About the Authors

MEET MICHAELA 
                                                                                                                       

How old are you?
19

What is your full name?
Michaela Renee

What grade are you in?
I am a freshman in college, though I'm taking a gap year this year.

What are you planning on doing now/in the future after school?
I just finished an EMT program and am hoping to begin an internship with the Ambulance Center of the South Hills in Pittsburgh over the next few months. I am  also hoping to attend the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh for Biblical counseling. The Lord has put it on my heart to serve the church in the area where He has placed me at the time, and I've wanted to work with young girls for some time now, especially through my local Pregnancy Crisis Center.

Are you employed?

Yes, currently I am a barista at Starbucks, but next year I have a few nannying jobs lined up that I'm very excited about!

Do you have any hobbies?
 I really enjoy spending time with my family and friends and building those relationships. I like experimenting in the kitchen (to my mom’s chagrin most of the time...), reading (especially historical fiction!), creative writing, drawing and doing anything outside!! Oh, and singing! Let’s not forget singing.... I sing ALL the time and seem to constantly have songs stuck in my head. I love trying new things, so I always have a project of some sort going on in my life. ;)

What is something God has been teaching you recently?

This past year (2011) has been a challenging one for my family and I, both individually and as a whole. Through different medical struggles and issues inside of me, the Lord showed me that I have been trying to control my life. (And when I try to take over from God....things get pretty ugly.) So, He has really been showing me lately how I need to surrender everything into His control. He is sovereign and His will for me is perfect- I don’t have to be fearful of what tomorrow will bring because God is already there. My prayer is now that I will desire what God desires for me, rather than desiring what I desire for myself. This is faith, and it is a continual struggle to die to myself daily, but by the grace of God, He will continue to help me, strengthen me and sanctify me, just as he does for all his children!

What is your "history" with the book of Psalms?

My family first joined the Reformed Presbyterian church when I was seven years old. So my first memory of actually singing in worship was with singing the psalms. The first psalm I ever memorized was 72D (from the 1979 red edition) and I have loved them ever since! As I have grown older, the Lord has really grown a continued love in my heart for the psalms, both in His word and singing them in worship. It never ceases to amaze me that I am actually able to sing God’s words back to Him. It is really a beautiful thing.

MEET CALEB:

My friend Dani posted in this style, and I thought it was excellent. Why mess with a good thing? I will attempt to imitate her format and let you know a little about myself.

How old are you?

18

What is your full name?

Caleb Andrew

What grade are you in?

I am a senior in high school, looking forward to graduating this May.

What are you planning on doing after high school?

I plan on attending Geneva College this fall. My intent is to take a communications major, and a Bible minor. I am not sure what God has in store for me, but I am excited to start figuring it out!

Are you employed?

I have one of the best jobs in the world. I get paid to be a jerk. A soda jerk to be exact. I work at an old fashioned ice cream parlor/restaurant, where I get to stand behind a beautiful marble bar and make fantastic ice cream sodas, sundaes, floats, milkshakes, banana splits, etc. If still don't understand what a soda jerk is, take a look at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soda_jerk

Do you have any hobbies?

If I am not doing homework or soda jerking, chances are I am listening to, playing, singing, or recording music. Something that I very much enjoy (but am not very skilled at) is recording vocal harmony on my computer. My favorite music to create is acapella. I also like to play the piano, guitar, bass, or any other instrument I can get my hands on.

Music aside, volleyball, friends, food, and books are all things with which I enjoy spending time.

What is something God has been teaching you recently?

Through some excellent teaching I sat under recently, I have begun to realize the beauty of the Sabbath day. When God ordained one day in seven for rest and worship, He did not do this to burden mankind. On the contrary, the Sabbath is a wonderful and freeing gift! On Sunday we have the opportunity to set aside the work and pursuits of the the rest of the week in order to worship our Creator and rest in his provision.

What is your "history" with the book of Psalms?

For as long as I can remember I have been singing the Psalms. My father is a pastor in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, a denomination of the Church that sings the Psalms in worship. Growing up in the RP church, I have gotten to know the Psalms fairly well. A couple of years ago I began to realize that the songs that I was singing in church were actually quite different from other songs. The Psalms provide a perfect way to express joy, sadness, dependence on God, and reliance on Jesus for salvation. Today I am still just beginning to understand the true beauty of the Psalms. I have been tremendously blessed throughout my life by reading, singing, and praying the Psalms.

