Personal Blog
Sharing from my Own Life Experience
I discovered my faith in Christ amidst a challenging childhood that is often described as "dysfunctional" by society. However, during the tumultuous times of the 1960's and '70's, my family and I were simply navigating through life without realizing that our experiences would be labeled as such. Nevertheless, Jesus miraculously intervened in my life and made a significant impact.
My life went through a significant change when someone guided me to experience the unimaginable love of Jesus for the very first time.
The photograph was taken by Laura E. Partain
In a moment, my entire life was completely altered. This love that I experienced has been a source of strength and endurance for me for more than five decades, carrying me through the highs and lows, the successes and sorrows, and even the happy moments. I can confidently say that my life took a completely different path when I first felt the love of God at the age of eighteen.
The reason I continue to exist is because of this. It motivates me to pursue my passion as a Christian songwriter and assist others in creating songs that can capture the beauty of this incredible truth. The fundamental principle of Nashville Christian Songwriters is to spread the love of Jesus to people worldwide through our podcasts, videos, blogs, and coaching programs.
What is your personal story of faith? It could be that you experienced God's love during your childhood in church, or maybe you turned to Him as an adult to overcome addiction. Perhaps you went through a devastating loss that shattered you. I've had conversations with numerous Christian songwriters who have faced immense pain, abuse, or divorce, and they are interested in our coaching programs because they want to learn how to express their suffering and how God helped them endure it. According to James Finley, God doesn't shield us from hardships, but 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 in Christian music, how can we effectively convey our testimonies? I have three suggestions that I believe will assist you in reflecting on how to capture your testimonials in a manner that resonates with listeners, providing them with love, solace, and a sense of optimism.
Begin by identifying a shared experience or theme within your story that can resonate with a large audience.
Loneliness and feeling lost are emotions that are familiar to everyone. By sharing a story that others can relate to, you can connect with them on a deeper level and engage them in your song. It is important to incorporate elements of our own experiences so that listeners can fill in the gaps with their own stories and develop a strong connection with your music.
If your story fails to capture our attention and evoke memories of our own experiences, we will lose interest. Becky Norquist, a former student at NCS and a friend of ours, has endured the pain of five miscarriages and one stillbirth. Her music and ministry center around supporting grieving families, but she also incorporates broader themes into her songs so that anyone who has experienced any form of loss – which includes all of us – can relate and remain engaged with her music.
Next, focus on capturing the feeling rather than getting caught up in the specifics
I first came across the statement by Dave Clark, a well-known songwriter and publisher from Lillenas Music, and it has stuck with me ever since. At first glance, his statement may seem contradictory, but it's not. The initial point he makes is to identify a central theme or emotion to base your song on. The second point is to steer clear of including unnecessary details in your song that may not contribute to the listener's understanding or enjoyment. If you delve too much into specifics like location, time, dates, names, or other intricate details, there is a chance that the listener may become disengaged.
When you identify the shared theme and emotion in your story that resonates with me, it allows me to connect with your song. If your specific details don't align with my own experiences, it may deter me. It may seem challenging, but it is possible. You can learn to strike the right balance between providing sufficient or excessive detail in order to focus on the emotions you felt during the difficult situation and then shift the narrative towards the redemptive aspect of God's intervention in your life.
A testimonial song is a type of song that expresses how God achieved victory in your life.
It is important to understand that there are certain details in your story that are unique to you and cannot be easily relatable to others. To overcome this, it can be helpful to look for examples of songs that have a similar emotional tone to what you want to convey and observe how the songwriters engage their listeners in that emotion rather than simply listing specific details.
Additionally, it is important to understand the distinction between catharsis and testimonial.
When you are still emotionally affected by a traumatic experience, it can be challenging to create a genuine testimonial song about it. Expressing your pain through lyrics can sometimes be perceived as self-centered, unless you are writing a country song that captures the feeling of sorrow. If that is your intention, then go ahead and pursue it, but keep in mind that it won't be seen as a true testimonial, but rather as a melancholic country song.
When considering your audience, it's important to understand that they likely have their own struggles and challenges to overcome. If you simply burden them with your own issues, they may not remain attentive for long. This is why professionals like therapists and personal journals exist – they provide a safe space for you to express and release your pain and problems. Take a moment to reflect on how your lyrics may impact your listeners. What kind of emotional space are you inviting them into? And how will they feel after hearing your song?
In my opinion, Brandon Lake and the Elevation Worship team have successfully created an uplifting praise song called "My Testimony" that effectively conveys a broad message rooted in Scripture. Instead of writing a song about your personal childhood experiences, it might be more beneficial to focus on finding positive themes from the Bible that showcase God's healing power in overcoming negativity. There are numerous approaches to sharing your testimony, so it would be worthwhile to explore alternative avenues before expressing your pain to others.
In summary, a testimonial song is one that illustrates how God succeeded in your life. It is crucial for your emotional well-being to experience catharsis. It might be beneficial for you to write these types of songs for yourself as well, but it is important to recognize the distinction between catharsis and testimonials. Catharsis involves releasing emotions, while testimonials celebrate God's triumph over the challenges you faced and his ultimate victory 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 explore testimony songs and various other topics. While many individuals may be interested in accessing free Christian songwriting courses and webinars, if you are looking to deepen your songwriting skills and are feeling a strong calling to develop your ministry, you can click on the provided link to schedule a free phone call. This call will allow you to determine if our program is a good fit for you, and there is no obligation to commit. Take the next step and schedule your free call here.
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