Songwriting is the act of baring one's soul to another in the form of words and music.
Finding Wholeness: Behind Our Arrangement of “Bread of Life, Living Water” Website Article: Bread of Life, Living Water Article YouTube Video: Bread of Life, Living Water There is a special kind of magic that happens when music brings two people
“Hold on to Me” speaks to my soul, especially those times when I am just barely hanging on…i.e. every other day! I love the prayer in the lyric for Jesus to “hold on to me” when I am barely breathing, don’t believe in myself, when the weight of expectation is too heavy, when I don’t feel worth defending and tired of pretending….hold on to me!
“Where Can I Turn for Peace?” YouTube Link “Where Can I Turn for Peace?” ARTICLE Link Ever since I created this arrangement of “Where Can I Turn for Peace?”, this hymn has had new meaning for me. For some reason,
I am struck by the humility of Jesus Christ in condescending below all to suffer for our sins, pains and afflictions in the garden of gethsemane, then to continued to suffer on the cross, die and take up his own life again so that he might be the perfect Healer, Redeemer and Savior for each one of us.
I love how this song talks about God’s creations in the first verse, which makes me think of the circle of life with all plant, animal and human life. In the second verse it then testifies that “on a golden springtime, Jesus Christ awoke”. Wow! This is the best news in the history of all news. This is the pinnacle on which all of Christianity stands.
I try to do something regularly that I call “Pray with Paper”. It is just simply praying with the intention of seeking to know God’s will for you in whatever parts of your life you need guidance, or who to reach out to that day or whatever might be going on…WITH a piece of paper (or a phone) nearby to write down whatever comes to your mind as you listen for an answer to your question(s). I have been doing this regularly for about three years now and still, every time, it takes faith and trust for me to listen and write down those thoughts. Just from this simple act, my love and connection with God has grown so much and I feel better able to receive guidance and revelation for my life. God is so generous!!
This video was inspired by the Come Follow Me Scripture Study Manual for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and more specifically, the lesson “Rend That Veil of Unbelief” (Nov.11-17, 2024). This lesson studies Ether 1-5 in the Book of Mormon.
It was in that talk (In his April 1972 general conference address) that my father first read in public the words he had written of the hymn: “I Believe in Christ.” His talk was entitled The Testimony of Jesus. (At the time he was not a member of the quorum of the 12 apostles, he was serving in the first council of the 70). But shortly after that general conference talk, (later that year) he was called to the apostleship.
This is My Beloved Son is a song from the LDS Children’s Songbook by (Words) Marvin K. Gardner, b. 1952 and (Music) Vanja Y. Watkins, b. 1938. Each verse talks about a different setting and point in time in which God the Father introduces his Son Jesus Christ, calling him “Beloved”. 3 Nephi chapter 11 contains the account of the voice of the Father testifying of his Son and Jesus Christ appearing to the people in the Americas after his resurrection.
Hello! Love One Another is one of the suggested songs to go along with the Come Follow Me Book of Mormon lesson this week. Love One Another is a popular LDS hymn with a beautiful melody and just one single verse. This arrangement is a vocal solo with an instrumental piano part and reprise of the second half of the verse at the end. The sheet music for this arrangement is available for free here.