Welcome to the Jesus Calling podcast. Today we talk with two women who channel their artistic gifts into messages of hope that they use to inspire the world, country music star Ray Lynn and Christian writer Christy Cameron.

First we visit with up-and-coming country star Ray Lynn.

After she was a contestant on NBC's The Voice in 2012,

Ray Lynn saw her career skyrocket. She believes in the power of music to tell

stories and help others who are struggling feel they are not alone. Ray Lynn shares

how her passion for music was born in church.

The winding road she traveled to launch her music career

and how God has helped her overcome personal and health struggles.

Hi my name is Ray Lynn and I am a country artist so I grew up in Baytown

Texas which is outside of Houston it's probably like 45 minutes from Houston and

I grew up in a very musical family my

Aunt and my uncle are pastors of a church in Baytown and my mom is kind of like the person under them and kind of helps with things around the church.

Growing up, I was involved in everything at the church. They kind of threw me on whatever instrument they needed that Sunday I guess you could say like I always

played drums in youth group and I helped kind of figure out what songs you were

going to sing and stuff like that and then on Sundays I remember there were some Sundays where I did

play drums which is funny because I'm a little five foot too blonde and then there

were some Sundays where I would just sing or really just do whatever my aunt

wanted me to do but I went to public school

till I was in sixth grade

and then I started homeschooling.

And that's when I really just was at the church full time and then was kind of doing my own

music stuff as well.

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