Track #10: “This Is My Lift”
A song from "The Jacked Up Life Soundtrack" to go with Chapter 10, Jacking Up Your Purpose.
This morning’s post picture is of the Santorini gondola lift—the one that hauls tired tourists from the Old Port up to the whitewashed cliffs of Fira. But I didn’t wait in the long line to board it. Four cruise ships had just docked, and I wasn’t in the mood for a line of sweaty sunburns and selfie sticks. So I climbed the 600 broad steps carved into the cliffside—steps traditionally traveled by donkeys ferrying travelers uphill. Except this time, I was the donkey. Carrying my own baggage. Step by step. One labored breath after another.
And yet, as I climbed, I thought of how often in life we’re waiting on a lift when God is saying, “Nope—it’s time to climb.” Restoration and transition aren’t always easy, and they’re rarely convenient. But sometimes we need to hit bottom so we finally start looking up.
“This Is My Lift” is the final track on The Jacked Up Life Soundtrack, and it was written as an anthem of surrender and rebuilding. There’s a familiar sound to it—somewhere between hopeful pop and stripped-down worship—but it wasn’t written from a mountaintop moment. It came from a valley. From questioning what was next after stepping away from my last pastorate—wounded, tired, but still loving the people and the place I left behind. I thought it would be foolish to apply for ministry roles while still healing. So I’ve waited. Wrestled. Written. Rested. Grieved. And now, six months later, I’m choosing to trust the One who lifts the lowly. Not perfectly. Not without fear. But step by step.
If you’ve ever been there—wondering what’s next, unsure of your value, exhausted from the climb—this one’s for you. You’re not jacked up because God forgot you. You might be jacked up so He can lift you in a way that brings you even closer to Him and more healing to you than you could ever lift on your own.
So here we are at the end of this musical journey—but not the end of your journey. Or mine.
Thanks for walking through The Jacked Up Life with me—book by book, beat by beat. If it’s moved you, encouraged you, or just made you feel a little less alone, I’d be honored if you streamed a song, bought a book, or shared the project with a friend.
And while I’m beyond thankful for God lifting my spirits, thank you for the opportunity to lift yours.
—Michael
Stream the soundtrack: Spotify | Apple Music
Read the book: The Jacked Up Life – Amazon
Share the lift. Tag someone who needs encouragement today.