Music School and Ministry with Ava Shedd | Ep. 18

Today we have the opportunity to talk to Ava Shedd!  Ava recently graduated from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and has recently started a podcast called Fertilize My Faith.  We both have a heart for sharing the love of Jesus so today we have a conversation on how we can do that as Christian classical musicians.

Check out Ava's podcast, Fertilize My Faith, here!

Discussion questions - Try reflecting on your own or with a group:)

• How were you most encouraged by Ava’s wisdom and or musical journey today?
• Is Jesus the Lord of your life?  Have you relinquished all authority to Him?
• Do you have friends who are pointing you towards Jesus and pour into you?  Do you have friends who don’t know Jesus and who you can share Him with?
• How can you practically show off Jesus to the non believing classical musicians around you?  
• Do the people around you know that you are a Christian?  What are some ways you can make sure they do?    
• How have you experienced comparison, gossip, and complaining in the classical music world?  How might you approach that in a way that honors God and loves other people?

To engage our hearts in greater worship to Him, check out these songs that relate to this episode!

• The Way I See The World 
• He Is Lord 
• Lord I Need You 
• Your Way's Better 

Thanks so much for listening! Make sure to check back every Monday for a new episode!

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 16:40 Navigating Conservatory Life
• 24:08 Our Ministry As Christian Classical Musicians
• 36:42 Ava's Podcast! Check It Out!
• 43:16 Outro

