'Unwanted Prayers' by Maria Hassel and Travis Jacobs [Listen]

There are a lot of prayers you’d like to make it through life without having to pray, and questions you’d rather not have to ask.

I met Maria Hassel years ago while she was intern at the radio station I worked at.

Preparing for the usual intern I assumed it would be the usual checking off of a college assignment, and I would sign her paperwork for the experience.

I had no idea I was in store for such a hardworking, talented human, and life long friendship.

After the loss of my sister in May the outpouring of love and prayers from people has helped put one painful foot in front of the other.

Maria made the move from Sioux Falls to Nashville, and sent me the hook to this song she wrote wrestling with questions and sadness.

I've been introduced to questions and prayers I could never have imagined I would have had to say. I have also met so many people walking through their own pain.

Unwanted Prayers Song lyrics written and performed by Maria Hassel. Recorded and mixed by Bret Ferguson. Video created by Anita Jacobs, and poem by Travis Jacobs.

Unwanted Prayers

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Oh the hell if I know

The hell if I know

And we say God's plan just to give a reason, but I need an explanation

Give me an explanation

Tell me why do bad things happen to good people, cause they happen to good people

I see the sunrise every morning, but I haven’t felt any warmth since my sisters been gone

Nothing seems to make sense to me anymore except for the hook in this song

I’ve never understood and still don’t understand why good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people

And I don’t understand why some people would think I would find any comfort in knowing that my greatest pain is part of some greater plan

The night my soul was torn open my heart was thrown out I watched it crushed into dust and blow away like sand

I also know because of her love my sister Tess never left

And on the days that I can barely breath He promised He would never leave

I know there’s still promises in pierced hands

There will always be at least one set of foot prints walking in the sand

I know that He can take a crushed man that can barely stand and build sand castles in the sky and pack em extra tight with the ten thousand gallons of tears that I’ve cried

And when you’re on the receiving end of pain you’ve never planned on

I know He will carry you until you can carry on

I will never understand why some things happen to some people

But I know good people can make this place feel a little more equal if they would keep doing good things