Kari Jobe – Evergreen

For example, for that ivy to grow and bloom in our backyard was incredible, because that was her middle name. God gave them her name before they lost her. Ivy is one of the most resilient plants you can find. It grows through cement walls, and you’ll find it growing in the hardest and harshest of places. I feel like God helped me use some of those to find language to sing about and think about and talk about all of this. That helped me realize that God really does go before us. I was blown away by the nearness of God in a physical and tangible way.

CCM: Because you worked so hard on these songs, do you find them connecting with your fans at a different level?
KJ: Yeah, I can totally tell a difference. At first, I was a little bit nervous thinking that people wouldn’t understand the depth of this project. The first songs that we released could stand alone outside of The Garden project and be on any kind of project, so I started realizing that I needed to get the deeper stuff on this project out so that people would know what they would hear, that it was different than what you’ve heard from me before.

The only places I know to look for interactions right now is on social media, and people are posting some of their experiences, telling us what has gone on in their lives and why The Garden means so much. They’re posting the coolest pictures, like ivy growing on the side of the building and then posting their story. I love that because I know that I can take a deep breath and that the songs will meet people where they’re supposed to meet them.

CCM: Do these songs feel too personal to discuss in the live setting?
KJ: I think what I’m trying to still navigate in the live setting is not leaving everyone so sad, but saying, “It’s okay. Here’s the redemptive part of it. God really has brought joy to our lives, mainly through Canyon, our son.” That’s the hard part, I think, that I’m still trying to figure out.

CCM: Speaking of the live shows, what are the plans there?
KJ: It’s going to be a really cool night. It will be a night of worship, but it will also be more than that. It will be an experience of worship. We’ve also got a few surprises planned, and we’re also really excited about the openers because we’ve got Brian and Katie Torwalt and Leeland and Jonathan and Melissa Helser [Bethel Music]. We’re also doing worship workshops for worship leaders and their teams in some of the cities.

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