Avril Lavigne in Brasilia, Brazil in May, 2014 Credit: Breno Galtier/Wikipedia/Creative Commons

Canadian rock star Avril Lavigne, 34, has surprised everyone with the recent release of a song that some describe as a worship song.

Called Head Above Water, this was her first song after taking a five-year break from public life due to her battle with Lyme disease, an infectious debilitating disease commonly spread by ticks.

In 2015, she released information that she had been battling Lyme disease since 2014. The disease kept her bed ridden for months. On her website, Avril described how her struggle with the disease led to her most recent hit:

“One night, I thought I was dying, and I had accepted that I was going to die. My mom laid with me in bed and held me,” she said. “I felt like I was drowning. Under my breath, I prayed ‘God, please help to keep my head above the water.’ In that moment, the song writing of this album began. It was like I tapped into something. It was a very spiritual experience. Lyrics flooded through me from that point on.”

The song already has 6.5 million views since it was uploaded to YouTube on September 19, 2018 and in a matter of a of days was the top downloaded song on iTunes.

Head Above Water not only described her battle with the disease, but as well a growing trust in God through this struggle:

The song starts out with Avril describing her personal fight to keep her head above water and then transforms as she begins talk about trusting God during her struggle:

God keep my head above water/Don’t let me drown/It gets harder/I’ll meet you there at the altar/As I fall down to my knees/Don’t let me drown/Don’t let me drown

Many of the YouTube viewers were quick to pick up the theme that she was crying out to God for help during her struggle with Lyme disease:

gilson antido 13 hours ago

God changes people 🙂 Godbless Avril 🙂 Psalms 37:4

Born in Belleview, Ontario Canada on September 27, 1984, Lavigne’s French Canadian father named her Avril, the French equivalent of the month of April.

Critics have described Lavigne’s music as alternative and pop rock with a mix of post grunge — code words for heavy rock. Avril signed her first record deal worth $2 million at age 16 and has gone on to a very successful career selling 40 million records and 50 million singles world-wide. She is the third best-selling Canadian female singer behind singing sensations Celine Dion and Shania Twain.

Avril who has also started her own clothing line and had several acting roles on TV and movies is married to Chad Kroeger, the lead singer for the Canadian rock band Nickelback.

As I have stated in the past, as the cultural elites try to find ways to intimidate Christians into silence in the public square, God will find unique ways to get His message out:

⁴⁰ But He [Jesus] answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19:40 NKJV)

Sources:

• Avril Lavigne cries out to God in Emotional, Chart-topping song: Christian Headline
• Avril Lavigne releases first song in five years — and it’s a worship song: CBN
• Avril Lavigne Was ‘Bedridden’ Following Battle With Lyme Disease: Rolling Stone
• Hear Avril Lavigne Recount Lyme Disease Battle on New Song ‘Head Above Water’: Rollingstone