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Hi friends, my name is Casey Rinkenberger and I am so excited to welcome you to the Instruments of Worship podcast. This is a podcast dedicated to encouraging and equipping classical musicians left high in the name of Jesus with their instruments but also their lives. Today we have the opportunity to talk to a new friend of mine, Ava Shedd. Ava recently graduated from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and has recently started a podcast called Fertilize My Faith Podcast. We both have a heart for Jesus. And so we're going to have a conversation today on how we can share Jesus's love and light as a Christian in the classical music world. So welcome to episode 18 of the Instruments of Worship podcast. All right. Well, hi, Ava. Thank you so much for being willing to come on the podcast today. Yes, of course. Thank you for having me. So first off, how was graduation? Because I know that was just a couple of days ago. Yeah, it was really good. It was Honestly, so surreal. Like, oh my gosh, college graduation is so crazy because it's just the culmination of like four very, very fast years. But it was really sweet. Lots of tears, but it was good. Yeah. I know. It's exciting for what's ahead, but definitely miss what It's so surreal. And I love them so much. They're really wonderful. And yeah, I am currently preparing to do my master's in violin performance at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University in the fall. So that's kind of where I'm at right now. So yeah. you know, just currently finishing up things here in Cincinnati and getting ready to move and everything. So yeah. So you move before the fall. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well, I hope you enjoy your summer then you need a break. So I'm curious, have you always know the Lord or when would you say you first met him? Um, when did you first believe in him as your personal learning savior? Yeah. So I'm actually a pastor's kid. So I grew up in church and And yeah, so I grew up really blessed that I always had knowledge of God. I always had an understanding of really who Jesus was from a young age. And I'm grateful that because my parents really instilled that in me from a young age. I didn't really have to even question much about God's existence. So I never had a time where I didn't believe in God. It definitely took a long time for the gospel to really take root in my own life personally. And so, yeah, just through a lot of different. things growing up. I was a part of a really good youth group that helped to really show me for the first time, oh, I could actually get to know Jesus personally for me. It doesn't have to just be my parents' faith. So that was a good first step. And honestly, it's kind of interesting because what really was the turning point for me is in getting to know the lord personally was actually coveted and so for a lot of people when we were all forced to be in quarantine a lot of people were really depressed they got really sad because suddenly we lost community we didn't have each other and it was kind of the opposite for me because i have grown up in christian community my whole life and so it was almost like the lack of people around me really was when god actually got my attention and it was just me and him which is kind of interesting and so i just i'll never forget just like sitting by myself like in those days of quarantine i started to establish a kind of like good routine of having a good quiet time in the morning. Like I knew how to read my Bible. I just never really had a desire to, it just more felt like routine for so long. But through that season, something just like kind of clicked. And I just remember really having this hunger for the word of God. And every single day I'd be so excited to just open up scripture. And it was through that, that I really started to understand the gospel for me personally and recognize, Oh, wow. Like Jesus really did die for me personally. And he wants to know me. He wants me to surrender or my life to him and so it's kind of weird because no one really kind of coached me through it it just kind of happened that way but i also had all this knowledge prior knowledge of the bible and of god so it kind of makes sense that that's kind of how the pieces kind of aligned but um so yeah i would say i've always i've always believed in god but it really i've really been like i've really walking with God and actually surrendering my life to Him probably for the past like five-ish years. So that was like, I was 17. That was my junior year of high school and then going into senior year of high school. Yeah, my church talks about it in the ABCs. Maybe you've heard it before, but admitting that you're a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that He died for you. But it's also that sea of confessing Him as Lord of your life. And like you're saying that surrender and submitting your life to Him. It's part of it. So then Ava, you said that was kind of between junior and senior year of high school. So then between now and then, can you just, I know it's a big loaded question, but can you kind of give us an idea of what the Lord has done in your life between now and then? And you've had college in there, which is a huge step in life. So I'm sure that that had a lot to do as part of your testimony also. So can you kind of update us on that? Yeah. So, um, Through college and, yeah, honestly, the past four or five years, the Lord has really