Sing out! It’s good for your health.
Hi, friends!
A while ago, I wrote about being in a funk. I took my own advice, picked up singing again, and joined the Lakeland Choral Society. Rehearsal night is one of the highlights of my week.
I love everything that comes with singing in a group.
- Interacting with people of all ages and lifestyles.
- Feeling accomplished when I hit the notes in a difficult section of music.
- Watching others enjoy singing.
- Absorbing our director’s passion.
- Following his precise cues.
- Practicing different styles of music.
- Doing the warm-up exercises–deep breathing, stretching, massaging.
- Singing scales with different vowel sounds.
- Feeling refreshed at the end of it all.
All of these reasons–and plenty more–have scooped me out of my funk. I love to sing out!
As if singing in the choral group weren’t enough, shortly after joining LCS, our director informed us of an opportunity to sing in an opera with the Imperial Symphony Orchestra. Who would’ve guessed that singing in an opera–one of my bucket list items–could become a reality! Without a second thought, I–along with several other choral members–volunteered to be in the cast of the ISO’s presentation of Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci.
Sometimes, I felt way out of my league, and I wanted to quit, but I remembered why I volunteered–not just to sing, but to sing deeply, to feel the intensity of emotions in an operatic presentation. This was way more than singing opera in my living room, which I do regularly. This was singing opera with professionals and other people who love opera. This was experiencing the highs and lows of every aria. Many times while we were on stage, we forgot we were acting. Emotion overwhelmed us as we sang out.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience–one I’ll never forget. I treasure the intensity of it all.
It might seem an exaggeration, but to someone who struggles with depression, singing in general–and opera, specifically–has helped me release a host of pent-up emotions–sadness, anger, jealousy, internal strife, joy, mania. Whether it’s our weekly rehearsal or an opera performance, within two hours, I’ve exhausted my entire being in the most refreshing way. I sleep soundly.
Hard to believe?
Research shows music and singing have many benefits. Singing improves physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health. Singing in a group amplifies those benefits.
Even the Bible is filled with references to singing, commands to sing, and the power of singing.
Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. (Psalm 47:6)
Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. (Psalm 95:1)
When they began to sing, the Lord threw the invading armies into a panic. (2 Chronicles 20:22)
I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. (Psalm 104:33)
All of God’s creation sings out.
All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name. (Psalm 66:4)
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12)
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. (Psalm 96:12)
God sings!
The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)
Even Jesus sang.
So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve…. When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 26:17-30)
You might not be interested in joining a choral group, much less singing in an opera. You might think you’re not even a good singer. Whatever your reservation, sing! Sing out! Incorporate singing into your life.
- Crank up the car stereo and sing along.
- Try karaoke.
- Sing in the shower.
- Practice singing the musical scales.
- Play singing games with your family. Instead of speaking to each other, sing!
- Sing the Psalms in the Bible.
- Sit in on a choral rehearsal.
- Take voice lessons.
- Sing along to operas like Pagliacci. Here’s a list of the top 50 operas.
- Join a choral group. (Have I convinced you yet?) 😉
Whatever you do, whatever you feel, sing out! Sing for your health. Sing out for God. You were made to sing out!
Come alongside… Do you like to sing? Why or why not? What would it take for you to sing out? How can you incorporate singing into your life? What health benefits have you experienced as a result of your singing out? Comment in the box below where it says, “Leave a Reply.” Remember, you can comment anonymously.
News: Lots going on at DaphneWrites
Hi, friends!
The Lord has blessed this ministry a lot in the past couple months. Here’s what’s been going on:
Events
I had some opportunities to display and sell my books at the 4th Annual Polk Writers and Illustrators Festival here in Lakeland, Florida. I met a lot of great people and was able to share my story with them.
I was so proud to be one of six writers from our very own Lakeland Christian Writers, a chapter of American Christian Writers (ACW). Here are some of them.
I was also invited to display and sell my book at Truth Factory’s artistic production, “Bet on Job.” (That’s Job like Job in the Bible.) 🙂 Here is some information from Truth Factory’s Facebook page:
Truth Factory is “a platform for local Christian artists to share their unique and inspirational gifts with the greater Lakeland community. We strive to encourage creativity which portrays the principles of Christianity in the tangible form of artistic expression. Artists are invited to showcase their talents and demonstrate the breath of creation reflected in their body of work. We promote artistic freedom for artists to express their love of God, to share His message of hope and to communicate their personal experience of Him with others.
I look forward to participating in other Truth Factory productions, along with other local artists.
Books
I’ve been working on two books. One I’ve already written you about in an earlier post. That one is still a little ways off. Be in prayer for that. The other book is further along and will be published in the next few weeks–just in time for the holidays, although it can be used year-round. Be on the lookout for it. I’ll write more about it as we get closer to publication date. And I’ll be holding some giveaways, so watch for those too. 🙂
Affiliate Merchants
I’ve been trying to work on my writing full-time and treating it as the career I want it to be. I’ve also been in prayer about the best ways to supplement my family’s income with the talent God has given me. After much research, I’ve decided to become an affiliate publisher of several big-name and respected merchants: DaySpring, Family Christian Stores, and Amazon. Please know I am in no way employed by these companies. What it does mean is that you might see links and images throughout my web site that advertise products from these merchants. When you click on a link and make a purchase, I might receive a small commission in return. You can read more about my role as an affiliate publisher on my disclosure page.
If you look on the new Resources tab on my web site, you will see several drop-down menus:
- Disclosure
- Printables
- Books, Movies, and More
- Sales and Specials
I hope you will browse around those pages and see what interests you. Share the resources with your friends and family. I will update the products periodically, so check back often.
Phew! That was a lot.
Please keep me in prayer as I continue doing what God has laid on my heart. I want to encourage others with the comfort He has given me. I want everything I do to point to Him.
I love you all.
Big hugs,
Daphne
By the way, what’s going on with you? Share in the comments. I want to join with you in prayer.