Known in the Nashville Contemporary Christian music circuit for audio engineering, Ronnie Brookshire, left, is on the board and acting as producer for a collection of original songs by Claudia Boelte, right. 

“Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.” — Psalm 33:2-4 New International Version

By Vicky Branton

The Daily Iberian

 

Excellence in musicianship is a challenge. 

Learning to play an instrument, including the voice, with skill and perfection is a lifelong goal for most professionals and many amateur musicians. Knowing the music is coming from God is a whole other matter especially when the composer is neither a singer or professional musician relying on the gifts and talents of others. 

Claudia Lofton Boelte of New Iberia said in a November 2015 story in The Daily Iberian, “Evidence of His Presence,” that through dark valleys she found encouragement and freedom through music she was hearing in her head. At the time of publication, she had completed the recording of album one, was working on distribution and promotion and had started recording the second group of vocal performances by professional singers and musicians. Now the third is completed and touching souls.  

Recording the music is just part of the journey, one that has not completed its course.  

“At first, I thought the songs were for my comfort during one of life’s dark valleys,” Boelte said. “They became my new best friends. Gradually, I began to understand that these songs were being sent through me, not only to me. They are evidence of God’s presence. My heart’s desire is that the listener will come to know how much God wants to live in relationship with them.” 

Boelte knew what she was hearing and stepped into the studio, at her own expense, with producer Ronnie Brookshire, as if she had been th ere for many years as a professional. That was not the case. She has often referred to the season of “downloads” of music and words as being, “The Song Pack Mule, carrying a heavy load up a scary mountain path and not being able to see any farther than a few steps ahead.” She knows the weight of carrying a song as a minstrel for the Lord, truly a heavy one made light only by His presence.

“For the past seven years, God has had me walking down the white line dead center of the narrow path,” Boelte said in the liner notes of album three. “At 36 I asked Jesus into my heart. Statistically speaking, I am told this is quite late in life to become a Christian. However, I can speak with credibility that my life without Christ was only existing, but my life with Him is amazing. He keeps His promises and then some.”

Before the first album was in her hand, Boelte had started recording a second one and then the third was in production. Only a musical melody was needed for most of the songs to create an instrumental CD, the last of the Boelte trio. With songs previously recorded in Prague by the FILMharmonic Orchestra — the same orchestra that recorded the first and famous “Star Wars” music — and others with the Nashville Strings, a top-flight team of musicians, she need only add one vocal performance. A Tennessee singer closes the album with the title cut, “Never Too Late” to call upon the Lord. The collection of instrumentals is touching hearts where words might never tread.  

Boelte believes this music is a gift from God to communicate with His Spirit to spirit. As the world is growing darker, God is pouring out His beauty to point His creation back to The Comforter for those who know Him and as a Beacon of Light for those who do not yet know Him, she said.  

“When my first album, ‘Finding Freepoint’ in 2015 and my second album, ‘Real’ in 2016 were completed, I was in awe,” Boelte said. “Now in 2018 I am very happy to present, ‘Never Too Late.’ My prayer is that its beauty will point right back to the true source. If you know Him, take comfort. If you don’t know, His arms are open and He’s waiting for you.” 

Boelte was raised in New Iberia on Julia Street and in her younger years attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. She lives on the Bayou Teche with her husband, Bill Boelte, a petroleum engineer from New Orleans. In recent years they have stepped into pseudo  grandparent roles for Claudia’s great-nieces and nephews who have moved to New Iberia with her niece and husband.

This songstress said she came to believe the music she was hearing was for the healing of the Body of Christ. And yet so far, she said, they mostly remain in her possession, given to those she encounters personally who need a touch from the Lord and encouragement through her songs, or by directive from Heavenly Father. Everything is dependent on His leading, she said, and where they go from here, only God knows. However, His gift for her obedience is a life with family she has always longed for, she said

The songs are available at iTunes and her story is at www.FindingFreepoint.