Summer Edition LOH, 2018 LOH Magazine-spread-theme0081818 a | Page 16

CLOSE UP ON ARTS & CULTURE M ar t ina P erry ** When and why did you start singing and songwrit- ing? Do you play an instru- me n t as well? E x pla in. I started writing songs b e c ause I found that it was an easy way for me to say to God what was on my heart. I was about 11 years old when I w rote m y fi r s t so n g , which was called “I’m Saved.” I wrote it after a lesson in t h e Chi l dr en’s Church a b o u t repentance. As I grew up singing in Children’s Church p l a y s a n d w i t h t h e Yo u t h C h o i r, I d e v e l o p e d a l o v e for singing. Throughout the years, I wrote a few songs from time to time, but it w a sn’ t unti l ab o u t 2 0 0 7 th a t the Lord really began to give me s ongs m or e frequently. I do not play an instrument, but I am currently learning a l i t t l e piano. I also enjo y cre- ating and engineering music u s i ng di gital audio wo rksta - t i o n softwar e pro g rams. S ongwrit in g is mo re t h a n a hobby t o me . I s e e it a s a gift, which is similar to the axe head in the Bible that was borrowed! Just as Pastor preached a few years ago, we are all given gifts from the Lord that are borrowed from Him, and He expects us to g ive t h e m b a c k t o Him! I fe e l th a t t h e L o rd h a s g iv e n me th is t a le n t , a n d I d o n o t wa n t to b u ry it in t h e s a n d , but I want it to be used for His glory and that much fruit may come as a result for His K in g d o m. C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3 to Deltona to sing backup on her song “Heal Our Land,” I was inspired to work with Deltona Records as well to re c o rd “S t o rm B lo ws O v e r. ” *What are your goals for the Near future? What other desires do you have in the fi e l d o f m u s i c / l i te r at u r e ?  I am thankful to see how “Storm Blows Over” has b le s s e d ma n y p e o p le s o f a r, a n d I wo u ld lik e t o c o n t i n u e t o s h a re it mo re b ro ad l y a n d to hopefully have it pro- duced by a major Christian *Wha t c a u s e d y o u to w a n t o r G o s p e l a rt is t . to go fu r th e r a n d p u b l i s h / copyright your book/ My f u t u re d e s ire is t o c o n - song(s)? What were the tinue recording the songs s teps fo r th i s to h a p p e n ? t h a t G o d h a s g iv e n m e , a n d hopefully have a full album O r i g i n a l l y, I j u s t w a n t e d t h a t c a n b e r e l e a s e d . I a m to put a few rough cuts of also working on a creating my so n g s o n a CD t o g iv e t o a C D o f s c r i p t u r e s o n g s , friends and family to be an which I hope will be able e n c o u r a g e m e n t . H o w e v e r, t o h e l p p e o p l e t o l e a r n t h e i n 2 0 1 0 I h a d t h e o p p o r t u - Wo rd . A d d it io n a lly, I w a n t t o n i t y t o c o - w r i t e t h e s o n g write and publish more musi- “ E v e r y t h i n g , ” w h i c h i s o n cals for Children and adults. t h e H o p e C h a p e l M i n i s t r i e s U l t i m a t e l y, m y d e s i r e i s f o r a l b u m “ J u s t S t a n d . ” A f t e r the Lord to use my music for t h i s , t h e L o r d i m p r e s s e d His g lo ry. upon me that my songs could b e a b le s s in g n o t o n ly to fa mi ly a n d f rie n d s , b u t t o the entire body of Christ. Ove r the n e x t f e w y e a rs , He stirred in me a d e s ire t o b e a songwrit e r a n d t o h a v e my songs sung by Christian and Gospel artists. After travel- ling with Sis. Levonne Samon