Finding Myself For Greatness in Jekalyn Carr, “Greater Is Coming”
Some say that every song has a different meaning and they can sometimes define who you are. I was preparing to go to church one Sunday morning, and I heard the song “Greater Is Coming ” by Jekalyn Carr. At the start of the song Jekalyn says,” An olive has to go through three stages for its oil to run. / It has to go through the shaking, beating, and pressing./ And just like they olive some of you may have felt like you have gone through the shaking, beating, and pressing./ You went through all of that for your oil to run now your greater is coming.” As I listened to that song I thought of a Bible verse. Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 2 and 3 say, ” And the lord answered, and said, write the vision, and make it plain upon tales, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surly come, it will not tarry.” Not only were the words of the song speaking that verse of the Bible to my heart, but this song defined me as a person, how I felt in my life and who I am now and plan to be. I felt the shaking in my religion. A s I grow older I understand more and want to be more involved with church. The beating was my perseverance beating to come out and make me a better person and stay true to who I want to be. The pressing was my goals and dreams, pushing me forward to achieve them and more. Those reasons are just the start of how this song defines me.
My religion is where I feel a shaking that is preparing me for greater things. Being raised in the church with my family is something that we all cherish and believe. The song the “Greater Is Coming” is a song that we sing, dance, and mime to in my denomination. I feel that when Jekalyn says, “if it had not been for the shaking./ I never would have been ready for the making”, it means in my beliefs. I felt that I’ve been in church all my life and my belief has anchored me to make better decisions. As well as I’m growing older and wiser, I’m starting to understand what church is about. As I grow it is a shaking in the presence. It is a change happening as I get more involved with my church and God. That shaking is a good shaking its preparing me for what I have to come. It’s helping me build a better foundation for myself. Just that is the very thing that the song says “There’s a shaking in the spirit./ Preparing me for greater.”
My perseverance has kept me rooted in my beliefs and life. Perseverance is something that growing up I had to develop and maintain, as a child being told you can’t do that, you won’t do that. I use persistence and I did it. In the song it says ” If it had not been for the beating,/ I would have never know how anointed I would be”. I feel like beating in my perseverance telling me go forth, do it big, and don’t stop till it is done. My perseverance anointed me to shine bright and do the impossible. That there is an amazing thing to have as a mindset. My backbone is built on hard work and endurance. I try to share my endurance with others so they too can have stronger perseverance. Perseverance is a character trait that you gain over the years and it’s a beating that you feel once you develop it.
To me pressing is pushing, striving to do or have something done and I feel that I have been pressing to get my dreams and goals. “If it had not been for the pressing./ I wouldn’t be able to walk into my destiny” the song says. There is a blessing in my life and I am pushing and striving not to only prove those didn’t believe in me, but also to those who believe in me. The week I heard Greater is coming I set three goals. Attend Johnson and Wales for culinary, become a chef in the White House, and open a business with a second chance program. It is never too hard to lose sight of a dream. I’ve pressed and accomplished attending Johnson and Wales and I will continue to press to accomplish my other goals. I feel a pressing in the spirit to do better and be better.
When I set in church and heard the song I feel my heart cry and understanding to what the song meant. It is truly amazing to have a song move you and shadow your life in ways you will not fully understand. I feel this song is me. I’m that olive and I am shaking in my religion, to be stronger with Christ. I feel the beating in my perseverance giving me strength to move pass the bad discouragement. I am pressing my way to achieve my goals and lead a new way. I’m preparing myself for greater and that is what the song says. Not only does this song speak on who I am but it helps me open up and feel comfortable with myself. I agree every song means something and I feel this song means me.
brooksmarkayla 