“I WILL SING UNTO THE LORD, for He has been good to me” (Psalm 13:6).

This is not only one of my favorite Bible verses but also a line from one of my favorite songs by the late Jeremy Erickson. This one verse has been something that God has brought to my mind again and again. “I will sing …” no matter what is going on in life, music is something that can bring joy in any circumstance. That is why I teach music.

My two years at AFLBS helped cultivate my passion for music and the Bible. I was privileged to be part of choir, gospel teams, and summer teams. I loved the opportunities to combine my love for music and getting to teach young children about Jesus. I remember one week when I got to focus primarily on music during vacation Bible school. Getting to lead those children in singing praises was definitely one of the biggest highlights of that summer. I was also encouraged and mentored by Jerry Nelson, who let me conduct one of the choir pieces at our final concert.

As I moved to Northwestern College (St. Paul, Minn.), earning my degree in K-12 Vocal Music Education, I was excited to see where God was going to take me. Both my Bible and music education prepared me to take the first steps in my career. I spent my first four years teaching public school elementary music, then middle school for one year, and high school choir for three years. During this time, I was also involved in leading music for the children at church each Sunday, directing Christmas programs, and being part of our worship team.

After getting married in 2016 and making the move to California, I wasn’t sure what God had next for me. Only a month after making the move, I had an offer as a long-term sub for middle school choir. This eventually led to my current teaching position as a middle school choir director. I also have the opportunity to be part of worship teams and lead a youth worship team once a month.

So many of our children today are struggling, and my hope is that my classroom will be one that is positive and brings joy to their day. I work in a unique setting where I get to include sacred music in a public school, as it is the foundation of choral music. I get to talk about the text, the meaning of that text, and how my students can connect to it. It is my prayer that God will use these songs and my witness to give these students a window into the joy and beauty that can only come from Him.

I know all of my past music experiences have led me to where I am today, and I am very grateful for mentors who taught and encouraged me. I may not know exactly what God has next, but I know I will continue to say, “I will sing unto the Lord, for He has been good to me.”

Alicia (Vigness) Langness [AFLBS 2004] is a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran, Camarillo, Calif. She teaches middle school choir music in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

This article first appeared in Kinship Magazine, Spring 2018 Edition.

Kinship is a magazine of the Free Lutheran Schools. Stay up to date on latest news, student stories, classroom highlights, and fun tidbits about life on the AFLBS and AFLTS campus.

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