Participants: Yvonne Lewis (Host), Petula Backles, Dr. Sabrina Prieur
Series Code: MGNH
Program Code: MGNH000025
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00:01 Magnify the Lord with me
00:04 Magnify the Lord 00:08 Jesus alone He is worthy 00:11 Magnify Him 00:15 Hello, and welcome to "Magnify Him." 00:18 My name is Yvonne Lewis. 00:19 Thank you so much for tuning in. 00:22 Today we have two anointed young women with unique styles 00:26 and they're going to minister to you in song. 00:28 That's the operative word, minister. 00:31 So kick back as we magnify Him together. 00:36 Magnify the Lord with me 00:39 Magnify Him 00:44 I'd like to welcome Petula Beckles 00:46 to "Magnify Him." 00:48 Welcome. Thank you so much. 00:50 It's so great to have you. 00:51 I was listening to you earlier 00:53 and your voice is just so mellow and it just flows, 00:58 have you always been a singer? 01:00 I have. I was born into a, you know, singing family. 01:03 We were Seventh-day Adventist 01:04 from back in Trinidad and Tobago. 01:07 I have six older brothers. Oh, wow. 01:10 My mother's side of the family, they were just-- 01:12 I would say life for experiential singers, 01:14 they will sing whenever they're happy, sad, angry, 01:16 whatever it is, you know, how they're feeling 01:19 based on the energy that was in their vocals. 01:22 My father's side of the family, you know, 01:24 they're all musicians, teachers and, you know, vocalists 01:27 and, you know, organists and such so, 01:30 you know, we grew up singing. 01:31 So music's in your DNA. Absolutely. 01:33 Oh, that's incredible. 01:35 So at what point did you realize 01:36 that you wanted to sing for Jesus? 01:39 Well, I always wanted to sing for Jesus, 01:40 I think I was always a bit shy, I think because my brothers, 01:44 they had enough vocals for me so, you know what I mean? 01:47 And I was kind of-- 01:48 Did they pick on you? 01:50 No, actually they didn't, they didn't. 01:51 Okay. 01:52 We got along for the most part. 01:55 But I think it was in my teenage years, 02:00 in the high school, straight out of the high school 02:01 my first job was a karaoke singer on the island 02:06 so that was just like, oh, wow, you know, 02:08 I can actually sing and they appreciate it, 02:10 and I go, why not, you know, do it for Christ? 02:14 I mean, it's all about Christ, 02:16 you know, His love, He died for us 02:17 and this is our purpose here. 02:19 So I came to the US, I went to school in Texas 02:23 and I got a full scholarship for the chamber in Corral, 02:27 a chamber choir in Corral in the college. 02:29 Wow. 02:30 And so straight out of school, you know, I moved to Florida 02:34 and it was a lot of journey but the first song 02:37 that I wrote pretty much set-- 02:40 good friend of mine, Mark Prentice, 02:41 who I think has been your guest. 02:43 Yes, he's been here, yes. 02:44 Yes, he and I would worship together on Fridays 02:46 and one Friday he said to me, "I'm coming next Sabbath 02:50 and when I come back I want to see your finished song" 02:52 and that was that. 02:55 Wow. What was the finished song? 02:56 "Today I will shout," that was my first song ever written. 02:59 Oh, wow and how old were you when you wrote it? 03:01 Um, I was about 26 or 27. 03:06 Wow, you don't look older than that now 03:08 so I'm not even going to go there. 03:10 Thank you. 03:12 That's wonderful so when he went back, you had a song... 03:16 Finished song, I had just purchased a guitar 03:18 and I didn't know how to play it 03:20 but I would pick things out of the guitar 03:22 and we'd just, from there I wrote the song. 03:24 Oh, wow, that's incredible. 03:26 So now what are you doing musically? 03:29 What's your ministry now? 03:31 Um, I'm just, I'm writing and I'm singing a lot. 03:35 I am a street musician, Music Under New York Program, 03:38 I'm-- Oh, tell us about that. 03:39 Well, in-- when I initially came to the US, 03:43 I would go through New York City 03:45 and, you know, through the subway system, 03:47 you'll see these musicians playing on the side 03:49 but everybody will do their, 03:51 you know, whatever their genre was 03:52 but I'm like, oh, this is a great way to do ministry, 03:56 why not get into this? 03:57 And so I, uh, straight out of my tour last year, 04:00 I went and auditioned, they sent me an invitation 04:03 that I'd been accepted for the audition and I went. 04:07 I think that morning we drove in, 04:09 and that same morning I had to rush to Grand Central Station 04:12 to do the audition and I did and two weeks later, 04:15 they're like, you're accepted 04:16 and I'm like, oh, this is like 04:18 out of a list of like 600 and something musicians 04:21 and I was able to, 04:23 you know, God really did His thing. 