Do you remember as a child when Christmas brought so much joy to your heart? Did you ever feel the thrill when you saw the first sight of what Santa brought you? Or the feeling of peace you had when you listened to carolers singing?
Now, fast forward. Is that feeling still strong in your heart? Or is it lost in the chaos of shopping? The heavy workload that you’re struggling to get through before the break? Or from the grief of losing those you love the most through one way or another?
Whether you still have that feeling burning bright or you have had it misplaced for a while, I wanted to share something that may help you. You see, I made a music video that I hope might help with both situations.
A little about me. My name is Nicole, and I am a singer/songwriter. Some of my strongest memories from my childhood involve music. Every Christmas Eve, my family gathers around the piano to sing Christmas songs. I suppose you could say music has always been my favorite language. It’s how the Spirit teaches me a lot of lessons, and how I feel and express the things closest to my heart.
Music definitely wasn’t something I thought I’d pursue as a career. I just knew I loved to sing and play the piano. It made me feel more alive. It moved me to have more courage and faith and love.
My sophomore year at BYU, I found myself on a study abroad in Paris, learning and speaking another language. I was in a self-discovery mode and had the inspiration to study music. It hadn’t been something I had previously considered, but I acted on it when I returned to school. Since then, I studied commercial music at BYU, released my first album, sang on some EFY CDs, and made this music video especially for you.
The inspiration for my music video started in November 2014. I had this sudden desire to create a meaningful music video that would inspire people (myself included) to really focus on what the Christmas season is all about. I recorded a cover of one of my favorite Christmas songs, “He Has Come for Us (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)” and decided to make a music video with the amazing film crew at Refinement Productions.
As is often expressed when pulling something this large off, I knew I couldn’t do it alone. Everything came into place. I am especially grateful for the amazing actors and actresses, artists and videographers, and volunteers at the Live Nativity in Bluffdale.
On the set, the most powerful part was when I was singing near the baby Jesus. I felt like I was singing to the world about the very person who I feel like can answer any problem. While this sweet nine-day-old baby wasn’t the Savior, the glorious news is that once a little baby was born. And that little baby grew to save us all from our sins and our sadness. That little baby, the reason for this season, is here to give us everlasting joy and hope.
Whether your problem is a heavy workload, perfectionism, grief, or something completely different, I know that the Savior of the world can solve it. It might not be now, but all problems will be solved as one brings them to the Savior. I hope that this 3:51 second video helps focus your view to the true meaning of Christmas.
The magic of Christmas that we experienced as a child can return and burn brighter than ever before because of a baby who was born over two thousand years ago. Christ is the way to see Christmas again as a child.
You can view Nicole’s music video here:
Nicole Sheahan’s musical journey began with a child’s creativity and imagination. Convinced she was Ariel from Disney’s The Little Mermaid, the precocious redhead spent hours splashing in the tub while singing “Part of Your World” at the top of her lungs. Nicole taught herself how to play the piano by age 13, with the guitar following when she was 19. Invisible Facts, her first album, was released in December 2007. She writes her songs in the genre of “life” – from the roller coaster ride of the dating world to learning to trust in God more. Nicole has been featured on EFY 2014 and EFY 2010, singing “I Am His Daughter.” She loves Cafe Rio, dancing, anything Polish and is slightly obsessed with the color green.
