The great ‘Oswald Chambers’ talks about the valley being the place where every believer truly grows in their faith walk. We can’t live on the mountain top. We live our lives in the valley. We have to ‘trudge the mud’!

I thought ‘working for Jesus’ and ‘doing music’ was the place I would feel most fulfilled; my mountain top. After 15 years, I was spiritually and emotionally empty. To add to the chaos, only last year my husband was redundant and we became subject to spiraling debt; in the red and empty handed. But we discovered joy in the mud of life!

As my family and I began our journey through the valley, which included leaving a very controlling spiritual environment, we were advised on two separate occasions to contact Christian Against Poverty (CAP). Our walk began with them in October 2018, when we also found our spiritual oasis and our new church family.

There is now light flickering through what was a very dense forest on the valley floor! We have encountered only the gentle discipline and love of our Lord. I have seen more of Jesus and his merciful kindness ‘in the mud’ than I ever have on my make shift mountain top. My faith is more alive and I feel more connected to God than in the last 20 years of my life. The frustrations and anger, bitterness and rage has turned to joy and amazing hope of a better future!

Out of this humbling journey, ‘So I Rejoice’ was born. It’s a song of hope, inspired by the words of Paul to the Philippians (ch 4). ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’

For every disciple of Jesus we can be guaranteed a life less trodden; a life less sort after; a ‘trudge in the mud’. There are mountain tops and stunning views of glory along the way, but they are a rest bite. Here we clean our muddy feet and refresh our soul in preparation to light up the dark again! Not great advertisement for Christian living here, I know.

The Psalmist says (ch30:5), ‘For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.’ No matter what we go through as active Christians in this crazy world, no matter the pain, we can ‘rejoice’, because of the promises of God. In the end, He wins; in the end, so do we. This ‘win’ is not the worldly promise of profit and gain but a heavenly kingdom ‘promise’ of life everlasting. This is my hope and my valley cry. ‘Joy comes in the morning!’

My mum always used to remind me of Philippians 4 in my anxious childhood. I never quite got it. Well, now it’s more real to me than ever! I pray it’s your reality too.

-Esther Sardar