Our eyes are often the culprits that wend us into paths of spiritual adultery.  We often suffer from the sin of roving eyes.  In our time of financial wants, we look more to our want of gifts than the Giver.  In our moments of illnesses, we look more to what the doctors have to say than the words of the Healer himself.  In our times of doubts, we turn more to the advice of Dear Google rather than seeking help from the Divine Counselor himself.  Perennially our quisling eyes have often fomented rebellion against the Almighty God.  Sherwood knows this first hand.  After losing her dad at the tender age of 11, Sherwood began looking at her own fraternal lack rather than her heavenly Father.  As a result, depression set in and for a long time she also suffered from eating disorders, all of which when she was only a 13 year-old burgeoning teen.  It was only when Sherwood lifted her gaze from herself into the piercing eyes of our Savior that she finally found healing.  "Wide Awake" is her testimonial of the Lord's deliverance.  Thus, this record is important because Sherwood has invested in her Christy Nockels-like alto nuances of identification, compassion and care.  So, these are more than just eleven songs performed by Sherwood.  Rather, they are like eleven healing sessions where we come to be ministered by a dear sister-in-Christ who has triumphant through life's troughs.

Since this is such a personal record, save for a few co-written with her hubby Kody Dulpechin, it is natural that Sherwood has a hand in crafting all the songs.  The album's tenor is set by the title track "Wide Awake," an acoustic folk-like ballad where Sherwood in her soft whispers calls to the Lord to give us "eyes for the morning/eyes for your glory...eyes to see."   And her vision is 20/20 spot-on with "He Says You Are."  Here Sherwood helps those of us wrestling with our self-image to channel our worth to not how we see ourselves.  Rather, to how God values us.  This is the type of songs that are not only therapeutic but extremely God-glorifying.  The songs are by no means frothy airy fairy; they never for a moment paint the picture that looking to God is ever easy.  In the touching "Mosaic Heart," Sherwood confesses in the opening line that she does have her "share of defeats." But our triumphant over sin ultimately comes not with our own efforts but they rest in the grace of God.

It is easy to see why "Bound" has been chosen as the album's lead single.  It brims with energy so appropriate of its celebratory theme of how Christ breaks open our chains of sin and despair.  However, the anemic production courtesy of Michael Sarver belies Sherwood's energetic delivery.  Thus, overall the song comes across as weak and dated.  A little better is the guitar-cum-drum driven rock of "I Choose" and the effervescent pop shuffle of "My Purpose."  On the latter, there is an anthemic feel as Sherwood declares with Holy command: "my purpose is yours, my time is now."  However, uneven spots surfaces with "Carry You" and "You Fought;" there are some notes that sound far too low for Sherwood thus coming across as if she sounded a little off in parts of the songs.

More personal moments abound with "In White" --- a song Sherwood wrote for her wedding.  Quietly capturing the beauty of the Holy matrimony, Sherwood has never sounded more heartfelt yet without coming across as schmaltzy. Though there are some patchy moments with the pedestrian production, "Wide Awake" is an important record.  This is the type of disc that will not only reap eternal dividends as it ministers to all of us with roving spiritual eyes, it is also personal, heartfelt, honest and certainly a great start for Sherwood.