Andrea Olson
Andrea Olson is a passionate worship leader, songwriter and worship-leading coach based in Minnesota. Andrea has always felt a deep calling to lead others into an encounter with God and deepen their relationship with Him. Through worship experiences, songs, and resources for the Church, she desires to help lead people across the bridge to get from where they are to where they want to be in their walk with the Lord.
Her new song “Good Shepherd” is about the opportunity we have to be prayerful and grateful towards the Lord. Inspired by Psalms 23:1-2, Andrea shares her heart behind the song.
Psalm 23:1-2, in The Passion Translation, says,
“Yahweh is my best friend, my Shepherd. I always have more than enough. He offers a resting place for me in His luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace near the quiet brook of bliss.”
There have been many times over the last few years that I have felt shaken. Or it has felt as though the world around me was falling apart. But those times also highlighted my dire need to stay connected to my Savior.
There is absolutely no option otherwise. I need Him.
Filled with the refreshing truths of Psalm 23, this song is a glimpse into the journey I have been on with the Lord.
The song, “Good Shepherd”, is a song of prayer and gratitude for the body of Christ.
In difficult seasons, it can be hard to remain confident in what we know is true. In those times, we need to speak or sing out the truth to realign our hearts with the confident hope we have in our Savior.
I wrote this song with Meredith Andrews and Chris Clayton. And as we sat together sharing the current struggles in our lives, we laughed, we cried, and at the end of the conversation, Meredith said,
I am realizing more and more that no matter what, as long as I stay tethered to Him…I know I’m going to be okay.
Out of that, we began to sing and worship together. And as we did, these lyrics started to flow…
My closest friend, my confidence.
The safest shelter I can run to
And though I fail, You never will
So I’ll stay tethered to my good Shepherd
The world says run faster; go harder; do more. But our call is to come closer. Draw nearer. Be still.
Because when we choose to turn down the noise of this world and stay connected to our Good Shepherd, He replaces fear and worries with restoration and revival for our lives.
We have clarity and purpose for the path ahead. And we live with peace because no matter the valley we walk through, He has already conquered it.
This song is an encouragement for our hearts as followers of Christ. A reminder of the close relationship the Lord desires to have with us.
It’s an opportunity to remind weary souls of the truth about who He is. That He is our shelter, peace, and joy, and even when our lives feel shaken, a prayer of thanksgiving that reminds us His track record is perfect, so we can always trust where He leads.
Now more than ever, I am reminded of my daily need to slow down and be with the Lord. There is a calm in those moments that connects me to Him in intricate ways that carry me through my days.
So as life seems to get more fast-paced and complex, as long as we stay tethered to Him, we will be okay…because He has everything we need.
Andrea Olson | “Good Shepherd”
Lead “Good Shepherd” with your congregation.