Julianna Zobrist on Faith, Perseverance, Image, and 'Most Personal' Album Yet
Recording artist Julianna Zobrist is on a mission to spread the word of God using her music. It may surprise you, though, to know that Zobrist was reluctant to call herself a Christian at first: a unique opportunity presented itself, allowing her to finally stand in her faith.
"I grew up in a Christian home," Zobrist told The Christian Post, "where being a Christian was very normal, even cool. That's where I was when I was growing up, in the mindset of it just being normal, nothing 'profound' in my understanding of what Christ had done … hadn't struck me to my core."
When Zobrist was a sophomore, she attended a conference meant to equip students with the resources to evangelize to complete strangers. That, Zobrist said, was when she was faced with the questions of "what do you believe? Are you willing to put yourself on the line for Christ?"
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At that moment, Zobrist explained, was a moment with the Lord.
"He was saying, 'You've either got to stop calling yourself a Christian because you're giving me a bad name, or something has to change.' He rescued me, brought me out of darkness into His life. That's the moment His grace became so profound because it wasn't about me- it was about God and embracing His salvation for me," she explained.
Since then, Zobrist has taken the name of Christian seriously and has used her God-given talent to deliver two powerful CDs. "The Tree" was released in 2009 and helped show Zobrist who her audience truly was. Then she learned "whom I was talking to and what stories to share with them."
Her second album, "Say It Now" has done well on iTunes and Christian billboards and features one song that is rather special to Zobrist. "'Behind Me' is a specific story about a dear friend," she told CP.
"We all have things we want to go back and erase, and the Lord gives us the opportunity to redeem our lives and for Him to change us and that's what the song is about … someone crying out for God to help him/her leave something behind, something he/she wishes not to have done … It's the most personal."
One other message that Zobrist wants to spread is meant for women and young girls alike.
"Stop trying to be so perfect- it's a false gospel!" she warned. "God left us here for a purpose and didn't create you to be this perfect, Godly girl. We all place expectations on one another that can become idols in our lives as we attain to live up to them."
"I want to set girls free from that bondage that we place on one another, and on ourselves- be who you are in Christ! Allow your need for a savior to be shown, because that's why He came! That's the story behind 'Say It Now,'" another track on "Say It Now."
Julianna and her husband, Ben Zobrist, will next be appearing at Tropicana Field in Florida on Aug. 4, from 12:00-2:00 p.m. For $5, fans will get Julianna's latest CD and both Zobrists' autographs.
Both of her albums, "The Tree" and "Say It Now" are available on iTunes and Amazon.
