Writer’s Voice: Music from the Soul

“Now I’ve got that song stuck in my head.” How many times have you said that? I’ve never said it. You heard that correctly. Any tune I attempt ends up a river of nonsense notes spilled out on the rocks. Sunday morning during worship I lamented once again my total lack of a voice, as the congregation joined in a lovely worship song. At that moment I believed my contribution was little more than “a joyful noise,” if that.

I threw a private pity party. Again.

When I quieted my heart a moment to listen (there’s my word of the year again), I knew God told me again, “You do have a voice. It dwells in your writing and other creative outlets.”

Google search time. I found quotes about voice (and music).

“Music is the voice of the soul.” An anonymous quote that left me empty. What if you don’t have the gift of music?

A quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes further irritated my festering wound:

Alas for those that never sing, but ice with all their music in them!

More than a little discouraged, when I opened my Bible this next morning it fell to Psalm 68.

 

Sing to God! Sing praises to His name.
Exalt Him who rides on the clouds —
His name is Yahweh — and rejoice before Him.

~Psalm 68:4 (HCSB)

The words spurred a memory from a few years ago when our young granddaughter made up a song on the piano and her words to go with it. The words I remember: “Sing to God!” She belted them out with all her heart in her beautiful voice. And I thanked the Lord for this lovely gift He entrusted to her.

Next my search uncovered a blog post from The Writer’s CooperativeWriter’s Voice: What Is It and How to Find Yours.

Authors know their voice is their unique style of arranging words on the page to tell the story in a way no one else can. In this article describing writer’s voice I found words like rhythm and tone and personality. The writer of the article, literary agent Rachel Gardner, defines writer’s voice like this: Your writer’s voice is the expression of You on the page. She believes this voice is innate, coming from within. Sounds rather musical to me, and the reminder I needed. When I trust my “voice” to God, the music of my soul will find its way to the written page. It will touch lives, and make a difference for His kingdom. I thanked Him once again for the unique ways He equips each of us for His kingdom.

Copyright 2021, Lynn U. Watson

Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible

Image is from Pixabay

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