Last week, a quiet heaviness settled over me.
Some days it was just a passing feeling. Other days, it felt like I was standing on the edge of something deeper, something I knew I didn’t want to fall into. I’ve come to recognize those moments. That subtle shift when your spirit feels off. And thankfully, I’ve learned how to pivot before it pulls me under.
Not everyone catches it in time.
For many, that feeling becomes an engulfing abyss, one that’s incredibly hard to climb out of. I don’t take it lightly that I’ve been given the awareness and the tools to fight back when those moments come.
Because they do come.
I’ll be honest. I’ve never mastered the idea of being “happy” all the time. But I have learned this: when I feel myself slipping into that downward spiral, I reach for what I know can pull me out.
One of my greatest lifelines? My friends.
I remember a moment from years ago that changed how I handle those days. I skipped a weekly event I always attended. I just didn’t feel like being around anyone. My friend Chris noticed and reached out. She didn’t tiptoe around it; she asked me directly why I didn’t show up.
I told her the truth. I was feeling down.
Her response stayed with me:
“Marlene, on the days you don’t feel like being around people… those are the days you need us the most.”
That hit me.
She reminded me that we’re not meant to carry everything alone. That friendship isn’t just for the good days. It’s a lifeline for the hard ones. It brought to mind Ecclesiastes 4:9-10:
“Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”
From that day forward, I made a decision: show up anyway.
No matter how I felt.
And every single time I did, something shifted. The laughter, the connection, the simple presence of people who care. It always lifted me higher than where I started.
But there’s another source of strength I lean on even more deeply.
The Lord.
He is the friend who never misses a moment. The one who steadies me when life feels overwhelming. And let’s be real. Life will test you. Between the noise of the world and the unkindness that can come out of nowhere, it’s easy to feel drained if you’re not anchored in something stronger.
For me, that anchor is Him.
And I’m grateful, not just for His presence, but for the gifts He’s placed inside me. One of those gifts is creativity. The ability to tell stories through music that speak to the soul.
That’s where Grace Notes Media was born.
This ministry is more than music. It’s a message. Each song is a reminder that no matter what you’re facing, you’re not alone. There is hope. There is strength. There is rest.
In fact, during this past week of melancholy, one song in particular carried me through:
“He Will Give You Rest.”
It met me right where I was and gently pulled me back to peace before I could drift any further.
If you’re in a place where your spirit feels heavy, don’t isolate yourself. Reach out. Show up. Lean on those who love you.
And most importantly, lean on Jesus.
Because you were never meant to carry it all alone.
Here is a link to my latest song, written to inspire anyone needing a reminder that no matter what you are going through, He Will Give You Rest. View on YouTube.
This song is based on Matthew 11:28 (NIV), which says, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Voice of Hope by Marlene 