shown me what it looks like to walk through life as him being my Lord and Savior. And so one big thing I learned when I came to college that I honestly didn't really learn growing up, which kind of confused me, was the idea of Jesus being Lord. And so we talk a lot about how, yes, Jesus is God and you should... believe in him you should you know trust in him with all your heart but the aspect of making him lord of your life is equally as important as believing that he died for your sins and so what that means is like salvation is like it's two parts so the first part is believing and the second part is saying okay lord i believe that you did die for me i want to make you lord of my life and so the idea of lordship was something that i really grew in to understand and i was Really helped by that, thankfully, through like a campus ministry I was involved with that really helped to disciple me and basically just explain that by you saying that Jesus is Lord, you are putting him at the forefront in every single aspect of your life. And so whether that's your family, whether that's your career, your dreams, your desires, you're laying all of that aside and you're saying, Jesus, I want you to be the Lord of all those things, which means. If he's in control, anything could really change, right? So like I had this idea going into college of this idea I wanted to be. I, my, my dream was to be a concert master of a symphony. And through that, the Lord's really developed even my future plans with music. And it's been really interesting to see and not easy in many ways, but also really, really sweet in a lot because it's, it's seen, okay, Lord, you know, really what's best for my life, even if I think this is the best thing. And so that's what's really been the biggest thing that God's been teaching me is to really surrender everything to him because like we were as humans created to depend on God. There's no reason we should think that we can do everything on our own when we start to think that things don't go great. And so I've seen that even in my life when I've tried to take control of things or do things in my own way, they never go as well. If I don't invite God into it first. So that's a very condensed version of what the Lord's kind of taught me through college, but yeah. yeah i there's a there's a proverb that says the heart of man plans his ways but the lord establishes his steps and i think for a musician that's also so true we have so many opportunities to relinquish that control to the lord and just surrender because we do a lot of us have our plans our goals and our dreams which aren't in themselves bad but we can make them ultimate things and and not be willing to be humble and to just follow the Lord's leading first and foremost. So yeah, that's beautiful. I'm just curious. Did you, um, how did you find that campus ministry and was there a church that you got plugged into there? What was that like? Yeah, I was trying out a bunch of different groups when I got to college because I'd recently just decided, okay, I really want to follow God for myself and I know I need a good community. So I was trying out a few places and then ultimately I found this group called Chi Alpha and it stands for Christ ambassadors or Christian ambassadors. So it's based off of second Corinthians five 20 and I got connected through them actually through the church that I had started going to. And so I met the campus, the campus pastors of that ministry at my church. And yeah, it's been so sweet. I, got connected with them, kind of didn't fully get plugged in for like a month or two, just because I was still figuring out a lot of stuff. But then when I, the very first, um, they have like discipleship groups weekly. So that was really something very impactful for me. But in the very first discipleship group or D group that I went to, I remember the the girl that was talking and giving the lesson, she just got so deep, so fast. And that was exactly what I was looking for. I didn't want a group that was just going to be very superficial and, you know, Jesus loves you. And I was like, no, okay. I want to like, know how to walk with God. And I want people to tell me the hard things and to and to point out the things in my life that I need to grow in as well. And so, yeah, from the very first D group, I was like, yeah, this is the group that I want to be a part of. So yeah. That's so sweet. Yeah. And so important. I would say from my experience too, to just have that community going into college, it really, really helps encourage and equip you to handle all the new things that you're going to face as kind of a new adult, you know? Yeah. Yeah. I'd love to move on then to just your background in music. Where did that start and when did you start playing the violin? Yeah. So I started playing when I was five years old. I was a wee little kid. I don't remember... honestly, a time where I didn't play violin. It's just always been a part of my life. And it helped that my dad plays violin. He got a double major in college and then ultimately went to be a pastor, but his first degree was in music. And so was my mom. So he started teaching me from a young age. And what actually made me want to play violin though, was I was going to this concert. Okay. So there's this family band called the Annie Moses band. Do you know about them? Okay. Nobody, nobody knows about them. Okay. Oh, of course. They've come to my town. I went to their camp. Oh, wow. Okay. Very cool. Okay. So yes, it was their family