Finding ‘Haven’ with NorCal singer-songwriter Grayson Kessenich

Grayson Kessenich just has one of those voices.

It’s soothing, comforting and steadying, like that of an old friend or trusted family member. It just puts a listener at ease.

Combine that vocal quality with the positive and encouraging messages found in the lyrics and you really have a potent combo for turning a tough day around.

Kessenich has long put that voice to good use at Crossroads Church in Grass Valley, where he serves as a worship pastor and can be found singing and playing guitar on most Sunday mornings.

Yet, the singer-songwriter also has recorded and released a number of songs — including a few that have been featured in such popular TV shows as “One Tree Hill” and “The Lying Game.”

He just released a new full-length effort — “Haven” — and it’s just chock full of inspirational original worship songs such as “Make a Way,” “Faithful Still” and “In All Things.”

“I kind of sat on that word (‘Haven’) for a while,” says Kessenich, who has four children with his wife Alex. “I liked the idea of haven as a place of refuge and safety. I loved that (these songs) could become this refuge for people — that they could visit and revisit.”