Dear Marianne

This song gets me every time I listen to it. The lyrics are from the POV of a spiritual mentor addressed to a young woman and friend named Marianne, whom the singer has brought to Christ ("Then came the day when the light overcame the dark") some years prior.

The implication is that they haven't seen each other (or communicated meaningfully) in quite some time ("All of these years, I have worried and wondered, what's become of you..."); and the spiritual elder of the two (in the faith) is concerned whether the younger woman's conversion to Christ was genuine, and she has continued to grow in her walk of faith:

"You were seeing clearly then Did you really understand?"

Although the spiritual mentor is concerned enough to broach the issue, she does so uncertaintly, hesitantly, and cautiously, so as not to offend or be misunderstood:

"Sent as a gentle gift, My lips are tentative..."

and,

"But all of these years haven't taken my love from you. Try to understand, My dear Marianne..."

By the middle of the song, the author expresses a mild lament for past mistakes, along with a desire for more spiritual discernment and wisdom in her witnessing interactions with others, both past, present and future:

"Sometimes I say too much, many times not enough, I'd like to find that fine line..."

consciously recognizing that the spiritual walk of a new "babe in Christ"—indeed, all believers— is not going to be perfect:

"Where He gives us time to grow, room to fall gracefully..."

but filled with ups and downs, mistakes (sometimes even costly ones! but never abandoned by God) leading to lessons learned as we grow and change and become more like Christ in our lives.

The last chorus/conclusion of the song is perhaps the most profound and poignant, and should read:

"All of these years, I have worried and wondered What's become of you. But all of these years haven't taken His love from you. I'll leave you to His hands My dear Marianne."

This is where the spiritual elder has come to the conscious reaffirming that God is both the Author and Finisher of our faith; and that He will be faithful to watch over the loved one ("[b]eing confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ"--Philippians 1:6) independent of both parties' respective life circumstances. It is with this realization that they are able to "let go and let God (be God)" at least in this particular circumstance.

As the listener, I have been on both sides of the situation, in the "waiting and wondering" part of life's journey. It is simply a beautiful song; and Christine Denté sings it so well!