Pop/rock band SHINEBRIGHT (formerly known as Shine Bright Baby), is comprised of husband and wife Nathan and Emily Fertig. Their first album, Dreamers, introduced this high-energy band with hit songs "Beautiful Love" and "Love Restores." Now, with a new name and their second project--Only You--SHINEBRIGHT has refined its sound and sharpened its focus. 

"The change in our name to SHINEBRIGHT from Shine Bright Baby gets to the heart of the message that we are meant to be lights in the darkness," said Nathan Fertig. And they do that by writing songs about pursuing the hope they've been given.

"I want to spend my life dreaming big God-sized, God-given dreams, not my own," said Emily. "And instead of holding onto those dreams so tightly like secrets, to start speaking life into them. It's easy to be scared of rejection and failure, but imagine what God may do in our committing to those dreams out loud, investing in them through prayer, and leaning on God and His promises." 

Emily Fertig talked with me about the band's new single, "Reckless For Love." 

Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

Jonathan Thulin--who is featured on the song--and Shawn Cavallo from Manic Drive were writing a song together, and they had decided it wasn't going to work. I was working on songs with Jonathan for his album and our album, which both came out this year, and I asked if I could hear the song they were working on.

David Thulin--who produced the album--and I got our hands on the song and completely changed it. That doesn't usually happen. I felt compelled to finish the song and give it a new direction. I love the word "reckless" and wanted to use the word in a song. It's not negative at all. 

It fits what I am trying to convey, and for me I was thinking of Jesus. He's the hero of the whole Bible. I was thinking of the way He spent His time on earth. He very graciously but also very firmly stuck it to the religious leaders. I was thinking about the way He spent time with people that made other people uncomfortable, and He turned over tables in the Temple. He did things with purpose, and in a way that He didn't care what other people thought, or about the consequences. Jesus was really focused. I like how Jesus was unapologetic and that's what I was thinking about with this song.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

Acts 20:24 (NKJV): "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."

Philippians 2:14-16 (NIV): "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing." 

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of faith."

2 Corinthians 9:8-11 (MSG): God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out. This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.

What is the takeaway message?

This song is about living and loving recklessly because that's what Christ did for us. The kind of love Christ showed us is spontaneous and passionate. We don't have to worry about consequences or what people think of us. We just need to live with a bold faith and let God lead us. Everyone has a lot to give and you're not disqualified to serve God for the reasons you think you are disqualified, like feeling like you are too far away from who you are supposed to be, or your age, whether you feel you are too young or too old. It's all about continuing to run the race.

Our band name is based on Philippians 2:14-16, and the latter part of that passage talks about not running the race or laboring in vain, as if it's of no value. I'm not going to claim in any respects that I don't deal with fear, because I do, and there are so many variables in our daily lives. It's very hard to not feel anxious. I like the idea in the song of moving forward until you feel that the fear is broken, and that you're not going to let it stop you. To be honest, fear hasn't stopped us. We've kept moving forward, and kept running until the fear is broken. Besides being poetic, it's very true.



Lyrics:
Look ahead on the road that's in front of you
Picture it being all that you want it to
Sometimes life makes you think you won't make it through
But get back on your feet
Get back up 

And run run run with your heart wide open
Run run run til the fear is broken
All you knew seems to fade now this is your time
This is your time

There is always something more
Change is waiting at the door
We're running faster than before
Cause we're reckless for love
Yeah, be reckless for love
You can leave it all behind
Scale the distance, space and time
Keep running for the finish line
And be reckless for love
Yeah, we're reckless for love

Don't look back as you stand on the border line
Don't let doubt tell your heart that you're out of time
All you are and will be starts to intertwine
You've got a lot to give
You've got a lot

We are reckless for love
We are reckless for love...
Yeah, be reckless for love

In his book The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis wrote: "To love at all is to be vulnerable. If you love anything your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it in tact you must give it to no one. Not even an animal. You can wrap it around carefully with hobbies and little luxuries. Avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in a coffin or casket of selfishness. But in that casket, safe and dark, airless and motionless it will change. It will not be broken. It will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable, to love at all is to be vulnerable."

I often feel like a "dull" person that isn't showing God's light in my life, but SHINEBRIGHT's songs on Only You are very affirming reminders to know that my life shines for Christ, even on my bad days. This song has a catchy and engaging melody, and the theme is a great reminder and challenge to be reckless for love in our worldly culture and society. I think we forget those words quite often as followers of Jesus by keeping Him to ourselves.  That is probably due to our shame over our own sinful natures and concern that others will consider our actions hypocrisy if they really know us. The Good News of the Gospel is that we don't have to pretend we've got it all together.

That is certainly an area of sin in my life. I find myself wondering how I can "do" more to earn love from God and people.  Only in the Name of Jesus and putting our faith in His sacrifice on our behalf can we be free from sin, shame and hypocrisy. 

This is a great and challenging song for believers. Many times we keep our faith to ourselves or maybe we just talk about the love of Jesus with fellow Christians. If the spirit of love is a basic element in Christian faith, then the expression of love is an integral part of faith. This expression of love constitutes faith in action. This song reminds me to be more intentional about what I do. This song invites listeners to ask themselves the question how can you be reckless for love? Remember these words, "All you are and will be starts to intertwine, you've got a lot to give, be reckless for love." Amen to that!


Check out the lyric video: