My Kindle music book, SONGS FOR THE LORD, will be offered as a FREE download on Amazon.com and its European affiliates on Friday, November 2 through Monday, November 5. Mark your calendars! And please help me get the word out!
Elizabeth Bristol
Here is a related message—a testimonial of sorts—sent in by kindred spirit Elizabeth Bristol.
A native of Foxboro, Massachusetts, Elizabeth has lived in many states and other countries. She says she loves the school of life and looks for opportunities to step into another pair of shoes for deeper understanding. She can be conventional, but she’d rather color outside the lines.
(I happen to know that Elizabeth has applied to work in Antarctica. That’s coloring outside the lines, all right!)
Elizabeth writes:
I met Linda at a Montrose Christian Writer’s Conference. In a workshop, Karen Whiting brainstormed with each of us. How might we share our writing? Karen assumed Linda could play music – making a CD out of her work seemed only natural.
“No,” Linda said, “I never learned to read music or play an instrument.”
But, of course, she must sing and could make a recording of the songs she wrote?
“No,” Linda said, “I sing like a sick moose.”
She told the group how the Holy Spirit enabled her to write songs in spite of her lack of musical talent or training.
A month later, at the Soulfest concert in New Hampshire, my teenage niece received prophesy that she would write lyrics. “I can’t even sing!” she groaned.
Immediately, I thought of Linda and asked if she would share her story with my niece. Now I’d like to share excerpts from that correspondence to encourage you:
August, 2012
Elizabeth tells me you might have a call to write music for the Lord, but you don’t think you sing well. Don’t let that stop you!
I can’t sing, read music, or play any instruments. The Lord gave me songs to write, just the same!
Since I didn’t have any performing talent, I didn’t know how I could share the songs with other people. The Lord showed me how. I learned to print sheet music, then published Songs for the Lord as a Kindle book last February. Very exciting!
You wonder if the Lord will bless you, as he has blessed me. He absolutely will, if you give your best to his work. And even if you fail and goof off, when you come back to work he’ll be waiting for you. He’s pretty forgiving of us poor humans. 🙂
But the point is, what kind of blessing do you want from him?
Be honest with yourself, and with him.
When I asked the Lord for my heart’s desire, I said what I really, really wanted was to write something that would make an eternal impact on someone’s life. Even just one person. Even if it never got published.
In return, I promised to let him direct my writing career. Each day I work on the assignment he gives me, even if it makes no sense to other people (or me!).
He has granted me my heart’s desire, many times over. People tell me how touched they were by one of my songs or poems or devotions or dramas. Even people who never read my stuff can see how much joy the Lord gives me, and they want that joy for themselves.
A few months ago I entered a hymn-writing contest held by a big seminary college. The prize was $1000!
No, I didn’t win the cash. But the Lord arranged something better. My hymn was selected to be performed at the seminary’s concert, which was posted on You Tube. Plus, my hymn text was printed in their concert program, also posted on the Internet. So what I wrote will be “out there” for people who need to see it.
Time to get back to work. But really, writing to YOU was part of my joyful assignment today! Cool, huh?
Blessings,
Linda
His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine.
— Ephesians 3:20 (CEV)