West Virginia
Artist: Krista Lesher
Artist: Krista Lesher
During a conversation between Becky and me, we were discussing things about Mountain Momma Rising ministry and the Lord dropped in my spirit a song that my dad wrote. I sung the lyrics of the song and realized this song was a prophetic call to "the prodigals!" My spirit leapt because I knew the Lord was bringing this song to my remembrance, "for such a time as this"! It is a right now song that needs to be released in the hills of Appalachia.
I got with two of my spiritual sons as they committed to helping me recreate a prophetic sound and melody for the song to be re-released with permission from my dad, of course. We worked on the song for about a year until the right sound came forth. I released the song on August 8, 2023 and it is available on all streaming platforms.
The song 'West Virginia' was written in 1982 by my dad, BB Secrist. This song was originally released in Nashville by my dad in 1983. He wrote this song while driving a truck for the coal mines. He was actually on his way to work when he began to sing the lyrics and while at work he finished the writing of this song, 'West Virginia'. My dad released this song at the West Virginia State Capitol before the Senate and Governor prior to the Governor's Address. I believe the song was a prophetic release in 1983 that rang throughout the state of West Virginia. I recently told my dad, that if he realized it or not, the song carries a prophetic call, "a clarion call!" 'West Virginia' carries a two-fold meaning of heritage and a call to come home! What do I mean?
Heritage- We all have a heritage that goes back before we were born. I personally have a rich heritage of preachers in my family line. Not only that, but a heritage of music and intercessors too. My great great grandmother whose name was Annie and whose log cabin you see as the cover of my Album, was a mighty prayer warrior. She used to hold prayer meetings in that little log cabin that had a dirt floor. My great grandfather, Bill Secrist, got saved while playing a guitar for a prayer meeting in the little log cabin. Later, He became a preacher of the Gospel. This is my heritage.
There are many 'Saints of Old' that have dug spiritual wells for our families and we must pick up where they left off to carry the gospel for the generations to come. Now, you may not have a heritage like this, but can I tell you, "IT CAN START WITH YOU!!!" You can be the Annie or the Bill in your family. Start digging wells for your family to pick up and run the race spreading the gospel until the end.
Deuteronomy 6:4-11
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. 10 When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied,
Call to Come Home- What do I mean come home? In the chorus lyrics of the song it states, "West Virginia I hear you calling. Mountain Momma I hear you say. Come on home boy, you've been gone too long boy. I'm going back, going back to stay." I can hear the call to the prodigal to come home. I can see a momma on her knees or on her face calling out for her children or her grandchildren that have strayed and spent their inheritance on wayward living just like the prodigal in scripture. And it's time to come home and stay in the arms of the Father!! Maybe this is where you are, again, set the tone for your family and hit your knees and declare that your prodigals are coming home!
The Parable of the Lost Son
Luke 15:11-24
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
I got with two of my spiritual sons as they committed to helping me recreate a prophetic sound and melody for the song to be re-released with permission from my dad, of course. We worked on the song for about a year until the right sound came forth. I released the song on August 8, 2023 and it is available on all streaming platforms.
The song 'West Virginia' was written in 1982 by my dad, BB Secrist. This song was originally released in Nashville by my dad in 1983. He wrote this song while driving a truck for the coal mines. He was actually on his way to work when he began to sing the lyrics and while at work he finished the writing of this song, 'West Virginia'. My dad released this song at the West Virginia State Capitol before the Senate and Governor prior to the Governor's Address. I believe the song was a prophetic release in 1983 that rang throughout the state of West Virginia. I recently told my dad, that if he realized it or not, the song carries a prophetic call, "a clarion call!" 'West Virginia' carries a two-fold meaning of heritage and a call to come home! What do I mean?
Heritage- We all have a heritage that goes back before we were born. I personally have a rich heritage of preachers in my family line. Not only that, but a heritage of music and intercessors too. My great great grandmother whose name was Annie and whose log cabin you see as the cover of my Album, was a mighty prayer warrior. She used to hold prayer meetings in that little log cabin that had a dirt floor. My great grandfather, Bill Secrist, got saved while playing a guitar for a prayer meeting in the little log cabin. Later, He became a preacher of the Gospel. This is my heritage.
There are many 'Saints of Old' that have dug spiritual wells for our families and we must pick up where they left off to carry the gospel for the generations to come. Now, you may not have a heritage like this, but can I tell you, "IT CAN START WITH YOU!!!" You can be the Annie or the Bill in your family. Start digging wells for your family to pick up and run the race spreading the gospel until the end.
Deuteronomy 6:4-11
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. 10 When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied,
Call to Come Home- What do I mean come home? In the chorus lyrics of the song it states, "West Virginia I hear you calling. Mountain Momma I hear you say. Come on home boy, you've been gone too long boy. I'm going back, going back to stay." I can hear the call to the prodigal to come home. I can see a momma on her knees or on her face calling out for her children or her grandchildren that have strayed and spent their inheritance on wayward living just like the prodigal in scripture. And it's time to come home and stay in the arms of the Father!! Maybe this is where you are, again, set the tone for your family and hit your knees and declare that your prodigals are coming home!
The Parable of the Lost Son
Luke 15:11-24
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
I believe with all of my heart that the song, West Virginia, will ring again throughout the hills of Appalachia and release this two-fold purpose within it to spark a fire in moms, grandmothers, dads and grandfathers to either pick up or begin leaving a legacy and heritage within families of WV. I also believe a clarion call will ring out into these hills and hollers to "woo" the prodigal back home into
the arms of the Father!
the arms of the Father!