Lisa Hartley's Testimony
Since I was a little girl, I've always felt God's presence in my life. As the granddaughter of a Southern Baptist preacher, I have been in church since I was conceived, and I asked Jesus to be my Savior at the age of five. As I got older, I also learned to follow Him as my Lord. After my parents' divorce, my life took a turn that brought with it some challenging and unfortunate experiences -- the beginning of many I would encounter. God has taught me many valuable lessons, often through pain or disappintment. But the one consistency through life's chaos is that God has always been right there with me, through the good times and the bad. Praise God for His faithfulness!
As I write these words, I am reminded of a time a few years ago when God began to breathe His music into my soul. I never considered myself to be a songwriter, but oh, how I loved to sing. Having been raised in the church, I have been singing songs about Jesus since I could utter my first words. But something happened in my life that put music in a whole new realm for me. I learned to worship.
During the spring of 2006, I began seeking help for some emotional struggles that I had been fighting for quite some time. As I started becoming more aware of my emotions and learning to understand them, I suddenly began to relate to spiritual songs on a much deeper level than I ever had. And I began to worship our amazing God in a way that I never before understood -- not just amidst the many members of our church congregation on Sunday mornings, but in the privacy of my own bedroom, where it was just God and me. I took to heart the words of the wonderful hymn, “I Surrender All,” and that became my daily prayer: “Father, I surrender my all to You today.” I gave up trying to manage my own life and make sense of the emotional turmoil in which I found myself, and I finally released it all into the hands of my Heavenly Father. That was the beginning of an amazing journey for me. And all it took was SURRENDER.
It was during these initial steps of my journey that God began to give me words and melodies to many of the songs you will hear on my new album. God has been faithful to walk with me through the hills and valleys, carrying me when necessary, and I would not trade a moment of it for anything. Looking back over my life, I realize that I have always felt His presence, especially when I needed Him the most. God was the Shelter I turned to when I lacked security. He was my Father when mine wasn’t there, and my Friend during my loneliest hours. He was my Strength when I was too weak to stand. He has been my Healer, both physically and emotionally. He has been my Comfort through loss and sorrow. He was my Provider during my times of need. He has been my Master, giving me direction when I couldn't find my way. When I felt like hiding in the shadows, He gave me a reason to hold my head up high, because I am a royal child of the King of Kings, redeemed by the blood of Christ!
God has blessed me greatly over the years, including giving me a wonderful husband and four incredible children -- two by birth and two by adoption. God is so good! It is my desire to share His love with others everywhere I can. I love to sing His praises and approach His throne in worship! And I love to tell others how God has always been faithful to me through the good times and the bad. If but one life could be changed by hearing my testimony, then the struggles God has brought me through have all been more than worth it! To God be the glory!
As I write these words, I am reminded of a time a few years ago when God began to breathe His music into my soul. I never considered myself to be a songwriter, but oh, how I loved to sing. Having been raised in the church, I have been singing songs about Jesus since I could utter my first words. But something happened in my life that put music in a whole new realm for me. I learned to worship.
During the spring of 2006, I began seeking help for some emotional struggles that I had been fighting for quite some time. As I started becoming more aware of my emotions and learning to understand them, I suddenly began to relate to spiritual songs on a much deeper level than I ever had. And I began to worship our amazing God in a way that I never before understood -- not just amidst the many members of our church congregation on Sunday mornings, but in the privacy of my own bedroom, where it was just God and me. I took to heart the words of the wonderful hymn, “I Surrender All,” and that became my daily prayer: “Father, I surrender my all to You today.” I gave up trying to manage my own life and make sense of the emotional turmoil in which I found myself, and I finally released it all into the hands of my Heavenly Father. That was the beginning of an amazing journey for me. And all it took was SURRENDER.
It was during these initial steps of my journey that God began to give me words and melodies to many of the songs you will hear on my new album. God has been faithful to walk with me through the hills and valleys, carrying me when necessary, and I would not trade a moment of it for anything. Looking back over my life, I realize that I have always felt His presence, especially when I needed Him the most. God was the Shelter I turned to when I lacked security. He was my Father when mine wasn’t there, and my Friend during my loneliest hours. He was my Strength when I was too weak to stand. He has been my Healer, both physically and emotionally. He has been my Comfort through loss and sorrow. He was my Provider during my times of need. He has been my Master, giving me direction when I couldn't find my way. When I felt like hiding in the shadows, He gave me a reason to hold my head up high, because I am a royal child of the King of Kings, redeemed by the blood of Christ!
God has blessed me greatly over the years, including giving me a wonderful husband and four incredible children -- two by birth and two by adoption. God is so good! It is my desire to share His love with others everywhere I can. I love to sing His praises and approach His throne in worship! And I love to tell others how God has always been faithful to me through the good times and the bad. If but one life could be changed by hearing my testimony, then the struggles God has brought me through have all been more than worth it! To God be the glory!
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