Song of Adoption

Contemporary Christian artist, Mark Schultz, has got to be my favorite songwriter at the moment. He captures the listener's very soul with his storytelling songs. He is a seasoned artist who just began his claim to fame in 2001, but acquired much experience from holding position as youth pastor at his local church. He states that young people connect to storytelling so he began putting music with his stories. Schultz has already made it to #1 on numerous music charts, Christian and secular.

I'd like to point out that "Everything To Me" by Mark Schultz is getting a wide range of attention and not much less of a response from mothers who have given their children up for adoption. Mark, who collaborated with Cindy Morgan (another incredible songwriter) for this song, was himself adopted and not only writes this song from experience, but also draws from the experiences of mothers who have had to make this tortuous decision to give up their baby. After having a baby of my own, I could never imagine the anguish at having to give him up. At a concert, there was a very young mother who had already made an appointment to have an abortion the following week. She had no means to care for the baby and falsely believed this was her only option. However, after she heard this song that embraced that growing life within her, she canceled that fatal date and decided to give her baby to a family trying to adopt. I can't tell you how this song has moved me (Don't expect to not cry if you watch it. I cried my eyes out.).

Lyrics:
I must have felt your tears
When they took me from your arms
I’m sure I must have heard you say goodbye
Lonely and afraid had you made a big mistake
Could an ocean even hold the tears you cried

But you had dreams for me
You wanted the best for me
And you made the only choice you could that night

(Chorus)
You gave life to me
A brand new world to see
Like playing baseball in the yard with dad at night
Mom reading Goodnight Moon
And praying in my room
So if you worry if your choice was right
You gave me up but you gave everything to me

And if I saw you on the street
Would you know that it was me
And would your eyes be blue or green like mine
Would we share a warm embrace
Would you know me in your heart
Or would you smile and let me walk on by
Knowing you had dreams for me
You wanted the best for me
And I hope that you’d be proud of who I am

(Chorus)
You gave life to me
A chance to find my dreams
And a chance to fall in love
You should have seen her shining face
On our wedding day
Oh is this the dream you had in mind
When you gave me up
You gave everything to me

And when I see you there
Watching from heaven’s gates
Into your arms
I’m gonna run
And when you look in my eyes
You can see my whole life
See who I was
And who I’ve become

(Chorus)

Mark Schultz / Cindy Morgan © 2006 Crazy Romaine Music (Adm. by The Loving Company) / Word Music, LLC / Lola Max Music (ASCAP) (Adm. by Word Music, LLC)

Feel free to go to his website and listen to this song: markschultzmusic.com/nationaladoptionmonth.htm. How about you... do you know a child given up for adoption, or a mother who had to give her baby up? Maybe you were that individual: mother/child. I am neither but felt the full impact of the decision this mother had to make by listening to these words put to the power of music. To me it speaks of life and not death; of hope and not despair, of forgiveness and not shame and guilt. How does this song speak to you?

With a total of 5 projects out, some of my favorites of his are: "Remember Me," "I Have Been There," "Letters from war," "He's My Son," "Walking Her Home," "Back in His Arms Again," "Broken and Beautiful."