Canadian rockstar Avril Lavigne is speaking out about a disease that nearly took her life, and how it brought her back to God. 

Lavigne had been on a nearly five-year-long hiatus after contracting Lyme disease in 2014. Her new single tells the story of how nearly losing her life to the disease brought her on a journey back to God. Lavigne grew up in a Christian household, and after being diagnosed with the disease asked fans for prayer without revealing what she was dealing with.

The song, "Head Above Water," is a powerful account of a prayer that Lavigne prayed one night when she thought she was facing death.

Lavigne explained the story behind the lyrics in a statement: “One night, I thought I was dying, and I had accepted that I was going to die. My mom laid with me in bed and held me. I felt like I was drowning. Under my breath, I prayed, ‘God, please help to keep my head above the water.’ In that moment, the songwriting of this album began. It was like I tapped into something. It was a very spiritual experience. Lyrics flooded through me from that point on.”

 

In the chorus of the song Lavigne sings:

God, keep my head above water

Don't let me drown, it gets harder

I'll meet you there at the altar

As I fall down to my knee, don't let me drown.

The song has already reached number 5 on the Billboard Christian Songs Chart.