All Is Well in this December conversation with Grace Gonzalez

Grace grew up surrounded by music, learning early on that it was the easiest way for her to express her heart. Music became her first language, and songwriting soon became the place where she processed life and stayed grounded. After a life-changing encounter with God during worship reshaped how she saw herself, Grace stepped into a deeper trust in Him. Our Artist of the Month for December, Grace Gonzalez, opens up about her journey with anxiety and creative burnout, the heart behind her holiday release All Is Well, and how she stays rooted in Jesus when the season feels overwhelming.

You’ve talked about songwriting being how you stayed grounded from a young age. What do you think first drew you to express your heart through music?

Grace: My dad introduced me to playing music early on. He was a professional drummer for many years, and I remember having little jam sessions with him and my siblings in the basement when I was just three or four. I learned how to drum, play piano, sing, and just express myself through music at such a young age that it naturally became my first language. I’ve always been drawn to how music holds emotion, and songwriting quickly turned into my way of processing life- like my own personal therapy.

After moving to Nashville at 18 and experiencing creative burnout, what was the hardest part of that season and what helped you begin to heal?

Grace: I moved to Nashville when I was 18, and at that time I wanted to do Americana and folk music. Looking back, I think I burned out because I was trying to build something entirely on my own without ever asking God what He wanted for my life. There’s a scripture that says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain,” and that’s exactly what I was doing. Trying to build a house He didn’t ask me to build. On top of that, I felt overwhelmed by all the pressure to achieve and to keep up, and I didn’t realize how much peace I was missing by not putting Him first.

What began to heal me was learning to actually yield to the Lord and ask Him for each step instead of assuming everything depended on me. Honestly, the biggest shifts in my life have happened in seasons where I was simply spending time with Him, receiving, and letting Him move things instead of trying to control the outcome. Control is an illusion anyway. When we’re spiritually depleted, burnout becomes almost inevitable, but when we’re rooted in Him, He lifts the weight we were never meant to carry. So the healing came through knowing Him more, understanding who I am in Him, and releasing that pressure to figure everything out on my own.

How did your personal encounter with the Lord in 2022 change the way you see yourself, not just as an artist, but as a daughter of God?

Grace: My encounter with the Lord happened during worship at a Bethel Songwriting Practicum in 2022. David Leonard was leading Great Are You Lord, and I was completely overwhelmed by the presence of God. It was the most beautiful moment I’ve ever experienced. When you encounter God’s love at that level, it reveals so much about who He is and how good He is, and it’s humbling to realize He calls us His children.

It changed everything for me: how I see myself, my husband, my friends, my family, and even the small moments of daily life. It changed my view of music too. I believe God is present in all kinds of music, but experiencing His presence in worship made me want to be part of that in any way I could. 

You’ve referenced anxiety and OCD in your posts. Could you share how those seasons influenced a particular song or lyric? Is there a Bible verse or truth you return to often in your songwriting and in navigating mental health?

Grace: I’ve struggled with anxiety and OCD since I was a kid. The chorus of my song Heal Me was a prayer I prayed alone with the Lord after spending a lot of time reading passages about healing. If God healed the woman who suffered for 12 years, cast out demons, and brought people back to life, I knew He could heal me too. That song became a declaration of faith.

Whenever I’m struggling, I return to those same passages and remind myself of who God is and what He has done and can do today.

Your Christmas release All Is Well with David Phelps is so comforting to listen to. How did that collaboration come about, and what makes this song special for you personally?

Grace: Thank you! For the past year I’ve been singing background vocals for David Phelps, and it’s been such a blessing. He’s the kind of artist who genuinely wants the people around him to shine. He even has his background vocalists sing solos during his live shows. When he asked what Christmas song I wanted to sing last year, I sent him an original and he was gracious enough to let me sing it on tour. When we recorded it this year, I asked if he would want to sing on it, and he said yes!

The song became especially meaningful because when I recorded the vocals, I was walking through the hardest season I have been through. I had to really wrestle with the lyrics and choose to proclaim that all is well even when things didn’t feel that way. I connected with the song on such a deep level. And getting to write it with close friends, then sing it with David, still feels surreal.

Christmas can be both beautiful and overwhelming. When anxiety whispers during a season that’s supposed to be joyful, how do you personally hold onto the truth that God is with you?

Grace: I get anxious during the Christmas season, I try to surrender my worries and any need for control to the Lord. It’s a daily practice for me, and I know a lot of people with OCD can relate. It reminds me how dependent I am on Him. I also ask God for the supernatural gift of joy.

When life and the music industry get loud, what helps you stay grounded in Jesus, especially in this busy December season?

Grace: Time alone is really grounding for me. I love listening to soaking music or anything by Steffany Gretzinger. I also love getting out of Nashville and remembering what life feels like when I’m not living, working, and socializing in a music town. It’s refreshing and helps me reset.

Do you have any Christmas traditions?

Grace: husband Ryan and I love going to the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. It’s covered in Christmas lights and has a life-size nativity scene. This will be our sixth year going.

What was your favorite Christmas song growing up and is there one you’d love to record someday?

Grace: It's so hard to pick a favorite. Anything by Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, or Frank Sinatra instantly makes it feel like Christmas. I would love to record Silent Night, Go Tell It on the Mountain, and honestly so many others! 

You’re working on music for 2026, what themes or stories are stirring in your heart right now?

Grace: This past year I’ve been writing about wrestling with God. There have been so many unexpected tragedies, deaths, and illnesses, and as believers we have to somehow make sense of them. I’ve been spending time in Job, 1 Samuel, and Psalms as I write through this season. I think it will be a weighty but uplifting collection of songs, and I’m excited to share it.

If you could describe this next season of music in just one or two words, what would they be?

Grace: Worship + deep.

As Grace moves through this Christmas season, she’s continuing to surrender her worries to the Lord, ask Him for joy, and take quiet moments to stay grounded. Her honesty about anxiety, healing, and faith points us back to the peace that comes from putting Him first. With new music already in the works for 2026 and a heart rooted in worship, this next season for Grace is one she’s excited to step into, and so are we.

Be sure to follow Grace Gonzalez:

Instagram

Youtube

Spotify

Apple Music