When facing moments of difficulty, uncertainty, and change in our lives, it’s common for many to question “Why is life happening this way? Where is God in all of this?” Facing the implications of a global pandemic and social distancing, these questions can seem more prevalent in people’s hearts and minds than ever before. In the spirit of offering comfort and insight in these challenging moments, we’re excited to feature Jen Aldana’s second original music video: “Trust in You.”
Released on May 15, “Trust in You” shares a relatable glimpse into the inner doubts one can experience and the resolve one can feel when deciding to trust in God in those moments of insecurity. Rather than showing this dynamic overtly by having a character overcome a monumental challenge, or through a series of relationships as depicted in Jen’s previous music video: “Heaven Rejoices,” “Trust In You” instead walks the viewer through the day to day activities during which individuals may be contemplating those subtle doubts–such as while going about a morning routine, driving, or walking through Boston. According to Jen, embedded in the video’s simplicity lies the conviction that “we have to make this decision every single day as we live our regular lives.” “It’s not just in the big things, it’s in the little things too,” Jen said. “I start off the video at home because those are the times when I feel like my mind gets jumbled with doubt. So that’s what I wanted to show, that even though I’m just starting my day, I have to make that decision of ‘God, I’m going to trust you for this day.’”
Interpreting Jen’s explanation through the lens of the “Lord’s Prayer” in Matthew 6:9-13, one could almost view the scenes depicted in “Trust in You” as a living reminder that “as we give God our daily trust, God ‘gives us this day our daily bread.’”
Since Jen herself is the only “character” in the video, viewers may correlate its themes and scenes with today’s social distance living. However, as Jen explained, this relatability to current events is unintended as the video was filmed in October 2019, and the song itself was written much earlier in 2018. That said, in response to the video’s release coinciding with the coronavirus pandemic, Jen encouraged viewers to see “Trust in You” as a reminder that “we’re gonna make it through” and to “keep trusting God the same way we did before this pandemic.”
While circumstantially the timing of video and its messages may be coincidental, what enables “Trust In You” to maintain its relatability and authenticity across such a long period of time is the story behind it. Similar to her previous video: “Heaven Rejoices,” the song “Trust in You” was written in response to Jen’s own experiences maintaining her faith in God during challenging times. “I wrote this song during a time in my life where I was confused about my music career, had just ended a really long term relationship, and was honestly just unsure about where God was taking my life,” Jen said. “And despite all of that, I felt led to write songs of worship, and this song is one of the ones that came out of it.” In the midst of this confusion, Jen contemplated releasing the songs she had written, and questioned whether this was the right time. One of her mentors assured her, “Jen, this is exactly the time to do it. Because, you’re going to help so many people when you write from this place of pain rather than from a place of perfection. It is so much more impactful for you to say these words about trusting in God when you are in the middle of a wilderness in your life.”
Reflecting on her journey and the video’s release, Jen hopes that “Trust In You” may serve as “an encouragement that people can share with anyone who may need this reminder.” Be on the lookout for Jen’s next music video: “Your Peace” being released on June 5th! Follow her Instagram @jenaldanamusic for the latest updates.