A screen shot from 90 n’ 9’s new music video, Let Me Trust, features Katie Heximer, who said her personal prayer time with God informed the lyrical and musical direction of the song. Photo courtesy 90 n’ 9 band

Music as a prayer

By  Mary French, Youth Speak News
  • August 12, 2020

Katie Heximer knows the majestic sound of a symphony or the melodic mixture of chords can quickly captivate an audience. But the co-singer and songwriter for the Christian band 90 n’ 9 finds greater power in writing or singing lyrics that reflect life’s journey and can be offered to God as a prayer. 

“Even though times are difficult, putting faith and trust in God, I will get through, even though it seems scary and impossible,” said the 29-year-old from Barrie, Ont. “This is what I was thinking of as I wrote the lyrics, ‘time to sink or float. It is time to put trust in my faith in God.’ ” 

These words feature prominently in 90 n’ 9’s second original song, “Let Me Trust,” unveiled on YouTube with an accompanying music video on July 27. 

Working on the video in collaboration with the Barrie-based St. Mary’s Parish and the eight-member group’s creative director Maddy Main, “Let Me Trust” is a video inspired by Matthew 14:27-31 — “Peter went down from the boat and walked upon the waters to come to Jesus.” The music video features Heximer and some of her fellow bandmates crooning the song on a boat dock against a lake backdrop. Images of other bandmates playing their instruments from home fade in and out of the video.

Heximer said that singing “Let Me Trust” is a powerful experience because its message touches her “on a personal level.”

She and her collaborators hope the song will strike a similar chord with listeners as its message to trust God is as significant as ever in a world still weathering a pandemic. 

Just as the band name 90 n’ 9 pays homage to the famous parable of the lost sheep, this group focuses on expressing Christ’s love for all His flock.

“We are bringing a new contemporary view on Christian music,” says Heximer. “We want to make this music available to everyone and, in this way, bring people to God.”

The group recently performed for a virtual praise and worship night hosted by the Catholic Charismatic Youth Council (CCRC) of the Archdiocese of Toronto. The Community of the Risen Lord (CRL) Youth Ministry Band also headlined the concert that was streamed by the archdiocese.

The CRL Youth Ministry Band shares a similar doctrine with 90 n’ 9 of playing music to offer praise and thanksgiving to God. The members have been playing together for eight years, travelling to CCRC events throughout Canada and the United States.

“God is so gracious to us in blessing us with the gift of music and, through worship, that is what we want to bring back to people,” said Christina Perera, 31, the team’s worship leader. “Every sound, every instrument, everything that is played, heard and sung, is to bring the baptism of the Holy Spirit back into their lives, back into the Catholic churches.”

Perera said all band members are aware that to keep their music authentic for audiences, they must remain attentive to their own relationships with God.

“It is not just singing but a time to be with God, our Father/Papa. We all look forward to that time with God, whether it be in public or our personal prayer life,” said Perera. “Once we connect with Him, we can help others be authentically connected to Him. Our worship is totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to lead us.”

(French is a third-year student at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College in Barry’s Bay, Ont.)

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