Jamel: The Music Man
It is obvious that music is a huge part of my life. From the time I was a young boy I knew that music was my destiny. I wasn’t sure in what capacity, but I always knew it would be a constant throughout my life. Music is an escape. It can accurately depict a person’s emotion and calm someone’s nerves. I have always thought music as a portal, something that could instantly transport you to a certain time in your life. I’ve always been a non biased person when it comes to music. I enjoy listening to almost every genre and would never criticize a song/album simply because of its origin. I believe every style of music has its purpose and place. One of the reasons, and there are many, I love music and consider it a huge part of who I am, is because every single person can relate to at least one song out thee. One song can also have multiple meanings to many different people and that’s a special thing. Interpretations of the same song can be drastically different. Music and songs touch people and have an impact on a person’s mental state. It’s scientifically proven that there is a healing aspect to music.
Here lately, certain songs have become cleansing for my soul and have lifted my faith. Music has taken me on many different journeys in my life. Not all of them have been good, but they’ve all had a purpose in my life and, without music, I wouldn’t have experienced any of them. The most significant one happened three years ago this April, when I entered Navarre Untied Methodist Church for the very first time. The overwhelming feeling of hospitality from the congregation was heartwarming, but I won’t lie, the stage is what intrigued me. The worship band and their energy were unlike the stages I’ve been playing on all my life. There was almost an inner challenge, a bet I placed with myself to see if after all these years of playing music… could I play Christian music in the house of the Lord? What began as a little competition within me turned into an overpowering sense of peace and I fell in love with music all over again. I felt like I was a little boy just beginning my journey, and essentially, I was. Over the last couple of years I have grown not only in my music, but more importantly, in my faith. To be completely honest, there is a good possibility that without music, I might not have ever felt like I had a gift to honor God with. Music broke down any walls I had and gave me strength to confidently worship our Lord Jesus Christ.
My entire musical career I’ve followed my instincts. Whether I was writing, recording, or performing music, that instinctual gut intuition always seemed to serve me well. The instinct I felt in April 2019 to join the worship team will forever be the greatest and most treasured blessing of my life.