Blog
Expressing Your Personal Experience
I discovered my faith in Christ amidst a difficult childhood that is now commonly referred to as "dysfunctional." However, during the tumultuous decades of the 1960s and 1970s, my family and I were simply living our lives, unaware that our experiences would eventually be labeled as such. Nevertheless, Jesus somehow intervened in my life during that time.
My life underwent a significant change when someone assisted me in discovering the incomprehensible affection that Jesus has for us.
The photo was taken by Laura E. Partain
In a single moment, my entire life was completely altered. This love that I experienced has been my source of strength and support for more than five decades, guiding me through the highs and lows, the successes and failures, and the joyful moments as well. 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 am still present and the reason for my actions is because of this. This is why I pursue a career as a Christian songwriter and aim to assist others in creating songs that can capture the essence of this incredible truth. The fundamental principle of Nashville Christian Songwriters is to spread the message of Jesus' love to every individual on Earth, which is why we offer podcasts, videos, blogs, and coaching programs.
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 also possible that you went through a devastating loss that left you broken. Many Christian songwriters who have faced immense pain, abuse, or divorce have expressed interest in our coaching programs. They want to learn how to convey their suffering and how God helped them endure it. According to James Finley, God doesn't shield us from difficulties, but rather 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 these personal experiences through Christian songs, how can we effectively convey our testimonies? I have three suggestions that I believe will assist you in contemplating how to accurately communicate your personal stories in a way that resonates with listeners and provides them with comfort, healing, and hope.
To begin with, attempt to discover a shared theme or experience in your story that resonates with a wide range of individuals.
Most people have experienced loneliness or feeling lost at some point in their lives. By incorporating relatable elements into your story, you can connect with others and engage them in your song. It is important for our own experiences to resonate with your narrative, allowing us to relate and become emotionally invested in your story.
If your story does not capture our attention and resonate with something we have personally experienced, we will lose interest. One of our friends, Becky Norquist, who is a former student of NCS, went through the difficult experience of enduring five miscarriages and one stillbirth. Her music and ministry are dedicated to supporting grieving families, but she also incorporates universal themes in her songs that allow anyone who has experienced any form of loss – which includes all of us – to relate and remain engaged with her music.
Next, focus on capturing the feeling rather than getting caught up in specific elements
I was introduced to the idea by Dave Clark, a well-known songwriter and publisher at Lillenas Music, who emphasized the importance of this concept. Although it may seem contradictory at first, it is not. The initial point is to identify a central theme or emotion to base your song on. The second point is to refrain from including unnecessary details in your song that do not serve the listener's understanding. If you delve too much into specific locations, timeframes, dates, names, or other minutiae, there is a possibility of losing the listener's interest.
When you identify the shared theme and emotion in your story that resonates with me, it allows me to connect with your song. If the specifics of your story don't align with mine, it may deter me. It may seem challenging, but it is possible. You can learn to find the right amount of detail that focuses on your emotions during the difficult times, and then shift the narrative towards the redemptive aspect of God's intervention in your life.
… a song of testimony is one that illustrates the triumph of God in your personal experiences.
It is important to recognize the specific details in your story that are unique to you, as they may not resonate with others. To enhance your songwriting, it can be beneficial to study songs that align with the emotions you want to convey and observe how the writers engage listeners by evoking emotions rather than simply listing details.
Next, it is important to understand the distinction between catharsis and testimonial.
If you are still emotionally wounded and experiencing pain from a traumatic experience, it can be difficult to write a genuine song that truly reflects your feelings about it. Expressing your pain too openly in your lyrics can sometimes appear self-centered, unless you are composing a traditional country song that dwells on heartbreak. If that is your intention, feel free to pursue it, but understand that it is more of a melancholic country song than a genuine testimony.
When you prioritize considering your audience, you will likely recognize that they are already dealing with their own problems. If you unload your own issues onto them, they might not listen for long. This is why therapists and journals exist – they are meant to be the outlet for your struggles and pain. It is important to think about how your lyrics will impact your listeners. What kind of emotional state 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 based on Scripture. Instead of focusing on writing a song about your personal childhood experiences, it might be beneficial to explore positive Scriptural themes that highlight the transformative and healing power of God, regardless of any negative circumstances. There are numerous approaches to expressing your own testimony, so it would be wise to consider alternative methods before sharing your pain with others.
In summary, a testimonial song is a song that highlights how God has overcome challenges in your life. It is crucial for your emotional well-being to experience catharsis. It might be beneficial for you to write these songs for yourself as well, but it is important to understand the distinction between catharsis and testimonials. Catharsis involves releasing emotions, while testimonials celebrate God's triumph over the difficulties 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 art of writing testimony songs and much more. While many individuals seek free Christian songwriting courses and webinars, if you are truly committed to advancing your songwriting skills and have a deep desire to establish your ministry, you can use the provided link to arrange a free phone call. This call is not obligatory and serves as an opportunity to determine if our program is suitable for you. Book your free call at your convenience through this link.
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 information in this browser to make it easier to comment
In this code, we are using the document object to find an element with the ID "ak_js_1". Once we find the element, we are using the setAttribute method to set a value for it. The value we
This information is categorized and can be found under a specific section. You can follow us to stay updated on our latest content. Explore more posts by browsing through different categories. You can also search for specific topics using tags. Our popular posts are highly recommended and can be accessed easily. If you want to begin your journey, you can get started with our courses. We have a collection of popular podcasts that you