"Blessings" is a song by American
contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music, also known as CCM, Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christian faith and s ...
singer-songwriter
Laura Story
Laura Mixon Story Elvington is an American contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter. ''Billboard'' ranked her as the 40th Top Christian Artist of the 2010s. She has won a Grammy and six GMA Dove Awards. Her second studio album, ''Bles ...
from her 2011 album ''
Blessings''. It was released on February 21, 2011, as the lead single. The song became Story's first
Hot Christian Songs
Hot Christian Songs is a music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It ranks the popularity of Christian songs using the same methodology developed for the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, the magazine's flagship songs c ...
No. 1, staying there for four weeks.
[Chart dates for "Blessings":
*June 25:
*July 2:
*July 9:
*July 16: ] It lasted 34 weeks on the overall chart. The song is played in a
B major
B major (or the key of B) is a major scale based on B. The pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A are all part of the B major scale. Its key signature has five sharps. Its relative minor is G-sharp minor, its parallel minor is B minor, and its ...
key, and 116
beats per minute
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery ( ...
. It was certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA).
Background
Laura Story married her partner Martin; two years later he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Story learned that despite his life-threatening illness, they saw how God never intended for people to provide for themselves and that instead of walking alone they would need to rely on Jesus's help. ''Blessings'' was written to describe how God will allow things that are not immediately understood to happen, but from a different perspective they are a means of spiritual growth. The song is also about how sometimes material possessions are not what God wants for believers, and it lends the idea about how character, along with what is in someone's heart, is ultimately more important.
In an interview with FreeCCM, Story learned that during the writing process she realized there was one choice to judge God based on circumstances not understood, and another based on circumstances for what was held to be true of God's nature, with her choosing to trust God. She explained that ''Blessings'' is about finding the answer in "the absence of the thing
..praying for."
Release
"Blessings" was released on February 21, 2011, as the lead single from her second studio album, ''Blessings''. The song won multiple awards in 2012, these being:
Top Christian Song at the
Billboard Music Awards
The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by '' Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of ...
, a
Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
for
Best Contemporary Christian Song,
Song of the Year and
Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year at the
Dove Awards
A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Award ...
.
Track listing
;CD release
#"Blessings
(Performance Track with Background Vocals)" – 4:58
#"Blessings
(Performance Track / No Background Vocals)" – 4:57
#"Blessings
(Performance Track / High Key / No Background Vocals)" – 4:57
#"Blessings
(Performance Track / Low Key / No Background Vocals)" – 4:57
#"Blessings" – 4:57
Awards
Grammy Awards
GMA Dove Awards
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{authority control
2011 songs
2011 singles