All of the songs on my album, “Daughters in His Kingdom”, are part of a presentation that I put together based on inspiration I felt from reading the Relief Society manual Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society.
Except one.
This one.
While I was still writing the music and preparing to present it with the Stake in which I lived a the time, a group of sisters asked me to speak for a multi-stake Relief Society luncheon about the song-writing process I was experiencing. As the date of the luncheon approached, I realized that I didn’t really have a solo that expressed the specific subject of the luncheon. I had a great choral piece, but it definitely wouldn’t work for me to perform it alone and in such an intimate setting.
I panicked.
But I had just been through a week-long challenge (issued by my bishop) to say ONLY prayers of gratitude. Meals, meetings, in our family, on my own… every. single. prayer. Only gratitude. It was a humbling experience, and I believe that it prepared me for the sudden inspiration that I had to write a new song to fit the luncheon topic. Thoughts and ideas for this song started to fill my mind and heart.
The lyrics and melody came to me quickly. I wrote the song (complete with a notated score) in only 2 days. Even now when I sing it or read through the words, I am reminded of how they did not come from me. I was the instrument THROUGH which they came. The words reflect my testimony at the time, and have since deepened my testimony of the principles of which they speak. But the True Source of the message was God. I knew then and I still know today that Heavenly Father wants His daughters to understand and deeply feel of His love and their importance in His plan.
Recently a podcaster from “The Daily” on the Latter-Day Saints Channel contacted me about using the lyrics of His Daughter in a piece celebrating the organization of the Young Women Organization. She did a lovely job highlighting the message of the piece and the overarching topic of God’s infinite love for His children. If you’d like to listen to the podcast (it’s short, and I recommend taking five minutes to do so!), you can find it here.
I love the lyrics to this song so much that I also had my extremely talented sister-in-law put together a printable quote with the words of the chorus. What she created is beautiful, and you can find it here.
I hope that this piece inspires you.
Love,
Michelle