The Music of Christmas

Family policy matters and engaging and informative weekly radio show and podcast produced by the North Carolina family policy Council hi this is John Rustin, presidency, family, and were grateful to have you with us for this week's program is our prayer that you will be informed, encouraged and inspired by what you hear on family policy matters and that you will fold better equipped to be a voice of persuasion for family values in your community, state and nation, and now here's our house to family policy matters. Tracy Yvette Griggs, thanks for joining us this week for family policy matters as we move into the celebration of Christmas we do something a little different and on the show so we have a special guest today, Catherine is a young Christian singer and songwriter who hails from right here in North Carolina. Dana, who is a UNC Chapel Hill graduate and former youth minister now travels throughout the country, encouraging and inspiring others with their songs and witness. She has released two albums and several singles, including for the first time this year Christmas collection discuss the important role of music in the lives of Christians and how it can help us conquer chaos and find that peace that sometimes seems so elusive even for those of us who love and trust God, Dana Catherine, welcome to family policy matters. Thank you so your relationship with Christ is somewhat tied up with music right tell us about that very armor the Lord had my whole life, especially in college where great great family. I really really really chose Christ for myself able to do in college and deftly very hard and made me fall deeper in love with the Lord comes running to him in the middle little chaotic.

Whatever it was during that time, like from 18 to 21, where as I grew deeper with the Lord at all, so felt this desire to write songs or court or on a high card for Christmas the year before I got the college guitar I was growing deeper in faith throughout my time at Chapel Hill and at the same exact time is writing a song that became all about the board because when you're singer-songwriter you generally want to be writing about what really matters to you and what's going on in your life in the big going on in my life was you finding the Lord more and more and more during those years was music an important part of your childhood and growing up as well.

Kind of funny because national uncharted by 24 seven by all these people that have grown up and don't make said that there my my family really none of them played an instrument eating saying that we did for sure. We always went to convert and probably the most prevalent hypochondria like you were actually Christian convert, my parents were definitely very into that. I love my brother and I cannot often remember, always in the car on the on boat trips or whatever), ride the singing songs I got out to the heart of a melody and so here I really love to get that way, did you choose Christian music specifically did you ever consider another genre.

Oh yeah, I definitely considered freshman year of college when I was really starting to write music for control of the Lord in prayer kind of got it worked out. I love you, and maybe I'll write you and that didn't work out. I so stayed in college. Good idea. By eventually it became a no-brainer because like I said I just grew deeper and deeper in love with the board and you know when you're an artist you want to make music that matters generally and for me that the thing that matters most.

And I can heal people. The most help them is the Lord talk about the Lord. So you something about God and something about our faith in my music.

I think no matter what. Regarding the importance of music and the life of our faith and spiritual growth is that I do think though, should be or are tied up together for all believers based on the people have come across that I traveled so I think some people are very surprised when they when they hear my music people sometimes seem very prized when you think really spoke to the Lord spoke something to them. We made me realize that maybe people have an idea.

For all people haven't had experience that growing up where always a way that the board was able to show that he was close to me. Whatever it was. Sure it is something that happens to everybody that every Christian thinks about.

I think it should be definitely a tool for every single Christian and because the Lord want to work through everything and I think now more than ever.

Sometime ago. A lot of people to arrive at the truth sometimes people don't use reason I don't use logic as much in our generation in the world, the Lord teleported himself through the good and the tree was beautiful and that always can be found in the tool the Lord to you. You often sing about trust and surrender those concepts.

Why did they show up in your music and why is that an important message for us to be hearing right now because back to the foundation, and in my career my ministry back once again back in college, and when I got out of college, I still didn't know what I said hey got only the next step. I can't get a caloric guided note happening.

I didn't know what I was going back to the Lord was calling me to do something great with that, but I had to carry him and not take the most trust in the Lord and complete surrender my plan to him. I never had to do. Yeah, I think everything the person whatever age you are, whatever date of life whatever goal you are in. In general, are the Lord, all of to track their throughout the year to be a really hard year would be hard times in my I think the more that we give to the Lord, the more we just ask ourselves in arms. The more you can show that he does provide an even if the physical compounds right away.

