San Jose woman keeps songs, Psalms in her heart
By Amanda Ford
Usually once someone has lived to be 80 years old, they are about ready to settle down and enjoy their golden years.
Anne Coyle had made those plans for herself, and relished in them as she blew out the candles on her special day.
“On my birthday I said to the Lord ‘well, I guess I’ve done it all,’” Coyle said.
But the Lord had other plans for her.
“He spoke to me and said ‘the best is yet to come,’” she remembered.
It came almost two years later in April 2011. Coyle suddenly was inspired to write all of the Psalms in the Bible into her own words and compose music to match.
“I took a tape recorder and set the Bible up on my music stand and said ‘okay, Lord, let’s start with Psalm 1,’” she said.
Each day she wrote one Psalm, and after 150 days her collection was complete. Although the task seems daunting, Coyle enjoyed every minute—never skipping a day. She explained that despite the days when she came to a blank wall, she would just move on to the next Psalm. After a few days had passed, she would go back, and the one that she skipped would just come to her.
Her creative pursuits follow a lifetime of musical involvement. Coyle started playing the piano at age seven. She also learned to play the guitar and began singing in various choirs, including her current choir at San Jose Catholic Church.
Her Christian faith also has been a major part of Coyle’s life. She has always loved going to church and interacting with the people she meets there. When she turned 40, she said God gave her the gift of writing her own music. While she used to perform the works of others, Coyle began composing custom works and has since written hundreds of inspirational scripture songs and children’s plays and musicals. It all has led up to her most recent accomplishment.
“God has prepared me for this,” she said. “I’m 82 years old, so he prepared me by doing all of those other things to build me up to come to this point.”
Coyle has developed some of the Psalms into a concert highlighting the life of King David. The production contains a narration, including an introductory prayer spoken in Hebrew delivered by her granddaughter, Meghan Green.
Green sees her grandmother frequently and is always anxious to hear what Coyle has up her sleeve.
“I can’t wait to see her everyday, and see what she’s going to come up with,” she said. “She’s just such a great motivator and a creative engine behind a lot of the family.”
Coyle’s dream is to perform the concert in Rome one day, but for now, she will continue to inspire those who are able to experience her gift.
“This concert is to give glory to God, and inspire other people to think nothing is too difficult with Him,” she said. “Nothing is impossible.”
To hear Anne’s Psalms, visit http://psalmbird.net. She will be performing Aug. 4th at Santa Maria Del Mar in Flagler Beach at 7:30 p.m.
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