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Michelle Tumes
She Ain't Heavy, She's
Our Sister
From one who
has needed,
and still needs, encouragement, Michelle has found that this is what she can
now give to others
by Michael Herman
You
probably already know Michelle Tumes attended dental school in Australia before
traveling to Nashville to release her debut album, Listen. But what's
God been doing in her life since then? Michelle and I recently sat down in a
little coffee house in the Chicago suburbs to catch up on the past year.
She told me God has given her many wonderful surprises
since we last talked. She was recently married. She has a new album release.
But she said her greatest fulfillment is seeing God work through the words and
expressions of her music to affect lives for Christ.
Surprises don't affect Michelle the way they used
to. She now expects, and often even embraces the events God brings her way each
new day.
 "I
try to completely surrender and focus on God each and every day. I don't want
to take the things he does for me for granted, including my career and my health.
I don't want to worry about the future.
"But my biggest downfalls are worry and fear.
In my case, I think it's generational. My 'nana' is very afraid of many things.
My brother is afraid of cats. And sometimes I'm afraid of the unknown. But God
is teaching me not to be afraid.
"There's a verse in the New Testament that
says not to worry about what you're going to eat or what you're going to wear.
He takes care of the birds, so why shouldn't he take care of you? 'Do not fear'
is a theme in the Bible. And worrying is a sin. So I'm trying to get rid of
that.
"When I was young, and even through my teenage
years, I suffered from insecurity. It was a bit crippling to me. I was very
shy.
"I was especially afraid of performing. Jaci
Valesquez has helped me a lot in that area. I believe God put her in my life.
She's not afraid of performing, and she's taught me how to be myself on the
stage. Now I can go out on stage with confidence and can share with the audience.
"I really love for the music to speak to the
audience. God really speaks through music, and that's a very powerful vehicle
to use to share with others.
"It gives me confidence that maybe what I
have to say might help someone. If I don't say something I'm prompted to say
by the Holy Spirit, then it will be missed. And I don't want to ruin any of
those chances.
ADVICE
"The
advice I would give to others is to embrace the life that they've been given.
When God gives someone a dream in their heart, even though they might not think
they can fulfill it in the natural, they need to just keep following after that
dream with prayer. God has a really special path that is the best for each of
us. We need to follow that path.
GOD WORKS THROUGH
HER MUSIC
"Time
and time again I've been told just to be myself and to stick with my musical
style. And that seems to really work for me. I'm just really fortunate to be
able to write and perform the music that I want to do.
"It's incredible what God has done through
my music. It's not me, it's God using my songs to encourage people.
"For example, my mom told me about a girl
in a hospital in Australia who was dying from anorexia. When she listened to
my music, it gave her encouragement and hope for the future.
"People have told me their marriages have
been mended. Others have told me they've gone back to church because of my music.
There are countless stories like this. It encourages me so much. But again,
it's not me, it's God using my music to help people.
 MARRIAGE"I got married the day after Christmas.
It's changed my life because I'm accountable to someone now. Marriage builds
character. It's a sacred thing.
"I think marriage is different for everyone,
but for me it's a really peaceful thing. But it's exciting, too. It's fun to
work together and get to know each other better. We like just being with each
other. Even things people might think boring are fun, like putting up curtains
or other little projects around the house. I really love it. I think it's great!
A LIFE OF WORSHIP
"I
have a lot of anticipation before each concert. I want God's will for each one,
and I have that in the back of my mind in prayer all day. I always pray just
before I go on. And then, after the concert, I get a real sense of peace. I
trust that people have really taken away God's peace and the overwhelming love
that he has for them.
"I try to see my life as a form of worship,
and that I need to be thankful for everything that I've been given. I try to
be thankful for those things, and not just compartmentalize my life, like this
part is God's and this is my part. I just try and worship with my whole life.
I'm learning to do that, and it's extremely fulfilling.
"When I was growing up, we said grace before
every meal. It was just a tradition, a motion that we went through. Now I see
it as worship to thank the Lord for each meal. It's such a simple thing, but
it is a form of worship.
SONGWRITING
"I have to be by myself to write. I
usually write at home on the piano. I like to work in a familiar environment.
The lyrics and melody usually come to me at the same time, but usually only
in snippets.
"Singers have to sing the same songs over
and over. Sometimes it just gets old. I don't want to just sing a piece of music.
I want to relive it by trying to remember what I was really feeling when I wrote
the song.
SURPRISES
"Last
summer I sang at a camp in Oregon. It was for a bunch of teenagers. All I had
was me and a piano, in front of all these teenagers who love alternative music.
I thought, 'Oh no, how am I going to relate to these kids without a band and
everything?'
"But, you know, I think teenagers love music
that's real - music that speaks to their hearts. I think they really are intrigued
by it. After the concert a lot of them came up to me and said, 'Yeah, man, that
was really cool. I don't usually like that music, but that was cool.' The girls,
especially, because they are usually into poetry and romantic language at that
age, seemed to be touched by the lyrics. I was really blessed by that. It was
really wonderful for me to see.
CONTENTMENT
"I
love my job. I can't even call it a job. I love music. When I think about what
I could do creatively, this is it.
"I love living in Nashville. Sometimes I think
about what it would be like to move back home to Australia, seeing my family
and friends. That would be great. But right now I'm seeing friends in Nashville,
friends who share the same goal I have in my music. So, it's great for me right
now.
"If I have one hope, it's that people who
haven't had a faith in God will listen to my music and say, 'Gosh, there's something
there. I don't quite get it, but it makes me feel really content and peaceful.'
And that they would find God's love and saving grace in their life."
Michelle Tumes'
new album, Center of My Universe, is available now in our Music
Store.
Center
of My Universe, explores
beyond the musical range of her debut project, Listen, and opens up to
more of the fun and strength of Michelle's musical tastes.
If
you think you have her pegged as one kind of artist, stop and listen to what
this new release has for you in lyrics, melodies, and a style that will help
you better understand her heart for God and the people in her universe.
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