Dream In Soul

The Music Ministry Coach created by Ron Cross is a great resource and vocal training service for anyone who feels called to music ministry and needs guidance in knowing how to grow vocally and spiritually. The website features great articles that touch on a variety of topics in a candid and relatable way, like “Talent vs. Skill vs. Anointing; Does God really care?” and “What makes a good singer? 2 things you should work on”.

Ron Cross, The Music Ministry Coach, has been a trained, certified voice instructor and vocal coach since 2005. He has dedicated most of his life; over 30 years to serving in the music ministry in many roles.

Below Ron talks about the one thing every great singer (or any other artist) avoids…

Ron works with Christian and Gospel artists, soloists, groups, Praise Team members and Choir members who are struggling with common physical and mental limitations that keep them from answering God’s call to take their music ministry to the next level. Through specialized training clients realize their desires for greater vocal abilitiy and more confidence so so they can be a more effective witness in their ministry.

Ron also works with beginners and younger people who have a passion for singing, and remarkably gives them courage to sing even when others told them it may not be for them. He recently posted about this inspiring story of how he is helping Natalie, one of his 16-year-old students who dreams of being a singer, but who other instructors labeled and set aside as “tone deaf,” how to better control her voice.

Ron says of this story: “No matter where you are in life or what you’re trying to do, there is a message in this video for you. It’s one that goes far beyond singing and touches the heart of everyone who has seen it so far. I urge you to watch it and share it with someone else. Especially if you know someone who has similar challenges. Can anyone learn to sing? If you thought the answer was no, you’re about to have your whole perspective changed.”

Watch and be moved as 16-year-old Natalie who was labeled “tone deaf” learns how to sing on pitch:

For more resources and to learn about Ron’s services visit The-Music-Ministry-Coach.com. Also become a part of the Facebook page where you can get even more inspiration, interact with Ron and the community of hundreds of other singers and musicians, watch vocal training videos and possibly win free 30 minute on-line coaching sessions for being the Fan Of The Week.

More About The Music Ministry Coach

Have you been praying about your singing and your music ministry?

 

Do you have a burning desire to:

• Overcome physical limitations that hinder you from Giving God your best?

Nothing is worse than being up singing to the glory of God, the Holy Spirit is moving, people are being blessed..and slowly you start to feel your voice going. It’s a terrible feeling to end a song before you feel God was ready for you to. Even worse is when someone calls you to come and minister and you have to decline because you’re too hoarse to sing. Past clients like you understood that training would give them the skills and abilities to overcome those hindrances so they could effectively minister anywhere and any time God opens the door.

• Gain more confidence so you can stop operating in fear about your gift?

Probably the single biggest deterrent keeping people from moving to a higher level of music ministry; even when they’re certain God is calling them to step up; is the lack of confidence in your own ability to do it. You may feel like you lack the abilities or skill to step forward and walk into that next realm of ministry, and nothing anyone can say can convince you otherwise. For many of my past clients, vocal training has been the answer. Just like your salvation, confidence comes in what you know that you know. Vocal training has been the key for many people.

• Be more EFFECTIVE and to stop feeling like you’re in self when you’re up ministering?

That’s the bottom line, isn’t it? It’s the reason for everything we do. It’s the reason for all the other reasons. Let me be honest with you for a moment. I’ve been a singer all my life. And I can tell you there have been very few times I’ve walked off that stage feeling like I was completely out of self the entire time I ministered. For most of us, even when everything is going great and the spirit is high, there is some small part of us deep inside that is always worrying about our voice. Will it hold out? Will I be able to hit that high note coming up? Will I crack? Am I screaming? Am I on pitch? Mental distractions keep us from flowing effectively when we’re going forth in ministry.

Above: An acoustic version of “One Desire” from Kari Jobe’s new album Where I Find You.

“One Desire” Lyrics

Here I am
Just for You, only You
Here I stand
Wanting You, only You

In Your presence Lord
I will find my strength
You’re the breath in me
You’re my everything

With my heart bowed low
And my hands held high
All consuming fire
You’re my one desire

Continue Reading »

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap a harvest, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

This year we have an extra day to make a leap toward our purpose. I wanted to share this message from my heart and a poem I wrote above entitled “Dreams in Due Season” to encourage you to keep going where ever you are on your journey…

So many of us start out life dreaming in wide-eyed wonder – then life happens and leaves us in a dazed slumber. We face disappointments, discouragement and detours…and we get practical.

We become sleepwalkers, settling for the ordinary because the dreams we had seem too lofty, too out of reach. My journey has been similar; throughout the years I’ve had great visions yet often get lost in loneliness and and weary when the dreams don’t always grow the way I imagined.

I want to encourage you today to arise, shine and bring those dreams back to life. Everyone was born with purpose and no one’s purpose is more important than another’s. There are dreams in your heart that were planted there for a reason to impact the world – we all miss out if you don’t water them.

It’s up to you to nurture them – give them some love and let them grow today. Don’t give up on your purpose…you’ll reap a harvest in due season if you don’t give up!

My dream is to inspire you to realize and pursue the importance of your purpose.

What’s your dream? What vision or passion have you set aside for the more practical and everyday cares of life?