that was cut. They were playing a concert in my city. I'm from Virginia beach, like Chesapeake, Virginia area. And the, obviously, you know, the lead vocalist is also like an incredible violinist and she went to Juilliard. She's just, you know, incredibly gifted in so many ways. And I, it's so funny because I probably, I must've been like three or four years old. I must've been so little, but I have a very vivid memory of like dancing in like the front row of the aisles and like watching her play the violin. And that just, I was just captivated as a young little girl. And so that was what initially got me to like what to play, but then it helps that my dad played violin so he could teach And through the years they would come back through and I would there was one concert that my family went to and I actually brought my violin and I played for any at the end. And it was sweet. My mom has like photos of me and her, but she was kind of the first like kind of role model I looked up to because I just was like. So, so impressed with her. Um, yeah. So that's how I got started playing violin. That's so special. Yeah, man. They, they are an incredible family and for years have been role models. Like you said to a lot of people who are musicians, but also Christians. Yeah. And just, I know that they talk a lot about really honestly, very similar to like what inspired my podcast was just how to be a Christian in a secular, you know, music world, not necessarily creating Christian music, but how can you play any sort of music to the glory of God? And, um, so anyways, they're, they're incredible. So that's awesome. Yeah. What got you from that point though, to then like, wow, I want to pursue this as a degree. Yeah. Honestly, I couldn't think of doing anything else with my life. It sounds really bad, but I just really nothing else interests in like brought me interest. I just, it was always music. And I remember, um, There's a concert I went to with my mom. Again, don't remember what age I was, but we went to like our, our symphony orchestra, which is the Virginia symphony. And so we go to see them a lot growing up. And I remember sitting there and watching the musicians. I'm like, man, that just looks so cool. I would love to do that. And then my mom told me, she's like, well, you know, all those musicians are getting paid to do that. And I was like, I thought for years, I just thought they were doing it voluntarily. I didn't think that they got paid. I was like, I think a lot of people do. Yeah. Yeah. I was like, no way that they get paid. And so once my mom told me that I was like, okay, perfect. That's what I'm doing then. Cause I was like, I just knew that I wanted to do something that I loved, but I didn't think I could do music. Cause I was like, why would you get paid for that? But then I realized like the entertainment business is like huge and people, the arts, like they can make it work. Like people will pay for that. Um, so yeah, once I realized I could actually sustain myself that I was like, yeah, I want to do that. Okay. That's awesome. So what made you choose Cincinnati? What was your audition process? Like all those things. Yeah. So my mom is actually from Cincinnati. So my family has a big tie with this city. And so growing up, we would come and visit her side of the family a lot and just visit the city and yada, yada. Um, and so one of the years, um, Okay. So back, backtrack. Both of my parents actually went to CCM. So that's kind of where it goes back to. But I never had an intention of coming here. It was just like, okay, yeah, my parents go here. But I did know about the school from them. Basically, they had told me about how they went here. They actually met here. It was really cool. That's a whole story. But one of the trips that my family took back here to visit family, I think I was a sophomore in high school. I knew that I wanted to tour CCM. And so my dad was like, let's go ahead and get you a tour. And then they were able to set up a lesson with me, a trial lesson with one of the teachers here. And so I just remember taking the tour and just absolutely loving the campus. I just was like, this is so cool. Like at the time I was so ready to get out of high school and be in like a conservatory setting with other musicians because high school can be really like... It can drag on because you're having to take all these subjects you don't really like. I just, I've never been good at math and science. And so I was so ready to get to music school and do music full time. So I, yeah, that really mesmerized me. And I knew from that moment that I really liked the school. Wasn't sure if I would end up here, but I knew that I would click really well here. And so, yeah, we did. Oh, wow. Yeah. So yeah. Even those, I feel like it, I know for me, it felt like an open door, you know? Yeah. The Lord can lead even in those things. So yeah, that's awesome. So were you ever nervous? I'm curious because from where I'm coming from, I feel like there's sort of a stigma with a conservatory and oh man, it can be so intense, so cutthroat. Is it even worth to go to conservatory versus, you know, just another school that has a music program, those sorts of things it doesn't sound like that made you nervous before going but what what was your thought process through that did you ever have concerns i don't think i did thankfully ccm is i feel like it's a very good music school it's um kind of a good in between where it's not full conservatory in the sense of it's still