There have been a lot of requests online for the lyrics to “I Will Meet You There,” as well as the story behind the song.
It hurts to think of those who’ve gone.
It hurts because I care.
But I won’t fret; before too long
I will meet you there.
I will meet you there. I will meet you there.
I know within my heart one day I will meet you there.
The love we hold in all our hearts
for God’s own family
will stay within our hearts until
we will meet them there.
We will meet them there. We will meet them there.
I know within my heart one day we will meet them there.
I will meet you there. I will meet you there.
I know within my heart one day I will meet you there.
© 2008 Anthony K Music
On May 17, 2008, I was on a weekend trip with my church singing group, Gr8ful Praise. We had been asked by a church having an anniversary celebration to come sing. We had just finished our Saturday evening concert and were preparing to head back to the hotel for the evening when I was dealt the biggest blow of my life: my friends, Dan and Jennifer, were dead.
While out riding their motorcycle with two other couples from church, a drunk driver made a lane change, forcing the car in the lane next to him to cross over the center line into oncoming traffic. Dan and Jennifer’s motorcycle was hit head on. Dan was one of our four elders. Jennifer, his wife, was one of our church secretaries. I had known them almost my entire life. Dan taught me so much about caring for people, not in words, but by example. And Jennifer treated me like one of her own sons. In fact, she would often tell me that she hoped her kids turned out like me.
Two months later, I headed to Abilene, TX to attend the Texas Normal Singing School for the first time. I had signed up for a song writing class, mainly to gain the skills to arrange music for Gr8ful Praise. I had no intention of writing my own song that week, but was told the first night I had to write a verse. That night, with Dan and Jennifer on my heart, I wrote the following words: “It hurts to think of those who’ve gone, it hurts because I care. But I won’t fret, before too long, I will meet you there.”
Before I knew it, a melody came to me and I had written my first song. It was performed publicly for the first time that week at Singing School. While I was the only person in the entire room that knew Dan and Jennifer, the song touched many hearts. People who were strangers just days before were coming up to me and sharing stories of lost loved ones, and how the song brought them comfort.
Another month later, I was able to share the song with my home congregation. Gr8ful Praise put on a summer concert on a Sunday evening, along with about 30 teenagers from church, including Dan and Jennifer’s daughter Alicia. “I Will Meet You There” was sang in memory of Dan and Jennifer Tarjeft. God still uses this song to touch hearts and bring comfort, knowing that we have hope of seeing our loved ones again.
To purchase the song, sheet music, slides, and more, visit:
The Acappella Company