Today, we invite you to join us as Sandra McCracken and Stephanie explore the interplay of faith, cultural insights, and the essence of beauty in worship music.

Stephanie sits down with renowned musician Sandra McCracken to dive into the multifaceted ways God uses to connect us to Him, including beauty, language, and culture. Their conversation touches on various facets—from the linguistic richness of French expressions of delight and light, to the role of the local church and the importance of worship. Join us as we explore how experiencing God's beauty through nature, music, and community can deepen our spiritual journey.

Sandra McCracken's songwriting serves as a rich medium to convey scriptural truths and draw us deep in worship through music. Her goal is to help people delight in God's presence through her music, creating songs that resonate with the heart's deepest longings. She shares how singing these truths repeatedly helps align her heart with them, even amid doubts or fears. Her work embodies the connection between light and delight, encouraging us to find joy and hope in God's presence.

Let’s talk about beauty for a minute. In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, the perception of beauty can often become obscured. Sandra and Stephanie discuss the necessity of slowing down to truly appreciate and experience deeper, non-disposable beauty. Pausing to engage with our surroundings and community, allows us to witness God’s presence in the ordinary moments of life. By embracing this slower pace, we open ourselves up to deeper intimacy with God, finding beauty and inspiration in the everyday and the extraordinary alike.

Beauty serves as a 'homing device,' drawing us toward God. Whether through the breathtaking landscapes of Yellowstone and Tetons or through the creative brilliance of European architecture, beauty reveals the hand of the divine in our world. Stephanie echoes this sentiment by highlighting how the unique expressions of beauty in different cultures enrich our spiritual experience, offering a fuller understanding of God's nature.

During her visit to a botanical garden in Colorado, Sandra was struck by the diverse beauty of the garden, from the tall milkweeds to the fluttering butterflies. The process of pruning in gardening parallels life's trials. Just as a gardener prunes to encourage growth and beauty, God, the "master gardener," prunes us through life's challenges. Although this process can be uncomfortable, it is essential for our spiritual growth and transformation. Embracing this divine pruning allows us to develop into the people God intends us to be.

The conversation takes a deeper turn as Sandra explores the concept of true beauty through the lens of the cross. The cross represents the epitome of humility, sacrifice, and power, embodying the ultimate beauty in the biblical narrative. Facing our brokenness within a community helps us understand and experience God's beauty in a transformative way. This vulnerability and honesty before God and one another reflect the beauty that comes from embracing our imperfections and relying on divine grace.

Sandra invites us to consider how beauty, language, and community play pivotal roles in our faith journey. From the linguistic richness of French to Jesus’ teaching on pruning, Sandra encourages us to slow down, appreciate beauty, and engage deeply with our faith communities. Through her music and reflections, Sandra McCracken helps us find delight in God's light, inviting us into a richer, more authentic experience of God in Christ.

MEET SANDRA MCCRACKEN

Sandra McCracken is a GRAMMY-nominated and Dove Award-winning singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. The daughter of a biology teacher and a seminary secretary, Sandra was born the youngest of five children in a house with music continually streaming from the record player. A prolific recording artist, McCracken has produced 18 solo albums. She has also produced 4 albums of children's music through the project Rain for Roots. Her best-selling release, Psalms (2015), received critical acclaim, followed by God’s Highway (2017) which made the top 50 on the Billboard charts without a major label. Her album, Light in the Canyon, won the 2023 GMA Dove Award for Bluegrass/Country/Roots Album of the year. She has had songs featured in TV, including on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy. Blending the old and new, Sandra has also shown a unique ability to recast sacred scripture texts into theologically rich yet accessible songs. Her thoughtful lyrics and gospel melodies in songs like “We Will Feast In The House Of Zion” and “Steadfast" have become staple anthems in churches across the U.S. Sandra regularly partners with International Justice Mission, Blood:Water Mission, and ARocha, and her writing has been published by The Gospel Coalition, She Read Truth, and Relevant Magazine, in addition to her regular column with Christianity Today.  Sandra released her first book, Send Out Your Light, in September 2021 with B&H. She lives in Nashville with her husband, three children, and two dogs.

https://www.sandramccracken.com/ 

MORE ABOUT “SEND OUT YOUR LIGHT”

In the middle of Psalm 43, God offers us a dynamic invitation: Send out your light.Prolific singer-songwriter Sandra McCracken believes we each have the opportunity to hear and answer this invitation.

 This book is written in three parts: part one is the becoming, the creation, how God makes us and gives us an identity. Part two is the disorientation of loss, displacement, and the dark night of the soul. Part three is reorientation, how God brings us through the darkness and illuminates our path with Scripture, sending us out to take his light to others.

This has been the shape of Sandra McCracken’s life. Through it all, songs and Scripture have been there to light the way, helping her respond to God’s call.

How will you respond to God’s call to send out his light?

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer 

There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God’s eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement.

But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I’ll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn’t prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision?

As an unassuming student, I’m going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray.

If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don’t miss out!

A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER

To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God’s Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts.

We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation.

So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is.

There’s only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this.

Let’s begin.

THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE

Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don’t really know how to pray. I’m a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn’t really about what I’ve learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I’ve sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings.

So, I’ll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ.

Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it’s up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let’s make it delightful together!

So, let’s get started.

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