04:25 That's tremendous. Amen. 04:26 You know, a lot of people might not realize 04:28 what a subway musician does, 04:31 but in going, you know, back and forth in New York, 04:36 I would see people singing or playing 04:38 or something, personally, I'm just so-- 04:41 I'm shy, I'm too shy to do that, 04:43 I think it takes a certain-- 04:45 I don't know, I guess a certain anointing to do that 04:48 because that's like, 04:50 that's such a blessing to be able to minister that way. 04:52 It is-- 04:53 And they're not worried about who's walking by 04:56 and thinking anything or whatever. 04:58 It gets-- sometimes it gets a little bit tricky. 05:00 Initially when I had-- 'cause it's a three hour slot. 05:03 I have to sing for three hours continuously. 05:05 Wow. 05:06 And so it's a lot, the first time, 05:08 you know, I went, I was like, oh, yeah, I can do this 05:10 and I sang, I think after half hour I was just like... 05:14 I'm done but, you know, 05:17 just kind of moving on and going along. 05:21 Sometime it feels a little bit weird when, you know, 05:23 folks are passing and it's like, they come in 05:26 because they hear, you know, the vocals 05:27 but then they stand for a second 05:29 and they realize, wait, no, it's gospel 05:31 and you can see them fighting themselves like, 05:34 should I stand up? 05:35 Should I walk away? 05:36 Sometimes they'll walk away and they come back 05:37 and they're like, wait, this is good but it's gospel. 05:40 And so it reminded me because one of my aim was-- 05:45 is to be that girl to take the gospel message 05:48 the last heir that needs to hear it before Christ comes 05:51 and I'm like, well, I don't really need to go 05:53 to the ends of the world to do that 05:54 because the ends of the world are coming 05:55 through the subway system right here. 05:57 Come on, come on. 05:58 So, you know, I'm like, God is putting me wherever, 06:02 you know, this is where He's putting me 06:03 so I'm like, hey, Lord, do Your thing, just use me. 06:06 That is so wonderful. Amen. 06:09 God has His ways of using us wherever we are. 06:15 Listen to Petula as she ministers to you in song. 06:35 When all my labors and trials are o'er 06:43 And I am safe on that beautiful shore 06:49 Just to be near the dear Lord I adore 06:55 Will through the ages be glory for me 07:05 O that will be glory for me 07:13 Glory for me, glory for me 07:20 When by His grace I shall look on His face 07:30 That will be glory, be glory for me 07:57 Friends will be there, I have loved long ago 08:03 Joy like a river around me will flow 08:10 And just a smile from my Savior, I know 08:15 Will through the ages be glory for me 08:24 O that will be glory for me 08:31 Glory for me, glory for me 08:36 When by His grace I shall look on His face 08:46 That will be glory That will be glory 08:54 O that will be glory for me 09:19 Well, this next song is just a reminder of 09:21 how much I'm dependent on Jesus Christ. 09:24 Without Him I am nothing. 09:25 And with this song I just want to invite you 09:27 to have Him come into your heart 09:29 and have Him walk with you every step of the way. 09:58 I want Jesus to walk with me 10:11 I want Jesus to walk with me 10:24 All along my pilgrim journey 10:37 I want Jesus to walk with me 10:50 In my trials, Lord, walk with me 11:02 In my trials, Lord, walk with me 11:15 When the shades of life are falling 11:28 I want Jesus to walk with me. 11:41 In my sorrow, Lord, walk with me 11:49 I want You to walk with me 11:53 In my sorrows, Lord, walk with me 12:06 When the shades of life are falling 12:18 I want Jesus to walk with me. 12:31 Walk with me, Lord, please walk with me 12:39 I want You to walk with me 12:43 Walk with me, Lord, please walk with me 12:53 When my heart within 13:01 When my heart within is aching, is breaking 13:08 I want Jesus to walk with me 13:36 Magnify the Lord with me 13:39 Magnify Him 13:44 Sabrina Prieur is a multifaceted woman. 13:47 She's actually Dr. Sabrina Prieur, 13:50 welcome to "Magnify Him." 13:51 Thank you, very happy to be here. 13:53 You know, your tone on the flute is just so beautiful. 13:58 Thank you. It's so pure and clear. 14:01 Tell us how long have you been playing. 14:03 Well, I've started just like probably a thousand musicians, 14:07 in elementary school when they had a band program 14:09 and going up to those ranks and then of course 14:13 I don't think I really got serious about playing 14:15 until I went to Oakwood. 14:16 Ah, Oakwood. Let's hear it for the Oaks. 14:18 Of course, that's right, Oakwood. 14:20 And a lot of people, 14:22 they think of Oakwood as a theology school 14:24 but it's really an undercover performing arts school 14:26 and so... 14:28 It is so true, you know, when I went to Oakwood, 14:30 which we won't say when, but when I went there, 14:33 it's like everybody does something, 14:35 everybody sings or plays a piano 14:38 or plays an instrument or something, 14:39 there's so much talent there. 14:41 That's right. 