Jani Stefanovic

From the valley of death to life

Jani Stefanovic (Divinefire, Eternium, Essence of Sorrow)

 

I grew up in a deeply religious family and I think I kept the faith I had with me from home far up into my teenage years. I started to play in my first band when I was 13 years old and when I was around 16 I started to play with some guys from the church I belonged to. Gradually problems arose, for at the same time as I was still frequently going to church I started to become more and more interested in what my nonsaved friends were doing.

In the end it was so bad that I could go right from a meeting to a party to get drunk. Finally I had turned my back to the church and here began my wandering far down into the valley of shadows.

 

A ROCKSTAR AT ANY PRICE

Music was everything in my life and I wanted to be famous as some of my friends had been. I wanted to do everything that they did, go away on long tours and just party and have fun. I was in different bands and to a degree I started to live this wonderful life. I wanted to become a rockstar at any price.

My mother always reminded me with even intervals by saying ”please, don’t give away the talent God has given you, don’t give it to the enemy” This made me just as angry every time although I knew deep inside that it was true, but I just continued my wandering. ”As long as you play to the Devil’s glory instead of God’s glory you will never be blessed, God gave you this talent to praise him.” These were straightforward and harsh words from my mother, words that made me bitter against her faith and God.

 

SOMETHING WAS MISSING

I had lived in Finland since 1993 but 2001 it was time to move back to Sweden. I soon found my next band, here things were really moving. I practised like a maniac and then it was time to go away on a long tour. Now finally I would be able to go out and live the rock star life full on.

After the tour and after playing in town after town and country after country I just felt completely empty when I came home. Why did it felt like I had just done something completely meaningless? I didn’t knew why, this was just the start of the wonderful life I had been striving for.

The tour was behind us, a new album and a new contract was on the way with one of the biggest companies in the world. Still there was something that was missing. I had once again a talk with my mom about this and I asked myself why I wasn’t happy and satisfied, this was just all that I ever had wanted to have. Then I once again got the same straightforward and harsh words ”this is not what God has planned for you, your gift is in the music but it isn’t meant to serve any other than God.”

 

GOD ALWAYS KNOWS WHAT IS BEST

For the first time in several years I thought that maybe it is like that, but I just couldn’t leave the band, since this was the best band I had ever been in. Not long after this the band split because the founder started to play with a worldknown band. Without band again, I started to think, what to do now? Some time passed, but more and more I felt that I maybe should start up a band with a christian message. No, I immediately thought, ”christian= no fat contract, no success” I fought against this all I could. I didn’t wanted to play in a wimpy christian band.

Today I play in three christian bands and I have never felt this good before. This is how good it can go when you follow the Lord’s will and not your own will. God always knows what is best for us. Concretely I really found out that without his grace and love we are nothing.

 

JESUS CHANGED MY LIFE

This wonderful change happened when I confessed my sins and wanted to start over with Jesus.

He changed my life. The old longing to be a rock star is now gone. Now I’m out playing metal to the glory of God and not to my own glory. My valley down through the valley of death took me around eight years and I thank God that he got hold of my life. There is no better than living a life together with God. I really want to encourage everyone to really prioritise their relationship with God, that relation is worth more than gold, trust me.

 

THE BIBLE IS MY INSPIRATION

The prayer and God’s Word (The Bible) are the real foundations of my christian life. Through prayer and The Word I get strength and guidance.

In the Bible the Revelation is definately an absolute favourite. It’s a little mystic and from it I have got much inspiration to lyrics. It’s a little metal over it. The Gospels and the Psalms are also good.

 

God’s blessing

Jani Stefanovic

(Divinefire, Eternium, Essence of Sorrow)