Christa Wells, an acclaimed singer-songwriter who has won the GMA Dove Award, is most well-known for her hit song "Held," recorded by Natalie Grant, as well as for co-writing "Need You Now" and "God Help Me," which were recorded by Plumb.
Her indie-pop albums, including How Emptiness Sings (2011), Feed Your Soul (2013), and Velveteen (2018), have been some of my favorites in the past decade, with standout tracks like “How Emptiness Sings,” “Everything Moves but You,” “Shine” and “Down Down Low.” Although she took a brief hiatus after releasing her album Pacific, she has returned with several impressive new singles, such as "Lighter from Here," "Here for You," "Redwood," and "Everybody Feels It."
"Here for You," one of her latest releases, is a captivating song that showcases Christa's passionate vocals and a Brit-rock musical vibe. It's a timely declaration: "We're in this together; I know that much is true, I don't know what it's all for, but I know I'm here for you." The opening lyrics, "I don't know why it hurts this way/ Or what you need from me/I don't know the words to say to ease your suffering," are the central theme of this redemptive, personal, personal, and moving song. I chatted with Christa about "Here for You," which has quickly become one of my favorite songs of the year.
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
I'm doing well overall. My journey has been a source of joy; less focused on what’s happening outside of me and more on the personal growth that began with Velveteen in 2018. At that time, I was dealing with difficult life circumstances.
And although I wasn't aware of it then, joy was born from that pain. In one of my songs, I wrote, "Coming alive feels a lot like dying," and for anyone who has yet to live fully from the heart, listen to the inner voice, or has been hiding their true self from others, this realization can be a "come to Jesus" moment. It feels awful but ultimately leads to personal growth, which feels good even when everything else feels terrible. It's like weightlifting—it can be challenging, but you become stronger.
COVID-19 created a space for me that I desperately needed. Before that, I was in survival mode, saying yes to everything and everyone, taking care of my kids, and traveling a lot. I was exhausted and needed solitude and time to sit on the porch and gaze at the sky. It allowed me to continue working through things and decide what to do next.
I have to give a lot of credit to Hannah Miller, my co-writer, for how we crafted this song. She has this beautiful way of keeping things simple and getting to the heart of the message. I was being led towards more collaboration in writing songs for myself. In early 2022, I felt I should be open and invite my community to write songs with me.
Hannah reached out to me for a co-write, and she's written for film and television shows like This is Us. She likes to have a clear focal point to sit in and not clutter it up with many words. I love lyrics and tend to write wordy songs.
When we wrote "Here for You," I told her that while doing dishes, I thought, "I don't know what this is for, but I know I'm here for you." It may seem simple and not artsy, but Hannah said we don't need to over-explain. It's part of boundaries and self-worth. Could you say what you mean and stop talking? That's the essence of the message of this song.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Proverbs 17:27-28 (NKJV): “He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.”
Psalm 19:14(NKJV): "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."
Matthew 15:18(NKJV): "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man."
John 16:33(NIV): "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart. I have overcome the world."
Ephesians 4:32(NIV): "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
2 Corinthians 10:2-5(NIV): "I beg you that when I come, I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
What is the takeaway message?
The song’s lyrics were collaboratively crafted to express the shared experiences of isolation and anxiety that many people have been feeling in recent years. The core idea that resonates most with me is the simple yet powerful message: “I don't know what it's all for, but I know I'm here for you." This idea became especially important to me during my marriage crisis, when all my previous beliefs and hopes faded, leaving me in an immediate and overwhelming need.
I discovered poetry that helped me. I had struggled before but not at this level. I didn’t know how to buy food, pay rent, or get out of bed. It was immediate and physical.
I relied on people who said, “I don’t know why this is happening.” When people see you in crisis, there's a desire to find someone to blame and what happened to get to this low point. All of that was unhelpful. I didn’t need any more blame in my life or finding fault or being angry, or figuring out what went wrong. I just wanted to be okay in that present moment. Thankfully, some people didn’t want to figure it out but just offered to be with me and say, “I’m here for you.”
Lyrics
I don't know why it hurts this way Or what you need from me I don't know the words to say To ease your suffering I don't know how to make the sky Change from gray to blue I don't know what it's all for But I know I'm here for you
I'm here for you I'm here for you I'm here for whatever you are going through I'm here for you
I don't know how we fall in love And fall back out again I don't know why we want so much Or how the story ends We're in this together I know that much is true I don't know what it's all for But I know I'm here for you
I'm here for you I'm here for you I'm here for whatever you are going through I'm here for you
I don't know when it gets brighter But I hope it's soon And I know the load feels lighter With a helping hand or two We're in this together I know that much is true I don't know what it's all for But I know I'm here for you
I'm here for you I'm here for you I'm here for whatever you are going through I'm here for you I'm here for you
I don't know when it gets brighter But I hope it's soon And I know the load feels lighter With a helping hand or two
Yeah, we're in this together I know that much is true I don't know what it's all for But I know I'm here for you
I don't know when it gets brighter But I hope it's soon And I know the load feels lighter With a helping hand or two Yeah, we're in this together I know that much is true I don't know what it's all for But I know I'm here for you
I don't know when it gets brighter But I hope it's soon And I know the load feels lighter With a helping hand or two
Yeah, we're in this together I know that much is true I don't know what it's all for But I know I'm here for you I don't know what it's all for But I know I'm here for you
Closing Thoughts
When I first heard this song, I was immediately struck by its message, which is deeply connected to the two greatest commandments given by Jesus: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind," and "Love your neighbor as yourself." As the hymn says, "They'll know we are Christians by our love."
The recent slogan "we're all in this together" can feel empty and trite in today's polarized and secular society. But, as believers, we’re called to live out these words and love our neighbors as ourselves. The song's lyrics remind us that we cannot do this alone and will not always succeed in this area, but that we can lighten each other's load with a helping hand. The chorus affirms that we are all in this together, and even if we do not understand the meaning of it all, we can still be there for one another.
The song's message aligns with the teachings of Jesus to love our neighbors as ourselves and to show His love by helping those who cannot help themselves. As believers, we can find strength in the promise that the world will hate us because it first hated Jesus. We can also find God in the "least of these" and show His love through our actions. This song reminds me of the words of Saint Francis of Assisi, who said, "Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary."
“Here for You” is a prayer that we can offer to God every day, asking Him to transform our hearts and lives so that we can live in a way that reflects His love for us. As believers, we are called to follow the example of Jesus, who came to live among us as fully God and fully human. He loved us unconditionally and showed His love by sacrificing Himself for us, even while we were still sinners. We must remind ourselves about God's incredible love for us and strive to live our lives in a way that shows that love to others.
I hope this song becomes a daily prayer for all of us, inspiring us to live out its empowering message of unity and love. When our society is filled with conflict and disregard for others, this anthem serves as a call to action for all Christians to show God's love through our actions and words. The music and lyrics of "Here for You" are a powerful reminder that we're all together and can make a positive difference by simply loving one another. “We're in this together/I know that much is true/I don't know what it's all for/But I know I'm here for you.” Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a longtime Christian music fan and an avid music collector. He credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
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