within the university of cincinnati and so there's a little bit of separation where it doesn't quite feel like, I mean, like CIM is like 300 students. You're so compact. That feels, that would feel a lot more cutthroat. I feel like, but CCM also, I think has probably 800 to 900 students in the music school. So it's a little bit bigger for music school. And yeah, I don't know. I've never been really like afraid of that kind of stuff. Like, I don't know. So it really wasn't cutthroat for me. It might've been for other people coming in, not knowing what to expect. There was, In my year alone, there were three violin undergrads, which I thought was kind of insane. So little, but three violin undergrads. It's a big master's and graduate school. So a lot more master's and doctoral students. But yes, in my year, there were three. And then the third person, he actually did drop out after the first semester. And I remember thinking like, wow, that's kind of crazy. He already dropped out. But I mean, I guess he kind of did feel the pressure of school. So maybe that was... real for him, but me and the other girl were like best friends and we stuck it out all the way through. So yeah. Yeah. Would you say Indiana is kind of similar? I don't know going into that, but that's your next chapter. You know, it's interesting cause it's a, it's a, it's a much bigger music school. People call it like the Ohio state of the music schools because it's so big. Um, I will say I am a little more nervous only because I am going into like a master's program. And so there's this already, um, I don't know, preconceived like idea of where you should be as a master's student. And I do know the level of Jacob school is, I would say is a little bit higher than CCM and the studio that I'm going into is definitely more intense. It's a good intense. Like I, it's going to push me in a good way, but yeah, I'm going to study with Gregory Kalinowski. Okay. Yeah. So he's really wonderful. I've had like a connection with him for the past couple of years and taking lessons on and off. And he's so wonderful. I'm really excited to study with him full time, but he's definitely not like he's not like a nice and soft teacher, but that's good. Like I need someone that's going to really push me. So I'm excited. So can you just give us, going back to CCM, an idea of what the vibe was for that? Would you say it was hard to be a Christian in that setting? Was it pretty easy? Can you give us a little info on that? Yeah, so it definitely was very hard at first. I remember getting to college, my freshman year was easily the most difficult because I was living in the dorms. And so I kind of lived in the CCM dorm with all of the other freshmen. And I do remember most weekends and honestly, like the first couple of weeks, everyone was just out partying like every night. So it definitely got very lonely because I was just like, where are the Christians? So I didn't really have like tons of super close friends right off the bat, just because I really couldn't. And I made it pretty clear that from the beginning once I was making these friendships like yeah I don't go out and drink and party like first off it's illegal we're 18 but also that's not the lifestyle I want to like attach myself to like um I didn't go into all of like why you know didn't think it was okay like biblically because they wouldn't understand that but um yeah so it definitely was hard I think it's gotten easier over the years and there's been a few more people I've been able to meet that actually are Christians within CCM, but I would say it's very scarce. It is very hard to find Christians. But one of my friends, actually a close friend now, he wasn't a Christian when we got to school. And Um, over the years I started like trying to bring him to like my campus ministry and get him plugged in. And now he's like, he saved, he's really walking with God. And so it's really sweet to have another Christian friend in the arts because we can have these really deep conversations about God, but then also then go to like these classical music concerts and talk about. symphonies and all of this stuff, music related. So, but that's rare. I don't really have a lot of friends super close that are Christians and CCM. So, yeah. So did you find community just then outside of that? Yes. Yes, I did. Yeah. Yeah. So the campus minister that I got plugged in with, they quickly became the people that I was spending most of my time with, which was really good. And it was really, really wonderful. It definitely helped. was difficult in some aspects just because they, I knew they would never really understand my music world until that was something I always just kind of like had to deal with personally. But I will say they really did their best to support me as best as they could. Even if they maybe didn't understand some of the concerts I was doing, they really showed up to every single recital I gave. I gave seven recitals in undergrad, which is kind of unheard of. My teacher just wanted to have me do a lot of recitals. But all of my friends would come. They would come to as many orchestra concerts as they could. And so I did feel very supported by them, even if I knew that maybe music wasn't something they connected with as much as I did. the fact that they were supporting me really meant a lot. Yes, that's great. Would you say it was easy to get burnt out then, though, if you were, for most of your days, surrounded by non-Christians and then maybe sometimes with Christians?

