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"I Will Rejoice" by Maria Segerholm: Thankful for the Sunshine and the Rain


Joy is a choice you can make today.

“I Will Rejoice” by Maria Segerholm is a song of joy and praise, and her message is that joy is a choice despite the challenges we face. Maria has been called a happy person since she was a little girl. The unexpected happened, the trials came. Seasons arrived when her joy faded, and she says the enemy worked hard to steal her joy. Does that sound familiar?

Maria Segerholm - I Will RejoiceThose seasons didn’t last. Over the past few years, God has taught Maria what it means to rejoice in Him at all times, and this song, “I Will Rejoice”, grew from that lesson. Listen to how she sings it. Clouds try to block her light, yet she won’t stay down. Pain tries to break her praise, so she sings His Name. Fear shakes her soul, and she gives thanks “cause I know You’re good.”

Notice the words that Maria uses: Clouds, pain, fear, and noise… They all “try,” but none of them win. Joy here is a choice that she makes again and again, long before her feelings catch up.

The bridge pushes further. She thanks God for the sunshine and the rain, for the purpose and the pain, for every season “no matter how they change.” Can you thank Him for the rain in your life?

The chorus borrows from a verse many of us know by heart. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” The psalmist doesn’t wait for a perfect day. He claims the one in front of him as God’s own handiwork.

So try it tomorrow morning. Say this verse from Psalm out loud before you check your phone. Name one small thing you can thank God for. Then name one hard thing and thank Him anyway, trusting He is in it. Joy grows when you practice it, and when the noise gets loud, “In Your arms is where I find rest.”

Listen to “I Will Rejoice” today and sing along with Maria. May the chorus settle in your heart. “I will rejoice and be so glad in it.”

(Related scripture: Psalm 118:24; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Background:

Since I was a little girl, I’ve often heard people describe me as a happy person. I think many people would still use that word to describe me today. But through the years and different trials, there have been seasons when my joy has faded. The enemy has tried so hard to steal my joy. Yet those seasons have been temporary, and over the last few years, God has been teaching me on a deeper level what it means to rejoice in Him at all times.

In mid-April last year, while attending stroke rehabilitation several times a week, I had a songwriting session scheduled with my dear friend Hannah Stott. During that period, I went on walks and runs in the area surrounding the hospital where I was receiving rehabilitation. Springtime in Sweden is truly beautiful, and one of my favorite things was seeing the cherry blossom trees bloom. Even as I was going through a difficult season with my health, there was so much beauty around me.

God reminded me of Psalm 118:24: “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” My prayer was to keep rejoicing in the midst of the struggle. It wasn’t always easy, so that verse became my daily confession. I wanted to choose joy and faith despite my circumstances and focus on all the beauty and all the reasons I had to rejoice.

I shared these thoughts with Hannah during our songwriting session, and together we wrote “I Will Rejoice” out of that experience. I knew I wanted the song to be part of my praise EP, Praise Through Trials.

A few months later, I reached out to another friend, Carli Lessing, and asked if she would be interested in producing the song. I felt that the chorus melody needed a little more work, and since Carli is an excellent songwriter, I asked her for some ideas. I’m so glad she helped reshape the chorus melody! Carli later brought in a wonderful team of friends who contributed drums, backing vocals, and mixing. I’m so grateful that they all wanted to be part of bringing this song to life.

My prayer is that “I Will Rejoice” will bring a smile to your face and encourage you to rejoice, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.

For the release, a photo of mini-Maria from the ’90s, wearing a flower headband, felt like the obvious choice—as the song is about joy and even mentions flowers!

Release date: October 23, 2026

Connect with Maria Segerholm


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