Looking back on the last few decades of your life, could you trace God’s faithfulness, or would you question His presence?
Key points:
- Testament is an immersive devotional series pairing daily messages with 30 of Darlene’s songs from the last 30 years.
- Re-recording tracks like Shout to the Lord has come with “beautiful memories” for Darlene, but also sadness.
- One of the “gifts” Darlene says cancer gave her, was that ability to sit and be still and present in the moment.
- Listen to the full episode of UNDISTRACTED with guest Darlene Zschech in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.
Songwriter and pastor Darlene Zschech has lived much of hers in the public eye.
Initially as worship leader at Hillsong Church, then through her breast cancer diagnosis and recovery and her choice almost 15 years ago to leave Hillsong and plant Hope Unlimited Church on the Central Coast with husband Mark.
“To watch the thread of God’s kindness weave through my life [has] been really wonderful,” Darlene told Hope 103.2’s UNDISTRACTED podcast.
For 12 months Darlene has been reflecting on that thread for Testament, an immersive devotional series pairing daily messages with 30 of her songs from the last 30 years.
Re-recording tracks like Shout to the Lord, Beautiful Saviour and Glorify Your Name has come with “beautiful memories” for Darlene, but also sadness.
“Some songs brought up a little bit of grief for things that were lost,” Darlene said.
Testament is an immersive devotional series pairing daily messages with 30 of Darlene’s songs from the last 30 years.
“Especially all of our beautiful years at Hillsong Church [and] watching something that you love having to walk through some of those things.
“But then again, watching the restorative nature of Christ brings me a lot of joy.”
Like 2013’s Oceans launched a new era of Hillsong UNITED and introduced us to Taya Gaukrodger (nee. Smith), Darlene’s 1994 release Shout to Lord launched Hillsong Music’s global reputation, generating success that expanded the local Australian church’s influence – the original Oceans if you will.
“[Shout to the Lord] left my mouth in my twenties and it left my life,” Darlene said.
“It just took wings and had its thing and now is owned by everybody and that’s something I’ll never take for granted or get used to.”
Re-recording tracks like Shout to the Lord has come with “beautiful memories” for Darlene, but also sadness.
With Testament Darlene wanted to provide space for us to “remember the goodness of God in [our] own lives” and intentionally develop our faith.
“Sometimes it’s not until we stop and think, and sit in the presence of God, that [we see] He’s with us all the time,” Darlene said.
“Once you have own story [of God’s faithfulness] you’ll be able to withstand anything that comes your way because you know [with certainty] God has been with you.
“It’s a very presumptuous Christian who thinks you can walk forward in your Christian life – or grow in your Christian life – without being in the Word, in the house of God with other Christians [and] being in prayer.”
One of the “gifts” Darlene says cancer gave her, was that ability to sit and be still and present in the moment.
“When I was younger I was very [forward-focused] and responsible,” Darlene said.
“But now I’m just better [at] being tuned to the moment I’m in, rather than racing ahead to get to the next one.
“I’ve found it to be a profound gift.”
To look back on our lives and see God at work Darlene thinks comes from daily decisions to be obedient with the big and little things.
“God doesn’t ask you to take just one massive leap in your life,” Darlene said.
“He just asks you for your daily ‘yes’ and yielding.
“It’s in our faith in the midst of the chaos, when you’re grounded in God and his word, that you can be really at peace and calm when things are just swirling around you.”
One of the “gifts” Darlene says cancer gave her, was that ability to sit and be still and present in the moment.
It’s easy to feel like we don’t have time to sit with God, but our spiritual lives are so much better off when we do.
“Hunger has a lot to do with it,” Darlene said.
“The Bible says ‘those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled’.
“There is something that hunger creates in you that comfort will never deliver.”
Darlene Zschech’s Testament is out now.
Listen to the full episode of UNDISTRACTED with guest Darlene Zschech in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.
Feature image: Photos supplied by Darlene Zschech and used with permission. Background image by CanvaPro
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