Blog
Sharing Your Personal Experience Through Writing
I embraced Christianity after experiencing a challenging childhood, which is now commonly referred to as "dysfunctional". However, during the tumultuous era of the 1960s and 1970s, my family and I were simply navigating through life without realizing that our circumstances would later be labeled as such. Nevertheless, Jesus miraculously stepped into my life and made a significant impact.
My life underwent a significant change when someone assisted me in establishing a deep connection with the incomprehensible and boundless love that Jesus offers.
The photograph was taken by Laura E. Partain
In a split second, my entire life was completely transformed. This very love has been my source of strength and support for more than five decades, guiding me through both the highs and lows, the successes and sorrows, as well as the positive experiences. I can confidently state that the course of my life was forever altered when I first experienced the unconditional love of God at the age of eighteen.
The driving force behind my presence and actions is the love of Jesus. This love is what motivates me to be a Christian songwriter and assist others in writing songs that can capture the depth of this incredible reality. The foundation of Nashville Christian Songwriters and all of our various platforms, including podcasts, videos, blogs, and coaching programs, is to spread the message of Jesus' love to every individual on Earth.
What is your personal story of faith?
Perhaps you experienced God's love during your childhood church experiences, 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 in your life. In our coaching programs, we have had numerous conversations with Christian songwriters who have endured immense suffering, abuse, or divorce. These individuals have expressed a desire to learn how to effectively convey their pain and how God has provided them with strength and support throughout their hardships. James Finley believes that God does not shield us from difficulties, but rather miraculously sustains us through them.
However, the question remains: how can we effectively express our personal experiences and stories through powerful and impactful songs?
As we journey through life, we experience both the joys and challenges it has to offer. However, when it comes to expressing our personal experiences and faith through Christian songs, it can sometimes be a daunting task. I have three valuable tips that I believe will assist you in effectively conveying your testimonies through music, ensuring that listeners will not only appreciate but also find solace, restoration, and inspiration in your songs.
To start with, attempt to discover a shared element in your narrative that resonates with a large number of individuals.
Loneliness and feeling lost are emotions that are universally understood. To connect with others through your story, it is important to create a sense of relatability. By incorporating elements of our own experiences, we can better understand and appreciate your narrative.
If the content of your story fails to capture our attention and resonate with something we have personally experienced, we will lose interest. Becky Norquist, a former student of NCS and a friend of ours, has experienced the heartache of going through five miscarriages and one stillbirth. Her music and ministry primarily cater to grieving families, but she skillfully incorporates universal themes in her songs that allow anyone who has experienced any form of loss – which includes all of us – to connect with her music and remain engaged.
Next, focus on capturing the emotion rather than getting caught up in the specific
I was introduced to Dave Clark, a highly productive songwriter and publisher at Lillenas Music, who shared this insightful advice that has stuck with me. It may seem contradictory at first, but it's not. The initial point is to identify a central theme or emotion to base your song on. The second point emphasizes the importance of avoiding excessive details in your song that do not serve the listener's understanding. Delving too much into specific locations, times, dates, names, or other unnecessary particulars can potentially disconnect the audience.
When you identify the shared theme and shared emotion in your narrative that I can empathize with, you welcome me into your melody. If your specifics do not align with mine, it can deter me. It may seem difficult, but it is achievable. You can acquire the skill of including just the right amount of detail, avoiding excessive information, in order to focus on your emotions during the challenge and then shift the focus towards how God intervened and brought redemption for you.
… a testimonial song is one that depicts the victory of God in your personal experiences.
It is important to recognize the specific details in your story that are unique to you and may not resonate with others. To help with this, you can look for examples of songs that are similar to the one you want to write and observe how the writers engage the audience by evoking emotions rather than simply listing details.
Next, 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 write a genuine song that reflects your personal testimonial. Expressing your pain too intensely in your lyrics may be seen as self-centered, unless you are aiming to create a typical country song that evokes emotions. If that is your intention, go ahead and pursue it, but be aware that it will be more of a sorrowful country song rather than a genuine testimony.
When considering your audience, it's important to recognize that they likely have their own struggles to contend with. If you simply unload your own pain onto them, they may not listen for very long. This is why professionals like therapists and the act of journaling exist – they serve as outlets for your own personal issues and hurts. It's important 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 successfully created an uplifting praise song called "My Testimony" that effectively conveys a message rooted in Scripture. Instead of writing a song solely about your childhood experiences, it may be more impactful to focus on positive themes from the Bible that highlight God's healing power over any negative aspects. There are numerous approaches to sharing your testimony, so it would be beneficial to explore alternative methods before expressing your pain in a way that may overwhelm others.
In summary, a testimonial song is a song that reflects how God has overcome obstacles in your life. It is important for your emotional well-being to have a cathartic release. It may be beneficial for you to write these songs for yourself as well, but it is important to note the distinction between the two types. Catharsis involves letting go of emotions, while testimonials celebrate God's triumph over the challenges you have faced, ultimately leading to victory in your soul regardless of the path taken.
In our eight-week online coaching and mentoring program called NCS Pro Song Mastery, we delve into the depths of testimonial songs and various other aspects. While many individuals seek free Christian songwriting courses and webinars, if you are eager to take your songwriting skills to the next level and have a deep desire to establish your ministry, you can click on the provided link to arrange a free phone call without any obligations. This call will help determine if our program is the right fit for you. Book your free call now.
Please feel free to share this article with your friends. If you have any thoughts or comments, please leave a reply. Additionally, you can save your name, email, and website in this browser for future comments.
Using the getElementById method, we are accessing the element with the id "ak_js_1". We are then using the setAttribute method to set the value attribute of this element to the current time in milliseconds obtained from the new
Sections
– Categorized as
– Stay connected with us
– Explore additional articles
– Groupings
– Labels
– Frequently viewed content:
– Begin your journey
– Well-known audio shows
– Characteristics
– Information regarding
– YOUR PROGRAMs
– Register now for our complimentary guide, "Pro Songwriters Top 10 Tip Sheet"