14:42 So you started in elementary school 14:44 but then at Oakwood, did you kind of blossom or-- 14:47 I did, I did and I learnt to-- 14:50 I was already a musician who can play by ear 14:52 which is great because it doesn't limit you 14:54 to the type of music you can play 14:56 but when you get to Oakwood, 14:57 there are so many different people 14:59 who are really masters of their crafts at such a young age. 15:03 It forces you to really become more well-rounded 15:08 in what you can do with your technique, 15:09 with your tone, with the types of music you can play, 15:12 not just playing in the standard church keys, 15:15 you know, D-flat, you know, 15:16 you could play in some of the other ones too 15:18 but just by listening and being around 15:21 so many awesome musicians. 15:22 I played with eLDee I played with Sheila Frazier 15:26 then the Stephen Mackey's and Xavier O'Connor's, 15:28 the Eric Griggs, 15:30 all people now who are making money doing music. 15:33 Yes. 15:34 Those are the people who I got to hang around 15:36 and hone my craft around at their expense of their ears 15:39 and their studio time. 15:42 I'm sure they might say the same about you, 15:43 you know, that they got to hang with you 15:46 and kind of hone their craft as well. 15:48 But that's what happens at Oakwood. 15:51 I mean, you have the best singers 15:53 anywhere to me, are there. 15:55 I think part of it is, you know, 15:59 just the place, the spirituality, you know, 16:02 everybody is coming together from all over the country 16:05 and actually all over the world. 16:07 That's right. 16:08 And you just get the best, 16:09 you get the cream with the crops so... 16:10 There's, you know, a lot of Caribbeans there, 16:12 people from Bermuda. 16:14 And you have all these cultures mixing in 16:16 so you really get to play any and everything there 16:19 and it's just, it's a great way to really develop as a musician 16:24 so now when people go out, when you go out back home to-- 16:26 I'm from California so... 16:28 Okay. 16:29 We go back home, people know 16:31 that if you went to Oakwood, oh, she's okay. 16:33 Yeah, yeah. Kind of gives you clearance, right? 16:36 Yeah, it's almost like a free pass. 16:38 Everybody that didn't go to Oakwood, 16:39 don't feel badly because if you go there and visit, 16:42 maybe you can get like an honorary Oakwood pass 16:44 or something, no, 16:46 but Oakwood really was a blessing for me as well. 16:49 That's right. As well it was for me. 16:51 So after you left, 16:52 what did you do in music after you left college? 16:55 After I left Oakwood, I went back home to California 16:58 and there I play a lot in the churches 17:00 down there in the bay area and northern California 17:03 and I also, later on, I started choir directing 17:06 which I really enjoy it 17:07 because now I get to kind of do what I want. 17:11 But I enjoy that because when I was about 14 or 15, 17:15 we had-- my foster mother actually, 17:18 she took over the choir which sounded... 17:21 not very good. 17:23 It's quite painful, and she took over that choir 17:26 and it really blossomed 17:27 and so that had a lasting effect on me 17:29 because I'm not a vocalist but I do very well as a backup. 17:33 Uh-huh? 17:34 Backup, backup, I'm not a vocalist. 17:37 So now I can take those same skills 17:39 and help other people to really-- 17:41 who aren't necessarily going to be up there 17:43 for a 11 o'clock service but they like to sing 17:46 and I can use those skills to help them in an area 17:49 where they could be successful 17:50 and sound good and enjoy their ministry 17:52 so I really enjoy choir directing. 17:54 That's so good, you know, it's so amazing what God does 17:57 because even though this is not what you do for living, 18:00 you could because you're talented enough 18:02 but it's not what you do for living 18:04 and yet God has planted you somewhere 18:06 where you can just again, blossom and grow 18:09 and help others to blossom and grow as well. 18:12 So that is really, really great. 18:15 What do you do for living? 18:16 Tell us what you do with your day job? 18:19 My day job-- because it's very difficult 18:22 to make a living as a musician but in the daytime I teach-- 18:26 I'm actually at a small HBCU college down in Alabama 18:29 and I teach kinesiology and, 18:32 which is a fancy word for the study of movement. 18:34 Uh-huh. 18:35 And thesis writing courses, a couple different classes 18:38 and I also work in the athletic department 18:39 which is probably more of my favorite part of the job, 18:44 is working with athletics because I was a phys-Ed major, 18:46 I was a multi-sport athlete so I love working with people 18:49 and it actually, is what I think I was called to do 18:54 because it's the health ministry with an athletic 18:57 so it's a great way to promote health 19:01 and well being through a competitive sport forum. 19:04 That's great. 19:05 Well, we're gonna listen to Sabrina minister 19:08 to us in music. 23:39 The next I'm going to be playing is an old 23:42 but favorite song for me 23:44 and it's called "Speak to My Heart." 27:44 Magnify Him 27:48 Thank you so much for joining us. 27:50 Tune in next time and be blessed. |
Revised 2015-06-04