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Despite her strong personal convictions, Ledisi's statements of faith appear more frequently in interview than in song. The soul singer readily admits her third disc focuses less on an alliance with God and more on the connectivity of human relationships in the here and now, though an undercurrent of spiritual belief deliberately supports this polished set. The album's first single, "Alright" is positively upbeat with infectious urban hooks and contagious melodies supporting lyrics of hope amidst adversity, a light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel type of mindset that works well for the once down and out diva.

However, the experienced songstress at times foregoes her morally centered insights for more suggestive fare. "Joy" surrogates its spiritual dimension with the sexual dalliances of two young lovers. Provocatively professing her desire to redeem a man with the kind of compensation only God can truly issue, Ledisi sings: "Can we do this, make love by the moonlight?/Let me hold you, give you what you need/There ain't nothing I wouldn't do to please you … Can I be the one to bring you joy?"

It can be easy to mix messages in a genre often dominated by themes of sex and self. But as her career continues to bloom, Ledisi seems increasingly determined to submit to the Almighty and let the rest fall into place. "I've learned to move with my gut feeling, and to ask God for guidance," she told USA Today early this year. "My mom always told me, 'Just focus on one thing at a time and finish it, and everything you want will come to you.' And here it is, coming to me."

But her career continues to bloom, Ledisi seems determined to submit to the Almighty first and let the rest fall into place. "I've learned to move with my gut feeling, and to ask God for guidance," she told USA Today. "My mom always told me, 'Just focus on one thing at a time and finish it, and everything you want will come to you.' And here it is, coming to me."

Hopefully, that trust in God will further guide this talented singer in her career decisions and song subjects. Because in light of all her recent accolades and attention, as told in an interview with AOL's Black Voices, Ledisi still knows who to attribute her success to: "All I had to do was move out of my own way and let God take over."

Unless specified clearly, we are not implying whether this artist is or is not a Christian. The views expressed are simply the author's. For a more complete description of our Glimpses of God articles, click here

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