Today is Day 8 of the eight-day celebration of Passover. The Torah reading for today is Deuteronomy 15:19–16:17 and the Haftorah is Isaiah 10:32–12:6.
Showing posts with label Singing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Singing. Show all posts
Tuesday, 2 April 2013
Dancing With Faith
Dear Reader: Happy Passover! For the next eight days, we celebrate Pesach (Passover), offering you devotional reflection tied to this very special observance as well as Torah readings for each day. Since no work is done on the holiest of these days, these devotions were prepared in advance for you.
"Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing." —Exodus 15:20
Today is Day 8 of the eight-day celebration of Passover. The Torah reading for today is Deuteronomy 15:19–16:17 and the Haftorah is Isaiah 10:32–12:6.
One of the most joyous moments in the story of the Exodus – and perhaps in the entire Bible – is the singing and rejoicing that occurred just after the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea. This was the climactic moment of what had begun as a wayward prince demanding the freedom of an oppressed people and ended with the most spectacular miracles that the world had ever seen on behalf of the downtrodden Israelites. God's hand was never so apparent, and the people rejoiced for the good that He had done for them.
Today is Day 8 of the eight-day celebration of Passover. The Torah reading for today is Deuteronomy 15:19–16:17 and the Haftorah is Isaiah 10:32–12:6.
Saturday, 5 January 2013
Created to Praise
"Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." (Psalm 150:6)
We're created to praise God. Some people don't know that. When the praise service starts, they sit back and say, "I'm not comfortable with all that singing and shouting. I guess praise is just not my thing."
Yes it is! According to the Bible, if you breathe, you were meant to praise.
And don't try to slip by with saying, "Well, I have praise in my heart." That's not enough. The Word says you need to have it in your mouth as well! (Ps. 34:1) Psalm 132:9 says, "Let thy saints shout for joy." You can't shout and be quiet at the same time.
We're created to praise God. Some people don't know that. When the praise service starts, they sit back and say, "I'm not comfortable with all that singing and shouting. I guess praise is just not my thing."
Yes it is! According to the Bible, if you breathe, you were meant to praise.
And don't try to slip by with saying, "Well, I have praise in my heart." That's not enough. The Word says you need to have it in your mouth as well! (Ps. 34:1) Psalm 132:9 says, "Let thy saints shout for joy." You can't shout and be quiet at the same time.
Friday, 17 August 2012
SINGING TO THE LORD
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple…Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. Psalm 27:4, 6
Brother Zhang, a young medical doctor and preacher in Zhejiang, China, refused to join the government Three Self Patriotic Church. He was arrested and spent eighteen years in prison eating poor food, being beaten and drowning in the stench of cellmates. He shares this testimony:
“The eighteen years were a tremendous spiritual challenge, which brought great blessings I never before thought possible in my life. Prison officials ordered me to empty the camp night-soil pit, the prison’s cesspool. While I had little experience of physical labor, its hardship and suffering did not frighten me. Although most of the other prisoners dreaded night-soil pit duty as the most difficult task in prison, I accepted this assignment without complaint.
Saturday, 31 March 2012
10 Essential Singing Tips
Julianna Morlet
1. Be confident. Some would say that this should come first and confidence second, seeing that knowing your stuff would build more confidence. I agree and disagree. I agree that practice will always aid in your confidence. However, there may be times when you're thrown into something last minute and the time just isn't there. So whether you're singing karaoke or a competition (and everywhere else in between), your confidence level will translate over to the audience. If you lack confidence in yourself, they won't hear you. They will only see you. Your insides may be turning and toiling but remind yourself that you can do this! Don't let your fears get in the way of the fun.
2. Know your stuff. Practice makes permanent. Don't practice whimsically. Take good notes, do your homework and repetition is your new best friend. An unprepared singer leaves a bad taste with everyone. On the other hand, prepared singer exudes professionalism.
3. Connect with what you are singing. We've all seen this done well and not so well. When a singer connects with what he/she is singing, the audience is captivated. Take time to study your song, read background info if it's available. Study the artist or writer and figure out the intentions behind it. The more you know, the more you show.
4. Listen to your song first. Don't try to sing along with it immediately. Listen intently, hearing all the little twist and turns and registering them in your brain waves so that your voice knows what to do. Can't sing what you can't hear.
5. Drink water before and after singing (practice and performance). Water is a non-optional element of singing. Drink at least 16 oz of water during the day of your performance and 16 oz after. During it good but very rarely do you get to take a water break between performances.
6. Take a big breath. Seriously. Don't forget to breathe. Between nerves, thought process, and performing, one can forget to do what comes most naturally to every human being! Breathing. Take deep, quick breaths. Sometimes it helps to plan out what parts of your song you will breathe at.
