If your mind was a home, would you choose to live there? If your thoughts were visitors, would you let them in? Who would you ignore? Who would never make it through the door? 

Our brains are great at telling stories, again and again. Not all of them are helpful or true. We tend to stress over tomorrow or ruminate on yesterday, rehashing old arguments, fearing the hypothetical, obsessing over things that are out of our control. But it does not have to be this way. You can make your mind a better place in which to live. 

Recently, a friend of mine sent me a song by Ellie Holcomb. The words hit me like a flood of light into a dark, lonely room:

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? 
Where can I go from Your presence? 
If I go up to the heavens, You are there 
If I make my bed in the depths, You are there!”

These lyrics come straight from the Psalms, a book of songs and poetry in the Bible. This one says that God is everywhere, all the time. His presence is not restricted to a single place or state of mind. He is with me at church; He is with me at soccer training; He is with me on the drive to work. God is here when I am at my best, when I am my worst- and He is everywhere in between. He does not change and He never leaves. I knew this, cognitively, but my body had forgotten how close and how kind God really is. So, He used a song to remind me. 

There is a song in the Psalms for every situation: grief, joy, anger, gratitude, confusion—you name it. 

Several months ago, I sat down at the piano, feeling rejected after an awkward conversation. I opened my Bible to Psalm 57 and started singing the words.

“Be merciful to me, O God! 
Be merciful
For in You my soul takes refuge
In the shadow of Your wings
I will take refuge
‘Til the storms of destruction pass by.”

Within minutes, my heart was soothed.  

Another night, I found myself in a panic: tight chest, anxious mind. I picked up my guitar and started to sing Psalm 27: 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation: 
whom shall I fear? 
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?”

That night, I sang and sang and sang and each word drove the fear further away. 

Another day, a Psalm caught me mid-spiral. I was feeling frustrated when a song from the Psalms started playing in the back of my mind. It felt like an invisible hand slowly turned up the music until my anger subsided. 

When we feel frozen, frazzled or frightened, music cuts through the fog in a way that words alone cannot. It is tempting to turn to temporary fixes when life becomes unbearable. We can numb ourselves by scrolling through our phones, swallowing whatever the algorithm offers. Some of us overwork, others overeat, others oversleep or rely on other vices. We have a cornucopia of distractions at our fingertips, ready to alleviate our suffering. But where do we go when the numbness fades and the ache returns? 

The Bible is not an anesthetic. The Psalms do not shy away from pain. These songs cut right into the human heart, their words full of questions, complaints and desperate cries. They are also full of gratitude and beauty. There is no shallow comfort here, only rich, hard-earned hope and tear-stained cheeks. God gives us joy through the ache, instead of an escape.

Some of my dearest friendships have been deepened through conflict and hard conversations. The Psalms constantly teach me how to talk with God like a friend. They give me words to pray when I do not have any of my own. Many were written to be sung, not read. I love reading the Psalms but singing them weaves each word right into the fabric of my mind. 

The first chapter in the Psalms promises a blessing to anyone who delights in God’s instruction, thinking about it “day and night”. That person will become like a tree planted by rivers of water that produces fruit in its season. Its leaves will not wither and whatever he does will prosper. That is a bold claim to make right at the start of the book—one worth testing out. 

Does your life feel dry? Fruitless? Like you are withering away? Get a Bible, choose a section and chew on it for a while. Let it run through your mind, again and again. The Psalms are a great place to start, they are honest and hopeful, rich in comfort. I cannot think of anything better to have stuck in my head. 

Article supplied with thanks to Signs Of the Times

Kemy Ogendi wries from Central Australia. She is currently working on a handful of music projects in Alice Springs, one including several Psalms. You can listen to her music here.

Feature image: Supplied

Winning The Voice Australia hasn’t just been a dream come true for Sydney teenager Alyssa Delpopolo, it’s been a process of growth, overcoming anxiety and learning to believe in herself.

“I feel like I’ve just always had it in my mind that I wanted to be a singer,” Alyssa said.

“Ever since I started singing lessons [people] would tell me, oh, you should do this when you grow up. 

“I didn’t really think anything of it, but it’s kind of just come to be my passion.”

Even from a young age, Alyssa’s love for music and commitment to enter a competitive industry never wavered.

“I always looked up to people like Ariana Grande and Michael Jackson,” she said. 

