The "Reckless Love" singer says his nearly completed country project gave way to a renewed commitment to worship music.
Cory Asbury says he abandoned a nearly finished, 20-song country album after sensing that God was calling him back to worship music, despite having accepted a $500,000 advance for the project.
In testimony shared on social media and reported in April 2026, Asbury described a decision that involved his music, his family and his understanding of his calling. The singer said the country record was almost complete when he became convinced he needed to change direction.
"I had taken a $500,000 advance for a 20 song country album," Asbury recalled. "And it was pretty much done."
According to his account, he contacted his wife, Anna, to explain what he believed the Lord was asking him to do, including the possibility of returning the advance. They agreed to step away from the project.
The decision followed a difficult period in Asbury's relationship with the Christian music industry. He described discomfort with the commercial aspects of worship music and acknowledged that his frustration had developed into cynicism toward the church.
"Basically, I was running from my calling," he said. Asbury also reflected on his own attitude, acknowledging that his criticism of others had required personal examination.
His return to worship carried a particular hope for listeners who shared that disappointment. Speaking about the worship record he was preparing at the time, Asbury described wanting to recover the wholehearted faith and enthusiasm he remembered from his younger years. He hoped the music would encourage people who had become disillusioned and help them believe that renewal remained possible.
For the artist known for "Reckless Love," the experience brought the song's message into his own life. Asbury connected his return with its picture of God pursuing the wandering individual, describing himself as someone being called home.
