In the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings, many people—particularly those who survived the tragedy or were directly affected by it—are leaning on their faith to cope, while others may be questioning their spiritual beliefs. (“Why did God let this happen?”).

Inspirational singer/songwriter Lisa Lynne Mathis addresses such challenges (and joys) of faith on her recently released album, “Hancock Place.” On her single “Anchor,” which was written after her friend survived the tsunami in Sri Lanka, she sings:

With the ruins at my feet
You lecture me of hope
Your words are lost on me
Can’t you see, I’m just trying to cope?

… I can’t see my way clear through the haze of this hell
But I want to believe You are there,
tell me are You the Anchor?

Also influenced by Hurricane Katrina, Mathis says of the song on her website, “I became acutely aware of how culturally as Americans we rush to the scene of the story and, once the viewers start to lose interest, we abandon the victims who will be spending YEARS trying to piece their lives back together. ‘Anchor’ is a reflection on what is going on in the human spirit after the cameras are gone, realizing the desperate need to know what anchors you. Is it family, your money, your identity in your work, or your spiritual grounding?”

Mathis, who has toured with rocker Liz Phair during Lilith Fair, and has played alongside the Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan, and Bonnie Raitt, now performs regularly at the Riverside Church in New York City.

To watch the music video for “Anchor,” click here.