This post may contain affiliate links. Click here for my affiliate disclosure. If you purchase items through my affiliate links, I receive a small commission but your price doesn't change.
Do you want to be a vibrant disciple of Jesus?
How badly do you want that?
Those who know me know that I am a music fanatic – more recently, a choral music fanatic (you can read about that journey here). I would love to sing in some certain choral ensembles (in fact, I have an application pending right now), but I really need more experience. Of course said ensembles are looking for people with experience, but the way to get experience is to be accepted and participate in such a group…funny how that works. I’m currently looking for a local voice instructor (update: found one!) and I’m doing a lot of work on my own. All those multitracks I’ve been doing lately? They’re not because I think you guys like listening to me. Or because I think my family enjoys listening to my warbling 24/7 (in fact, I know that one isn’t true). It’s to give myself experience and force myself to keep getting better. There’s nothing like having an imperfect recording posted on YouTube for the world to see to make you get your act together and produce something better.
I say all this to say that I have been working really hard to improve my musical skills lately. I’ve been spending a lot of time on this and going to great lengths to reach great vocal heights (literally). If you want something, you have to work for it. Really hard, sometimes.
Some members of my family were remarking on my current obsession last night (after I had spent an hour downstairs in my bedroom trying to record and they all had to tiptoe around upstairs), and their comments got me to thinking.
What if I put as much time and effort into being a vibrant disciple of Jesus as I do into my (fill in the blank)? For me, that blank is filled with “music”. For you, it’s filled with whatever you obsess over, make time for, or think about on a regular basis. Let’s hope it’s not “Facebook”, because that is sad. Facebooking is not a legitimate hobby, end of story.
To be honest, I shouldn’t have to ask myself that question. I should be putting more time and effort into walking as Christ walked than I do into my singing “career” (snort). The one should flow out of the other. I’ve had some things switched around lately.
What about you? Where are all of your energies going? Are they misplaced? I need a reminder on this subject every day!
Below is my latest imperfect multitrack, if you’re interested. (Sheet music for this arrangement can be purchased here.)
Your singing is lovely! I hope you are able to find a vocal instructor and join a choir. The Lord has given you a beautiful gift. If I may, one suggestion is to highlight the melody so that it is slightly more prominent than the harmony. In a choir, this often happens naturally, as our ears can isolate the melody when it is sung by voices that have a different timbre. But when you are making all the (lovely) harmony, it can sometimes be hard to hear the melody. So,my suggestion is to either mechanically or vocally make the melody slightly louder than the harmony. I’m a singer myself, and I really appreciate hearing you sing.
Thanks for the tip, Lauri. 🙂 I just found a voice instructor, so I’m excited to see what I can learn from her in the next couple of months!
That is beautiful, Briana. Is that YOU singing all the parts ?
I love that hymn, but it’s words are very challenging. Reality check !
Yes, that’s me. 🙂 It’s good practice.
The words to this hymn are so challenging to me as well! That’s why it’s one of my favorites. It makes me think every time I sing it.
“I Surrender All” is one of my favorites! Your article is very convicting and we can song that song with all those wonderful words in it, but do we really listen to what we are singing? From experience, I know that I may be doing good things, but is that what God really wants me to be doing? I find myself controlling what I do rather than letting God control it. Your voice is beautiful and I hope you have success in your new career.