Here's the next installment of "Melodies with Meaning," where our columnists tell you about some of their favorite spiritual songs. Today, we're hearing from Sister Vicki.

By the time this publishes, I will have celebrated my 40th spiritual birthday. It seems unreal just typing that sentence.

A spiritual birthday is so different from our natural birthdays. I can’t possibly view it as any sort of accomplishment on my part, or an accolade of my character, but only a celebration of a Savior who literally bought me with His blood and brought me through every step to this day. The day you decide to follow Jesus for the rest of your life, He begins a good work in you that only He can perfectly design and finish. (Philippians 1:6).

Trying to align this personal event with Melodies with Meaning sent my overthinking brain into overdrive. I have way too many favorite hymns and inspiring songs to pick just one!

One song, though, began running through my mind. Oddly enough, it wasn’t at all on my initial mental playlist to share for this assignment. On our very next Wednesday night Zoom church meeting, a brother shared his testimony with the same song! So who am I to ignore that nudge?

Here's the next installment of "Melodies with Meaning," where our columnists tell you about some of their favorite spiritual songs. Today, we're hearing from Sister Mallory.

God has always spoken to me through song. I’ve loved music since I can remember, but my main focus has never been the music itself. I tend to focus on the lyrics.

The song “I Am Yours” by Lauren Daigle is a favorite of mine for two reasons.

First, it’s comforting in times of uncertainty.

You are God over the storm
And I am Yours

Here's the next installment of "Melodies with Meaning," where our columnists tell you about some of their favorite spiritual songs. Today, we're hearing from Sister Dianne.

“Hi Dom!” I say as I excitedly walk through the door of the hair salon.

“Hey Di! How are you doing?” Dom says looking up from the cash register. “Look at you; you are overdue!”

“I know, it’s beginning to grow like it used to!”

As I sit in the all too large shampoo chair, I remind Dom that he can’t massage my head like he used to. I miss the relaxing massage, but things are different now. The truth is, I’d rather have the 5-inch scar on my head than enjoy those few relaxing moments.

“You have good hair,” I recall the neurosurgeon telling me six months earlier.

“Good hair? And that’s supposed to make this an easy decision? I am NOT having surgery!” I say vehemently as I had several times over the years. I admit that part of my fear was spawned out of vanity, as I viewed images of shaved heads and scars on Google. My other fears were that I wouldn’t survive the surgery, that it wouldn’t work, or that it would maim me.

Here's the next installment of "Melodies with Meaning," where our columnists tell you about some of their favorite spiritual songs. Today, we're hearing from Brother P.

Sister Michelle asked us to write a blog about a song that has meaning to us, but I cheated and picked just one line of a song:

First, I want to ask you, "How could you ever have a good thought about sin?" Much less a glorious thought about it, unless...

...unless you consider that it has been nailed to the cross, and you don’t have to carry it anymore. Then, all you are left with is praising God!

Here's the next installment of "Melodies with Meaning," where our columnists tell you about some of their favorite spiritual songs. Today, we're hearing from Sister Stefanie.

I'll admit, I'm not a big music person. I opt to listen to podcasts or audiobooks when I work out or need sound on in my house or car. I like music, but it’s not my go-to.

However, during certain times in my life, God has touched my heart and comforted me through the words of a song.

In my sophomore year of college, I was really struggling with relationships — people who I thought were my friends, wanting to fit in...

Here's the next installment of "Melodies with Meaning," where our columnists tell you about some of their favorite spiritual songs. Today, we're hearing from Sister Charity.

The world wants every piece of you.

The news: “Look over here!”

Politics: “No, me! Look at me!”

Social media: “Hi, let’s hang out for 10 hours. I’m sure you’ve got nothing better to do.”

Ya know who else wants every piece of you?

Jesus.

