At the end of this rundown tenement hall
Is the room of a girl I know
And she cowers behind all the dead bolt locks
Afraid of the outside world

How should I come to the one I love?
I will find a way

Many thieves and collectors have used that door
But they only brought her shame
So she won’t even open it anymore
Still I will find a way

I could call out her name with love through the walls
But condemnation is all she hears
I could break down the door and take her into my arms
But she might die from the fear

So how should I come to the one I love?
I will find a way, I will find a way
How should I come to the one I love?
I will find a way

No hiding place ever kept her safe
So she hides inside herself
Now to reach her heart the only way
Is to hide in there as well
I will hide in there as well

She gave up on love waiting for a change
But a change is coming soon
‘Cause how could she not love the helpless babe
Who is waking in her womb?

I found a way, I found a way…
She’ll know I am coming before I am here
When she hangs her head she’ll see me there
And then when I come she won’t run away
All the beauty and joy will return to her face
And what of the loneliness? Now it is gone
Lost in the bond of a mother and son
Every sin that she suffered at the hands of men
Every single disgrace will be washed clean again
I will love her completely and when I am grown
I will carry her out of that tenement room
I am doing a new thing and soon you will see
I am coming among you and my name shall be
Emmanuel, Emmanuel
I have come to take you home


Words and music by Jason Gray and Andy Gullahorn Inspired by Walt Wangerin Jr.’s An Advent Monologue / © 2012 Centricity Music Publishing & Nothing Is Wasted Music (ASCAP) / The Gullahorns Music (ASCAP)