I've been going to Winter Jam for years, but this has to be the most excited I have been for the lineup in a long time. I found out I was credentialed to shoot photography two hours before the main show started, so I jumped into my Kia Sorento and flew down 270 East while blaring a few songs by Hulvey and Katy Nichole during my 15-minute drive to get myself reacquainted with some of their hits.

I arrive at the stadium, grab my media pass from a desk with 10 minutes to spare, and quickly notice that there is no one in the concourses of the Schottenstein Center, which is odd for an arena that I typically watch my Buckeyes play in. I quickly race to a section entrance that has floor access, only to be met with a completely packed stadium, filled with just about every age and demographic you can think of. Dodging children and youth groups alike, I made my way up to the stage.

Emerson Day kicked the main show off with "Midnight Hour." Day was an artist that I knew nothing about before this show, but the first impression I had of her was, "wow, this person really, really believes the words coming out of her mouth." Her emotional, intense, vulnerable themes in "Get Behind Me" really showed the Columbus crowd who she is and introduced the evening to a sense of intimacy and passion. Newsong followed and served in an almost shepherd-like role to remind us of the ministry roots of Winter Jam. I love that Newsong, as one of the longest-running CCM bands, knows exactly who they are, and it's showcased in their music. After performing a few songs, such as "Glory All Around" and "Arise My Love," the stage was set perfectly to hand the concert over to Disciple. The dramatic shift in genre showcased one of the reasons that Winter Jam works so well: people coming together to worship the Savior in a celebration of vastly different styles. Disciple shifted the energy dramatically in Columbus with their rare intensity, starting with "Radical." While the whole set was great, one of my favorite moments of the entire night was when Disciple broke out their own rendition of "Firm Foundation," where I felt for the first time the entire crowd sing together the words, "I put my faith in Jesus."

At this point, the crowd and I were on an emotional high with the soon arrival of Gen-Z hip-hop star Hulvey. Known for his emotional and transparent storytelling, Hulvey has gained a massive online following, and that showed up in a big way in the crowd pop he received when the young artist walked out to "BRING HEAVEN DOWN." Hulvey's other hits -- such as "Beautiful," "Love Like That," and "No Longer Bound" -- showcased such a different and fun shift in the sound and diversity of modern Christian music. In what I'm calling the best moment of the night, Hulvey was the first and only artist to utilize the platform in the middle of the arena to perform "Altar." I found myself sprinting to meet him there, but quickly put my camera down to lift my hand in praise with Hulvey, who sang the most beautiful chorus from his knees.

After a brief intermission, I was expecting to see Katy Nichole take the stage next, but was met face-to-face with CCM legend Matthew West. Matthew gave the crowd exactly what you would want and expect from him: fun storytelling songs that we all know. "Hello My Name Is" is a perfect example of this, and it felt so comforting to hear one of the songs that I used to listen to all the time in the car as a kid. As I had my elbows on the stage taking pictures, I noticed a girl who also had a media pass like me taking an iPhone video, and I thought to myself, "hmm, she must work on Matthew West's team." It turns out that girl was none other than his daughter, Lulu West. How did I figure this out? Matthew called her on stage to sing his song "Good" together.

Many moments made this set special outside of the music, such as a short sermon from Matthew himself, singing "Happy Birthday" to his youngest daughter, constant shouts of "O-H!," and plenty of laughter. I think the artist that I was most excited to see was breakthrough female worship artist Katy Nichole. Her set began with a message about asking God to heal her panic attacks and anxiety, a message that surely resonated with a crowd full of the most anxious generation in history.

Katy stated clearly that God's goodness is still abundant, even though her prayer was not answered, but that prayer encouraged her to seek help. Her performance felt deeply raw and personal and produced the most emotionally charged set of the night. I absolutely adore her song "Have Your Way," where Katy got to really showcase her vocals. Of course, the set ended with her massive hit, "In Jesus Name," and the payoff landed as the entire crowd united in song for one they had been waiting all night to hear.

Chris Tomlin needs absolutely no introduction as one of the most influential worship leaders in the history of the modern church. I made my way stage left to find Katy Nichole, Matthew West, and others standing off the stage on the floor singing every single one of Chris Tomlin's songs together. I watched them watch Chris like it was the first time they had ever seen him perform. I loved the simplicity of the set. Massive hits such as "Good Good Father," "Great Are You Lord," "Our God," "Holy Forever," "How Great Is Our God," and a cover of "Goodness of God" turned Winter Jam into church in the best way, as I could see nothing but hands lifted high in worship and not a single person sitting silently.

After the last song ended, and Chris Tomlin told us goodnight, something rare happened that I never see at concerts. No one moved. In that frozen moment, I could sense the want that most Americans -- and especially Gen Z -- have: the want for real. Real worship. Real hope. Real truth. Real belonging. I walked away uplifted and amazed at the way this team of artists were able to pull together a night where not one person wanted to steal the spotlight and each played such a unique part in the night. Throughout the evening, I found myself sprinting to get to the next great picture spot, but quickly putting my camera down to lift my hand in praise. I don't know much, but I do know this: God will continue moving through music and through His people.