The Dallas-based singer/songwriter BETHANY DILLON talks us through the tracks on her new album

When I read the words of Jesus right before he was delivered up to be crucified, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done," I realise that he DID drink the cup, and I know that the fullness of sin (including mine) was in that cup. Because of this, because of what Jesus has done, the way I come before the Father is completely different! There's now a way where there was no way before!

Hebrews 4:14-16 says it best: "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the Heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses,
but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

The forgiveness and reconciliation found in Jesus is staggering. The freedom that we who are in Christ have is ETERNAL! Jesus has changed everything.

"In The Beginning" - This past year, Shane and I were invited to a writing retreat for the second instalment of the Glory Revealed projects. Our friends David Nasser and Mac Powell rented a little hunting lodge in the backwoods of Georgia for a week and invited a bunch of songwriters/friends to camp out and write for the project. The unique thing about the Glory Revealed CDs is that they are 100 per cent Scripture.

One morning while our group was praying, this melody hit me. I kept humming it quietly, and when we were done, I bolted outside with a guitar. I'd been thinking about that promise in Isaiah 55: "For as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

How solid is that promise! That time spent in Georgia planted a lot of seeds in my mind about weaving Scripture into the songs I write. If he promises that it won't return void, why not sing it and say it as much as possible? After all, it speaks deeper and truer than I ever could.