Jesus Culture has developed and introduced several amazing worship artists and songs. Kim Walker-Smith ("How He Loves," "Rooftops," "Pursuit," "In Awe of You"), Chris Quilala ("Your Love Never Fails," "Sing Out," "One Thing Remains"), Bryan and Katie Torwalt ("Holy Spirit"),  Kristene DiMarco ("Break Every Chain") and Derek Johnson ("The One We Love") have consistently blessed me as a worshiper. 

DiMarco's new live album Mighty is best described as an empowering worship experience with an ethereal worshipful tone, similar to Kim Walker-Smith, Bethel Music and Jesus Culture. From "Break Every Chain" to "It is Well" to "I Will Follow You," Kristene has consistently impressed me with her mature faith and sincere desire to serve Jesus. Her name means "be steadfast for Christ," and this song beautifully captures that sentiment. I had the chance to speak with Kristene about "I Will Follow You."

Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

This song started in a worship set. We were praying after listening to a missionary at our church who was praying about whether God would send people to other countries, and it was a really powerful night. There were a few of us leading worship, and we started singing"Jesus, send us, send us out," and I started singing "I have decided, I have resolved, that I will go anywhere just to see Your face." 

That had two meanings for me. Seeking the face of God-- what else could be better than seeking and finding the face of God your whole life? That's the purpose that should run through us as Christians. At the same time, I think it was Mother Teresa who talked about always seeing the face of Christ in people. Kind of thinking about that, being at a missions conference, I would really go anywhere and do anything God, just to see Your face. Wherever we are planted and whichever people we are ministering to, just to strive in a good way to be able to see Christ.

The verses came out of sitting down with that thought, which I thought was a chorus at first. It turned out to be the bridge. I thought, what do I want to say about following Jesus? There was this thing that came up in me, where my mom used to tell me that my name Kristene meant "be steadfast for Christ." It has a couple of meanings, like "follower of Christ" or "anointed one." 

I thought about that word "steadfast" because it has stuck out to me. I wanted the verses to sing "My heart is steadfast." That is my own personal namesake, but I wanted for us as Christians to declare that over ourselves: "My heart is steadfast oh God, and I won't be led astray by the things that will simply fade away before Your face." 

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Psalm 27:4 (NKJV): One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.

Psalm 27:8 (NKJV): When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, Lord, I will seek."

John 10:4 (VOICE): When all the sheep have been gathered, He walks on ahead of them; and they follow Him because they know His voice.

What is the takeaway message?

I wanted to portray, as best I could, the worth of Jesus in the song. When it comes down to it, there isn't any price that we could pay that compares, and even when we're afraid, the last verse of the song sings "Moments may come when I feel so afraid, but I rest in the promise You made that You will remain forever faithful." 

I know that I still have questions and run into walls and get worried about things, just going about my daily life or as a mom. Moments arise, but I want to call back those hearts that are worried to the promises that God has made over them. Even if there isn't anything specific for you personally, there is a Bible full of promises. That's my hope for this song.

The major theme I wanted to run through the album is the comfort of the Holy Spirit, which maybe sounds funny because the whole album, as somebody wrote, "is as subtle as a sledgehammer," which is about right. The comfort of the Holy Spirit isn't the same as the comfort of a human being saying "I feel so bad for you, I'm so sorry." The Holy Spirit is powerful, mighty, lifts our heads and picks us up from the ashes and sets us on our feet again. It's productive. 

I wanted that theme to run through this whole album, the power and the might of the comfort of the Holy Spirit. In watching people go through pain these past couple of years, I was seeing this miracle happen through processes, and even though things didn't go the way people wanted them to go, I was watching God in His brilliance comfort people in amazing ways. I can't devalue that just because I didn't see the miracles I wanted to see. I wanted to somehow capture that. 

This song works its way into that theme because of the resolve and steadfastness that I wanted to portray in the song. Christa Black said, "I will not lower my theology of God to match my pain." I was hit so hard by that. That's absolutely incredible. I don't know what's ahead for me, but I want that to be in my heart at all times. He will always be good, and He will always be the Promise Keeper. The album surrounds that concept.

Lyrics:
My heart is steadfast oh God, and I won't be led astray 
By the things that, simply will fade before Your face Oh, 

And I will follow You, I wrapped up in You, I belong to You 

I was made for this, one thing is to see and to seek Your goodness 
Take me by the hand and lead me 

And I will follow You, I wrapped up in You, I belong to You 

I have decided, and I have resolved in my heart 
That I will go anywhere, anywhere just to see Your face 
I have decided, and I have resolved in my heart 
That I will go anywhere, anywhere, anywhere 
Just to see Your face 

I will follow You, I wrapped up in You, I belong to You 

Moments may come when I feel so afraid but 
I rest in the promise You made that You will remain forever faithful and 

I will follow You, I wrapped up in You, I belong to You 
I belong to You

When I first heard this song, it immediately became my heart's cry and one of my personal worship anthems to sing to the Lord. Kristene is a powerful vocalist in the style of Lauren Daigle, Kim Walker-Smith and Amanda Cook. This song has such a sweet and tender melody and tone, like a mother singing over her child. 

This song is a sincere offering of praise back to the Lord to decide to follow Him and go anywhere just to see His face. That kind of sentiment has a modern day psalmist feel, like how David would offer his praises in the Bible. Regarding this song, I came across Psalm 27:4 (NKJV): "One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord."

If you think about the type of faith we are called to have as believers, it is described as the faith of a mustard seed, and we are called to "walk by faith and not by sight." This song reminds me to have resolve and be steadfast as a follower of Jesus, remembering to keep my eyes wide open and find ways to serve Him and His children for our good and His glory, seeking His face. My resolve from this song is to pray more fervent prayers, have more faith, have joy to the fullest, and sincerely cry out to God: "I will follow You, I belong to You."

In the song, Kristene, living out her name's meaning to be steadfast for God, sings "I was made for this, one thing is to see and to seek Your goodness, take me by the hand and lead me." That lyric really inspires me to think about whether I am truly living for the one thing I was made for, to see and to seek God's goodness and to ask Him to take me by the hand and lead me. We know from Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV): "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." I love singing these words along with Kristene, declaring to Him "I have decided, and I have resolved in my heart, that I will go anywhere, anywhere just to see Your face." Amen to that!

(Watch Kristene sing the song here.)