I LOVE ABBIE GAMBOA’s new album with the longest title ever: HAVE EVER LOOKED AROUND AND REALIZED EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES.

The song, “There Goes That Man” was originally released as a single on January 29, 2026, but since the new album came out last week, I am re-visiting the song. Listening to it again, it caught me off guard in a whole new, unexpected way.

The song is about grief and pain and loss. Maybe it is a failed relationship. Maybe it is the loss of a child. Maybe it is a disappointment that you felt was promised to you that fell through. There are so many difficult circumstances that you face in this life. There are so many issues that come up that feel like the end, the final word, the closing of a chapter that will never be opened again.

There are always tears. There is always a time where you need to pull back, protect your heart, and grieve the loss. The book of Job, the Psalms, all throughout the Bible there are stories of people whose situation seemed to be completely over or hopeless. You are reading and it seems like there is nowhere to go.

I was reading with increased scrutiny the story of Ruth this weekend. Naomi and her husband move away from Bethlehem to the foreign land of Moab when the unthinkable happens. Her husband, the leader of their family dies. Then both of her sons die. In that time, it was both financial and social ruin for Naomi. She is left with two daughters-in-law without any protection, without any promise of provision, and all alone. She goes back to Bethlehem and tells the people there not to call her Naomi, which means “pleasant, sweetness, my delight” but to call her Mara, which means “bitter.”

“Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara,” she answered, “for the Almighty has made me very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has opposed me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

RUTH 1:20-21 (CSB)

But Naomi isn’t left alone. One of her daughters-in-law, Ruth, pledges herself to Naomi. She makes an oath to Naomi, and her God. In verse 16 of Ruth’s pledge to Naomi, she swears to follow Naomi’s God (Elohim), but in the next verse she uses the name God calls himself, “YHWH” binding her promise to Israel’s personal, covenant God. I believe the story shifts at that point.

Ruth is no longer following the god of her hometown, but has now chosen to follow the Living God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Naomi cannot send her away, but agrees to allow Ruth to follow her back to Bethlehem.

Despite the bitterness and the grief, the LORD GOD is with Naomi and Ruth. if you don’t know how her story ends, I would recommend that you re-visit the book of Ruth for yourself today. The fact that God is always with us and that He is always acting on our behalf is the heart of Abbie Gamboa’s song.

The repeated refrain of “There goes that man, there He goes again / He’s always movin’ on my behalf” makes up the chorus and then the bridge is so powerful:
“You can make somethin’ out of nothin’
You can make somethin’ out of nothin’
You still make somethin’ out of nothin’ “

This is the way God works. When we think that all is lost, He shows up and immediately changes everything. From our nothing, from our ashes, He turns everything around. God takes our pain and grief and trades it with us for JOY and GLADNESS. He works out everything for good. And He refines us in the process. We come out the other side with a stronger faith and a deeper relationship with Him from the struggle. I have seen it time and time again in my life and I KNOW FOR CERTAIN that He is still doing it and He will do all that He has promised.

If you are in a tough spot, a time of mourning and grief, or feel like there are no answers and no clear way through. Stop, and cry out to God. Give him your ashes, give him your nothing, and plead with Him to answer you. I know He will. I know He hears your cry. Listen for His still, small voice of re-assurance and love for you.

“There Goes That Man” lyrics by Abbie Gamboa, Gabriel Gamboa, Oscar Gamboa, Julian Gamboa and Winston Yeller

[Verse 1]
Lord, when You asked me to lay my wounded heart to rest
Down in the valley, rivers of tears that I had wept
Restart my heart brand new, fully brought in to You
All that I’ve lost is found in You

[Chorus]
There goes that man, there He goes again
He’s always movin’ on my behalf

[Verse 2]
And all of the ashes of my life
All of the pain and all the strife
All of the pages You’ll rewrite
You always lead me to the light
All of the years the locusts stole
All of the time I didn’t dare to hope
You will return a hundredfold
You will return a hundredfold

[Chorus]
There goes that man, there He goes again
He’s always movin’ on my behalf
There goes that man, there He goes again
He’s always movin’ on my behalf

[Bridge]
And You can make somethin’ out of nothin’
You can make somethin’ out of nothin’
You still make somethin’ out of nothin’
Oh, and You can make somethin’ out of nothin’
You still make somethin’ out of nothin’
You create somethin’ out of nothin’
Oh, and You can make somethin’ out of nothin’
You still make somethin’ out of nothin’
You create somethin’ out of nothin’

[Chorus]
Oh, there goes that man, there He goes again
He’s always movin’ on my behalf
There goes that man, ooh, there He goes again
He’s always movin’ on my behalf

[Bridge]
And You can make somethin’ out of nothin’
You still make somethin’ out of nothin’
You create somethin’ out of nothin’
Oh, and You can make somethin’ out of nothin’
You still make somethin’ out of nothin’
You create somethin’ out of nothin’

[Chorus]
There goes that man, there He goes again
He’s always movin’ on my behalf