I dare you to nourish the seeds of those dreams, nuture them back to health and bring them to the Light – one step guided by God is like a leap and can take you further and higher than you can go on your own.

Share your aspirations, and the dreams you want to accomplish in 2012 in the comments, I’d love to hear them!

God bless, and keep dreaming and nurturing the dreams in your heart – Dear Dreamer, the world awaits!

- Julene “Dreamfleur” Fleurmond

Editor of DreaminSoul.com

P.S. Click here to read the story behind this poem and about a dream that has recently begun to come to fruition for me…

by Julene Fleurmond, Editor of DreaminSoul.com

The auditorium was a sea of excited and expectant expressions waiting to see what effect a single day could have on their lives. Soon the room was filled with waves of laughter and streams of tears – sometimes all at once – as Women of Faith’s ONE DAY event in Dallas made an impact.

Hundreds of women shared a bond and a deep sense of God’s love and dreams for their lives as speakers Christine Caine, Andy Andrews and Angie Smith, poured out their stories and faith-filled wisdom into open hearts.

This was the first year for ONE DAY, created in response to women who couldn’t attend the two-day Women of Faith events. ONE DAY had a more intimate atmosphere that allowed the speakers to go deeper and the attendees to get more up close and personal and feel like they are part of a sisterhood that shares their faith and feelings about life.

I’ve been inspired by the ministry of Women of Faith for several years now, but never had chance to attend their live events, (other than last year’s event for teen girls, The Revolve Tour: “Dream On” which was a fun and moving experience).

I was excited to go to ONE DAY, and what made it more personal for me was that it was held at Southern Methodist University where I went to college, in the very same auditorium I graduated in. Three years ago I sat in those seats and walked across that stage in apprehension, wondering what calling God had placed on my life. On Saturday the encouragement from the ONE DAY speakers had an impact on me in ways I couldn’t imagine.

The theme of the event was “In ONE DAY God can change everything,” with Psalm 118:6 as the leading verse:

“I will not be afraid, because the Lord is with me.”

Each speaker had a unique style and broke the ice with humor before delving into more serious and somber parts of their stories, to inspire us to see God’s divine plan in our own lives. I loved their transparency of sharing the not-so-pretty parts of their backgrounds that can help others going through similar situations. Here are a few highlights of what they shared:

“If you’re still here there is more left to life…” – Andy Andrews

Worship leader Jennifer Thigpen opened the day with prayer and song to set the atmosphere and focus of the day. Then Andy Andrews, bestselling author of The Traveler’s Gift, took to the stage and the auditorium aisles as a bouncing ball of energy, joking that his adult ADD was kicking in that morning. Laughter rolled through the audience as he wove in and out, sharing his difficult past and wisdom about living purposefully and impacting those around us through intentional choices. His two sessions spread throughout the day were engaging and I along with many of the attendees nodded and scribbled away at our notepads to capture his insights.

”Life is a vapor but the choices we make matter…I want to live a life of purpose – I want my vapor to count…” – Christine Caine

Christine Caine came to stage so personally, like a close friend (if only we each had a friend with an awesome Aussie accent that we could listen to all day). She dove into deep topics like forgiveness as she recounted her story of overcoming a past of abandonment and abuse. Now she is saving the lives of other women exploited in human trafficking through the A21 Campaign. She challenged every woman to take the unpaved path to make a difference in the world, saying, “I think God wants to take us places we never dreamed of by paths we never knew existed.”

“If what you are doing glorifies you, not God, you have misunderstood your calling…” – Angie Smith

Angie Smith’s warm demeanor and transparency was inviting as she recounted her struggles with crippling fear since she was a child and a story of loss. Through heartbreaking trials she realized that God could take the pain in her life to create something beautiful that could bring glory to Him and give hope to others. Tears fell around the room as she asked those who had experienced a similar loss to stand, and instantly hearts were connected and comforted as they realized they were not alone. Afterwards we were left with the truth that where we experience our “greatest life wounding” and hurts, we can also find our calling if we bring our offerings of obedience to the King.

Continue Reading »

“Let It Go” is a beautiful and moving song from Mandy Gawley‘s debut album, “Life So Sweet” that inspires us to let go of the hardships in life that we can’t control and to place them in God’s hands:

I can see the weight on your shoulders
I can tell how much pain you feel
And it’s tempting your heart to turn colder
But believe me, in time it can heal

Just keep movin’ on ‘cause the past is gone
And what’s done is done

Let it go, lay it down
Oh there’s no use carryin’
The burden around
Don’t you know?
It’s okay to let it go…

- From the song “Let it Go”

About Mandy Gawley

She began this journey as a wife and mother, living the dream of singing her own life story. Born in Georgia, but having grown up mostly in southern California and having experienced the death of her father when she was only fifteen, Mandy Gawley knows the bitterness of loss and the impact of family.

With the release of her album, “Life So Sweet”, Mandy gives us songs that sweeten even the most poignant of life experiences with a light at the end of every tunnel. She writes from the heart of a wife and mother of two, baring her own experiences to the microphone with the subtle grace that can only come from one who knows…

Find out more about Mandy Gawley on her website www.mandygawley.com…