On this day in 2017, we held Joe’s memorial service at Chino Valley Community Church. If you attended that service you already know this story. This is a reprint from the program that was handed out that day:
Most of you know that Joe was a musician/songwriter. He also was a hiker. He spent many hours at a time (sometimes at night, to his mother’s great consternation) walking among the hills throughout North Orange County and parts of the Inland Empire, with not much more than a bottle of water and a protein bar, and sometimes a Bible in his back pocket.
He loved nature, solitude, and writing out his thoughts (kind of a Christian version of John Muir, perhaps). He wrote Forward in the Darkness while on one of these walks. He told me that he was up in the local foothills at dusk when heavy fog rolled in and he became disoriented and somewhat fearful. Everything around him was dark and hazy—he wasn’t sure which way to head.
Then he looked behind him and saw that the fog had cleared enough for him to get his bearings and head in the right direction toward home. This reminded him of the faithfulness of God—even when we can’t see or feel His presence, we can remind ourselves that He has always been faithful in our past and we can trust Him to lead us home. —Lori
I won’t include the whole lyric here, but the chorus is:
I look up and I see darkness
Look around and I see haze
I look back and I remember You
So I look forward in the darkness
To all the uncertain days
I can’t wait—I remember You
Joe Fischer 2014
(You can hear a clip of the song or purchase the whole song here. Joe’s sister Jamie sang the harmonies).
I love his phrase, ‘to all the uncertain days”. Every day after this one is uncertain, but God’s faithfulness and goodness are sure, whatever tomorrow brings.
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness. —Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)