GMA Dove Award-winning singer-songwriter Christa Wells is a talented artist known for her heartfelt and passionate music. Hailing from the United States, she has gained recognition for her soulful vocals and introspective songwriting. Her songs often explore themes of faith, love, and personal struggles, resonating with listeners deeply. Christa Wells has released several albums and is appreciated for her ability to create music that touches the hearts of her audience.
Christa is best known for writing the song "Held," which was recorded by veteran artist Natalie Grant, along with co-writing the Plumb-recorded songs "Need You Now" and "God Help Me.” Christa released three of my favorite indie-pop "gourmet" projects of the past decade, How Emptiness Sings (2011), Feed Your Soul (2013), and Velveteen (2018) which all ranked in my top 10 albums of the year. Those albums featured her standout songs, “How Emptiness Sings,” “Everything Moves but You,” “Shine,” and “Down Down Low.”
After a few years hiatus, following up her album Pacific, she has returned with Redwood, with several standout new singles, including “Here for You,” “Redwood,” and “Everybody Feels It.” I had the chance to speak with Christa about her single, “Wherever I Go.”
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
The original version of "Wherever I Go" (also known as "Over and Over") was written in 2016 and shared with a small group of subscribers. It was later released as the last track on the Redwood album. The song never felt quite finished, but I had a soft spot in my heart for the first verse, concept, and melody, so in 2022, I asked fellow artists Latifah Alattas and Carly Bannister to re-work it with me. I'm happy I did. May it cause you to look at the world in a new light, remembering a childhood capacity for wonder and adoration.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Psalm 139:17-18(NKJV): "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You."
Lamentations 3:22-24(MSG): “God's loyal love couldn't have run out, His merciful love couldn't have dried up. They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left.”
Jeremiah 29:13(NIV): "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."
Psalm 30:11-12(VOICE): “You did it: You turned my deepest pains into joyful dancing; You stripped off my dark clothing and covered me with joyful light. You have restored my honor. My heart is ready to explode, erupt in new songs! It's impossible to keep quiet! Eternal One, my God, my Life-Giver, I will thank You forever.”
Romans 8:11(VOICE): “If the Spirit of the One who resurrected Jesus from the dead lives inside of you, then you can be sure that He who raised Him will cast the light of life into your mortal bodies through the life-giving power of the Spirit residing in you.”
Romans 8:38-39(VOICE): "For I have every confidence that nothing--not death, life, heavenly messengers, dark spirits, the present, the future, spiritual powers, height, depth, nor any created thing--can come between us and the love of God revealed in the Anointed, Jesus our Lord."
2 Corinthians 12:9(NKJV): "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, most gladly, I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Philippians 4:6(VOICE): “Don't be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come.”
Philippians 4:7(NKJV): "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
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. 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 the 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?
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. It's part of boundaries and self-worth. Could you say what you mean and stop talking? Can you see God’s love for you in His creation? That's the essence of the song’s message.
I hope listeners feel a sense of freedom from this song, understanding that God meets us even in the darkest hours. The music speaks to God's intimate involvement in our lives, from the mundane to the most significant moments, throughout each season. God is in all those things with us. He cares, He's kind, and He's working all things out for our good.
Lyrics
I’ve got a crush on the whole world ‘Cause it’s full of the soul of its Maker I fall in love with the whole world Over and over again
Wash over me when I wake up In the warmth of the sun through my window Touching my skin as the day comes Saying You love me again
Wherever I go, You keep me steady Pulling me close, folding me in I can depend on; I’m willing to bet on There’s no other love like this
I feel the wind through the pine trees When I can’t shake the weight of my sorrow Even the cold, it reminds me I’m alive as I’ve ever been
Wherever I go, You keep me steady Pulling me close, folding me in I can depend on; I’m willing to bet on There’s no other love like this
Everything will change; nothing stays the same You are always, always here Everything will change, nothing stays the same You are always, always here Always here, always here
Wherever I go, You keep me steady Pulling me close, folding me in I can depend on; I’m willing to bet on There’s no other love like this
Closing Thoughts
Christa hopes to pass on the life-giving message of Jesus Christ. In Christa’s vocals, I hear a sincere yearning for God and thankfulness in her heart for His mercy and grace. Many lyrics in "Wherever I Go" give me words to pray: “Wash over me when I wake up/In the warmth of the sun through my window/Touching my skin as the day comes/Saying You love me again.” These words are incredibly comforting in this time of anxiety, as we have all faced this pandemic together.
This song addresses mental health: “I feel the wind through the pine trees/When I can’t shake the weight of my sorrow/Even the cold, it reminds me/I’m alive as I’ve ever been.”
Reading the Bible strengthens me with the truth that fear, worry, and anxiety are not God's plans for my life. So, trust God's Word. Jesus commands us to trust His Word, the Bible, no matter the circumstances. This song is a great way to submit to God and commit to Him.
Worship is about giving God our best and offering ourselves to Him. Submit yourself to Him and share everything you have with Him. Rather than run to things that can hurt you, run to God.
The Lord knows you intimately. And, because Jesus died for you on the cross, He sees you as holy, righteous, redeemed, chosen, fully understood, and forgiven—no matter what you've done. Nothing can separate you from His love if you've put your hope and trust in Jesus.
The most encouraging part of this song is the message that I don't have to be perfect. But that God knows me and loves me just as I am. That is cause for celebration as we all have the freedom to be ourselves and know He has great plans for us as His children.
Jesus died on the cross to set us free from the battle of our minds, from sin and death. He wants us to have abundant life in Him. What a wonderful, encouraging truth. God made us the way we are for a reason. We're beautiful, and we're worth it. We have something worthy to say. Don't let the world tell you who you are. It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside if you have Jesus on the inside. That's where you can find your identity—in Him.
We can all ask the Holy Spirit to indwell us with His supernatural ability to overcome whatever we’re going through. That’s what this song is all about. Do you put up a wall between you and God? He wants you to come home to Him. You might feel that you're not worthy of being near Him. Instead, you might think He's using a checklist to determine your worthiness. That's not the Gospel.
The Good News of the Gospel, which this song portrays, says that God accepts you—no matter how you feel about yourself: “Wherever I go, You keep me steady/Pulling me close, folding me in/I can depend on, I’m willing to bet on/There’s no other love like this.” Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a long-time Christian music fan and an avid 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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