Summer Edition LOH, 2018 LOH Magazine-spread-theme0081818 a | Page 12

CLOSE UP ON ARTS & CULTURE
* How d i d y o u d e c i d e w h a t
you are going to sing
about? I s th i s a h o b b y ?
L e vonne M it c hel l -Samon
* When and why did you
start singing and songwrit-
ing? Do you play an instru-
m e nt as w ell?
 I c an r ecal l sin g ing so los
as a young child in church
a ro und age 9.  When I was
in my late teens I started
writing poems. I remember
thinking that some of them
could be songs if I just came
u p wi th a tune for them. Th e
first song I  remember writing
i s “ If only they could kn o w,”
at around age 20.  I sing and
write songs because they
are an expression of what
I believe or something the
Lord has impressed on my
heart. I believe that the Lord
uses music to reach peo-
ple’s hearts and the Holy
Sp i rit br ings the se songs to
our remembrance at the right
time. Songs encourage us,
express our feelings to God,
and remind us of who God
i s t o us.
I pl ay basic pia n o . I’m
shy with public piano playing
b u t I’m m aking ste p s to g e t
o v e r that.   I also p lay basic
d ru ms w hen ne e d e d .
The s o n g s t h a t I writ e a re
usually birthed during my
time with the Lord. As I’m
talking, praying, andwor-
shipping, the Holy Spirit
may change my talking to
singing. Sometimes it’s so
good th a t I k n o w, “ t h is is a
keeper” and I’ll write down
the words and record it on
my p h o n e .   I s o me t ime s a m
insp ire d t o s in g a n e w s o n g
as I’m driving to work or just
d o ing h o u s e wo rk .
*W hat c a u s e d y o u to w a n t
to go fu r th e r a n d p u b l i s h /
copyright your book/
song(s)? What were the
s teps f o r th i s to h a p p e n ?
  When the Lord gave me the
song “ Heal Our Land” I knew
immedi a t e ly t h a t h e wa n t e d
me to share this song with
the nation. I sang it to my
h u sband f irs t a n d h e s t a rt e d
recording it. I knew then
that it wa s g o o d b e c a u s e it
passed his test. He has a
gift of appreciating musical
quality and is always honest.
When I had the opportunity
to share this song at church,
the response was over-
whelming. I was encouraged
b y many a n d a lmo s t t h re a t -
e n e d b y s o me t o ma k e s u re
I copyrighted the song.  One
day, I remembered that about
a year earlier a patient of
mine, who is also a believer,
h a d g iv e n me h e r CD s i n g l e
that she had released. I con-
nected with her and she con-
nected me with her producer
a n d t h a t ’s h o w I wa s a b l e t o
g e t t h is CD d o n e .
*What are your goals for
the near future? What other
desires do you have in the
fi e l d o f m u s i c / l i te r a t u r e ?
  I d e s ire t h is y e a r t o e l i m -
inate self-imposed limits.
I realize more now that by
doing so I’ve been tying
G o d ’s h a n d s a n d c r i t i c i z i n g
his handiwork. The Bible
says that we are fearfully
a n d wo n d e rf u lly ma d e a n d i t
also says we shouldn’t ques-
t io n o u r Ma k e r a s t o w h y h e
made us a certain way or
c o mp a re o u rs e lv e s un f a v o r -
a b ly t o o t h e rs . S o w i t h t h a t
b e in g s a id , my g o a l i s t o b e
obedient to God’s will for my
lif e a n d d o t h e wo rk t h a t h e
has assigned to my hands.
I have other songs that I’ve
written that others need to
h e a r. Wit h G o d ’s g ra c e a n d
continued favor I plan to
start recording another CD
with these songs. I’m excited
about the future. Who knows
wh a t G o d h a s in s t o r e ? ! ! !
I k n o w h e s a y s we h a v e n ’ t
seen it neither has the
thought even entered our
mind, the things God has
p re p a re d f o r t h o s e w h o l o v e
Him. . . a n d I lo v e Him .