Tasha Layton is “in the house,” talking about her new song, “Never,” and how it’s a reminder that she is never forsaken, and always safe in God’s hands. Do you need that reminder today?
Catch hope & encouragement with Erica on weekday mornings from 5:00 AM – 10:00 AM, and Sundays from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
TRANSCRIPTION:
Erica:
SPIRIT 105.3. This is Erica.
Tasha Layton:
Hi Erica. It’s Tasha Layton. How are you?
Erica:
Tasha! It’s so wonderful to hear your voice. How are you doing is the question?
Tasha Layton:
Oh, I am cold. It is a blizzard up in Nashville right now.
Erica:
Okay. We’ve got a blizzard of rain going here in Seattle today. I think I’ll trade with you. Oh yeah. How much snow did you all get?
Tasha Layton:
We probably got six to eight inches of snow where I am, and my kids are currently in their snow bibs outside building a snowman.
Erica:
How fun! Now, would you like to be out there with them or are you more of an outside snow girl?
Tasha Layton:
I’m typically an outside snow girl, but this week, man, I just could not get warm. I was so cold. I was like, okay, you guys go play in the backyard. It’s fenced in, it’s private, it’s safe. You guys knock yourself out.
Erica:
I think personally the best part of playing out in the snow is coming back in for the cocoa.
Tasha Layton:
Yes, we have done that multiple times for sure. And they’re sleeping great because they’re wearing themselves out.
Erica:
It’s so true. And isn’t it crazy, Tasha? We’re all grown up, but some of my best memories involve snow as a kid.
Tasha Layton:
Absolutely. It was such a special thing. It didn’t come around that often for us in South Carolina. So, when it did snow, we were super stoked.
Erica:
It was magical. The school shut for days I bet.
Tasha Layton:
Yeah. And we do that here too in Nashville, because we’re not sure what to do with the snow.
Erica:
And when your kids wake up and you’re like, it’s a snow day, what kind of reaction do you get?
Tasha Layton:
Oh, I mean, my kids are almost four and six, and so this is just so fresh for them still. And so, they’re just so excited. They can’t even contain themselves.
Erica:
I’m so glad. Well, I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately for two reasons. We’ll get to your song in a second, but first, your daughter got a hold of the scissors I saw. What happened.
Tasha Layton:
She marches to the beat of her own drum. Erica, I can’t even describe to you what a big personality she is. And a year or so ago, she decided to cut her bangs without us knowing. And so, she cut her bangs. It looked crazy. I went and had it fixed. And then a year later, last week, she just decided, you know what? I’m tired of growing ’em out. I’m going to cut ’em again. And so, I have purposefully hid the scissors for a year so that she didn’t get a hold of them. But my son in kindergarten, he has a little pair of kid scissors in his backpack, and she managed to get ahold of them. So, we are not safe in this home from Lila and the scissors.
Erica:
Is she going to grow up and be a hairstylist, do you think?
Tasha Layton:
Whatever she does, she’s going to be the boss.
Erica:
Yes.
Tasha Layton:
You just need to pray for me parenting her. Just pray for Keith and I.
Erica:
I will. And here’s where it’s all going to come back in such a beautiful way someday when she brings home a handsome boy, when she’s like 25, 30, you’re going to pull out those pictures and have the last word, mom.
Tasha Layton:
They’re definitely going to be on a slideshow at the wedding for sure.
Erica:
I just love her. I loved your post. And the other thing, I’ve been thinking about you so much, I got a text from the worship leader at our church and she said, Erica, what is the song that’s playing right now on the radio? And I said, oh, that’s Never, by Tasha Layton. And she’s like, Oh, okay. So I know I’m going to be hearing that in church. Tasha, before we talk about this song, what does it mean to you to think that people are going to be singing songs, already do, that you created in church to praise God?
Tasha Layton:
Oh, it’s so humbling. I mean, it’s like everything you pray for and everything you hope that your life would come to, as you’re in ministry and serving people. Your hope is that something you have to offer helps them connect with God. And when that happens, it’s just, you realize what a small part, you’re playing in God’s grand plan, and it’s just beautiful and amazing. And I never get tired of it. And I never get used to hearing people sing those lyrics because it’s so special. And I know that God is using the music. And for me, the songs have been testimonies, but when I need it, they’re witnesses. They’re reminders of, Hey, this is what God did. Don’t forget. Because I think we can all come to that place sometimes when we can forget.
Erica:
Yes. Well, it’s like in Bible times when they would build rock altars, altars of remembrance. That’s what these songs are. It’s like, this is what God did for me. This is what he can do for you.
Tasha Layton:
And the Israelites, every time they found themselves in trouble, it was because they didn’t remember who God had been to them. Because when they look back, then they could look at their current circumstance and say, okay, God, you’ve been faithful before, you delivered us out of Egypt, you parted the waters… You were a cloud by day and a fire by night. You provided manna in the desert. You did all these things for us so we can trust you right now. We can trust you with our future.
Erica:
That is so beautiful. I love just thinking about these things with you. Tell me this story behind this song because I got to tell you, it’s extra powerful. It just fills my soul every time I hear it.
Tasha Layton:
Well, I wrote this song because I had always wanted to serve God with my family. And I was into my thirties and still wasn’t married, still didn’t have kids. And this dream of being able to be in ministry and do it as a family was what I thought God had given me. And it’s like when it wasn’t happening, I was like, well, God, did you really say that? Or are you holding out on me because I’ve done something wrong? Or do I deserve this pain that I’m walking through? Or… all those questions we ask in our humanity. And when I finally did get married, we struggled with infertility and it was one battle after another. And I think this song is an anthem to remind me that times where I felt forgotten, now that I’m on the other side of it, I can look back and say, no, I was never forgotten. I was never forsaken. I’ve always been safe in God’s hands and he’s always been working it out. I just couldn’t see it.
Erica:
It’s so true. Sometimes you just can’t see it. But I love what you said earlier, it’s part of his grand plan for us, all of it. And knowing your story makes me love the song even more. But I got to tell you, when I was growing up, my grandmother would always do this thing. She’s Italian. She would say, don’t ever say the never word. Once you say, this never happens, it’ll happen. And I feel like I’ve always lived with that. And now you’ve turned it on its head for me because every time I think of that, oh, don’t say never or whatever, I think of your song and all of the promises of God. So, it’s cool how God can flip something around in your mind for good.
Tasha Layton:
It’s done that even for me, Erica, I feel that too. My grandma said the same thing to me growing up. I think that’s always been a mantra. I’m not going to say, I’m never going to do this. Then God’s going to call me to do it.
Erica:
Right!
Tasha Layton:
But seriously, it has turned it around for me too because when I hear that word, it solidifies God’s faithfulness for me. It’s like he will never let us down, ever. Never, never, never, never, never. It just solidifies it in my mind.
Erica:
Oh, that is wonderful. Well, we are so excited. You’re coming to the great Pacific Northwest in just a few weeks. Have you ever been here before?
Tasha Layton:
I have. I’m so excited. I love people in that area. There’s something special and super friendly that I’ve found with believers at churches there, and just so sweet. I cannot wait.
Erica:
Well, We are so looking forward to having you dear. Thank you for spending some time with me today, and I hope you enjoy your cocoa with your kids when they come in melting. I remember those dates. I’ll, you’re such a blessing. Thank you, Tasha.
Tasha Layton:
So are you. Thank you. The honor’s mine.
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