FFH: Still the Cross

By Belinda Elliott
CBN.com Producer

CBN.com – About a month ago I heard a song on the radio that caught my attention. As is the case every few months, this new song required that I update my “must purchase” list. It came as no surprise when I later learned that the powerful voices behind the song “Still the Cross” belonged to FFH. From the very first time I heard two of the group’s early hits, “One of These Days” and “Big Fish,” I was hooked. I’ve been a fan ever since.

The band’s newest offering provides a mixture of the funky pop that FFH fans have come to love along with a few more mellow ballads. Band members have called their newest project a “labor of love” that allowed them to have a more hands-on approach than past albums.

Since their last album, several of the band members have celebrated life changing milestones. Jeromy and Jennifer Deibler became parents with the birth of their first son, Hutch. One year and one day later, band member Brian Smith and his wife welcomed their daughter Elaine Grace into the world. The band brought these and other experiences into the studio with them as they worked on Still the Cross. The result is a collection of powerful songs that speak about life and issues faced by all of us.

All ten songs on the album were written or co-written by band members. In “The Long Haul” band member Jeromy Deibler speaks of marriage and the commitment required to make it work. “Another Day With You” – a sweet ballad that songwriter Michael Boggs describes as “just a little country love song” -- speaks about meeting that special someone. “You and Only You”, co-written by Jeromy and Michael, was inspired by Jeromy’s son Hutch.

Another experience that the band draws from is the death of their friend’s five-year-old son, Trevin Dilfer. Trevin, the son of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Trent Dilfer, died from a rare infection. Band members wrote “Cover Me” using entries that Trent made in a journal in the days before his son’s funeral.

The song honestly expresses the raw emotions we experience at the loss of loved ones or in the midst of trials. It acknowledges God as our source of strength and healing during these times.

Your ways are higher
Your love is stronger
And through this pain
You’ll cover me
Your grace is greater
When there are no answers
And through this pain
You’ll cover me

Of course the album would not be complete without the fun, toe-tapping pop songs that have made FFH so popular. Fans will not be disappointed.

“You Drive, I’ll Ride” is upbeat and catchy, encouraging listeners to let God be in control of their lives. Another cheerful melody, “Without You,” features a contagious chorus that praises God’s continuous love and presence. This feel-good rock song will be stuck in your head long after the CD player is turned off.

But it is in the title track, “Still the Cross,” that listeners will find the band’s heartfelt mission. After more than $1 million in sales, seven No. 1 radio hits, and 17 Top 5 singles, the band’s single purpose continues to be pointing people to Christ.

“No matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, the message of the cross is still the same,” the band writes on the album’s jacket. “It’s a message of hope.”

“Still the Cross” eloquently speaks of that hope.

When the world falls apart
And you fear for your heart
There’s a tower of peace
It’s still the cross

So bring your sick and your poor
And your longing for more
To the place of relief
It’s still the cross
There is hope for the loss
It’s still the cross

Purchase Still the Cross

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