Living With Eyes Wide Open

My husband and I are big Voice fans and look forward to it every season. Season 29 just wrapped up, and wow—the talent this year was absolutely incredible! Honestly, I couldn’t even decide who I thought should win because they were all so good.

The winner, ​Alexia Jayy, performed “One and Only”​ for the finale, and I had actually never heard that song before. She has a HUGE voice and did an amazing job, but what really caught my attention wasn’t just her performance. It was the reactions.

The ​coaches were visibly emotional​. They were wiping away tears, and Kelly had a hard time even getting her words out. It was one of those moments where you just know something deeper is happening. So I went back and listened to it again.

At first, I was trying to figure out what it was about the song that stirred such a strong response. It’s originally by Adele, and I wouldn’t have thought of it as a spiritual song. But the more I listened, the more I started to hear it differently.

There was a choir behind her during the performance, and something about the whole moment felt almost sacred. And then it hit me—what if it is?

What if, even without being labeled as a “faith song,” it can still speak to something deeper? What if the meaning we hear depends on the lens we’re listening through?

It reminded me of past seasons—like when ​Bodie sang “Gratitude.”​ I’ll be honest, that performance had me in tears. I’ve watched it more times than I can count. When someone openly shares their faith, it’s easy to recognize what’s happening. But this time felt different.

It made me wonder…what if God is speaking even in the places we don’t expect?

What if His truth is woven into songs, stories, and moments all around us—and we just need eyes to see it and ears to hear it?

We may never know exactly what Alexia Jayy was feeling or thinking in that moment, but I’ve come to believe this: when our hearts are open, we can find glimpses of the Gospel everywhere.

In music. In movies. In conversations. In unexpected moments that stop us and make us wonder what just happened.

Not everyone will see it the same way, and that’s okay. But when we choose to live with our eyes wide open, we begin to notice that God is always speaking, sometimes in the most surprising ways.

Maybe this week, we can listen a little more closely.

“Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 11:15)

April 24, 2026 Morning Brew

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