Always be happy more than happy to provide peace for our heart, enjoying all the gifts from the fruits of the spirit and not about anything that encourage people you know if they wanted people or provide any spiritual always in any way whatsoever. We have to trust and surrender whatever were holding on to give him the space to show that he's good. Here's an excerpt from Dana song Emmanuelle also talked quite a bit about conquering chaos and finding peace that seems especially appropriate during not just this holiday season, but perhaps even more so in this 2020 year other strategies as far as ways to remind yourself you know not to worry, or any other practical advice. Philippians 4 not be anxious about anything but in everything, with thanksgiving, by prayer and petition loads God and the peace that passes all understanding, will guard your question that I say often were anxious about things that we can't control that we think we can control at least at the moment we can't do much to affect change, but we still worry all the time especially this year, after so many things we think we think about. We worry about, but luckily really decent time and the Lord has really told us to the Scriptures give every single Orient request to him and he will guard our hearts with his keys. There are so many other things that cause chaos and our hearts, and a lack of peace, but I think the biggest thing this year is probably all the things that changed all the things we can't control everything. I like to get an invitation this year and beyond, to realize that we never had control anyway even like we have a semblance of control in our lives. We think were on top of everything I mean everything can change in a in a minute shows that the Lord was always in control anyway.

And if we truly cute. Here's all the guys as his sons and daughters and good father.

He's always Uncaria always going to be okay. The end result was always going to be people that half looking for sex is when ever you feel that were guy give those things the Lord and even to say Lord I don't feel the trust.

Right now I don't feel peace that you're telling me and get me but help me to get out. Please help me trust even using your physical you know what God has given us physically with our bodies.

We don't think about it from time even breathing in slowly for 60 to 46 seconds holding up her second and letting them for about 4 to 6 seconds and do not a few times over. Not even close down our heart rate, and sometimes we think were anxious, but then we can take control of our breathing and teach you and welcome crane were also trying to dispel that anxiety. And of course I think the biggest thing I see Larry talk about this Scripture by and were not taking time to pray.

I would dare to say that a lot of people's anxiety and worry, I'm allotted. That would be dispelled if you're not praying. If they did start praying even 15 to 30 minutes a day.

Dr. really help usher in peace conjure allowing the presence of the work you if you know in a way I love your your example about physically working out some of this to know that in my own life I can physically on my knees hand things over to Christ you know in that help just that act you know of laying them in his feet can be a huge help. So sometimes you're right we we can do things in the fit in our physical body.

It really sends a message that that we are trusting him so is there something specific that you would like people to go away with when they listen to your music or go to your concerts. One of the virtues Lord is always given me pretty naturally just feeling of hope wherever people leave my card.

Whatever you right now. You can't really have whatever people are listening on thought. If I want people to always call it was hopeless. Whatever the situation is hope that the Lord hear that you not just here with them close, but powerful working on the behalf biggest biggest thing with anything I do in life overflowing is I want people I want people to be convicted of wanted to get to know the Lord better you not some you not just some like idea.

He had a real real person, not that want to be with us every single day and wanted to, but haven't though help.

I need to kind of make people want to step into that love a little bit more and choose. So this year as we mentioned in the opening you've released your first two Christmas songs. Was there a reason why you decided to do that this year so actually it's pretty funny. A priest friend of mine, you and Chris mentoring at holy hour.

Every year we figuring out the past three or four years where I go to back to North Carolina when I lived in North Carolina be there now display Christmas Québec during adoration like very reverently amended whole parish would always love and we always loved it so beautiful and everybody without repeating the and I was never able to do it.

The song Emmanuelle and so there I quickly right now.

So far, but he didn't sound the way to work together with me this year was really very excited about this music that I have been playing at holy hours and got done putting one of my now and you can make it happen so I could have never done it without without my friend father in the well you collection of songs that I put out thus far in my career which is very funny. We are about out of time for this week before we go. Dana went to my listeners go to find your music and follow your schedule of events. You can go to Dana Catherine Cusick.com website or are very active on social media began to suck up Dana Facebook look updated Music YouTube.

I have a bunch of videos that go along actually look up Dana Catherine again physically anywhere you go Dana Catherine will Dana Catherine thank you so much for being with us today on family policy matters so much you been listening to family policy matters.

We hope you enjoyed the program employment to to begin next week to listen to the show Oman into one more about NC families want to inform, encourage and inspire families across been through a lot of our website it NC family don't want. That's NC family.org. Thank you for listening and may God bless you and your family