WHEREVER I AM— the story behind it.
“Oh I will praise You on the mountain I will praise You when the mountains in my way
You’re the summit where my feet are So I will praise you in the valley all the same
No less God within the shadows No less faithful when the night leads me astray
You’re the heaven where my heart is In the highlands and the heartache all the same
Whatever I walk through, Wherever I am, Your name can move mountains, Wherever I stand
And if ever I walk through The valley of death I’ll sing through the shadows My song of ascent”
“Wherever I am” is inspired by one if my favorite songs, “Highlands (Song of Ascent)” by Hillsong United. THIS SONG YALL! It is truly something so beautiful! + the way it makes me feel and the way that the Lord has presented Himself to me through it, is indescribable. This has been terribly hard for me to try to type about the meaning of these three words! It has taken me months writing and deleting & i was simply just over it. So then I told myself I was going to make a video to get the word out there because I thought it would be easier, but boy was I wrong. I began to video and had tears in my eyes within the first minute! Talk about yikes! I scratched that idea completely because I don’t know about you, but I rather not cry on camera lol! So now I am here trying to type, again. Trying to muster up the words of how much this phrase means to me. So please excuse my rambles & run-ons, but there is just nothing to emphasize the joy that this song brings me.
I first heard the song when Hillsong United released their “People” Album in 2019. If you are a Hillsong lover like me, then you’d have to agree that hands down this is one of their best albums. I am not a huge music person in general, so for me to say that a song “changed my life” is a pretty big deal/statement. I originally only listened to a couple songs on the album here and there because that’s all I heard at church or in public. I finally just said to myself “ if these few songs are THAT good… then the whole dang album must be!” I then decided to go and listen to every song on the album to just check it out. Hearing “Highlands” was like my icing on the cake. It kinda made everything just make sense all of the sudden.
We all have our rough patches in life. Those moments when you think it’s over for you. When you are crying out for God’s hand to pull you up & you just can’t find him. You think He is not there. You think you are looking hard enough. You are looking for Him and trying to listen, but you are so caught up in the fact that you think “He is not there” and wondering where He is at; that YOU JUST MISS HIM COMPLETELY. & I just imagine all the Lord wants to say is “Hey, I AM HERE. I’ve BEEN here. LISTEN TO ME.” That was exactly what was happening in my life at the time. I had to really tap into my personal faith & let my mind be present in Him. Just so that i could find Him and know that he is ALREADY there to pick up my broken pieces. Until i heard this song, it took me so long to realize that.
Sometimes you can listen to sermon after sermon, you can hear a million different people & pastors speak. Ultimately though, it is on us to find Him on our own. So when i tell people “I grew up in the church” that really doesn’t mean much in my opinion anymore because i’ve realized that the relationship is MINE only between the Lord Himself & I… So growing up in the church was definitely a plus, but it didn’t do anything for me until I figured out how to listen to God and have that special one on one relationship with Him. Worship has shown me God’s Hands when i felt like i couldn’t see them and revealed to me His voice when i was barely ready to listen.
I remember when “Highlands” by Hillsong first started playing through the speakers on my phone. I was in my room doing a bunch of random things to try to get my mind off the fact I “hated” my life. Playing music in the background like always, but honestly when you are having a really hard day, week, & month. Music, especially worship music will just hit you differently. The song came on & played through the first time. I barely paid any attention to it, but I fell in love with the sound of it. I had no idea what they were singing; I just knew it sounded like a good song. So I played it, then looked up the lyrics. & OH MY GOODNESS. The first lyrics couple lyrics rang so pure to me. They sang “ how high would I climb mountains, if the mountains were where you hide” This gave me & still gives me literal chills. I remember sitting there on the floor in my room in a fetal position sobbing because I had been feeling so alone for so long & felt like I was just a screw up. I know a lot of people say they feel alone so it sounds almost like a cliche, but I was genuinely lost. There was nothing left in me that felt like I was “good enough” to pursue my relationship with the Lord. In this moment when I felt the Lord’s presence, there was nothing holding me back because I could feel the comfort of Him being there just letting me know that I am okay. Normally I am a hand raiser; when I am feeling the music my hands go up or go out or I get a little bounce or sway going. That is just who I am because that is how I feel the music & take in His presence. However, at that moment I couldn’t stand, or raise my hands out. I was hurting and broken.
Everyone always asks “what was your Jesus moment? Like when did you know?” and to be honest I used to hate those questions. They made me feel awkward and I just never even knew how to answer them. Mainly because I have always thought that it had to be something spectacular, but that is my moment. Sure, it may not sound like anything special to the next person, but to me it is worth so much. The lyrics I pasted above are the words that play on repeat in my mind ever since then. “Wherever I am” has become my cry and call to Jesus. It has become more than just three words or an entire song. It has kept me grounded in my faith & overjoyed with the fact that no matter where I am mentally or physically He is always there. I think it is so awesome to serve a God that waits for me, welcomes me and loves me unconditionally. One thing that I constantly like to utter to myself and others is that; The Lord has already done so much for us that the least we can do is praise Him in everything, no matter what”. & this song rings true to that. God is no less present in the hard times. He has equipped us & is molding us into the person He sees us to be. If we continue to trust that and trust Him, we can be confident enough in our faith to know that the enemy does not stand a chance against us.
Leaving you with this — Praise Him in the mountains. Praise Him in the valleys. It is such a powerful declaration to sing those lyrics & let the Lord know that He has your heart. That whatever you walk through, wherever you are, wherever you are standing, you will continue to praise his name the same as if you are on your highs. I so wish that you feel that same joy and the same passion that I do when I hear those lyrics. I pray that you find your song, your moment & I’d love for you to share it with me. THX FOR READING (:
ALSO — I AM SELLING WHEREVER I AM HOODIES & T-SHIRTS!
HOODIE LINK- https://www.bonfire.com/wherever-i-am/
SONG LINK – https://youtu.be/mkbxP0rxt6E
XOXO, DEV
