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check out a newer interview with moriah in our brand new book. |
Meet Moriah!Natalee J. got to chat with the bubbly artist who brought us some of our favorite tunes, such as "I Choose Jesus", and "Haven't Even Kissed"! Childhood Home: Sunny California. |
Moriah's debut album, I Choose Jesus, is playing in the headphones of teenage girls everywhere! Her sophomore project, Brave, just released July 15th! Let's take a walk down memory lane and explore some of Moriah's biggest hits from her first album, as well as explore her newest radio single, "You Carry Me"!
Moriah's Thoughts About Worship...
“It really is a
personal experience. I’ve met many different people who all love
Christ, but they each worship in a different way. Sometimes worship
isn’t this big, loud, booming thing, sometimes worship comes softly
and enters our hearts in a quiet way, while other times worship flows
through our veins and makes us come alive.
Last year I
did a show overseas. We stayed at a monastery. We played the show and
went back to where we were staying. One of the monks came up to me
and asked me if I would like to come to one of their ceremonies. Not
knowing what it was, I asked him. He told me to just come along and
find out. I did. We got to this little room where a monk was in a
corner with a guitar. He would play a song and everyone would sing
with him. Then the song would end and we would be in silence for five
minutes, then we would repeat. The monk would play a song and we
would all join in before another five minutes of silence. I have to
say that that experience was one of the most powerful experiences of
worship that I’ve ever had.
When I
worship, sometimes I don’t feel anything. Other times I feel the
Spirit working through me. It depends on how I’m worshiping.
When I worship in front of peers, such as a concert or a church service, I view it as two options, each option varying from what congregation I’m leading in worship. Option A – I’m bringing a song from the people to God. I’m like the messenger, not that God needs me to bring the people His song, but I feel that when they sing the songs God put on my heart to write, I’m helping them bring that message to God. Option B – I’m bringing a song from God to the people. Obviously, He doesn't need my help. But He asks me to do it. He laid lyrics on my heart to put to music so I could bring the words He wants people to hear.”
We asked Moriah, "What does it mean to bloom to your full potential?" And, "How did you know the direction you were supposed to take with your life?"
“I knew that music was the career God was telling me to take when I was fourteen years old. I had just had a breakthrough in my relationship with Jesus. I had fallen head over heels for Him. He whispered His desires for my life into my heart and they became my desires. On Easter Sunday I sang a song at my church (I was, as I said, fourteen). After the service this man came up to me. He didn’t look like a ‘church going’ man. He had ragged clothes and should’ve been in a gang. I was so nervous what he was going to say to me. But he simply said, 'Thank you for singing that song. It really inspired me and I appreciate it.’ After that, I knew that God wanted me to further a career in music. I knew that I wanted the lyrics of my songs to change people and to point them back to the Lord.”
Beauty. Bullies. Blooming.
"Have you ever heard you are beautiful? I know what you're worth. But you don't see it at all. After the rain has fallen down the sun comes out. Just keep believing you'll see a new season soon, you're turning into something amazing, baby you were born to bloom!"
(Lyrics to Bloom)
Moriah says...
“I met a girl at a show a couple years back. She literally was one of the most beautiful people I have ever met. She came up to me, and I thought that she was going to say she had so many friends, and how she invited them here and they are now Christians…or something along those lines. But I was in for a surprise. What she said, I never would have expected. She told me that she had no friends. Not a single one. And she was being bullied in school. I could relate to her because I was bullied in school as well. I was the ‘giraffe’ or ‘the super tall and awkward girl’. I have kept in touch with that girl to this day. She knows and sees that she was put here for a purpose, and she is blooming to her full potential.”
The Story Behind the Song...
“I was dating
the man who is now my husband. We were sitting on the
couch watching Young
Victoria.
I sat there realizing that we could sit there and not be tempted to
kiss or have any physical contact. We could just have fun without
getting physical. I had made a promise to save my first kiss for my
wedding day (more on that in a little bit), so I made sure that my
significant others knew that. Anyway Joel and I were watching a movie. Then this song
hit me like a ton of bricks. I excused myself to go record this song
that just came to me, before I went back to the couch and finished
watching the movie.
When I had my first kiss on my wedding day, you can’t imagine how good it felt. It was like happiness, gladness, joy, and peace rushing through me. Happiness because God ignored my teenage prayers asking for a boyfriend when I was like twelve, and happiness because He answered my prayers for a man who would love Him more than he would love me. I felt gladness because I saved myself for the one I would spend the rest of my days with, and gladness because I didn't give in to temptation. I experienced joy because the day finally came. I had joy because my Jesus picked the perfect guy for me. I had peace because I knew that God was always taking care of me. He saw the big picture when I didn't.
I just really want to encourage girls. If you know that you’ve gone farther than you should’ve in a relationship, it is okay. God will forgive you. He died on the cross to wipe your sins white as snow. Because of His blood we are white. If you haven’t kissed yet, take heart. The day when you say ‘I do’ and promise yourself to your husband until the day that you are separated by death, the feeling that you will get shall be one of the most wonderful feelings you’ve ever felt.
Girls, in the end, I just really want to let you know that God has everything in control. Don’t force yourself into a relationship that isn’t ready to be opened up yet. All good things come from patience."
Fun Fact: |
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"I’m
headed down this narrow road chosen by the few, and all that I know is
You told me to follow You. |
Moriah Says...
“Wide is the
gate that leads to destruction, but narrow is the gate that leads to
glory. As Christians we chose the path that not many have chosen, but
we can have faith because God told us to follow Him. In life we will
have trials, but through the power of Christ we can overcome them.
Our life is a leap of faith, but our ultimate goal is to stand at the
foot of Christ when our lives are complete, and to hear Him say, ‘Well
done, my good and faithful servant. Well done.’ As Christians, that
should be what we strive to hear."
~*~
Be sure to pick up her new album! You can follow Moriah on Twitter and Facebook or you can visit her website www.moriahpeters.com . |