If you could run a small business, what would it be?

Given the opportunity, training, and of course resources, I would open a small recording studio. I would have no idea what I was doing, but I think it would be so much fun!

MEET DANI:

My name is Dani Fisher. I am nineteen years old and currently live in Oklahoma. I work full time as a secretary, but teach music and dance lessons on the side. I love dancing and playing the piano, the accordion, the tin whistle, and any other instrument I can get my hands on. I also enjoy creative writing, drinking tea,and occasionally blogging about life on my website A Vapor in the Wind.

I have learned so much through the Psalms found in God's Word, but recently and probably most importantly, I have come to realize how the Psalms communicate the heart and emotions of Jesus Christ Himself. The Psalms are a vital means of knowing our Savior in an intimate and personal way. They are what distinguish our God from pagan gods. The more I read the Psalms, the more I am amazed at how prevalent Christ really is within this book of songs. The Psalms are the essential chain that link the whole of Scripture--Old and New--to Christ and unite us to Him. 

What is your "history" with the Book of Psalms? 

The Psalms have always been probably the most well known and prominent book of the Bible in my life. This is mostly due to my father who loved the Psalms and would always be praying through them, referencing them, and reading them to us. My dad discovered the Book of Psalms for Singing years before we had been introduced to a church that sang Psalms and he enthusiastically introduced it into our Evangelical Free Church and so even before we were singing Psalms in worship, we were singing them. When I was about five years old, my family moved and we joined the Reformed Presbyterian Church and were introduced to exclusive Psalmidy, nothing but the Psalms sung in worship.

MEET JON:

What's your full name?                         

Jonathan Kim

How old are you?

18

What grade are you in?                                                          

I am finishing up my senior year in high school.

What do you plan to do after high school? 

I'm going to attend the University of Michigan engineering program next semester.  After that, I am still waiting for God to show me what He wants me to do.

What are your hobbies? 

My main hobbies right now are shuffle dancing and First robotics.  I spend a lot of time programming robots and teaching my younger sister and cousin how to program.  Also classical piano has been a very big part of my life for many years, and I particularly enjoy playing songs written by composers from the romantic period such as Chopin and Beethoven. Some other things I enjoy are listening to hip-hop, reading historical fictions, and chillin with friends.

What is something God has been teaching you recently through His Word, preaching, etc...?

For the past few months, God has really shown me the beauty of the Psalms.  This has been through a lot of different means, from observing other Christians’ love for the Psalms, to mediating on Psalms through personal studies, to listening to the exposition of a Psalm through the preaching of the word.  Also I think that God has been teaching me to surrender my life to Him.  I just keep hearing it over and over again from practically everywhere and from everyone. 

What is your "history" with the Book of Psalms? 

I seem to have a separate testimony concerning my relationship with the Psalms.  My family found the Reformed church when I was about nine years old; however, it was last summer in 2011 when I started to study and appreciate the Psalms.  I am truly amazed how much God has blessed me through the few Psalms I have studied, and I pray that He would continue to reveal the promises, applications, and words of Jesus in the Psalms to me. 

MEET BEKAH

!!!!Yes, i am indeed dressed as a kangaroo!!!!

How old are you?
16

What is your full name?
Rebekah Lynn Willson

What grade are you in?
I am a sophomore at Beaver County Christian School.

What do you plan to do after high school?
Well, I want to go to college but, as a sophomore, haven't really looked much. I want to teach either little kids or be a professor in some sort of English class. Whatever I do I hope to continue with theatre and singing and to be some place warm. Still praying about all this.

What are my hobbies?
I LOVE acting and singing. Reading is another past time of mine, and I love to collect earrings. I could probably be called a chocoholic and have been called loud/assertive/funny.

What is something God has been teaching you recently through His Word, preaching, etc...?

Patience has always been something I have lacked as well as a certain amount of self-confidence.  A lot of thing have happened this year that has caused me to really think of what it means to be a Christian and I've gone through a lot of soul searching.

What is your "history" with the Book of Psalms?
Oh my. I am one of those people who have literally always sung psalms. Even when my family didn't go to an RP church for two years, we still sang them at home. I'm all for the red Psalter and have many of them memorized. Three cheers for the Psalter!!!!



MEET EDEN:

What is your full name?

Eden Hope Schaefer

How old are you?

15

Why do you love the psalms?

