2013 Tobymac Hits Deep Tour

I lied.

In September I swore I was done with concerts after my husband and I sat through a mildly miserable Taylor Swift show with our two young daughters. Swift’s talent and charm couldn’t compensate for our horrible seats, the extremely late night, and the fact that Sophia, 6, cried for 20 minutes before finally falling asleep.

Mandisa on stage with Brandon Heath.

But when I heard Mandisa was part of the Tobymac Hits Deep tour, I reconsidered. I adore her, not just because of her powerful voice, but because her positive, upbeat songs have been part of my spiritual journey this year, with “Overcomer” serving as my unofficial theme song.

The video features true heroes: GMA anchor Robin Roberts, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton, all of whom have bravely overcome life-threatening challenges. It really puts my everyday “problems” in perspective.

It was an evening of inspiration for Serina, 8, Sophia and me (we let Daddy sit this one out). The line-up was awesome, featuring big contemporary Christian artists Brandon Heath, Jamie Grace, Colton Dixon and others. Each performance was packed with passion, talent, energy and truth. The artists spoke, and sang, from their hearts.

Sophia rocks out to Jamie Grace.

My girls and I, who sat through much of the Taylor Swift concert, actually danced and clapped through most of this one.

Plus, these tickets were a fraction of the price. Sponsored by WAY-FM, the event was conveniently located at the Von Braun Center’s Propst Arena so we only had to drive to downtown Huntsville — not downtown Nashville.

Jaime Grace brought everyone to tears as she talked about her battle with Tourette syndrome, but she quickly brought everyone to their feet with “It’s a Beautiful Day!” Brandon Heath’s “Give me Your Eyes” also got the crowd moving, as did each singer who shared their music with fellow believers.

As the headliner, Tobymac was the biggest draw for many concert-goers. He didn’t disappoint, delighting with hit after well-known hit, including “Speak Life” and “Eye on It.” I especially love “Steal My Show.” The song helps me remember that no matter where I am or what I’m going through, I need to focus on God’s will, not mine. He’s on stage, not me.

Mandisa posed for photos after the concert. She is a strong, beautiful young woman packed with talent!

As expected, Mandisa touched my heart most of all, as she reminded us that no matter what we are going through, we are overcomers.

“Flip to the back of the book,” she said. “We know what happens.” Jesus was the original overcomer; he went through the ultimate sacrifice to save us all.

Then she took it away, belting out “Overcomer” with her glorious voice. We were all overcome by God’s presence and love. The place was ablaze with “flashlight” apps from smartphones. For a few hours on Sunday, Propst Arena was more than a concert hall; it became a giant house of worship, where thousands of Christians, in sync with these talented artists, rocked the house.