“I thought [it] would be really cool if I could do that. But I never really thought about [how hard] it could be. It’s just what I wanted to do.”

Throughout the competition, Alyssa found strength in her coach, Kate Miller-Heidke, whose mentorship helped her gain confidence both on and off the stage. 

“She definitely helped me open up from out of my shell a lot,” Alyssa said. 

“We spoke a lot about having nerves before performances, so she definitely helped me kind of develop my confidence.”

“I’ve definitely worked with Kate on some strategies, like trying to channel your body and just trying to take deep breaths.

“I also tend to kind of, when I’m really struggling with anxiety, look around the room and kind of point to what I see to put my mind at ease and, you know, not focus on those nerves.”

When asked what advice she’d give to other young people chasing their musical dreams, Alyssa’s message was simple: “Just believe in yourself”. 

“There were lots of times that I really struggled to believe in myself as well, but I had a really good support system. 

“Believing in yourself is really important.”

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

Feature image: Canva

‘Interlude’ nods to the fragile state transition can leave us in, and the reassurance of God’s unchanging nature in the midst.

There have been years of shifting seasons for UNITED’s Matt Crocker, having spent over two decades touring with the Hillsong band and now moving to Nashville after releasing his solo album Interlude.

During the disruption of Covid and Hillsong’s leadership readjustment, Matt kept songwriting. It was the worship anchor it has always been, but also an outlet for fresh sounds and ideas.

“I love writing worship, and I can’t help but write worship,” Matt said.

“Even when I experiment sonically or work with different people, it always comes back to connecting people to God.”

Matt’s debut solo project Interlude reflects that tension between the “in-between” and the constant presence of God.

“It still feels very much like the thing I’ve always done, which is worship,” Matt said.

“But it gave me the freedom to dive into music I connect with a little more.

“I just wanted to make songs that feel like me.”

Matt’s not released a solo project before is because he’s “been happy not to”.

“I’ve been quite content with all the stuff I’ve been a part of and been doing,” Matt said.

“[As an artist] I’m never fully confident. 

“That’s why I love writing with others – you see the reaction in real time.

“But at the end of the day, I needed to believe in the songs myself.”

Interlude nods to the fragile state transition can leave us in, and the reassurance of God’s unchanging nature in the midst.

“The world isn’t as stable as it once felt,” Matt said.

“So what do we have?

“The one sure thing in my life is God. It’s trusting in Him and trusting that His plan is the right thing for us.

“I don’t know what I’m doing.

“I just know my whole life has been based on trust in God. And I don’t think I’ll ever stop writing songs.”

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

Feature image: Supplied

A $5,000 prize is up for grabs in this International event for Christian Choral groups.

Entries are now open for the 2025 International Christian Choral Celebration

Choirs from around the world are invited to take part in the 2025 International Christian Choral Celebration (ICCC) — a global online event hosted by Excelsia University College in Sydney, Australia.

A $5,000 prize is up for grabs in this prestigious International event for choral groups.

Entries are now open for the 2025 International Christian Choral Celebration

Choirs from around the world are invited to take part in the 2025 International Christian Choral Celebration (ICCC) — a global online event hosted by Excelsia University College in Sydney, Australia.

Celebrating the richness of Christian musical tradition across all denominations, the ICCC welcomes church, school, community, college, and professional choirs of all sizes and styles. From acapella to gospel to traditional choral works, the event is open to anyone with a heart for singing Christian texts.

Winner of the 2024 Prize – The Choir of St Paul’s College, Sydney

Participation is free and easy

Choirs simply submit two video performances of pieces with a Christian theme — in any genre or language. One piece should be based on or inspired by the Psalms. All submissions must be unaccompanied.

The $5,000 William Byrd Prize is on offer, awarded to the performance that most deeply moves the judging panel. Finalists will be showcased during a live-streamed event in September 2025, coinciding with the LUMEN Conference in Sydney. The panel will also lead a discussion on the role of music in worship and how diverse traditions can learn from one another.

This celebration is more than just a competition—it’s a platform to showcase the richness of choral music, foster community spirit, and highlight the values that Excelsia University College stands for.

Excelsia University College, with its 40-year legacy in creative and performing arts, invites choirs everywhere to raise their voices in unity and praise.

Submissions close 1 July 2025.

Apply now and view full details

Article supplied with thanks to Christian Media & Arts Australia.

Feature image: Excelsia University College Choir – Supplied