I love the psalms because every individual psalm is powerful in different ways. Whether I'm going through a tough situation or my life is great, the psalms are always beautiful and comforting.

What is your favorite Psalm?

My favorite psalm is Psalm 18 I love this one because it really shows how deep God's love is for us. My favorite verse from that psalm is verses 16 and 17 which say "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me."

Are you employed?

Lots and lots of babysitting! I also teach a K-2nd grade class at my moms campus once a week.

What are my hobbies?

Well, I like to do ALOT of different things, but some of my favorite things to do are playing (not watching!) volleyball, reading, strategy games, anything competitive, hanging out with friends, and summer mission trips.

What is something God has been teaching you recently through His Word, preaching, etc...?

Recently God has been teaching me that He is in control of my life. Through scripture and other events He has been teaching me over and over that not only does he have a plan in my life His plan is perfect even if i can't see the full picture right now.

What is your "history" with the Book of Psalms

I love the psalter!! I've been in the RP church almost my whole life and my family has been singing psalms at home together as long as i can remember

MEET SHAYLA!

How old are you?
17

What is your full name?
Shayla Lynne Richards

What grade are you in?
I am in the 12^th grade. Woop woop! SENIOR J

What are you planning on doing after high school?
I am planning on following what the Lord wants me to do. But I have to act on something now. That is going to Geneva College, and studying biology. Hopefully for nursing and or pre med. I am also looking into communication disorders.

Are you employed?

I am not employed, sadly.

Do you have any hobbies?

I love photography, playing with my dog, reading, and cooking. I like to also play ultimate Frisbee and running. I like to get in shape and stay in shape.

What is something God has been teaching you recently?

God has been recently teaching me patience. Sometimes I do not have a lot of patience and I need to. I have problems worrying about not getting married and starting my family like I want to so bad, but the Lord is teaching me patience now. Patience to pursue His will first.

What is your "history" with the book of Psalms?

When I first went to church at Covenant Fellowship and they started singing psalms I thought they were crazy! I was like… this is SO boring, this is when I was not a believer. But then as I sung them more and more I noticed “hey! These are beautiful sounding” after that stage I began to read about how singing Psalms in worship is God’s word, and God’s word is beautiful in reading and singing. I wasn’t at all raised around singing or even reading psalms, but they have definitely grown in me. Christ is amazing!


MEET ANGELA

What is your full name?

Angela Kim

How old are you?
17

What grade are you in?

12^th grade

What is your history with Psalms?

Even after I became a Christian, Psalms never really played a huge role in my life. That changed when I attended a youth conference in 2013 called TFY. I really don’t know what was different except the Lord drew me closer to Him. Still, that was a time of growth and just about as amazing as the day I first confessed to Christianity.

What are you planning on doing after high school?

I will be attending Grove City College in the fall of 2014 to get a Bachelor's degree in communications and social entrepreneurship. Afterwards, I hope to attend Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary for two years before launching into my career as a pro-life activist. I am also learning to speak Korean fluently, and I hope to become a missionary in North or South Korea some day. 
                    
Are you employed?
Sort of. I write part-time for Live Action News and Opinion, mostly covering stories of youth involvement in the pro-life movement. You can read some of my works HERE. 

Do you have any hobbies?
Yes, I have too many. I love writing: I’m writing a novel, publishing short stories and poetry, blogging, journaling, writing political articles, etc. I also love Youtube!! I'm currently running two channels, a pro-life channel and a fun, vlogging one. I also love longboarding, airsoft, running, pilates, along with photography and violin. Politically, I'm active in th epro-life and anti-slavery movements. Recently, I've been working with my national pro-life group, The Teenage Life Club, on a movement called For the Unborn.


Why hello!

Basic Info: My name is Hannah. I’m 17 and in my senior year of highschool. I've been homeschooled since I was five. As for my future plans, I’ve been very much excited about graduating this year and attending Houghton College to study art and communications in the fall.

Hobbies: I love to draw and paint; I’ve also recently been trying graphic art, which is one of my new favorite things to do. I dance ballet and modern, and also play piano. Occasionally I will attempt to play guitar. I have been known to read for hours on end, and I also enjoy writing. Singing, of course, is a favorite past-time as well.

Growth in God: Recently I believe that God has been teaching me to lean into Him, and fully rely on him for guidance. In God there is perfect peace, and I want to accept God’s peace with joy instead of being a “Christian” out of obligation. I still have a long way to go in my walk, but I already feel that God has shown me so much.

