Did You Know I Write Music Too???

You might not have realized that in addition to poetry and fiction, I also write music. Truth be told, I forget sometimes. I've never thought of myself as a talented musician. But in around 2007 my husband had some ideas for songs about the Muslim people. He approached just about every musician he knew, asking them to turn his ideas into songs. And just about everyone gave him the same answer--I simply don't know enough about this subject.

I, on the other hand, had acquired quite a bit of understanding on this subject. I have been married to a Middle Eastern man since 1993. I've traveled to the Middle East several times. I have many Muslim and former Muslim friends. I even had a Muslim groomsman at my wedding. In fact, since my husband has such a heart and passion for this issue, I seriously think I should be able to apply for some sort of honorary degree on the subject.

While I don't consider myself a musician, I do write poetry. And I do technically know how to play the piano and sing. So I figured, if God gave me ideas for these songs, I would write them. Each of them came to me in a quick flash of inspiration, which is why it's easy for me to forget I wrote them at all. To my surprise, I even figured out the basic tunes on the piano. That really must have been a God thing, because I had barely played since highschool.

Many talented musicians, producers, composers, editors, and graphic designers came alongside us to help bring this project to life. A number of ministries donated funds and resources. Although I'm thankful for my part in this project, it's truly not anything I could have accomplished on my own. That's a good feeling. A good reminder that while I can be a tool in his hand, ultimately God is the creator and ordainer of all things beautiful.

The final result is this gorgeous CD of songs and prayers about the Muslim people. The purpose of the collection is to share God's incredible love for these people and inspire an American listening audience to pray for them. You can learn more about the individual songs at http://acryforpeace.com.

Right now, the audio CD is available for $9.95 at amazon. Click here to order. MP3 versions will also be available for download soon.

And if you'd like to hear a sample song to check out the quality, here is a video for the namesake song, "A Cry for Peace."