I’m going to share something that’s on my heart this morning. A couple of years ago, I was in a dark period in my life. I won’t dive into tremendous detail here, but I was about to lose my job due to the location closing, and both of my kids were going off the rails. On my long commute to work one morning, I was flipping through the radio stations in the car and landed on Air1 Radio station. I don’t even remember the song I heard, but it moved me. No, it didn’t just “move” me – it broke me. Like ugly sobbing with snot broke me. I had been barely holding all the things together, and it prompted me to make a change.
Some important background about me and music. At the time, I thought contemporary Christian music was mostly crappy-sounding ballads and “wimpy.” Coming from listening to hard rock, classic rock, alternative, 80’s, and let’s not forget, Elbow, I honestly didn’t care for most Christian music. Being a Christian since my teens, I thought I could be a Christian, but no one was going to make me listen to piano ballads. I could be a Christian and still have “my music.” My then-favorite band, Elbow, had just released a new album. Their lyrics had been the draw for me since 2009, and they do have some really beautiful love songs, BUT that new album was moody, riddled with cuss words, loaded with references to alcohol abuse, and just downright depressing.
Getting back to that day in the car on the ride to work, I decided to listen to Air1 for at least one week.
It was one of those things where I thought, “Lord, I’ve been praying and praying and waiting, and maybe, just maybe, I heard your voice today.”
He was speaking to me. Through music. I remember listening to the music and liking some of the songs, then more of the songs, then waking up singing them. I felt uplifted. It was a transformation in my mood, my attitude, my hopes, and my life.
So why write all of this and why right now? Fast forward to this weekend. Getting through December was really life-sucking this year. William had been sick with COVID, and I felt isolated from family.
I had stopped listening to my music on Air1 because I was busy dealing with all the things.
Yesterday morning, I was inside the house, and William was outside, and we were taking down all the Christmas decorations. Not something fun, but one of those adult things you put off until you must do it. When the decorations go up, it IS fun. Christmas is coming. There’s anticipation. It’s going to look so sparkly and magical, and hot cocoa is there, and there are fun memories, and it’s just all warm and lovely. Coming down, meh, not so much. It’s a chore.
I decided to turn on Air1 on the Alexa while I worked. I began to feel more positive and energized. I started singing. It was like every song was my favorite song, and God was holding me in His arms: reminding me about how LOVED I am, how He is BIGGER than my problems and the problems in our fallen world, how He is my GUIDE when I feel lost.
I hope today you will try a little experiment to start off 2021. No one has to know but you. Find Air1 Radio and try listening some each day for just one week. You can stream it, and for some lucky folks, it may be one of the stations you can find on the dial.
Prepare to feel “positive, uplifted, and encouraged”! #air1radio
Some of my favorite artists (not a comprehensive list), but as it comes to mind: Hillsong (United), Bethel Music, Elevation Worship, David Crowder, For King & Country, Skillet, Switchfoot, Jordan Feliz, Danny Gokey, Tauren Wells, and Kari Jobe.
If you are in a time of transition or change or find that you are stuck where you are in life or career, please reach out to me. I’d love to have the opportunity to talk with you about what coaching can do for your life.