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

"Guide Me (O, Thou Great Jehovah) / Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Ezra Worship Initiative – Ancient Wisdom, Fresh Waves

I'm sitting in traffic, Spotify on shuffle, listening to my collection of new releases. That's when the song "Guide Me (O, Thou Great Jehovah) / Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Ezra Worship Initiative starts to play. The song starts with a revamp of a 280-year-old hymn "Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah", and then beautifully transitions to the chorus of Hillsong's "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)". This medley made my heart do a little cartwheel!  The hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" (originally "Arglwydd, arwain trwy'r anialwch" in Welsh) by William Williams (a Welsh Methodist preacher) was inspired by the biblical story of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. Williams wrote this in 1745 as a plea to God for guidance while traveling through life's wilderness. A 280-year-old plea that is still very relevant for us today.  "I am weak, but Thou art mighty // hold me with thy powerful hand," a thought that ...

'Lonely Dirt Road' by Dax: A Journey to Solitude and God

Dax's 'Lonely Dirt Road' is a conversation that Dax has with himself and God. Dax shares his journey of turning mental health walks into healing solitary drives. As you listen, you can almost feel the cruise, where it's just you, your thoughts, and God.  The chorus is so relatable: 'When I need space, that's where I go, a place to escape that nobody knows.' What do you do when life's pressures stack high? Do you also have a space where you can let go? That lonely dirt road that Dax sings about symbolizes solitude, but it is also an incredible opportunity for connecting with God.  Dax's honesty is raw and relatable. 'I didn't want my family to see me cry… dealing with the pressure of trying to provide.' There are times when we all put on a smile to hide how challenging situations may be. Like his father, Dax says that he finds peace on this lonely road, where challenges become opportunities to grow. This shows the core of our faith: that...

"Heartbeat" by Laura Leighe - Dancing in Worship

Here's a song that's more or less been stuck in my head since I heard it. It's called 'Heartbeat' by Laura Leighe and is what Laura calls a "reggaeton-influenced Christian pop duet" that's all about surrendering to God's rhythm and dancing in worship, no matter what life throws your way.  The lyrics remind me of two scriptures: "Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe."  - Psalm 150:4 (NIV) and "Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might."  - 2 Samuel 6:14 (NIV). Maybe I'm a bit prejudiced because the song reminds us of our own thoughts when we founded "Christian Dance" years ago and picked a name. Focusing on music that allows us to feel joy and causes us (our hearts) to dance for God, a pure form of worship that we know is pleasing to God. The lyrics are about surrendering our control and trusting in God's plan. Laura sings, "I bet you f...