Amy Grant - "Breath of Heaven"

As every Holiday Season, this month I’ll be choosing only Holiday Songs from as many holidays as I can.

Everybody loves Amy Grant, especially at Christmastime. Widely thought of as “The Queen of Christian Pop” and one of the only mainstream crossovers from religious music, Amy Grant has a signature sound and a classic style. I’ve had her album in heavy rotation every Christmas since I was a teen.

This song in particular is meaningful to me as it is simply a call for help. It’s Mary, a woman in desperate need, calling out to something beyond herself for help. It’s a plea to God, to the universe, to help her shoulder the burden she has been asked to carry, and it’s inspiring. It is inspiring because it is simply so human. It is something we’ve all done, or been through, and it’s so easy to relate. With a little help and a little grace, we can all make it through these tough moments.

I had the IMMENSE pleasure to get up and sing an impromptu version of this song this past weekend at our holiday piano night. It was truly wonderful, and as always, I was blown away by the talent of my friends!

So today, gathering grace like fruits for the harvest, I choose Amy Grant’s iconic “Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song)” as my, hold me together, be forever near me, hear my prayer, song for a, look to the heavens, believe in yourself, you have been given a gift that only for this moment feels like a burden, Monday.

I’m also going to give you my favorite cover version of this song. Jessica Simpson does a really gorgeous cover where her breathy, almost whispered, tone brings to life the urgency of the song. Almost better than the original, but certainly just at great.