Sidewalk Prophets initially were formed at Indiana's Anderson University, where front men and main songwriters Dave Frey and Ben McDonald met. They won New Artist of the Year in 2010, and have received multiple Dove Award nominations for Group and Song of the Year. Their debut album These Simple Truths delivered the smash No. 1 singles "You Love Me Anyway" and "The Words I Would Say." 

Their sophomore album Live Like That released March 27, 2012, and their lead single and title track was already a hit song and plays a strong part in the overall messaging from the band, along with the hit follow-up single, "Help Me Find It." Live Like That sums up the theme of this great band's mission which is to reflect Christ in their songs and actions. Their song "Save My Life" beautifully expresses, "I am just like everyone, Jesus I need You, I need Your Love, to save my life." That's what Easter is all about, recognizing our need for Jesus to be our spotless Lamb sacrificed to save us, offering us eternal life if we believe in Him.

As we celebrate our Lord's Resurrection, I am reminded to live out the words of John 3:30 (NKJV): "He must increase, and I must decrease." That's a Bible passage that guides me daily as a follower of Jesus, a husband, a father, and a writer for NewReleaseTuesday.com. Every song on this album has ministry impact and I have consistently been listening to the album since it released. After songs about committing to live for Jesus and celebrating His love, there are a few vulnerable prayer songs that take my breath away. I had the great opportunity to interview lead singer Dave Frey about his great new song "Keep Making Me," which is my favorite song they've recorded to date.

Please tell me the personal story behind writing this song.

This is hands-down the most personal song on our album from my perspective. It was the second song we wrote for the album. We were thinking about the idea of praying about wanting to be broken. We wanted to really challenge ourselves to think about what that means in our lives. We started to think of the paradox of Jesus dying on the Cross. You take the most innocent Person Who ever lived and He was tortured and died. That's the saddest thing that's ever happened in the world. Yet, it is the most beautiful thing that has ever been done.

That paradox has always been at the center of my heart. Those times when I've felt like I've had no hope, we have hope in Jesus. It was the greatest sacrifice that was ever made, and my heart wrestles with that every day. I'm a single guy, and the line "make me lonely" punched me in the face. "Make me empty" is important so that we can fill those empty places in our lives with God. I thought about what it means to pray "make me lonely." I am praying to God to make me so dependent on Him that He becomes my life and I'm not searching for someone else to fill the void in my life.

As a single guy, I had so many friends tell me that they were looking for the right person and the moment they gave that up to God, and decided to stop trying so hard, that's when God showed them the person.

It's important to remember that in God's time, things will happen. If you can be fully trusting and loving Him in those moments of loneliness, emptiness and brokenness you are going to be greatly, greatly rewarded. Not monetarily or emotionally, but spiritually. You will live a life that others long to live. It goes back to "Live Like That." In the days that Jesus lived, in those days of sorrow when Jesus saw things that made His heart hurt, He went and He did. He helped. He laid down His life so we can have life.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song? 

The verses that inspired this song come from Psalm 51:1-2, 10-11 (NIV): "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me."

John 3:30 (NKJV): "He must increase, but I must decrease."
  
What is the takeaway message?

There's so many times in life when we have to pray scary prayers. Those prayers, that once you're finished with them you wonder if you really want God to do what you've asked. When you are open enough to God to pray with that kind of reckless abandon, that's when life can really begin. That's the beauty of it. When you're raw and open and honest, He is love. He will never give up on us. That's my prayer. That He'll keep making me. Even if that takes being broken or lonely, even if I don't feel like it, I pray that He'll keep making me into the person that He created me to be. 

I think the key to it all is praying those scary prayers and living life on the edge, allowing God to make us uncomfortable so that we might do great things for Him. If we're made lonely, then we'll know what it's like when we truly find love. If we're broken we'll know what it's like to heal. If you change your life and set it towards His grace, I promise you it will be an awesome journey and you will see the world change around you.

Lyrics:
Make me broken
So I can be healed
'Cause I'm so calloused
And now I can't feel
I want to run to You
With heart wide open
Make me broken

Make me empty
So I can be filled
'Cause I'm still holding
Onto my will
And I'm completed
When You are with me
Make me empty

'Til You are my one desire
'Til You are my one true love
'Til You are my breath, my everything
Lord, please keep making me

Make me lonely
So I can be Yours
'Til I want no one
More than You, Lord
'Cause in the darkness
I know You will hold me
Make me lonely

"Keep Making Me" is a piano based ballad in the style of "You Can Have Me" and it is my favorite track on the album. The song features Dave's personal, vertical and honest lyrics being lifted up as a prayer opening with "make me broken, so I can be healed, 'cause I'm so calloused, and now I can't feel, I want to run to You, with heart wide open, make me broken."  The stirring chorus has already become a staple in my time of personal devotions to God--"'til You are my One desire, 'til You are my One true Love, 'til You are my breath, my Everything, Lord please keep making me."

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." 

That quote says it all. What God is constantly reminding us is that love isn't easy. It's constantly reminding us that there are days when you don't feel like loving. It's so important to do and to let people see your heart. Even if it's broken, God is always there to mend it. That's what this song is about. Have the courage to pray to God, "Lord, please keep making me." Amen to that!

(Watch the lyric video here.)