“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Jesus

It was 2009 and I was living in the western cattle town of Woodward, Oklahoma. I remember driving the two-and-a-half-hour drive home from Oklahoma City one evening; I believe it was after a youth ministers gathering. As I often do when I’m alone in the car, I sing, I pray out loud, I cry if I need to…you know, I’m alone so who cares what I do. I count those as sweet moments alone with the Lord. On that drive home, I was contemplating my feelings of isolation and was asking God to help me, to help me feel and know his presence. 

Matthew 11:28 has been an important verse to me as far back as I can remember learning Scripture, often reflecting on these words of Jesus when I need comfort. His invitation is always there, and I often need to respond to it. That evening in the car, as I drove, I began to sing this special invitation. And as I sang his invitation, I began to sing my own response. God was calling me to surrender to him again that night. That was part of his invitation to me that night…and I did…again. This song came from a moment in my own life when God called me to surrender to him for my own good.

This song has been on a journey over the years. It was originally recorded in Edmond, Oklahoma with a dear friend, Erick Alexander. Erick produced the song for me and helped me build the song out with instruments and harmonies. Jeff Hall and Addi Panter were also key additions to making this song come a live, with Jeff playing drums and Addie singing vocal harmonies. This first link is the original recording of the song. Of course, it’s also available wherever you listen to music.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN to the ORIGINAL version of “Come To Me”

After time, this song has been adopted by various church families around the world, and I’m super grateful to United Voice Worship for recording an a cappella version of Come to Me. I am part of the Churches of Christ, who are mostly a cappella in our congregational worship settings by preference and tradition. Shane Coffman, who is a wonderful arranger for the church, helped me refine my own a cappella arrangement, and then United Voice Worship recorded the song. Of course, they added their special and wonderful flair to it to make it amazing. Here is a link to their version. But like the instrumental version, you can find UVW‘s version wherever you listen to music.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN to UNITED VOICE WORSHIP’s version of “Come to Me”