Hold My Heart: A Song of Surrender, Faith, and Strength
TL;DR
"Hold My Heart" is a deeply personal worship ballad inspired by my father’s battle with Lewy Body Dementia, a journey that began with his diagnosis in October 2018. In one of his final prayers, he said, “God, hold my heart,” and those words became the foundation of this song. With lyrics that wrestle with pain, doubt, and ultimately faith, this song is a declaration of trust in God—even when life feels unbearable. My father’s harmonica, one of his last recorded performances, brings a raw, bluesy emotion to the song. I hope it encourages anyone struggling to hold on.
The Story Behind Hold My Heart
Some songs are just music. Others are a cry from the soul. Hold My Heart is the latter.
In October 2018, my dad, Willy, was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. It’s a disease that slowly steals the person you love, piece by piece. Watching my dad—a brilliant blues guitarist and harmonica player—lose his ability to do what he loved was devastating. It was one of the hardest seasons of my life, and honestly, it tested my faith.
There were moments I felt completely overwhelmed, like in the first verse:
Stuck in this moment and I can't breathe
I'm sinking again, crippled by emotion
Grief feels like drowning sometimes. Like you’re stuck in a moment of pain, unable to move forward. And in those moments, doubt creeps in. I heard the lies telling me to turn away from God, questioning His presence in all of this.
But faith isn’t about never doubting—it’s about what we do when the doubts come.
I hear the lies that tell me turn on You
That You're not real, so what can You do?
I know I'm free if I stand on the truth
That truth—the thing I kept coming back to—was that God had never failed me before. Even when I felt knocked down, He never left me. And if I truly believed that, I had to make a choice: would I praise Him anyway?
A Song of Surrender
The chorus of Hold My Heart is a simple but powerful declaration:
Yahweh, Yahweh, Yahweh, Yahweh
I want to sing I am Yours anyway
Yahweh, Yahweh, Yahweh, Yahweh
I want to give You my praise anyway
There’s something about saying anyway that shifts everything. It’s easy to praise God when things are good. But when you’re facing heartbreak? When your prayers aren’t answered the way you want? That’s when faith becomes real.
And that’s what this song is about—choosing to worship, even in the pain.
My Father's Final Gift
One of the most emotional parts of this song is my dad’s harmonica playing. Even as his health declined, I knew I wanted his music to be part of this. It took three hours to record—his hands weren’t as steady, his breath not as strong—but he gave it everything he had.
That harmonica, full of soul and struggle, became one of his last recorded performances. Every note carries his legacy, his love for music, and his faith.
Why This Song Matters
The bridge of Hold My Heart is a turning point. It moves from brokenness to strength:
I won’t stay stuck here on the floor
I'll hold my heart and I'll say that I'm Yours
It’s a reminder that while grief is real, it doesn’t have to define us. That even in the hardest moments, we can stand up, take our broken hearts, and give them to God.
This song is for anyone who’s struggling—for those in the middle of loss, fear, or doubt. It’s for those who feel like they’re drowning, wondering where God is in their pain. I hope it reminds you that you’re not alone.
Listen & Share
If Hold My Heart resonates with you, I’d love for you to share it. Whether you're walking through loss or just need a reminder of God's presence, this song is for you.
🎧 Listen here: Hold My Heart - Spotify
📢 Share your story with me: https://www.instagram.com/tinasmithmusic/
Thank you for listening. My father’s legacy lives on through this music, and I’m honored to share it with you.