CELESTE HEADLEE, HOST:
Now it's time for the occasional series we call In Your Ear. That's when we ask some of our guests to tell us more about the music that keeps them going. This time we're checking in with urban gospel star Vicki Yohe. She recently joined us to talk about race, faith and her latest album "I'm At Peace: A Praise and Worship Experience." Here, she talks about some songs to lift people up in tough times.
VICKI YOHE: Hello, my name is Vicki Yohe. I'm a recording artist, also I have an orphanage in Uganda. Some songs I've been listening to lately, one is, "His Strength is Perfect," and it's by CeCe Winans.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "HIS STRENGTH IS PERFECT")
CECE WINANS: (Singing) His strength it must begin when ours comes to an end. He hears our humble cry and proves again. His strength is perfect when our strength is gone. He'll carry us when we can't carry on. Raised in his power the weak becomes strong. His strength is perfect. His strength is perfect. His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.
YOHE: The song is just so powerful because it talks about, you know, when we've exhausted all of our strength and we're going through situations that, you know, we don't know who else to turn to. And when you lean on him, he has the peace that passes all understanding. And so the song has been such a strength to me.
Another song I love is "So Many Reasons to Trust Him." It's a song I recorded with Canton Jones.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SO MANY REASONS TO TRUST HIM")
CANTON JONES: (Singing) Every man has a choice that he must make. And I know with you by my side.
VICKI YOHE AND CANTON JONES: (Singing) With your love, you make the road much easier.
YOHE: (Singing) For you made the ultimate sacrifice. Oh Lord...
JONES: (Singing) You saved me. You made me. You promised me, Lord. That's you'll never, never, never, never, never, forsake me, oh Lord.
YOHE: I love this song because, you know, I've got a sister right now, she has breast cancer and she's really going through some tough times. You know, sometimes when you meet a new friend you've got to kind of get to know them before you can trust them with things. But God has been in her life all her life. He's come through, I mean numerous times. And so this song is really ministered to her and my family, which just been awesome.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SO MANY REASONS TO TRUST HIM")
JONES: (Singing) So many reasons to trust in you. Praise. You promised me praise. You promised me faith. Showed me your mercy. Praise. You gave me a life, gave me reason for life, if only I trust in you. If only I trust in you.
HEADLEE: That was gospel star Vicki Yohe. During our conversation with her, she shared a story of finding her own peace.
YOHE: I said hello, this is Vicki Yohe. It's January 1st, 2012. I'm making some changes in my life. If I don't return your phone call, you are one of the changes.
(LAUGHTER)
HEADLEE: Now it's January 2013 and we'd like to know if you're planning to make a change to bring peace into your life. Maybe is cutting up your credit cards, cleaning out the basement, catching up with estranged friends. Whatever it is, you can email us, send us a message on Facebook or twitter us your thoughts using the hashtag #tmmpeace. We'll see what people come up with and you just might hear your idea on a future program.
That's our show for today. I'm Celeste Headlee and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. We'll talk more tomorrow.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SO MANY REASONS TO TRUST HIM")
JONES: (Singing) Praise. You gave me my life, gave me reason for life, if only I trust in you. If only I trust in you, so many reasons to trust in you. So many reasons. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.