Patriotism. The power of prayer. The joy of adoption. Miraculous healing.
All these topics are covered on the four-song EP by singer/songwriter Michael Feighan called, “Someone Prayed.”
Though Feighan has been a professional musician throughout his adult life, he never dreamed he would ever do more than become a top-10 drummer and singer in Christian music.
“If someone asked me last year, ‘Do you think you’ll be having an interview with Tracy for The Alabama Baptist about an album?’ I would have been like, ‘What? What are you talking about?’”
However, while Feighan was playing with the Christian rock band Whitecross, a friend and mentor suggested the idea to his wife.
“He said, ‘Michael needs to do a solo album.’”
Feighan’s wife responded with, “‘Oh, that’s really nice.’ And he goes, ‘He needs to do a solo album and I’m going to help him do it,’” Feighan related.
When he got home, his wife told him he needed to call this friend. Feighan also thought it was “really nice” of him to suggest the idea but knew there was no way he had time to take on the project. Plus, he had no idea where to start.
‘It’s got to be now’
“And then COVID hit, and my plate was cleared. I was like, ‘Oh, okay. If I’m ever going to do it, it’s got to be now.’ I jumped in with both feet and now I’m on this whole different path. It’s so bizarre. I’ve got these songs and this EP coming out. It’s awesome but it’s crazy.”
The songs on the EP reflect Feighan’s life, he said.
“I Still Believe” is a patriotic song written for his dad, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Mike Feighan. He and his wife hoped it would be out by Independence Day, but it wasn’t released until Aug. 27.
“With all that the world’s going through, it wasn’t an easy song to write but it came out so well,” Feighan said. “So, when we missed the 4th of July date, we were kind of discouraged. But now with everything that’s happening with Afghanistan … Wow. It couldn’t have been better timing for this to come out.
“The goal was to give hope back to our country and what it was built on — God.”
Feighan’s wife also noticed this year is the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, to which Feighan said, “Oh, my goodness. God, You’re pretty cool,” speaking about God’s perfect timing of the release.
Joy in the darkness
“Joy of Life” speaks to a dark time when his wife’s breast cancer progressed into bone cancer. During one 10-week hospital stay, Feighan looked out the window, noticed it was a beautiful day and that many were outside enjoying it. He realized he was in a “bubble of darkness,” and started relying on Mark 11:22-25 in which Jesus says to “speak to your mountain.”
Feighan’s wife has since had a miraculous healing.
Adoption and children are the focus of, “Before Time Began.” The first verse is about adopting their then 8-year-old daughter, Tatiana, from Russia. The second verse was written by Matt Bissonette, producer of the EP, about his son. The third verse ties them together, talking about how all are God’s children.
“The last song, ‘Someone Prayed’ is a really special song,” Feighan said. “This song talks about in life, with everybody, there’s ups and downs, there’s highs and lows, sometimes they can get so low that you don’t have the strength to pray. That’s when there’s family, friends or even people you don’t even know standing in the gap, praying for you.
“Or you’re one of the people standing in the gap for someone else,” Feighan added.
“My wife always says, ‘Everyone has a “someone prayed” story.’ Even people who aren’t believers, someone’s praying for them. I’ve sent [the song] to friends and relatives who are not believers and it’s always been the same response. They’ll start telling me a story — ‘My mom is always praying for me. My dad is constantly praying for me. My grandma, my grandpa … .’
“That kind of stuff excites and blesses me to hear. It’s really touching people.”
Feighan said he leans on Galatians 3:13 to help him when life gets difficult.
Eyes up
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. I looked up what the curse was in Deuteronomy 28 and then [went] through it to see everything we’re redeemed from. I would think, ‘Wow, this is powerful.’ Especially with what my wife went through — anything from physical to financial to mental to spiritual — Christ has redeemed us and I have the authority to fight this thing that’s attacked me,” Feighan said.
“This business, especially now, can be tough and can get discouraging. But I have to just keep going back and going, ‘God, if You opened this door for me the way You did, I’ve got to really keep my eyes on You and be patient.
“I’m just so thankful to God [about] how this whole project came out. It’s such a blessing to me,” Feighan continued. “With what my wife went through we are so much closer to God and we just can’t wait to get out and minister these songs to people.”
The full EP “Someone Prayed” will be released Oct. 15 and the official video for “I Still Believe” already is on YouTube. To share a “Someone Prayed” story or find out more visit www.michaelfeighan.com.
