Thrive

Album: Thrive (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The songs on Casting Crowns Thrive album are an extension of what lead singer/songwriter Mark Hall has been teaching his students at Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church in Atlanta, where he serves as youth pastor. The heart behind the project is for these songs to encourage believers to dig down into the roots of who they are in Christ so that they are fully equipped to reach out and share their faith with others.
  • The idea for the upbeat and rejoicing title track came out of Hall's student ministry. "The songs always really start out with what we're teaching, and for years I've been using Psalm 1 in showing them what a believer looks like," he explained. "It says: 'Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season.'"

    The concept was underscored during a family vacation in Gatlinburg, Tennessee when Hall looked at the trees near the river. "Their roots are exposed and you can feel them just doing everything they can to get to where the water is," he explained. "When I talk to families about how they are doing, they always say 'just surviving.' That is not the life that God designed for us to live.

    "That's not saying that you're not going to have problems," Hall added. "None of the New Testament people had it easy. They all had troubles, some even at the expense of their lives. The book of joy, Philippians, was written from prison. Hard times are going to come, but God didn't put you here just so you could survive through hard times. He put you here to thrive, to dig in and to reach out.

    "This record is an effort to draw a picture of what a believer, a follower of Jesus, would look like if they dug into their roots and understood God and themselves more," Hall concluded, "and then instead of trying to go be Christian for God, they just let God give them chances to be a Christian."
  • This was one of five songs on Thrive that Hall wrote with singer-songwriter Matthew West ("The Motions"). The pair frequently collaborate together and penned seven songs on Casting Crowns' previous album, Gone To The Well.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & FireSongwriter Interviews

The longtime bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire discusses how his band came to do a holiday album, and offers insight into some of the greatest dance/soul tunes of all-time.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

Carol Kaye

Carol KayeSongwriter Interviews

A top session musician, Carol played on hundreds of hits by The Beach Boys, The Monkees, Frank Sinatra and many others.

Guy Clark

Guy ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett are just a few of the artists who have looked to Clark for insightful, intelligent songs.

Weezer

WeezerFact or Fiction

Did Rivers Cuomo grow up on a commune? Why did they name their albums after colors? See how well you know your Weezer in this Fact or Fiction.

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.