Personal Blog: Sharing from My Own Experience
Growing up in the tumultuous era of the 1960's and '70's, my childhood was far from ideal. It was only later that society coined the term "dysfunctional" to describe the challenges we faced. However, amidst this chaos, Jesus played a significant role in transforming my life.
My life underwent a profound change when someone guided me to experience the indescribable love of Jesus for the very first time.
The photograph was taken by a person named Laura E
In a single moment, my entire life was completely transformed. This love that I experienced has been my source of strength and support for more than five decades, guiding me through both joyful and difficult times. I can confidently say that the course of my life was forever altered when I first felt the immense love of God at the age of eighteen.
The reason for my existence and the motivation behind my work is the love of Jesus. As a Christian songwriter, my aim is to assist you in creating songs that can effectively convey this incredible reality. The fundamental principle of Nashville Christian Songwriters is to spread the love of Jesus to all individuals around the world through our podcasts, videos, blogs, and coaching programs.
What is your personal story of faith?
Perhaps you experienced God's love during your childhood in church, or maybe you turned to Him as an adult to overcome addiction. It's possible that you have been deeply hurt by a significant loss. I have had conversations with numerous Christian songwriters who have expressed interest in our coaching programs. Many of them have endured immense pain, abuse, or divorce and are eager to learn how to express their struggles and how God has provided strength throughout. James Finley believes that while God does not shield us from hardships, He miraculously supports us through them.
However, the question remains: How can we effectively convey our personal experiences and stories through powerful and impactful songs?
Throughout our lives, we experience both the highs and lows. However, when it comes to expressing our personal stories through Christian songs, how can we effectively convey our testimonies? I have three suggestions that may assist you in contemplating how to capture your testimonies in a manner that resonates with listeners, offering them solace, restoration, and optimism.
Begin by looking for a shared theme or idea in your narrative that resonates with a wide audience.
Loneliness and feeling lost are emotions that are universally understood. By allowing people to connect with your story, you are creating a space for them to relate and engage with your music. It is important to weave our own experiences into your narrative, as it enables us to connect on a deeper level and develop a strong emotional connection with your song.
If your story doesn't capture our attention or resonate with something we have personally experienced, we will lose interest. Becky Norquist, a former student of NCS and our friend, went through the heartbreaking experience of five miscarriages and one stillbirth. Her music and ministry are centered around supporting grieving families, but she also incorporates broader themes in her songs, allowing anyone who has experienced any form of loss – which includes all of us – to relate and stay engaged with her music.
Next, focus on capturing the feeling or mood rather than getting caught up in
I remember hearing Dave Clark, a well-known songwriter and publisher from Lillenas Music, say this and it has stuck with me. Although it may seem contradictory at first, it's not. The initial point is to identify a central theme or emotion to base your song on. The second point is to avoid including unnecessary details in your song that won't be helpful to your listeners. If you delve too much into specific locations, dates, names, or other intricate details, you may end up losing the audience's interest.
When you identify a common theme and emotion in your story that I can empathize with, it allows me to connect with your song. If the specific details you provide don't align with my own experiences, it may not resonate with me. Although it may seem challenging, it is possible to strike a balance between providing enough detail to capture the emotions you felt during the trial and shifting the focus towards the redemptive aspect of God's intervention in your life.
…a testimonial song is a song that demonstrates how God achieved victory in your personal experiences.
It is important to recognize the unique details in your own story that make it difficult for others to relate to. To assist in writing a song, it can be helpful to look for examples of songs that evoke specific emotions and observe how the writers engage listeners without simply listing specific details.
Next, it is important to understand the distinction between catharsis and testimonial.
If you are still feeling emotionally wounded and distressed from a traumatic experience in your life, it can be challenging to authentically compose a testimonial song about it. Expressing your pain explicitly in your lyrics often gives the impression of being self-absorbed, unless you are writing a classic country song filled with heartbreak. If that is your intention, then by all means, go ahead and pursue it. However, it is important to understand that such a song is not truly a testimony but rather a melancholic country ballad.
When considering your audience, it's important to recognize that they likely have their own struggles to handle. If you simply unload your own problems onto them, they may not be willing to listen for very long. This is why professionals like therapists and personal journals exist – they provide a safe outlet for expressing your dysfunction and pain. It's crucial to think about how your lyrics will impact your listeners. What kind of emotional space are you inviting them into? How will they feel after hearing your song?
In my opinion, Brandon Lake and the Elevation Worship team have done an impressive job with their uplifting praise song called "My Testimony" by conveying a message that is derived from Scripture and applicable to a wide audience. Instead of writing a song solely focused on your childhood experiences, it might be beneficial to explore positive biblical themes that showcase God's ability to bring healing and redemption to difficult situations. There are numerous ways to express your personal testimony, so it might be worth considering other approaches before sharing your pain with others.
In summary, a testimonial song is a song that expresses how God has overcome challenges in your life. It is important and necessary for your emotional well-being to experience catharsis. It might be beneficial for you to write these songs for yourself as well, but it's important to recognize the distinction between catharsis and testimonial songs. Catharsis involves releasing emotions, while testimonials celebrate God's victory over the difficult situations you have faced, highlighting His ultimate triumph in your soul regardless of the path you took to get there.
In our NCS Pro Song Mastery program, which lasts for eight weeks and is conducted online, we delve into the art of testimony songs and various other aspects. While many individuals seek free Christian songwriting courses and webinars, if you are committed to advancing your songwriting skills and have a deep desire to establish your ministry, you can click on the provided link to arrange a free phone call. This call comes with no obligations and aims to help you determine whether this program is suitable for you. You can schedule your free call by clicking here.
Please feel free to share this article with your friends. If you have any comments or thoughts, please leave a reply. Additionally, you can save your name, email, and website in this browser for future reference.
In this code snippet, the "ak_js_1" element is being selected using the document.getElementById() method. Then, the value attribute of this element is being set to the current time using the getTime() method of the Date
Categories:
– Filed Under
– Follow us
– Browse More Posts
– Popular Posts
Tags:
– Get Started
– Popular Podcasts
– Features
– About
– YOUR COURSEs
Sign up today for our free Pro Songwriters Top 10 Tip Sheet and access our courses.