UNKNOWN: 22:47

Yes.

SPEAKER_00: 22:47

Yeah, I think there were a few moments I did get burnt out. Probably was my fault because I also work a lot and so I'm constantly gigging and stuff, which is wonderful. But then on top of having to prepare like solo repertoire and like study for exams and finish my classes and stuff. So, but it only happened a few times, I would say. I think for the most part, I was able to maintain a pretty good steady balance of work, school, social, all of that.

UNKNOWN: 23:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 23:17

And the Lord, obviously, but definitely a few times. It definitely got a little bit overwhelming. So I wouldn't recommend my schedule to anyone else in undergrad. But you know what? I did it. I think it's by the grace of God. Yeah, I know. I think that's something that I struggle with, too. Just even knowing how to... let my my non-music friends into maybe some of the struggles of the music world because it feels like such a niche thing that they probably just won't understand so i i probably edged on i'm just not even going to try to explain it you know the busy schedule the yeah all the pressures and that sort of thing and so by my junior senior year though I was able to find Christians in the music school and it made me so thankful of just like, man, these people do understand. And so are there any ways that you think Christians within the music world could support each other better? And how do we even do that? That's a good question. I think we just honestly need to be more vocal about our faith because I, it's interesting. There's some people where I've met them and then it's, months will go by and I didn't even realize they were a Christian. And I'm like, and then I'll see something that they post or maybe they'll mention something casually. And I'm like, Oh wow. Like, you know, Jesus. And so I think one thing we can do is just be more open about the Christianity and be more open about what we believe in. And I think what that comes from though, is just a fear of not, uh, maybe being accepted or not really, maybe, maybe being like looked down on because, um, we call ourselves Christians like, and so, but we can't be afraid of that. Um, and so that's something I know I can also do a lot better too, is like, even as soon as I get to grad school, not shine away from who I am and what my identity is in, because people do need to know that right from the start. Um, and even if they don't agree with it, maybe I might, not have those people as friends, that's their choice, you know, like, um, so I think one thing we can do better is just first off being more open because I think there are more Christians in the musical than we realize, but I think there's this stigma or this kind of this fear, um, of maybe not being, yeah, like not being accepted. And so we just don't say anything and that's like the worst thing we can do. So, yeah.

UNKNOWN: 25:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 25:46

I think it's probably because we feel like we're in the minority. And so it feels kind of an awkward space to be in. And I think you're totally right. Just having the boldness to stand with Jesus and not feel bad about it. I think one of the hardest things I've noticed too is in my classes, especially when my professors are talking about stuff that I'm just like sitting there like the one thing I find really interesting that like you would understand, but no one else understands is like in classical music. We have so much. like scriptural and liturgical, like music that's really spiritual. And like a lot of it is actually utilizing scripture, which I find so interesting. Like there were so many pieces we were talking about. I can't name any of them cause they weren't memorable at all, but where we'd be like studying them and there's like a whole song that's being read. And, but then my, I find it so interesting that my professors here like discussing and kind of dissecting these parts of the piece. And yet, it's just all going over his head. There's no relation to Christianity at all. He's not trying to point out like Jesus in any of it. And who knows if the composer even really was a Christian because like they were just using so much of the Bible. Unfortunately in classical music is just used as kind of like just a textbook and it's not used. It's more used as like a historical fact and not as like like the living word of God. I just find that very interesting. And I always don't know what to say, like in class, if it's like discussion based and I'm just sitting there like, yeah, it's always really weird to me. I totally get that. I know even to like some of those older, maybe Baroque composers or, or like Bach.

