Day 19

Welcome Back!

I am currently on a journey to listen to nothing but Christian Music for 30 days, and if you are curious as to why, then I suggest that you go back and read my very first blog post. And if you are wondering as to whether or not this has had any effect on my life yet, then I suggest you read any other blog post. Now, let’s get into today’s post!

Today’s some came to me when I was driving home from work today, and it could not have been a better time for this song to play. The song is a song that talks about the highs and lows of life, and how God is always there for us no matter which end of the spectrum that we happen to be on today. The reason this song was so inspiring for me today was because today was a VERY tough day at work. I am not sure if it was because it was cold and rainy all day, or if it was because I had my toughest class in the whole school first, but the day just didn’t go my way. It seemed like every plan that I came up with was being shot down by some circumstance, and then I had a parent e-mail me and complain about me playing music after school the previous day during car-line. So when I got in my car to head home, it is safe to say that I was beat by the day. But hearing this song gave me a lot of encouragement because it is good to be reminded that God is there for us when we are going through the valleys, and he is there with us when we are standing on the mountain tops!

If you haven’t been able to guess the song that came on yet, then now is the time that I tell you. The song that I heard is called “Hills and Valleys” and it is by Tauren Wells. Now, this is an interesting musical song, because there are actually like 4 different versions of this song, musically, so it is really up to you to pick your favorite. My favorite, and the one that came on the radio this afternoon, is the original one. The original one is a little bit more up-tempo and faster, which is why I like it, but the version that got the most exposure is the slower, acoustic version. So if you prefer a slower song, then I suggest you go check that one out first. The beauty of this song though, and the reason why you can make 4 versions of the same song and still have them all be great is because the lyrics for this song are so spiritual and lifechanging, that it speaks to all different kinds of people.

The song starts off: “I’ve walked among the shadows, you wiped my tears away. And I’ve felt the pain of heartbreak, and I’ve seen the brighter days. And I’ve prayed prayers to heaven, from my lowest place. And I have held your blessings, God you give and take away. No matter what I have, your grace is enough, and no matter where I am, I’m standing in your love.” From this first verse, it is very apparent what kind of picture that Tauren is trying to paint here. He is speaking from a place that many of us would be able to relate to, and that is a place of reflection, in seeing that we have all been in both the good and the bad times. And in both of those times, you can always see God is there. Even when we walk among the shadows, God is there to wipe away our tears. And when we feel the sting of heartbreak, God is there to pick us back up again. Conversely, even when we are feeling the joys of God’s blessings, he is with us then watching over proudly. There is no place we can run to that his love won’t be, and there is no action we can make that his grace is not enough to cover. I love where the song goes from here in the main chorus though, because it makes everything very clear to all who listen.

The lyrics of the main chorus are “On the mountains I will bow my life to the one who set me there, In the valley I will lift my eyes to the one who see’s me there. When I’m standing on the mountain I didn’t get there on my own, When I’m walking through the valley, I know I am not alone. You’re the God of the Hills and Valleys, Hills and Valley, god of the hills and valleys, and I am not alone.” I love the awareness that Tauren has here, and it is something that I pray we all can get to because that is the mindset of what it means to be a follower of Christ. Tauren speaks of how when he is on the mountain top of life, when everything is going right in his life, he knows that he did not get there on his own. It was all because of God’s love and plan for him that he is getting to experience this high! And then I love how he follows that right up with the declaration that when he is in the valleys in his life, and it feels like nothing is going right, then he knows he can lift his eyes up to the one who see’s him in his destitute. God is always there with him, even when he is feeling like a nothing, and like he can’t make it another day. That is the kind of focus that I want to have on God. I want to be like the person that Tauren is singing of in this song, and I want to be like the person who best lived this example in the Bible, Job. If you don’t know who Job is, I suggest you go read the first 2 chapters of the book of Job and get an understanding for the kind of person that Job was. And while you are reading that, try and tell me that he doesn’t sound like the person that Tauren is singing about in this song. God really is the god of the hills and valleys, and it is because he knows the impact that going through both can have on a person. Now, I am going to talk more about that in a later blog, but let’s just say that when things go wrong, God is not abandoning you. Sometimes God let’s you go through hard times, because he knows that the hard times are exactly what you need in order to grow in your faith. So I pray that you will listen to this song and be encouraged in the same way that I was today. Because I sure was feeling like I was in a valley after my day at school, but hearing this song really helped me to remember that God is still here with me, and he is never going anywhere. It really helped me to get my focus back on God, and that is what I needed today. Thank you for reading, and I hope that you have a wonderful day.