But the difference between the world and Jesus is that Jesus won’t get all up in your face about it. He won’t beg. He won’t yell. He won’t wave his arms in the air like those other distractions do, as their success depends on our attention. Jesus already won. And our success depends on Him. He simply waits till we’re ready, for us to come to Him, gently reminding us along the way that He’s still there.

Today is the first blog post in a mini-series of articles called "Melodies with Meaning." Our columnists are going to tell you about some of their favorite spiritual songs. Hopefully, these articles will leave you with a light heart — and maybe even a new favorite tune. Look for Melodies with Meaning throughout June.

In the early ‘90s, a little thing known as compact discs made their way onto the scene. Foreign as they seemed, it signified the dawn of a new era of music listening. And in the Pezzenti house, it meant a trip to the local electronic store to pick out a few CDs. Among the first? "Silent Night Gospel Christmas with Mahalia Jackson."

I’m not sure what made us pick that one out in particular. (Perhaps it was close to the upcoming holiday season? Perhaps it was the cheap $5.99 price? Perhaps we saw the classic song list and were intrigued?) Regardless, the mixture of seasonal and non-seasonal tunes became a staple of every Christmas and provided an uplift throughout the year. Discovering Mahalia’s voice is still among my top musical memories.

Instead of our regularly scheduled Good Word Friday, we're bringing you the lyrics to No. 234 in The Songs of Zion. Following is Sister Arlene Buffington's testimony of how God delivered the song. We pray the lyrics are a blessing to you.

Many of you are familiar with The Songs of Zion hymnal that we sing from in Church. (Raise your hand if you call it "the gold book"?) For those readers who may not be aware, the words and music of each Songs of Zion hymn come to us in an unusual way. The words and music are miraculously delivered by God to Sister Arlene Buffington, who has no training or penchant for songwriting or composing. If you want to know more about the history of the songs, check out the preface at the beginning of The Songs of Zion hymnal.

Today, we're excited to bring you an article written by Sister Arlene that tells more about how the songs are given as well as a few experiences relating to specific hymns. We hope to share more periodically throughout the year.

Today's Miracle Monday is an experience that the late Sister Marie McGuire had on May 9-10, 1991, almost exactly 28 years ago.

One morning, after awakening, some words came to me, and immediately following a melody came to me. I wrote the words down at once, and I then reached for the Saints Hymnal, searching and trying to connect the tune and words to any of the hymns in the hymnal. The closest I came was No. 146, where the poet penned, “And the toils of the road will seem nothing, when I get to the end of the way.”

I then called a sister to tell her what had just happened. I read the words I received and hummed the tune to her, and she reminded me that it was the same tune as “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” I then read the words of this hymn, and they were not the same as what was given to me.

“Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” (Psalm 100:2)

Have you ever been asked to lead singing in your branch, and you only seem to be hearing your own voice?

Have you ever looked around on Sunday morning during singing only to see people’s song books closed?
This can be very frustrating at times. I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s during a hymn that I feel the Spirit of God. When we sing in unity and in spirit, contemplating the beautiful words of worship that we utter can be overwhelming. How many times have we stopped to really meditate on some of those words?

If you're not quite ready to say goodbye to those Christmas carols just yet, this one's for you.

Oh, little town of Bethlehem ... who knew it was such a beat-boppin' musical hub? I'm sure you've heard the Host o' Heavenly Choir's brilliant melody, "Glory in the Highest," and who hasn't belted out the eternal classic hit, "Peace on Earth, Good Will" by the band 2Men, but the rest of the local A.D. talent should not be missed!

All the way from a small town, here are the Bethlehem hits topping the A.D. charts across the globe.

Today, we're featuring another death-related testimony shared by Sister Rosanne Champine.

Although we find comfort in our understanding of God's heavenly reward for those who endure to the end, the heartache we experience when we lose our loved ones cuts deeply and profoundly. This loss is heightened when someone passes on in his or her youth. In our humanity, we sometimes struggle to understand why one is taken home but another is healed or why we have to endure the pain of separation "prematurely."