August 18, 2009 • By Ana Guthrie

I was just 12 years old when Whitney Houston's "I'm Every Woman" hit the airwaves. The song-and its accompanying music video-dripped with empowerment and, without question, was a sisters' anthem. I admired the way the little all-girl dance troupe pranced and grooved to the tempo. I pretended to be a part of their posse. Picture me-an already curvaceous, but lowly pre-teen-trying to copy the choreography the way Beyonce's fans today attempt to nail the "Single Ladies" dance moves.

At the time, I had no idea who Chaka Khan was…much less did I know that she originally sang the hit song. So, years later, I finally discovered that it's "Chaka Khan" and not "Share the love" that Whitney was saying at the end of "I'm Every Woman" (I really don't know how I thought that in the first place).

Anyhow, in my young mind, Whitney Houston was regal.

She still is.

After her highly-publicized drug addiction, a turbulent marriage to bad-boy Bobby Brown and a subsequent bitter divorce, Whitney's gotten a long-overdue life makeover. Girlfriend is back…and looks fierce, to boot!

Whitney is singing a new song.

That song is "I Look to You," her first release off the much-anticipated album of the same title. In a music arena where most songs are hyper-stylized, this number stands out for its organic feel and simplicity. Whitney's voice is majestic, the production pared down. Its purity allows listeners to truly focus on the ministry in the lyrics. No doubt, the "you" in I Look to You is the Lord.

What a fitting ballad to testify just how good God has been in Whitney's life. What a splendid melody to demonstrate how the Lord allowed her to go from sufferer to survivor. She's no longer hooked to drugs and is instead sprung on life.
Whitney is grooving to a different tune.

It's no wonder that when asked by Clive Davis (Arista record label owner and Whitney's mentor) why she chose this song to be the album's banner, the songstress humbly replied "This song says all I have to say."

"I Look to You" moves me today the way "I'm Every Woman" did 16 years ago. I've had it on repeat for two days now, especially during my prayer time. The tune uplifts me in a sister-to-sister, girlfriend-you've-overcome-so-much kinda way.

And you'd better believe Whitney knows a thing or two about overcoming. A quote comes to mind, "The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it."

Whitney, congrats to you for triumphing despite the storm. The world is celebrating your glorious comeback.

This, indeed, is your moment.

 

 

 

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