t's been.....a while since my last newsletter (over a year to be honest...and no excuse for it, I'm afraid!). I hope this last year found you safe and well and ready for the challenges this journey of life brings.
The other day I was sitting on our couch half heartedly surfing the net on my laptop, while the TV blared in the background some old movie (and not an especially good version) of the life of Christ. Slowly, without thought, my eyes and ears were drawn away from Facebook and my computer, and began to absorb the old familiar narrative of Jesus time on earth….and by the end of it, I was weeping like a baby. And I thought “What is making me cry? What is moving my spirit like this? I know this story so well and there’s no surprises and yet I’m weeping.”
…And I realized that this story, being told through the interpretation of Hollywood and it’s actors, (and not very well at that), was MY story… My whole life, everything I am and every decision and thought I’ve had, has been either wholly or partly influenced by this story and so, that makes it MY story. I wept because the revelation of this was overwhelming in it’s simplicity and healing in it’s truth.
I think as Christ followers, we sometimes get caught up in the small nuances and doctrines of our Faith, and forget that it’s the life and story of Jesus Christ and the simple act of following Him, that really is the foundation of our Faith. It’s what makes His story, your story and mine.
New Ep "Song for Ireland" !!
As many of you know, I've been going to Northern Ireland for the last 6 years. I've asked the Lord to release a Song for Ireland many times and this year, through the prayers of the intercessors of that land, I've written a song (or prayer) for Ireland and Northern Ireland. This summer, I went into studio with Roy Salmond in BC and we produced an EP of 3 songs to use as intercession for the land. The other 2 songs are Listen to You Breathe (from "Once Upon a Time Forever After), and "Hear Our Cry", a song I wrote a number of years ago with Margaret Graham for Global Day of Prayer. This EP is available online as a download or hard copy CD and I hope to have it on CD Baby and itunes by spring. I'm also working on a song called "True Religion - Song of Mercy" that I will release as a single in early spring on my website and itunes. "True Religion" is a song I wrote after seeing a movie called Blood Diamond and also working with World Vision. It's a challenge to all of us to begin to practice true religion as the bible tells us (taking care of those less fortunate than us) and it's a call to justice and mercy. I'm looking forward to hearing your feedback about this song and I will let you know when it's released.
Tours coming in 2010
There are two tours that are planned this coming year, in Germany and in Northern Ireland (with some stops in the Republic as well!). Please check my website in the New Year as I will be posting as much detail as I can on the schedule page.
The Germany tour will be about 3 weeks in May and I will be travelling with 3 musicians from Canada. One of the highlights will be a concert at the German Mennonite Brethren Conference. The Mennonite Brethren are celebrating the 150th anniversary of their founding and the international celebration will be in Bielefeld, Germany. My cultural and faith roots for many generations has been Mennonite Brethren and so I feel very honoured to be asked to participate in this event. We will also be back in Magdeburg and Berlin, as well as Southern Germany. I'm very grateful to Elvira Pelka who is organizing the 2010 tour and taking care of all the administrative left brain stuff that I'm so bad at! If you're from Germany and interested in seeing your church or community host a concert, please let me know.
I will also be in Northern Ireland in March and we're still in process of working through the schedule. Again, if you're interested in hosting a concert OR worship conference, let me know and I'll steer you to the right people.
I will also be going back to the Maritimes in April (23rd-25th) to the Presbyterian Women's Retreat. This is the same group that brought me in to PEI where "Song for Canada" was birthed. I'm SO excited to be going back and seeing these women again and just being in the Maritimes....how fun is that....!?!
I will also be back in concert at the Laugh for Life Gala in Edmonton next fall....a very worthwhile event that raises money for those less fortunate.
If you're are interested in booking a concert or conference, or any of the events I've mentioned above, please let me know. It would be great to connect with you!
And finally....
On a personal note....it's been a quiet year in some ways and in others ways, there's been lots of turmoil. My husband Randy left his job in October and is now launching out with 3 other partners in a new venture. We're excited about this, but it does feel like we're stepping into the "Holy Wild" and trusting God's hand. With this new direction, comes the decision to sell our condo in Montreal and we are in that process right now. I've also launched a worship evening at our church here in Montreal called ABSTRACT (every two months), and my hope is to see this evening used to bring unity and a heart of worship to our city. I tend to have a "bull in a china shop" approach to wanting to see people transformed in worship and I'm learning to slow down and take baby steps in this process. Montreal is very different culturally from the west and so I'm having to change my paradigm on many things, and that's a teaching curve for me that is also very good for me....learning to slow down!
Thank you to all of you who have continued to read these newsletters and support my ministry through the years. I've received such lovely emails encouraging me to continue on and I cannot tell you enough how special it is to hear from you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
And so.....I wish all of you a wonderful Christmas season and a New Year full of adventure! - (without the stress!).
God bless us, everyone!
Lianna
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