The Story Behind 7eventh Time Down's "Just Say Jesus"

During an exclusive interview with Hallels.com, Mikey Howard, the lead singer from 7eventh Time Down, shared the story behind their hit song, "Just Say Jesus."

Kim - Let's talk about "Just Say Jesus." Everyone can relate to that song because we've all had moments where life overwhelms to the point that it hurts ot exist. You can't find words and all you can muster is the name of Jesus. When you were writing the song, what moments in your own life came back to help drive the song?

Mikey - It wasn't one single thing; it was a culmination of moments and trials. For me, the biggest moment in my head was when I came to know Jesus. I grew up in the Bible belt, going to church every Sunday. I walked up front when I was eight years old because I'd seen all of my friends do it. Don't get me wrong. I was always intrigued by Jesus. It wasn't like I didn't love him. But I never let him change me. I never accepted him as my Savior. I guess what I'm saying is that from the time I was eight until I was 15 years old, I just ran. I had all of these moments where I didn't have words. All of them led to me feeling like I was at my rock bottom. I was young and I didn't fit in at school. I decided to take the artsy path, doing music. I had grown up being pretty popular doing sports so I went from having tons of friends in middle school to no friends in high school. I was kind of the odd-ball and I was angry at God during my first year of high school but he stayed after me. I remember, it was a Wednesday night and I got home from youth group and I was really wrestling with God and my salvation. I was like, "Listen, it's all or nothing. I'm ready." I called my youth pastor and said, "Listen, this may come as a shock to you, but I'm not saved and I haven't been saved for a long time. I have nothing left and life sucks. I need Jesus. I want what I've been talking about for all of these years." He was shocked. He thought that because I came from a good home and had been brought up in church that I had it all figured out. I had even been playing Christian music, but I was as far away as anyone can be from God. That was a scary place for me to be because I knew that all of my friends thought I was a Christian. I had to tell them all, "Hey, I've been living a like because I'm not really saved."

Even after I got saved, I went through my fair share of moments. We shared stuff like that when we were writing the song. For all of us, it was like, when you've got nothing left, when you've got nothing to say, there's still one name that is stronger and more powerful than all of the stuff in life. We forget, sometimes, as believers, to just call on the name. We hear it all of the time in church, but we forget to say it ourselves.

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