"Always" is a ballad based on a true story of tragedy and to me, is similar to "Praise You In This Storm," by Casting Crowns. The song is on Building 429, the self-titled debut album on INO Records, which is now my favorite overall album by this great band. They have really found their niche with this release.

"Always" is the most powerful song I’ve ever heard by Building 429. This is truly an album and band worthy of being named after Ephesians 4:29, which is a great life verse.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

I had the opportunity to speak with Jason Roy about this song and here are his comments.

"I wrote this song based on a true life experience. After a concert, a woman standing in the pouring rain waited to meet me for what I thought was an autograph request. Instead, the woman just held out a picture of her son, and said, 'He would have been 3 today.' She explained that her son had been killed. That moment scared me and rocked my world. As I came around from behind the table, I gave the woman a hug and wrote down her son’s name.

I couldn’t sleep that night, and around midnight, I wrote the first verse of this song and the chorus. I sent it to my manager, and we talked about how we all have something in our life that is unfair.

The second verse is my story. My father just left our home when I was five years old, and I grew up without a dad. I change the verse to 'I was barely holding onto faith' when I sing it live. My dad was a drug addict, but has since gotten clean and accepted Jesus. I’ve actually been able to sing the song for my dad, which was amazing! My dad also gave his testimony on the 700 Club, and hundreds called in after the show and many accepted Jesus as their personal Savior.

The bridge is for all our friends and family who are lost and broken, and if we had one chance to say something to them, this is what I would want to tell them: When an innocent child is murdered, when a father walks out on his family, when life seems completely unfair, there will be moments that will undoubtedly brings us to our knees, asking the question, 'God, where are you?' If we listen closely, I believe He would say: 'My child, I am before you. I will be long after you, and always I will be with You.'

This song is a true story of two people who faced that very question and found peace in the midst of the storm, knowing that God would never leave them!

This record is a new beginning. It is no longer about what everybody wants us to be, or what we think we should be, but a season of finding what God has in store for us. I'm more confident than I've ever been in my life when it comes to my calling, when it comes to my brothers and when it comes to my band. That confidence is not in myself. That confidence is in the fact that the Lord is going to do something great with us. We're just excited to be along for the ride."
- Jason Roy, Building 429

Here are the lyrics to "Always"

I was standing in the pouring rain one dark November night
Fighting off the bitter cold when she caught my eye
Her face was taught and her eyes were filled, and to my surprise
She pulled out a photograph and my heart just stopped inside
She said, “He would’ve been three today
I miss his smile, I miss his face”
What was I supposed to say, but

CHORUS
I believe always, always
Our Savior never fails
Even when all hope is gone
God knows our pain and his promise remains
He will be with you always

He was living in a broken world, dreaming of a home
His heart was barely keeping pace when I found him all alone
Remembering the way he felt when his daddy said goodbye
Fighting just to keep the tears and the anger locked inside
He’s barely holding onto faith
But deliverance is on its way, cause

CHORUS
I believe always, always
Our Savior never fails
Even when all hope is gone
God knows our pain and his promise remains
He will be with you always

Friend, I don’t know where you are and I don’t know where you’ve been
Maybe you’re fighting for your life or just about to throw the towel in
But if you’re crying out for mercy, if there’s no hope left at all
If you’ve given everything you’ve got and you’re still about to fall
Well hold on, hold on, hold on, cause

Chorus

This song "is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Eph 4:29) The orchestral arrangement and Jason Roy's sincere vocals cause me to break down, and this song sweeps me up in worship and hope in God's promise that He will be with us "Always!"

You can listen to the song here.