Kim Walker Smith , a prolific songwriter and leader in all things worship , joins us with her perspective on life lessons learned during the pandemic , her new recording , “ I Say Yes ,” its accompanying tour and some great background on collaborative songwriting .
[ WM ] Kim , it ’ s been a while since we talked . In fact , it was just over a year ago for the June 2020 issue . You , Chris ( Quilala ) and I talked about your 20 plus years with Jesus Culture and the then new project , Church , Volumes 1 and 2 . A lot of ground has been covered during our collective Covid experiences . What one single truth resonates with you from this period as we again enter uncertain times ?
[ Kim Walker-Smith ] I think there ' s probably few things , but I would sum it up with the one thing of just how much we really need Jesus . We need to be on a path that is moving in consistent growth in our relationship with Jesus . I think as things have escalated to some degree in the world , there ' s just so much happening .
There ' s a lot of division that is come and trying to come into all over America and in different places around the world . There are just so many negative things that as a Christian , you could look at it and feel discouraged . But I actually feel very encouraged .
I feel excited at the idea that God looked at this span of time , and destined me to be born into it , to be alive in this moment .
I feel like there ' s a lot of purpose in that , but I think if anything , what this last year has shown me is just how much I need Jesus and how important it is that I stay on a path where I ' m consistently growing in my knowledge of Him , and my knowledge of the Word .
[ WM ] Amen . That ' s a good way to look at it . It ' s been a proving ground , hasn ' t it ?
[ Kim ] Yeah . It has been !
[ WM ] I would like talk about a particular word with you . It ’ s a very small word . It only has three letters , but it has a world of meaning . It ’ s an everyday word that has hugely impacted everyone from John Lennon to couples getting married . I ’ m speaking of the word yes . And the word yes carries so much weight . Jesus said to let our yes be yes ! Tell us about the song , “ I Say Yes ”. Why is yes important to the worshiping church ?
[ Kim ] I wrote this song with my friends and fellow songwriters , Jordan Frye and Jonas Myrin . It just came out of a conversation we were having how sometimes we ' re trying to overcomplicate so many things when it