7. Warm up your voice. Just as a runner doesn't run a marathon without warming up, one shouldn't sing without doing some exercises. Find some that work for you and always, always, always warm up before singing. This prevents damage and boosts performance.
8. Find a Tough Critic Sometimes we are our worst critics. We can be both too hard and too easy on ourselves. Find someone that you trust, that has a good ear, and that won't be afraid to tell you the honest truth. Then brace yourself for some pointers. It will sting a little to hear, you're a little flat on the chorus or that one note doesn't sound right or even this song may not be the best for your voice, but in the long run it's worth it.
9. Sing With Someone Else This can be in an unlimited amount of settings: a choir, an ensemble, a quartet, a duet, with your mom, your friend, in lessons, etc. Singing with other people helps make your voice pliable. It sharpens your ears to listen to what's going on around you and gives you the chance to learn more advanced techniques like blending, harmonizing, and soloing.
10. Stop taking yourself too seriously. Even the big shots have to get to a point where they have fun at what they do. When all the pressure to be "the best" feels like it's bogging your joy down, remember why you started singing in the first place. Don't take yourself too seriously. Your body reacts to stress and people can sense it in your voice. Have fun~
**Want more than nuggets? Check out the full online singing course that will help you put these 10 into practice and see your voice improve!
1. Be confident. Some would say that this should come first and confidence second, seeing that knowing your stuff would build more confidence. I agree and disagree. I agree that practice will always aid in your confidence. However, there may be times when you're thrown into something last minute and the time just isn't there. So whether you're singing karaoke or a competition (and everywhere else in between), your confidence level will translate over to the audience. If you lack confidence in yourself, they won't hear you. They will only see you. Your insides may be turning and toiling but remind yourself that you can do this! Don't let your fears get in the way of the fun.
2. Know your stuff. Practice makes permanent. Don't practice whimsically. Take good notes, do your homework and repetition is your new best friend. An unprepared singer leaves a bad taste with everyone. On the other hand, prepared singer exudes professionalism.
3. Connect with what you are singing. We've all seen this done well and not so well. When a singer connects with what he/she is singing, the audience is captivated. Take time to study your song, read background info if it's available. Study the artist or writer and figure out the intentions behind it. The more you know, the more you show.
4. Listen to your song first. Don't try to sing along with it immediately. Listen intently, hearing all the little twist and turns and registering them in your brain waves so that your voice knows what to do. Can't sing what you can't hear.
5. Drink water before and after singing (practice and performance). Water is a non-optional element of singing. Drink at least 16 oz of water during the day of your performance and 16 oz after. During it good but very rarely do you get to take a water break between performances.
6. Take a big breath. Seriously. Don't forget to breathe. Between nerves, thought process, and performing, one can forget to do what comes most naturally to every human being! Breathing. Take deep, quick breaths. Sometimes it helps to plan out what parts of your song you will breathe at.
7. Warm up your voice. Just as a runner doesn't run a marathon without warming up, one shouldn't sing without doing some exercises. Find some that work for you and always, always, always warm up before singing. This prevents damage and boosts performance.
8. Find a Tough Critic Sometimes we are our worst critics. We can be both too hard and too easy on ourselves. Find someone that you trust, that has a good ear, and that won't be afraid to tell you the honest truth. Then brace yourself for some pointers. It will sting a little to hear, you're a little flat on the chorus or that one note doesn't sound right or even this song may not be the best for your voice, but in the long run it's worth it.
9. Sing With Someone Else This can be in an unlimited amount of settings: a choir, an ensemble, a quartet, a duet, with your mom, your friend, in lessons, etc. Singing with other people helps make your voice pliable. It sharpens your ears to listen to what's going on around you and gives you the chance to learn more advanced techniques like blending, harmonizing, and soloing.
10. Stop taking yourself too seriously. Even the big shots have to get to a point where they have fun at what they do. When all the pressure to be "the best" feels like it's bogging your joy down, remember why you started singing in the first place. Don't take yourself too seriously. Your body reacts to stress and people can sense it in your voice. Have fun~
**Want more than nuggets? Check out the full online singing course that will help you put these 10 into practice and see your voice improve!
About Julianna Morlet
Julianna Morlet is the girl behind the lifestyle blog, The Girl That Sings. Her blog is focused on her journey as a homemade singer, writer, speaker. If she could sum up who she is in one sentence it'd be, "A visionary idealist who wishes to conquer the world before her 25th birthday." She is the eldest of six children, and is being well-seasoned and fashioned by this life. From sexual abuse, to a blended family, to a baby sister with leukemia, to college in the mid-west and her journey as a homemade singer and worship leader, she has been led to a faith in God that cannot be shaken. You can find her @ juliannamorlet.com, Facebook, Twitter, and She Seeks.
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