Later that week in his office, Darrell took the bones of the song and added the verse. Drawing from Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 4:8 & 9, he continued on—I am pressed but not crushed, persecuted not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. The redemption came as he continued, I am blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure that His joy's gonna be my strength. Darrell continued, inspired by words from his favorite worshipper, David, in Psalm 30:5, Though the sorrow may last for the night, His joy comes in the morning.

Joy isn't tested when things are great," says Darrell. "Joy is tested and strength is tested when things are difficult. Where are you going to run when things get hard and you don't understand? I'm going to run to you, God. I don't get it, but I'm going to trade this in for joy and just know that walking with You is more than enough to carry me through."

Unfortunately, sometimes sorrow seems to last for more than that one night-more that one bad day or even bad month. And Darrell hears from many of these people who have taken "Trading My Sorrows" to heart, getting them through some tumultuous times.

"I remember a woman who called and shared her story with me," says Darrell. "She and her husband were in their mid-to-late twenties when he got the diagnosis that he had cancer. She bought him the CD, and especially this song, 'Trading My Sorrows," carried him through those months and months of pain. She told me that every day, he continued to listen to it and connect with the Lord and say, No matter what I face, I'm maintaining my joy in You. And he didn't recover-he died-but that song helped them both walk through that experience."

For some people who may feel they are going through good times in their lives, Darrell hopes that they will see "Trading My Sorrows" as a song of intercession. "Have you thought about the people around you? When you're singing this, you're singing it over someone, interceding for someone in your congregation or setting. That's how it was written. I was thinking about myself and some things I'd like to trade, but I was singing it over people."

Now, as a worship leader in Ft. Worth, Texas, and a touring recording artist and songwriter, Darrell continues to lead people into the heart of God. He's written and recorded over 70 songs, and amazingly, an estimated 20 of those are sung every Sunday in churches around the world.

I've had songs on the radio, on the Christian pop charts and all of that. And that lasts for a certain period of time. But a song that people worship God with-that's so much bigger than a pop song. The songwriter's dream is to be heard on the radio—but the real thing is, what if your song could be used for the next 20 years for people to connect with God? That's the greatest honor in the world!" he says, with true reverence in his voice. "We're made to be worship beings. And to me, the greatest thing I could ever serve in is to help people do what they're created to do."