This year, 2011, is the year of the comeback for female Christian artists, with great new songs by Rebecca St. James (“Shine Your Glory Down), Charmaine (“Run”), Rachael Lampa (“Remedy”) and Ginny Owens (“Before You Fly”). I have loved Rachael’s songs “When I Fall”, “Live For You” and “I’m All Yours” since they released. Her comeback album has been one of my most anticipated albums of the year.

Now you see her. Now you don’t. So goes the story of Rachael Lampa, who skyrocketed onto the pop scene in 2000 as a mere teenager amassing four number one singles, five more Top 10 tunes, and the powerhouse vocalist/songwriter became an internationally recognized face in less than a half decade. After a greatest hits disc in 2006, Lampa practically disappeared from the public eye at the peak of her career, leaving fans scratching their heads and searching feverishly for news of future projects. But as the personable artist who’s now in her twenties so eloquently admits, the time away was just to recharge her understandably overworked batteries and plot her next creative step, which manifests itself in her new album All We Need.

“At the time, I felt like the luckiest girl in world, who got to go to school when I wanted and got to sing and see the whole world,” she recalls. “My brother was on the road with me which kept it fun and I didn’t feel like I had my childhood taken away from me. But what I found I was doing was starting to wrap my identity in my music. If something didn’t go well career wise, then I started to link that to who I was and what I was doing wrong. This was one of the factors why I just stepped away from the spotlight and invested in more time with my family and friends. I also got married shortly thereafter and that helped me to really get in touch with who I am: a daughter, a sister and a wife who just so happens to love singing and music in general. At that moment, I realized I was ready to let people be part of that again.”

I had the great opportunity to interview Rachael about her catchy new single “Remedy.”

Please share the personal message behind the song “Remedy” and your new album.

When I started writing songs for a new album, I wanted to celebrate God and the privilege of knowing Him. I came across the song “Remedy” from some writers who thought it would fit my voice. It was a cool God thing where it totally fit where I was coming from. It helped me move along in my own songwriting as well, where I realized that every song doesn’t need to be a heavy, philosophical epiphany, but songs can also be a celebration of your faith. We found the key to life in Jesus. We found the remedy, the answer, and the cure. It fit so perfectly with what I wanted to communicate on this new album. The title track is called “All We Need,” which is my own story. God talks about love and how we all need to show love. The hook is ‘love is all we need.’

Please tell me about any Bible verses that connect to the song. Any life verse?

My life verse which goes perfectly with this song and album is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

What's the take-away message for listeners?

As you get further along in life--and I’m in my mid-twenties now--you start to simplify. There’s not a lot of things sacred in life anymore, and the ones that are include people, family, friends, love and God. Money, success, and career don’t seem as important to me as they did when I was younger. The message of the song “Remedy” hits me where I am, spiritually.

The theme of this whole album is to not lean on our own understanding. That’s why we need God. Our understanding isn’t enough. If we can just trust God and love Him, He’s all we need. I’m learning how to simplify my world and allow myself to be the best daughter, wife and friend to my smaller world so that I can be someone genuine and real. I want to walk with people who will point me to Jesus all the time. Growing up in Christian music as a teenager, I knew a lot of people, but I wasn’t known by many people. I wasn’t sharing my life with anyone. I want richer relationships--even in the way I approach Jesus. He knows our hearts and it’s a great reminder that I can walk with Jesus all day and talk with Him about everything.

Lyrics:
I know where to go, to heal my heart, to sooth my soul,
But everything’s spinning out of control!
I know, I know to stay alive it gets so crazy day and night
But I got somebody by my side, by my side!

Every time I cry, and I wanna hide,
Feeling like I’m damaged on the inside,
You know just what to do!

You got what I need, You're the remedy,
That’s why I’m keeping You close, you close
You know what’s best for me,
My only therapy, ...Jesus Your love is my hope, my hope!
You’re my remedy, You’re my remedy!
You’re my remedy, You’re my remedy!

On point, off track, one step forward, two steps back,
Some days are gonna look just like that, just like that!
You’re my medicine,…
Relieve my pain again and again
Always take me back, no matter where I've been, where I've been

Every time I'm hurt and it doesn't work
Feeling like it never could get any worse
I come running to You,

You got what I need, you're the remedy,
That’s why I’m keeping you close!
You know what’s best for me,
My only therapy, Jesus Your love is my hope, my hope!

And every time I come knocking at your door,
You make me feel like I’m the only one that you adore!
The only one you’d do this for,
The only one that you call Yours, I'm Yours

You got what I need, You’re the remedy,
That’s why I’m keeping You close
You know what’s best for me,
My only therapy, Jesus Your love is my hope, my hope
You're my remedy

Here’s Matthew Henry’s commentary on Proverbs 3:5-6: “We must trust in the Lord with all our hearts, believing He is able and wise to do what is best. Those who know themselves, find their own understandings a broken reed, which, if they lean upon, will fail. Do not design any thing but what is lawful, and beg God to direct you in every case, though it may seem quite plain. In all our ways that prove pleasant, in which we gain our point, we must acknowledge God with thankfulness. In all our ways that prove uncomfortable, and that are hedged up with thorns, we must acknowledge Him with submission. It is promised, He shall direct thy paths; so that thy way shall be safe and good, and happy at last.”

What a great message that we all need sometimes. I recently studied Proverbs and there are many great songs based on Proverbs 3:5-6, including the hymns “Trust And Obey” by Big Daddy Weave, “Pass Me Not” by Fernando Ortega and “You Are My Hiding Place” by Selah, as well as the mega-hit song “Free To Be Me” by Francesca Battistelli. I really connect to the lyrics: “On point, off track, one step forward, two steps back, Some days are gonna look just like that, just like that! You’re my medicine…Relieve my pain again and again Always take me back, no matter where I've been, where I've been.”

That’s the story of redemption and salvation. God meets us where we are and saves us from ourselves. We’re broken and in need of a Savior. Jesus is our Healer and the ultimate remedy for our needs. I especially like songs that include the name of Jesus and proclaim Him. Although many of us may know Proverbs 3:5-6, Solomon wrote that to us to remind us today about the importance of trusting in God with ALL our hearts.

In our modern society, many people put their trust in technology, money, career and themselves. Jesus reminds us that “where your heart is, that’s where your treasure is as well.” This song is a great reminder to not look for therapy from the world, but to instead look to Jesus as our love, hope and remedy. Amen to that!