Gospel Music Hall of Fame singer Amy Grant spoke to students and faculty about her faith journey in the Massey Performing Arts Center on Sept. 9. She centered her message on the idea of stillness and how hard it can be to find time for solitude in today’s busy world.
Grant began the event by performing her original song “If I Could See (What the Angels See)” on acoustic guitar. She then changed gears by telling a story of when she took her daughters to the family’s farm to spend a day in nature– only to be left alone with the campfire when her daughters ran off to play. Grant discussed how solitude was something she wasn’t used to and how she didn’t know what to do with all of the time she’d spend by herself that night. She eventually turned her attention to the night sky and ended up spending hours thinking about its vastness and various layers. She also considered her relationship with the God who created every part of her view.
“We’ve taken our relationship with God and made it like a school project. We have Sunday school and Bible study,” Grant said in her talk. “But we can’t contain any of our relationships, much less our relationship with the one who spun all of this.”
Grant discussed the importance of having time for stillness in our lives so we can pay attention to the miracles around us. “When you give something your full attention, there’s a better chance it will open itself up to you,” Grant said.
The event ended with a meditation exercise led by Grant that involved the audience identifying the constant “chatter” that clouds their minds and trying to block it out by telling themselves that they are “yielded and loved.” Grant says the point of this practice is to slow one’s mind and only focus on remembering that we are loved before we are anything else that we feel like we need to be.
Grant made it clear that she is still trying to figure out her own relationship with God and that she continues to grow in her faith over time. “I have sung so many songs, I’ve given so many talks, and I feel like I’m still figuring out my journey with faith,” said Grant.
Grant has given faith-based talks at Belmont for several years. She was introduced by the Vice President for Spiritual Development Dr. Todd Lake.
Associate Professor of Audio Engineering Technology Dr. Dave Tough’s song “Gonna Find My Way to You” was recently featured as the opening title music for the Hallmark movie “
Belmont alumnus Nathan McHenry was recently named Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his work in “Playhouse on the Square” by the Memphis Flyer.
The opening ceremony included remarks from Belmont’s Provost Dr. Thomas Burns, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services Many-Bears Grinder and Belmont student veteran Jonathan League. The event concluded with an original performance by Jason Earley, a Belmont songwriting major. Earley recently participated in Operation Song, a songwriting retreat where veterans and songwriters collaborate to create songs that feature veterans’ stories.
Professor of Media Studies Dr. Sybril Brown recently moderated a College Debate 2016 Town Hall Debate at Dominican University in California. Dominican created the College Debate 2016 initiative, a first-of-its-kind national initiative created to provide a platform to discuss and debate the issues facing our country for college students.