SPEAKER_01: 27:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 27:30

Like, I think it seems like he was a believer and like, I mean, he would write, you know, to the glory of God alone, you know, and all those different things in the margins of his music. And that just wasn't even talked about, you know, it seems like it was a big deal in his life, but it wasn't ever really even expressed as that big of a deal, you know, like we're just going to erase that. That was part of his life. And, and I even went to a Christian school, you know, and so, um, I know I can see that. And yeah, there's there's a lot of different like oratorios and stuff, you know, where they're solely based on the Bible.

SPEAKER_01: 28:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 28:13

But a lot of people will listen to them now and really not know what I don't know. Not really get it. I totally get what you're saying. So. I think because we are in the minority, like we've said, we have a huge ministry, you know, placed in front of us of we are surrounded by people maybe who don't know Jesus. And maybe some of them have a wrong understanding of Jesus and what he's like or God. And so I'm just curious, like, how would you say as Christian classical musicians, we can take advantage of this opportunity that there are some times in my life where I've been surrounded mostly by Christians just because they've been my friend. But I think being a musician it's such a unique opportunity that, man, we are surrounded by a lot of non-believers. And so how can we take advantage of that, would you say? Or maybe even just from your experience, like what is a way that we can approach that? Yeah, so that's something I definitely... I don't really regret a lot of things from my undergrad, but one thing I probably, if I were to say I regret anything or just maybe wish I could do again is probably just like I said, I don't know if I stated, but just have more of an influence within the music school, just because I, you're exactly right. I kind of. Really? I mean, I found this Christian group and I immediately clicked with them and I was like, I want to spend all my time with these people because they actually are going to give more life into me, which is it's important to have a really good community that's filled with real relationships. But on the flip side, Matthew 28 clearly says that we are to go and make disciples of every nation and we are not to. just kind of stick with what's comfortable all the time. And so we do have to have a balance of, okay, yes, filling ourselves and surrounding ourselves with real relationships that can pour into us, but also not being shy of the gospel, not neglecting those friendships that God has clearly put right in front of us to impact. And so I say all that to say, I do have friendships in CCM that I've been, you know, pouring into and really doing my best to love them like jesus as best as i can show them the gospel um and i don't know if there's anything i guess i could have done more so maybe it's not really regret but i just it's it is it has been hard because i it's that like weighing the options i'm like okay i have you know these friends that i want to spend more time with like with kai alpha but then also these friends that desperately need jesus but then on the other hand the activities they're doing, I don't want to participate in like, they'll invite me to go out to bars with them. Like, uh, I'm not going to do that. I would rather do what these friends are doing, just like having a game night or whatever. But I do think that going into kind of this next season of my life, I've been kind of even just praying about why exactly the Lord has me going to Jacob's school. Like, obviously there's like the musical reasons, but then even beyond that, so much more than that. And so I do feel like, a strong, just kind of desire to really have an impact within just the Jacob School of Music. I do know it's a part of a big university. And so it could be really easy to just kind of click with some of the university students and kind of make my home there. But I think that there's a reason that I'm supposed to be at the Jacob School of Music. that I can have an influence just right there. And so, yeah, I think it'd be really sweet to just even start like a Bible study within just the music school. Cause I I've led my own, um, like discipleship group, um, here at UC for the past two years, but none of them were music students. They were all just, you know, university regular majors. I don't know, which was really, it was still really sweet, but, um, yeah. So I think that's something that I want to grow in. but also I guess stuff I can keep learning is just, yeah, how to have an influence right where I'm at, because there's something, like you said, really unique about being an artist in the space that we're in and knowing Jesus, like that's pretty incredible. So. I think even a first place to start is I know in the Bible, it talks about even just praying for opportunities, you know, and I think that the Lord will be faithful to answer those prayers and just provide opportunities, friendships, you know, that you can try to cultivate. I think even just being friends with them. And I know that you said it's a hard line to walk because there's probably only so close you could really get to them just knowing like some of their lifestyle choices, which feels hard, but also I think if they can have somebody in their life that is just at least kind and joyful, I know that that's also a big thing. Maybe you experienced, it's so easy to maybe complain in the music world, just maybe about teachers or conductors or business or that sort of thing. And I just think there are small ways maybe that as Christians, not to be obnoxious about it, but of maybe silently, just not complaining or ways that we can set ourselves apart. Can you think of any, any other, you know, ideas like that? Yeah. That's a little different. Yeah. That's a good example. I was thinking about right as I got to school to quickly noticing just the amount of gossiping that happens and especially the way that people put others down. It's so interesting. And that really breaks my heart. Um, I've also seen that a lot just in my I work as a hostess at a restaurant. I see that a lot. I get that scenario too. But especially in music school, you quickly see the comparison game rev up like crazy. It is insane. And even when I got to school, so this one girl, we... weren't friends honestly for a long time and it was really because there was a lot of comparison going on and i think once she finally understood i'm not comparing myself to her in any way like talent look whatever like we both are equally just as good and have different honestly different things to bring to the table like one thing i love about being an artist too is that it is it's on one hand you could sit and like compare, okay, this person's better than the other. But honestly, it's really hard to even do that because we all have different strengths and weaknesses and whatever we're doing. Um, and so, yeah, I see comparison being really big. And so one thing I try to do, if I'm like in a conversation with someone and they immediately start talking bad about this teacher or this person that played, didn't play great in studio or this other, I just, I really just do try to shut it down and flip the conversation. And I remember one, um, My mentor that's been discipling me for the past couple of years, one thing she has told me too, is that one thing you can do to change the conversation is just start speaking good things about that person. And so some things that I'll notice is that when someone is talking bad about this person, I'll be like, Oh, well, I really like how they do this. And when, you know, they play this way or whatever it is, you know, just completely flipping it. And she, she calls it ministering in the opposite spirit. And so if someone is like speaking negative things, instead you flip it. And you start to speak positive things, because if you are a Christian, if you're born again, then you also see the world so differently. We have a completely different way that we view the world

