Songs Of Inspiration And Hope

SONGS OF INSPIRATION AND HOPE: The Words Edition Written by: Henry Elijah Clarke Compiled by: Claudette D. Bacchas This book has been a dream of my father from 1999, when he made Jesus Christ his personal Lord and Savior. The content of this book is based on songs and poems that he was inspired to write as he sought the Lord on a daily basis. The book is divided into three (3) sections which give glimpses of Henry Elijah Clarke under different headings: —Part 1 – Henry the Writer and Singer —Part 2 – Henry the Farmer —Part 3 – Henry the Poet The first song in Part 1, “Christ’s Solid Love”, was written in commemorationof the opening of a new Church in Mineral Heights, May Pen, Clarendon. This was the beginning of what became his writing and singing career. Songs such as “Bound for the City with Cloudless Skies,” “My Empty World”, “Lord Go before Us”, “O What Pleasure Divine” all expressed my father’s deep desire to be with his Lord in Heaven. The song “My Savior’s Voice”, gives us the assurance that we have a Savior in Heaven who paid the price for our sins. He did this when He sealed the deal on Calvary by His death on the Old Rugged Cross. My Dad was a farmer by profession. He had what we call in Jamaica a “green thumb.” Everything he planted, germinated and grew. He knew how to make the best use of every little space in his yard. The songs in Part 2, were written to commemorate my father’s achievements as he received trophies and prizes for the best backyard garden in his community on a number of occasions. In Part 3, his debut poem was, “Roadblock with the Roaring Lion” and is based on I Peter 5:8. He was very much aware that this roadblock with the devil was one every Christian must experience in their daily walk with the Lord. He ended this discourse with the roaring lion on a note of triumph when he wrote: “A DELIVERANCE TIME NOW, DEFEATED LION, MI NO TELL YU LONG TIME SAY IT A COME FROM ZION?” It is the writer’s intention that these songs and poems will bring inspiration and hope to all.

The stories of our lives are a lot like songsbeautiful, eternal melodies composed by our loving God. In Heart Songs, author Kathryn Slattery shares some of these songs through her own life stories, seeking to provide hope, encouragement, and inspiration. In this collection, she explores the joys and challenges of lifes changing seasonsbeing a young mother; being a member of the Sandwich Generation pressed on both sides to meet the needs of her aging mother while also caring for her husband and children; being an empty nester and losing her mother; and being a joyful mother of the bride. Throughout her lifes journey, Slattery discovers fresh, helpful, spiritual insightsheart songsthat she shares as a mother, daughter, sister, wife, and friend. With refreshing candor and gentle, self-effacing humor, Heart Songs captures those divine and fleeting moments when heavens music breaks through and our hearts sing in perfect harmony with our loving God. Praise for Heart Songs Kitty Slattery writes not just for the heart but for the soul. She reaches deep into her own life as well as the lives of others to find the stories that lift us up and give us the greatest gift any writer can givehope. Edward Grinnan, editor-in-chief of Guideposts magazine and author of The Promise of Hope Heart Songs is full of heart-tugging warmth and wisdom, a chance to savor the wonder of a life well-lived. Rick Hamlin, executive editor of Guideposts magazine

Volume 1 of Nothing but Love in God’s Water traced the music of protest spirituals from the Civil War to the American labor movement of the 1930s and 1940s, and on through the Montgomery bus boycott. This second volume continues the journey, chronicling the role this music played in energizing and sustaining those most heavily involved in the civil rights movement. Robert Darden, former gospel music editor for Billboard magazine and the founder of the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project at Baylor University, brings this vivid, vital story to life. He explains why black sacred music helped foster community within the civil rights movement and attract new adherents; shows how Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders used music to underscore and support their message; and reveals how the songs themselves traveled and changed as the fight for freedom for African Americans continued. Darden makes an unassailable case for the importance of black sacred music not only to the civil rights era but also to present-day struggles in and beyond the United States. Taking us from the Deep South to Chicago and on to the nation’s capital, Darden’s grittily detailed, lively telling is peppered throughout with the words of those who were there, famous and forgotten alike: activists such as Rep. John Lewis, the Reverend Ralph Abernathy, and Willie Bolden, as well as musical virtuosos such as Harry Belafonte, Duke Ellington, and The Mighty Wonders. Expertly assembled from published and unpublished writing, oral histories, and rare recordings, this is the history of the soundtrack that fueled the long march toward freedom and equality for the black community in the United States and that continues to inspire and uplift people all over the world.

Positive Psychology for Music Professionals is a guidebook to the building blocks of positive psychology and character strengths, and the ways in which they can be used by music professionals throughout the industry to empower, celebrate, and leverage individuality. Written in a highly accessible and entertaining tone – and based on the science of character pioneered by the VIA Institute – this book is designed to introduce the language, themes, and concepts of a strength-based approach to working in the music industry. Targeted exercises, self-reflections, interviews, and profession-specific case studies encourage readers to harness the power of their strengths to shift to an open mindset, create more positive working relationships, and improve institutions within their field. Positive Psychology for Music Professionals is essential reading for music professionals of all kinds, including aspiring and established musicians, students, music producers, educators, and managers in all sectors of the industry.

This book is a collection of spiritual and God inspired poems given to the author by the Almighty's Holy Spirit. The author wishes to share these poems with all of God's children in order to bring them closer to the Almighty. May you read them and experience a closer relationship with your loving, heavenly Father.