MAKE and DO

Mary’s Song

12 SONG CHALLENGE – DECEMBER SONGS

Background

I wrote this song as part of the 12 Song Challenge (2025/2026) of resoundworship.org

The assignment was to write a “December Song”. I opted to write a performance piece, focused on the salvation story from Mary’s perspective.

I incorporated a favourite chord progression (Dm, Dm maj7, Dm7, Dm6), elements from a favourite Christmas classic (The angel Gabriel from heaven came) and a book title (Jesus changes everything, Stanley Hauerwas).

MARY’S SONG

Capo 5

Verse 1

Angel

Dmmaj7

Gabriel from

Dm7

heaven

Dm6

came

Gm7

came to me, he

A7sus

called me a lady

I’m

highly

Dmmaj7

honoured,

Dm7

yes I

Dm6

am,

Gm7

play my part in God’s

A7sus

plan

Pre-chorus

There were

Gm7

troubles, yet

A7sus

so much joy,

at the

Gm7

coming of my baby

A7sus

boy

Chorus

Jesus

Dmmaj7

changed my

Dm7

life

for

Dm6

ever

Gm7

Jesus changes

A7sus

everything

changes

Dmmaj7

people’s

Dm7

lives for the

Dm6

better

He’s my

A7sus

Shepherd, he’s my

King

Verse 2
Nothing is impossible for God
While still a virgin, I was a mother
I’ve not regrets that I said ‘yes’
All I can say is, ‘I am blessed’

Pre-chorus
Chorus

Verse 3
Glad I had Joseph by my side
He kept me going when I got frightened
God made a way to keep us safe
Supplying wisdom and grace

Pre-chorus
Chorus

Coda
He’s my darling, my Saviour, my Shepherd, my King.

words and music: © Irene Bom

Sinds 1926 – A4 Collage

This post focusses on a study I made, using a whole page from a magazine as a base layer.

The background

Top-layer images

Early version – unglued

Final version

Early version and final version side by side

Source images: VPRO Gids (TV guide)

Februllage 2024

For Februllage 2024 I used playing cards as my substrate and a theatre programme booklet as my source material. Here’s the result:

Communion song – Psalm 23

SINGING THE PSALMS

SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY [Psalm 23]

Surely

goodness and

mercy are

offered at this

table

Goodness and mercy for

all.

Surely

goodness and

mercy are

offered at this

table,

The

Dm7

table of

Jesus, our

Lord

Come take part in this

meal of mercy

Taste and see that the

Lord is good

Bread and wine and

sweet

communion

Eat and drink till your

hearts are full

Repeat Chorus

Verse 2
Come remember Christ’s body broken
Lamb of God, fragrant sacrifice
By His blood our sins are covered
By His suff’ring He brought us life.

Repeat Chorus

words and music: © Irene Bom

Singing the psalms – Psalm 30

SINGING THE PSALMS

YOU HAVE TURNED MY SORROW [Psalm 30]

You have turned my sorrow into joyful dancing
I’m no longer sad or feeling upset.
I thank you from my heart and I will never stop
singing your praises, my Lord and my God.

I will sing and dance, sing and dance,
sing and dance to the Lord.
I will sing and dance, sing and dance,
sing and dance to the Lord.

words and music: © Irene Bom

Singing the psalms – Psalm 150

SINGING THE PSALMS

O, PRAISE GOD [Psalm 150]

1	O, praise God – sound His name on the wind With the sound of the cymbals, the bells and the brass O, praise God
2	O, praise God – sound his name on your lips. With the sound of a shout, or a sigh or a song O, praise God
3	O, praise God – sound His name where you are. With the sound of your sharing, your caring, your joy O, praise God

Singing the psalms – Psalm 6

SINGING THE PSALMS / PSALMS FOR ALL AGES

MY EYES ARE SO SWOLLEN [Psalm 6]

eyes are so

swollen from

crying.

pillow is

wet with

tears.

I am too fright

ened to face

Fmaj7

those who

hate

me,

too

Dm7

tired to

G7sus

face the

Dm7

day.

Lord,

save

me; Lord,

save

me.

Save me from my

enemies,

Lord.

Save

me, Lord,

save

me,

please.

Recording from the Send us a friend album

Singing the psalms – Psalm 42

SINGING THE PSALMS

AS THE DEER [Psalm 42]

[Capo 5]

As the

Em7

deer longs for

running

Em7

streams

Fmaj7

long for

Dm6

you,

E7sus

God

As the

Em7

deer longs for

running

Em7

streams

Fmaj7

long

Dm6

for

you, my

God

Verse 2
Day and night I remind my soul
the Lord is good and true
Day and night I remind my soul
the Lord is good and true

Verse 3
With the morning I know He’ll come
with love to quench my thirst
With the morning I know He’ll come
with love to quench my thirst

Repeat verse 1

Singing the psalms – Psalm 20

SINGING THE PSALMS

MAY GOD ANSWER YOU [Psalm 20]

May God answer you in times of trouble
May the God of Jacob rescue you
The Lord support you from His sacred place
May the God of Jacob keep you safe
And may He grant you your heart’s desire
May God bless you and be your guide

Prayer poem: Not forsaken

PRAYER POEM

Not forsaken

by Irene Bom

‘For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.’ (Psalm 22:24)

My God, my God,
though others scorn me,
abhor or ignore me,
I am not forsaken,
for you have not forsaken me.

With you
there is no push back, no repelling,
no turning away in horror or distaste.
My God, my God,
a bruised reed you will not break.

With you
the lowborn are not loathsome;
the afflicted ones you don’t despise.
My God, my God,
I offer my broken spirit as my sacrifice.

With you
scorn is shamed by a radical welcome
for you favour the lowly things of the world.
My God, my God,
I praise you, for I am seen and I am heard.

From the PRAYER MATTERS blog
On writing prayer poems