Lifelines: Tracing My Journey in Story and Song - Paperback

by Christine Dente (Author)

Christine Dente, singer/songwriter for Out of the Grey, shares stories behind her song lyrics and stories from her life. These personal narratives ring with the honesty and humility of a woman who has traveled far along the paths of grace. Her lyrical images have engaged listeners since 1991 when she and her husband Scott released their first Out of the Grey project. Now for the first time, she publishes an account of the people and places behind her artistic formation. Christine's engaging prose gives readers more than a glimpse of the girl behind the voice. Well-known from Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) radio, her vocal quality combined with her lyrics create textured and complex sound. This Volume 1 in the Lifelines series delivers the same complexity of imagination and communication. Lifelines is the perfect illustration for tracing this personal journey. From lines of aging to the ropes God throws at every turn, she sees the strands of grace that make up life's tapestry. As Christine finds the reminders of God's love in her life, she inspires others to trace the contours of grace in their own. Most chapters begin with one of her lyrics which she then unfolds to reveal other layers of meaning. Her stories range from childhood struggles to recording studio scenarios. She lets readers in on things she thinks about and how she works through pain and suffering. In The Dance chapter, she describes the early "dance" of Scott's and her relationship. Write My Life describes the turmoil of growing up with an alcoholic father and dealing with her parents' divorce while Perfect Circle reveals her father's devastating illness. In Steady Me, she paints a vivid scene of life on the road. Other songs and chapters reveal everyday situations and conversations. Christine also gives us a view of the inspiration behind some of their songs on the latest Out of the Grey Project called 'A Little Light Left.' Add to that the three songs she wrote for each of her children upon high school graduation and these chapters bring to light the heart of a mother choosing faith over fear. In her own words from the introduction: "A friend once said, 'we write our own medicine.' As a songwriter, I have been able to work out and work through many of my issues using words and music. As a prose writer, I guess the chapters in this book are more medicine for my soul, working into deeper layers of me unreached by songwriting."