Music has long been part of Linda Harper’s life. Now she is sharing her passion through a YouTube channel for children’s ministry, focusing on original songs written to teach children God’s word.
“I want to be a resource for parents, grandparents and teachers,” Harper said, “to help them build a foundation of faith in their children and reinforce critical truth. There are some truths getting lost, like that God is our Creator. A lot of my songs talk about how God made you and God made me. I want children to know that He made them and that He loves them.”
Harper has been teaching children for more than 40 years. When she started writing music, her children’s pastor was grateful for her help.
Early collaboration
He would share lesson ideas for the next few weeks, and Harper would write songs for those topics, giving her a lot of experience and quick feedback on how well her songs were received.
Through her ministry, Linda Harper Music, Harper continues to write songs that teach truths about God and help children memorize His word, with the goal of “infusing the word of God into the next generation through song. Quality music for children is very difficult to find. Scripture memory songs are hard to find,” Harper said.
“When parents and teachers play these songs, it gives them creative learning opportunities.”
One of Harper’s favorites is “Thank You Jesus for Your Love.”
One year she was invited to Avondale United Methodist Church in Birmingham to hear it sung by their children during the annual Hanging of the Green.
“That was just the thrill of a lifetime — to see this very traditional church with a whole line of children all the way across the front. They were all singing my song, and my heart was just rejoicing that something God had given me for them was being used.
“They were learning to have a heart of gratitude.”
Harper adds motions to her songs whenever possible. During that performance, one plaid-shirted child stood out to her by swinging his imaginary baseball bat intensely. After the performance, Harper found him and expressed her appreciation for singing her song.
“He looked up at me and he said, ‘Thank you for writing it,’” Harper related. “It was a word from the Lord from this little boy. He said, ‘Thank you for writing it,’ just as thoughtful and as serious as he could be. That made my day.”
Many of Harper’s songs are born through her own worship and meditation, and she loves it when Scripture is brought to life through music. She keeps guidelines in mind when writing: be simple, write a melody children will enjoy and, most importantly, be biblically sound.
After coming up with a tune, Harper moves to her keyboard and records a rough draft on her phone, then decides if it’s guitar-friendly. She types the lyrics and chord sheet and makes up motions that “little ones can do and the older aren’t bored with.”
Larger audience
For any song slated for release, she works with a producer to find talent to record it.
Harper then uploads the song to her online store and to CD Baby, which allows the song to be streamed or downloaded through sites such as Amazon, Spotify and YouTube Music.
“That’s how I’m able to reach the children. This is the way I can be international and global with this ministry — and I am. The songs are all over now. I think it’s awesome that children on the other side of the world can hear my songs. All the way from California to Australia, parents are downloading songs. I just thank God,” Harper said.
Harper is willing to go through any door God opens to get the word out and said music motivates her to stay busy for the Kingdom.
“I have all of these songs in me. Children are in need of a way to connect with the Father, and music is such an awesome way to connect.”
Individual songs and more can be downloaded at LindaHarperMusic.store. For more about Harper’s ministry and a free download of the popular “The Fruit of the Spirit” song, visit LindaHarperMusic.com.
Find select songs and videos with accompanying motions at Harper’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/user/LindaHarperMusic.
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