Andalusia’s Fresh Anointing has won an esteemed national award.

The young Southern gospel group won the Emerald Coast Southern Gospel Music Association’s Song of the Year award on Feb. 5 for their hit “Third Voice.”

“The group’s passion is pro life, and (the winning song) has a pro-life message,” said David Wiggins, the group’s lead vocalist and manager. “The song ‘Third Voice’ represents the voice of an unborn child fighting for a chance to live.”

Opp native Casey Mathews is the lead singer on the track.

The group, which was organized nearly eight years ago, recorded “Third Voice” at their studio in Andalusia.

“We actually mixed, recorded and produced this track here in Andalusia,” said group member Michael Frank. “All the rest of the songs on the ‘Show Me the Way’ album were recorded in Nashville, Tenn.”

The award marks the group’s first national award, but what is more important to the group than a national award or fame, Wiggins said, is changing lives for God.

“We’re glad to have the award. We’re getting testimony back, and it is changing minds and saving lives,” he said. “We’ve had girls listen to the song and decided to keep their babies.”

One testimony comes from a 16-year-old girl who was pregnant and considering having an abortion.

The young girl attended a singing in her community and listened to “Third Voice.”

She later wrote to the group and said, “That song gave me a blessing because I’m pregnant and only 16, and that song really helped me understand the reasoning of abortion, and why I should love my baby and raise it in the Lord’s hands.”

So, what’s next for the local group after winning the award?

“We just released a brand new CD titled ‘Back to the Basics,’” Wiggins said. “We are set to have our first radio release next month.”

Wiggins said local radio and television stations have already started playing the new tune.

“Everyone here has heard it,” he said.

The track will officially make its national radio debut next month.

The nine-state “Back to the Basics” tour launched in January.

“We started a tour in January in Cozumel, Mexico,” Wiggins said.

For a complete listing of where and when the group will perform as well as to hear music or purchase products, visit the Web site at freshanointing.net.