers facing persecution, even unto death, and the increase of moral
decay in our nation”. In the song Cheri
asks God what she should tell the world in the face of such darkness and
adversity. This is His response: “Tell
them I AM here/I AM watching it all/Please don’t you fear/Don’t you know I have
overcome?/Tell them I AM here/I AM lifting you up/The end is near/Don’t you
know that I have overcome?/Haven’t I already overcome?.../I’m coming back for
you/It won’t be long”. ‘You Save Me’ is
a beautiful ballad based on Psalm 119 and begins with these words of spiritual
maturity: “It was good for me to be afflicted/That I might learn Your decrees,
Lord/And all of those years in the desert/Kept me thirsting for Your Word on my
knees/If Your law had not been my delight/I would have perished in the fight/And
I will never forget Your wisdom/For by it You renewed my life/And You save me
with every word/And You show me what I am worth to You/Age to age, Your truth
remains/I meditate on it day and night/Your Word is light, it is life”.
‘You Go Before Me’ is a soft inspirational number that
confidently declares who God is: “You are the comfort for every heartache/You
were the healing before there was hurt/Doling out strength for the worn and
weary/With storehouses brimming with gifts none could earn/You’re the Great
King and Your Kingdom will come with sure victory after the war/Brave on the
frontline of all these battles/You go before”.
The title track ‘No Longer My Own’ was inspired by ‘A Covenant Prayer’
popularized by John Wesley. The former
is a sweet song of complete surrender to God: “Put me to doing/Put me to
suffering/Put me to what You will/Let me be full or let me have nothing/To You
I wholeheartedly yield/For I am no longer my own but Yours/I am no longer my
own but Yours/Let me be working/Or lay me aside/Exalted for You or brought
low/All to your pleasure/I’m at Your disposal/Father, Son, and Holy Ghost/For I
am no longer my own but Yours”. ‘Lucky
To Be Breathing Your Air’ is the breezy pop song of one completely in love with
God: “Lucky to be breathing Your air/Lucky to be filling this space/Lucky to be
counted as one who gets to know amazing grace/Lucky to be one of Your own/Lucky
to be never alone.../Lucky to be freed of my shame/Lucky just to utter Your
Name”.
A mostly quiet gospel song, ‘Lead me to Your Love’ is
next. It thoughtfully reflects on the
supernatural: “I don’t claim to understand the mysteries of the spirit man/All
I know is if there’s more then, Jesus lead me to it/Standing at the altar now,
my hungry heart gets fed somehow/A sweet release, a sacred vow/Deep down, in
truth, I knew it/The Love of God is like that, strong/It cuts you to the
core/You might dread that you came early then wish you stayed for more”. ‘Be My Sabbath’ is a delightful light rock
song that serves as a prayer delivered with raw passion and urgency: “I can’t
do this anymore/I’m empty/Be My Source, Be My Sabbath/Take this poor and
tattered life/You can have it/Come swallow me up/I’ve had quite enough/I’m
ready to crash into Your arms/Be My Source, Be My Sabbath”.
‘Jesus, One and Only’ includes the chirping of crickets and
is again prayerful: “Jesus, One and only/Jesus, come and hold me/For the night
is getting long/Jesus, send Your Love down/Jesus, drain this fear out/For the
night is getting long/Heart so tender, knees so weak/Frail against the aching
need/Jesus, won’t You please just take my heart as I bring it to You?” ‘I Love Your Company’ presents God as a
loving Father to us, His children: “You can sit, you can cry, or simply
abide/Find your rest by My side/You don’t have to do a single thing/Peace be
still, you’ll be fine/Be My branch, I’ll be Your Vine/I have loved you all this
time/I just want your company/And I long to meet your need/How I love when you
just...breathe”.
Cheri’s legendary Uncle Phil Keaggy plays ukulele on
‘Whatever is True (Phil. 4:8)’. It has a
playful, folk sound to it and reminds us to guard our thoughts: “Whatever is
true, whatever is noble/Whatever is right, whatever is pure/Whatever is lovely
and most admirable/I will think on these things, Lord/I will think on these
things.../Jesus, You’re true/Jesus, You’re noble/Jesus, You’re right/Jesus,
You’re pure/Jesus, You’re lovely and most admirable/I will think on Your Name,
Lord/I will think on Your Name”. The
lyrics to ‘The Giving Song’ are adapted from Annie Johnson Flint’s ‘He Giveth
More Grace’. It is a testimony to God’s
goodness: “He gives us more grace when the burdens grow greater/He sends us
more strength when the labors increase/To added afflictions He adds on His
mercies/To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.../His love has no limits/His
grace has no measure/His power no boundary known unto men/For out of His
infinite riches in Jesus/He gives and He gives and keeps giving again”.
It is a rare occasion when I give an album a perfect 100%
rating. NO LONGER MY OWN, is however,
one such album. While listening to it,
you will feel as if you are reading Cheri’s personal journal. These are songs directly from her heart that
detail with honesty her love relationship with God. Her deep faith in God has been shaped by His
faithfulness to her through the good and the bad times in her life. Cheri’s vocals are moving and have a depth
and texture to them not found on her earlier projects. Stylistically this album falls mainly into
the adult contemporary and inspirational categories. Cheri’s piano playing is wonderful. Other instruments used include: pump organ,
accordion, and mandolin. Background
vocals are performed by Cheri, Christine and Scott Dente, and Jason
Eskridge. The photos of Cheri
accompanying this project are very beautiful.
I recommend NO LONGER MY OWN to fans of Amy Grant and Cindy Morgan. For more info visit: www.cherikeaggy.com.