I Will Remember

I've been married for nine years now, and let me tell you, it's the second best decision I ever made—right after giving my life to Jesus. It feels like a lifetime ago when my wife, Beccs, and I stood at the altar, looked into each other's eyes, and made a commitment that would forever alter the course of our lives. I know it might not seem like a lot compared to some who have many more years of marriage under their belt, but in this relatively short time, our family has grown from just the two of us to a table for five. Our neighborhood has changed not once but three times, and to top it all off, somehow we managed to become debt-free in the midst of a pandemic. I can't explain it, but honestly, it would be an understatement to say that we feel incredibly blessed.

Now, at this point, you might be thinking, "That's all well and good for you, Austin, with your Instagram-worthy highlights. Congratulations." Well, let me clarify—I'm not here to boast about my life. In fact, it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows. I didn't tell you about the moments before these blessings, like being awakened in the middle of the night, just hours before our firstborn arrived, rushing her to the NICU, feeling utterly powerless. Or the time we thought we had found our dream home, and I poured my heart into a letter to the owners, only to be turned down. I didn't mention the countless extra jobs I took on during our journey to financial freedom, leaving little time for my wife and me. Those were challenging times.

In moments of hardship, I'm reminded of something I researched. Christian Bible Reference says that the word "remember" appears over a hundred times across different versions in both the Old and New Testaments. That, to me, underscores its significance to God. He instructed the Israelites not to forget Him after rescuing them from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 6:12). Jesus even instituted the practice of communion with His disciples as a means of remembrance before His crucifixion.

In our present circumstances, I've learned the importance of intentionally remembering who God is because, unintentionally, I'm often too quick to forget. Philippians 1:6 tells us that God, who began a good work in us, will be faithful to complete it. However, in the NICU, during our housing challenges, and along our financial journey, I sometimes lost sight of His faithfulness. Even when I can't fully see or comprehend it, I must remember that He is God, and I am not.

So, when we wrote the song "I Will Remember," our sole purpose was to create a reminder—from the top of my mind to the bottom of my soul—that no matter what trials life throws my way, God remains faithful.

Written by Austin from Crossroads Music surrounding the song "I Will Remember"