Krista Bennie: Music/Lyrics

• MP3 short clip, hi-fi play (broadband)
• MP3 short clip, lo-fi play (modem)

Little girl, you’re so young but you’ve learned to be brave
You grew up so fast so you could deal with all your pain
Every time he left, was another stab, that you were not worth his time
Now you try to be what they want to see and you hide behind your smile
Only 16 you give yourself away trying to find love in a stranger
But instead you're in more pain and you find you're emptier

CHORUS
But you don’t have to be who they want you to be
No you do not have smile
Cuz I can see your pain and I am here to say
I'll walk this road with you

Two years ago I was on that road tryin to find a reason to live
I was scared and hurt and I got so good at not letting anyone in
You can see my footprints on that path right next to yours cuz I found self worth in a night
But it was on that road that he found me there and he took my hand and said

CHORUS

BRIDGE
Let him take your pain, let him set you free
He is strong enough to be your everything
He’ll always be there to hold you when you’re scared
When no one understands or cares
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This song is multi-faceted in that it came out of many different experiences. I was a Young Life leader and it was the best time and hardest time of my life. My girls were so great and I loved being around them but they also told some stories that broke my heart. Living 19 years without Christ left me with my fair share of mistakes and scars and experiences that made their stories all too familiar. The second verse is obviously my ability to relate to them. This song is a declaration to young girls that I understand what they are going through and I want to walk with them. I realize its humanly impossible to be friends with every middle school/high school aged girl but I hope this song brings a message of hope to broken innocence and dreams. The title came from when my boyfriend had taken me to the airport to send me off, I was crying but was trying to smile it away and he said "Krista, you don't have to smile." It was a huge thing for me to hear and I think it's something that everyone can benefit from hearing in this "tough up, do-it-yourself" world.