Ileen Laura has released a Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) track called Sit Beside Me.
Ileen writes: "Back in 2020, the pandemic had just become a reality. Schools were shut down- and as a high school music teacher, this meant planning for high school music concerts and festivals were put on pause. Time became mine for a moment.
I started to consider my life, my purpose, direction and reality as a christian wife, teacher and mother. Something was missing in my life."
She continues: "During one of the first 'stay at home' ordered evenings, my husband and I were discussing why I had stopped writing music after we got married and got into a huge disagreement.
I had been blaming him for the missed musical opportunities- for the years without writing music. You see, my husband had just completed his CFA designation which was a very intensive program and took him almost 6 years to complete. During this time, we had two children and built a home together as a family. I felt that my purpose was to serve, and that the season of writing and performing music was behind me.
I felt angry, hurt and frustrated with my husband because he was encouraging me to pick up my pen and start writing songs again.
How could I start writing again? What would I even say? I hadn't written a song for almost a decade.
Sometimes, we take out our pain and disappointment in ourselves on those we love the most.
I wrote "Sit Beside Me" after hearing my pastor speak that Sunday at our church on the subject of "Spiritual Gifts". It was as if he wrote the sermon just for me.
He spoke about the fact that as Christians we are all given these gifts but it is up to us to use our gifts in order to glorify God. I realized that I hadn't been using my gift at all.
I gave up on writing music because I felt that it was too hard to find my way- how would I share Christian music and be a teacher and fully present mom to our children. How would I have the time? I already felt so stretched and worn through my work, I didn't think I had the energy to put my entire heart into the process of recording and performing/touring and all the important pieces in sharing music and helping people come to know the Lord through song.
Now, 1 year later, I have written and recorded a full length album.
Over the past 2 years I have worked 3 jobs in order to fund my project. Our weekly schedule is what some people would call a recipe for burn-out, but I have never been happier- my cup has never been this full as a Christian.
As I look forward to the promotional stage of my journey, I would love to work with you in helping this dream become a reality.
If there was ever a time I was ready to share my music, the time is now.
Each song has a story, each written for the broken-hearted. Each written as encouragement to finding faith, and a reminder of God's everlasting love and acceptance."
Lyrics:
Let’s take a minute to find the words before,
Things just get out of our hands and we shut the door.
I’m going to the church steps where I’ll hear him preach,
You can sit beside me and we can hear him teach.
Sing with all of your might,
Let all of the words fall out of your mouth,
Hear the bells let them ring for all of the lost, lost souls.
Let’s just get out of our heads and try to feel,
What it is He needs to give us to help this heal.
And I will sing all the church hymns let there be singing,
The heavens can hear us calling let there be healing.
There’s always a light in the dark,
There’s always faith no matter the part.
Sing with all of your might,
Let all of the words fall out of your mouth,
Hear the bells let them ring for all of the lost, lost souls.
Oh and me, I’ll be at the church steps singing out la, la, la!
Come and sit beside me and we can be free, free, free!
Hear the bells let them ring,
Oh and me, I’ll be at the church steps singing out la, la, la!
Come and sit beside me and we can be free, free, free!
You can listen to the track on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/60kg4aWUsPrvolX1yppT1Z
Here is a link to the video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdln2WYgKVo
Would you like to hear more CCM music? Then check out our Christian playlists on: https://www.christiandance.eu/playlists