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where

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someone else may see another human and see. immediately reason to compare themselves and to criticize them where I see another human that's made in the image of God. And if we're made in the image of God, we reflect the characteristics of God, which means there's so many beautiful attributes about people that we need to talk about more. And so that's just the way that I see it. And that's something I've tried to do. And I've noticed people always kind of don't know what to do with that when I start to flip the conversation, but that's something that I've done before. yeah yeah no that's great another thing I'm just thinking of is we've talked about the busyness of being a music student but there's a way to and you know stress is we're all going to get it but I think it's how we maybe react to it and how like are we going to crumble under it and just really like go nuts or are we going to maybe feel like more at peace as a believer and I think that can be so attractive to another musician who doesn't know the Lord that they're watching and just wondering how a Christian could maybe have peace in the midst of just a crazy life, you know? So you have your podcast, which is super exciting. Can you just share what made you want to start that and tell us a little bit about it? Yeah. So yeah, I kind of just started in January. It's pretty recent, but, um, I was home over winter break and just kind of, I don't know, spending some good quality time with my family and just some good needed time with the Lord. I think the semesters just get so crazy busy that I forget to just like have that one-on-one time with Jesus. And so one thing I felt like Actually, it was funny. About a year ago, I had had this crazy idea to be like, oh, what if I have a podcast and talk about all the things about my life? Because I feel like I have a lot of different facets of my life. And so I was like, I can talk about all the different things that I do. Like music is honestly just a small part of what I do, which is also kind of interesting because I meet a lot of musicians where like music is all that they do. And I'm like, that is so boring. Like I love music, but I also love other things too. Oh yeah. But when I had that first idea to do it, it was really just going to be like Ava based. Like it's, it was all just going to be about the things I do. And I was like thinking about, I was like, that's kind of boring. No one wants to hear about everything that I'm doing. And so, yeah, over winter break, I really feel like the Lord is putting on my heart to start a podcast, like officially, but not to make it about me, to make it all about him. And I've had a lot of people say, too, that they have... really been blessed by the things that I've shared with them or just the wisdom that I know it's not from me, but from the Lord that I've been able to voice to them. And so that really got me thinking like, wow, what if I actually had a platform to be able to do that in a public way? And it was honestly a little scary because if you know me personally, I don't really put myself out there a whole lot in terms of like social media or anything in that way. And so it definitely felt like the Lord saying, I want you to to start a platform where you can openly really talk about me and share about the things that I'm teaching you and also teaching others. And so that's kind of where it started. And then as I was driving back to Cincinnati, I was okay, Lord, I need a name for this. Like, I can't just like start a podcast and it just be like, Ava reads the Bible. Like that is so boring. I need a name. And so one scripture that I was really meditating on a lot over break is in Luke 13. And it's a parable that I'd probably read before, but I hadn't really remembered it. Sometimes like you'll read scripture, then months later, you'll read it again. Like, oh, I totally thought this was in the Bible. It's kind of cool. But yeah, it's a parable about basically like fertilizing the ground and this farmer saying, Lord, like I want to cut this down, this tree down. It's not bearing any fruit. And then Like in the parable says, give it one more year, continue to fertilize it. And then if it continues to not bear fruit, then cut it down. So that's kind of where it started. But the idea of fertilizing being something that was just kind of on my heart. And I was also praying about different friendships and where that was kind of taking place. And so that word was kind of already there. in my mind and thinking about the idea of fertilizing. And then it kind of just popped into my head as I was driving back, like, Oh, fertilize my faith, because that's really what I wanted the podcast to be about was that people would want to, again, it's not about me at all. It's people would go to listen to it because they want to grow closer to the Lord. They want to grow their relationship with God. And so I would just be kind of a stepping stone to that. And yeah, Yeah. So that's kind of where it started. And I also wanted to be able to have conversations with my friends about talking about the things of God and really just opening up scripture and really talking about the hard things as well. So that's kind of where it started. So it's still going kind of slow, but it's been, it was also kind of crazy because I knew God was asking me to start it. And then I kind of prolonged it for a while. And yeah, he was like, you need to start it now. I was like, okay. So even though it was like in the middle of a crazy semester, like he really has been faithful to help me do it. And it's been really sweet. So I'm not sure really like what the future looks like with it, but I'm excited for just even the, the things that the Lord has shown through that and through my obedience and doing it. And that's really why I'm doing it. It's just because I'm obeying what he asked of me to do. So. Is it been hard to keep up week to week or is it, been pretty smooth sailing it's been it's been a little tricky especially recently like with finals and stuff um and so i'm still figuring out exactly how consistent i want to be if i want to do like every other week or even just bring it back to like once or twice a month just to keep it like more low-key so i'm not really sure but um yeah still figuring that out Yes, for sure. Well, awesome, Ava. It's been so fun to get to talk to you today. And I'm just curious for fun, kind of a last question. Is there any sort of music or podcast that you're listening to right now that you think we might want to check out? Yeah. Okay, so it's not a podcast, but I am actually about to go on a missions trip to Agadir, Morocco. So I've been listening to a lot of... about like Islam and Christianity. So there's this one... I'll pull up his name. This one former is Muslim. Now he's a Christian. And so I've been listening to a lot of like his... Yeah. Yeah. I just played La Mer at the end of the fall or the spring semester. So listen to that a lot. And I also have been really loving Brahms piano quartet number two. It's just so good. Okay. I love it. Yay. Okay. Well, thanks so much, Ava. I know you're busy even over the summer and you literally just graduated a couple of days ago, but thanks for being willing to just share some thoughts and insights about, you know, being a Christian in the classical music world and your experiences. We're so thankful. that you took the time today oh thank you so much for having me this is so fun So thanks so much for spending part of your day with me today. Make sure to check out the description for more worship songs that I hope will encourage your heart in worship and give you greater insight into some of the things that we talked about today. And also in the description, look for discussion questions that you can reflect on by yourself or with a group. If you think you might know someone who might be encouraged by this podcast, please send it to them and make sure to download, follow and subscribe wherever you are listening. I'll see you next Monday.