Skip to main content

Zachary Ray - Refuge



Zachary Ray drops a new track called Refuge, a song with quite a story behind the song. Words cannot properly summarize Zachary's story, so we are sharing what Zachary shared with us about his track.

"Refuge is a song that's straight out of my journal during an incredibly difficult season. 

The song Refuge came from a cry to the all-knowing God when I was in a place of isolation - feeling surrounded by people and friends that loved us but feeling alone at the same time. 

After my wife Amanda gave birth to our stillborn daughter Chloe, there were very few words of comfort that helped. Although people were praying and offering their words of comfort it felt like a season of being abandoned by God, and the dreams of holding our little girl were stolen and shattered. Grief is a funny thing. The initial sting and pain become dull over time, but the memories and dull ache continue to come in waves. I don’t think our hearts are created for this world to overcome “grief” from tragedies or loss of loved ones; it becomes a part of our story, our life. We become a different person. The beautiful thing is that God stays the same and meets us where we are. I can honestly say God tangibly became my refuge in one of the darkest times in my life. He brought healing into my soul like no earthly person could. We may never be the way we were before, but He shapes us into a new, and often stronger, person.

I wrote the lyrics of this song with a good friend of mine, Joel Reimer. He and his wife Brandi suffered the loss of their baby boy, Harbour, when he was 4 months old. We both experienced extremely dark situations, but I know this song is not just for people with our type of journeys. It is for the person who is feeling alone, abandoned or deserted in a hopeless situation. It’s a song of hope for me. People need to know it’s ok to feel their way through their story, knowing God is with them on every page. I know other people have their own way of dealing with grief and life’s battles, but I know what worked for me. It was to find refuge in the all-knowing finding refuge in Jesus."


Thank you Zachary for sharing with us. I am confident that this song will also encourage others to find refuge in Jesus Christ.

On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0PhOTX730xKqqqZjOUpSJD
On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/refuge/1480744420?i=1480744422

Also on our playlists: Christian Dance Monthly - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7xui88VQPaulfg60MIcBle

Popular posts

"You Are Holy" by Spirit Worship: Honest Worship When Hope Runs Thin

Honest worship starts exactly where your pain is. Years of loss pushed the songwriter behind “You Are Holy” into a wilderness. Loved ones died, jobs and homes disappeared, health and finances faltered, and a church plant that failed. Most worship songs felt dishonest to him during that season, so the Psalms became his lifeline. “You Are Holy” sits down beside you and tells the truth. “It’s hard to be patient with nothing but time.” “It’s hard to be hopeful when everything dies.” Have you ever whispered something like that? That’s okay, it’s what we do next that makes a difference! “Yet though I am suffering, I’ll trust in Your name.” David faced that same kind of challenge in Psalm 13. He opens with “How long, O LORD?” and lands here: “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” His circumstances barely moved between the first verse and verse five, but his gaze did. You can do the same today. Be honest with God. Tell Him exactly how heavy e...

"My Love of Christmas (Peace Starts in Me)" by Avery Stafford: One Heart at Peace Can Change the Room

Peace begins in a willing heart. When did you last open your own time capsule? Avery Stafford found a time capsule somewhere in his mind and opens it in his song “My Love of Christmas (Peace Starts in Me)”. His time capsule contained a Folgers can filled with buttons and thread, a crystal globe, a denim patch, and the scent of Avon cologne. Seemingly ordinary treasures, but each one carries a Christmas that he’s never stopped loving. Avery blends gospel warmth with soulful pop to speak to the child in all of us, the child who still believes that Love leads the way. In the bridge, he wishes that child well, “forever dancing under the starlight with stories yet to tell.” The song also reminds us that memories alone cannot fix a restless / broken world, and he knows it: “We long for happily ever afters, but none of us really knows.” So where does peace begin? Not in a headline, a treaty, the outcome of the midterms, or a December calendar. Paul gives us an answer in Colossians 3:15: “And...

"Road to Heaven - Unplugged" by Crossroads Soul Revival: Heaven Is Not So Far Away

Heaven feels closer when you pray honestly. Two musicians created this unplugged rendition of “Road to Heaven”. One acoustic guitar and one live voice. No studio polish or AI assistance, no layers, nothing to hide behind. “Road to Heaven” began months ago as a GenAI-assisted release, and it deserved a human makeover. This stripped-down remake emphasizes what the song always intended to be: an honest and transparent prayer. Have you ever prayed like that? Nothing to hide, just showing God what’s really going on? The lyrics skip all of the fancy words. “Lord, I cannot make it on my own,” and continues with a confession, “I’ve never served You like I know I really could.” The singer keeps walking, open for what God does next, because “Heaven’s not so far away.” Crossroads Soul Revival blends gritty Southern soul and blues vibe with an unapologetic Gospel message, and the grit fits. The road to Heaven isn’t a polished highway. It’s a road that belongs to tired, imperfect people who need ...