Psalm History: I’ve been the Reformed Presbyterian Church my entire life, so there has not been a single day in church that I have not heard and/or sung Psalms. Even now, after memorization and years of singing, I’m still learning to appreciate the Psalms more and more—their hidden references to Jesus and His salvation especially. I love singing the Psalms, and they have literally brought me to tears because they truly meet you where you are.

MEET GWENYTH

How old are you?
17

What is your full name?
Gwenyth Sarah

Why do you love the Psalms?

I love the psalms because not only are they are the songs of King Jesus but they also contain all of the human emotions. No matter what emotion I may be feeling, I am able to find an inspired expression of it in the psalms and am able to express myself through it. 

What is your favorite Psalm?

Psalm 104. I love it because it is a wonderful essay on how life ought to be lived. The Psalmist begins by saying “Bless the Lord, all my soul” and I believe that is one of the main purposes of the life of man here on earth. Also, I absolutely love nature – the way that the psalm describes creation is extremely beautiful and makes my heart fill with wonder that God has given us such a beautiful world in which to live.   

What grade are you in?

I am a high school senior and just graduated this May. However, for the past two years I have been taking classes at Geneva College.

What are you planning on doing after high school?

God has led me to Geneva College and I am going to continue my education there to earn a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing while taking as many classes in the Visual Arts as possible. After I finish at Geneva, or throughout my time there, I hope to take classes at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Do you have any hobbies?

I love to read books of all sorts of different kinds of literature; ancient classics such as Homer, Dante and Milton as well as, on the flip side, modern Japanese literature. But reading is not my only passion; I also love to create non-traditional three-dimensional art that is also able to be used in everyday life. In addition, singing is a huge part of my life and I find myself singing all the time; over the past year I have developed a passion for theatre by participating in Geneva College’s theatrical performances.         

What is something God has been teaching you recently?

He has been teaching me that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all men who live in her lands. I have struggled with giving control of my life over to God and He has been showing me that even the best plan I could come up with for my life is not nearly as good as the plan He has in store for me.    

What is your "history" with the book of Psalms?

My family joined the Reformed Presbyterian church when I was two or three, and because of that the only thing I can remember singing in worship are settings from the book of Psalms. However, the book and I did not share the most congenial of relationships for the first several years of being RP. Thankfully though, my eyes were opened to the beauty of the psalms when I really started to listen to the words I was singing, as opposed to mindlessly singing them by rote. Now the book of Psalms is one of my favorite books and I feel that I am truly blessed to be able to sing them in worship every week and commit them to heart by way of song.  

If you could run a small business, what would it be?

Every since I was small I have wanted to open a store where I could sell all of the creations that I have made. I do not think this emporium will ever come into existence, but who knows what God has in store for the future; Silver Mane Creations may one day see the light of day.


MEET ADAM

How old are you?

16.

What is your full name?
Adam Dinkledine

What grade are you in?

Eleventh.

What do you plan to do after high school?

I'm not entirely sure yet where or to what God is calling me after high school, but it'll likely involve a college, professors, and a lot of homework.

What are your hobbies? 

Sports in general is my main hobby.  Soccer is my favorite, and I've played it since I was 5.  I also enjoy basketball and football.  I also like many other outdoors things like running, hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing, etc.  In addition to sports, playing, creating, and listening to music is another hobby of mine.

What is something God has been teaching you recently through His Word, preaching, etc...?

Over the last several years, through personal devotions and the sermon series through Isaiah that my pastor has been preaching, the Lord has impressed on me the timelessness, universality, and constant applicability of the Word of God.  In the Old Testament, Isaiah and other prophets of the day were preaching against many sins which were commonplace in Israel.  As I've been reading and hearing these passages, God's shown me that the same things He was saying to people and nations thousands of years ago are still completely applicable and true to the world of today, and that we as a church and nation would do well to heed God's words and warnings.  Also, God has shown me how much the whole world needs Christ, and that His love transcends all earthly languages and country boundaries.

What is your "history" with the Book of Psalms?
One of my earliest memories is of my mother singing Psalm 119 to me while she was putting me to bed.  The Psalms have been beloved to me from a very young age, as I regularly sing them with my church and family.  Over many years, I have seen how beautiful the Psalms are, in both writing and singing.  They are the songs of our Savior and they are filled with God's praises and wisdom.