Yes, as you can see from the title, I am a very much avid fan of CCM band Tenth Avenue North. Or rather, a fan of Mike Donehey’s devotional youtube messages about his songs that he has released on the internet throughout the years. In fact, Tenth Avenue North has to be one of the best bands that CCM offers to us at the moment- starting their career way back in 2008 when they signed to Reunion Records, the band delivered chart topping albums like Over and Underneath, The Light Meets the Dark, The Struggle, Cathedrals and more recently Followers. To say that Mike the lead singer has a way with words in how he imparts heartfelt and poignant truths to listeners is very much an understatement. And while I know that their latest album Followers can arguably be the quintet’s most emotive and encouraging yet, I can’t ignore where it all started. It was in 2009/10 when I started listening to the band and their music on a regular basis- safe to say that The Light Meets the Dark is a momentous album for me- with songs like “Healing Begins”, “You Are More”, “Strong Enough to Save”…it was then when I realised that Tenth Avenue North and their music was something special.

One of the most underrated and heartfelt bands over the last 5 years, Mike Donehey, lead singer, has always had something great to communicate across to us all through video devotionals about the band’s songs over the years. And while my most recent Message Mondays post about the band delved into devotionals from their most recent album Followers, and the Message Mondays before that (in January 2016) that showcased Tenth Avenue North and their devotional videos, highlighted The Struggle and songs like “Losing”, “Where Life Will Never Die”, “The Struggle” and “Worn” to name a few; I must admit that it was hearing devotionals to songs like “Healing Begins” and “Strong Enough to Save” that I realised something…if Mike decided at any time to step away from Tenth Avenue North, he’d be a good preacher. Not because he sounds in any way like the preachers from America that can be both criticised and celebrated by different groups of people, but rather, Mike’s down-to-earth and relatable atmosphere reminds us all that we don’t need to have a doctorate in ministry to share our stories to people we meet, which is exactly what Mike is doing.

Tenth Avenue North are musicians. No, they’re not theologians, nor are they preachers who know everything there is to know about the kingdom. They’re like you and me, which gives us comfort to know that being a Christian doesn’t mean we must have it all together. And that’s ok, when we don’t. When we falter and fail. That is what is so invigorating and encouraging about these talks by Mike- they’re not sugarcoated to be this formulaic encouraging motivational talk- far from it. Mike’s ‘sermons’ if you will come from a place of just being human, and realising a few little things about life and God along the way.

This Message Mondays post is devoted to Tenth Avenue North, as were some of my previous ones, but rather this one is a major throwback- devotionals of songs from The Light Meets the Dark, quite possibly the most influential album from the band that I’ve heard to date. So rather than writing an expose today, I will provide youtube links to devotionals that lead singer Mike Donehey filmed about songs from The Light Meets the Dark (Healing Begins, Any Other Way, The Truth is Who You Are, You are More, Strong Enough to Save). All these 5 devotionals have impacted me in my walk with Christ period, and hopefully you can be encouraged as well. So without further ado, here are the devotionals that can be viewed below. Let us know in the comments how these devotionals have inspired you today. Enjoy watching. Check these songs out on iTunes/Spotify. And have an edifying and encouraging week ahead. Til next time.