In late February 2020 I found a flyer in the gathering space at St. Joan of Arc Church in Aberdeen. On it was the picture of a beautiful woman with warm brown skin wearing a royal blue dress with gold diamonds embroidered on the lapel, along with a matching blue headscarf. Her name was ValLimar Jansen and the flyer described her as “…a highly regarded singer, composer and recording artist. She is educated and experienced as a university/college professor, a leader of worship and prayer and a workshop presenter at conferences across the United States and beyond.”
I decided I wanted to see her and put the flyer in my planner.
Two weeks later, just about everything on earth was cancelled, including Mass, which of course meant that ValLimar Jansen wouldn’t be coming to see us any time soon. Still, I carried her flyer in my planner, vowing some day to see her perform. It wasn’t until May 23, 2021 that my children, my parents and I gathered under a big white tent to witness her ministry.
ValLimar drew everyone’s attention with her first breath into the microphone. She began by talking to us about the importance of moving our bodies after sitting for an entire year and within two minutes, she had everyone using their hands, arms, shoulders and voices to praise the God who loves us unconditionally. “God is with Me” was a popular favorite, which told the story of God’s love through prepositions, pointing and words of praise.
ValLimar was accompanied by our talented music director Fergal King and together they made a joyful noise. ValLimar’s voice reminded me of Whitney Houston, at one moment gentle and sweet and a moment later rich and resounding. In addition to singing songs we all knew, such as “Here I am, Lord,” ValLimar sang some of the original songs she has written with her husband, Frank. I fell in love with “Exhortation,” which she wrote for her brother who had an inoperable brain tumor. It is a song of hope and encouragement, a song that could inspire and empower anyone who needs to be reminded that they “can” and they “will.”
On this day of Pentecost, it was evident that the Holy Spirit was with us and that God bestowed ValLimar with the gift of music, and of drama and storytelling, too. As Catholics, we seldom think of ourselves as using movement or “call and response,” but ValLimar showed us how we do through every gesture we make throughout the Mass.
ValLimar reenacted biblical stories such as “Hannah” and “The Woman at the Well.” She used intricately-detailed scarves to transition between characters and captured the attention of every eye, including my mesmerized four-year-old who couldn’t take her eyes off of ValLimar and who kept talking about “the beautiful singing lady” into the next day.
At the conclusion of her performance, our wonderful St. Joan of Arc hospitality committee served boxed lunches. ValLimar offered to say grace and to our awe and amazement, she taught us how to sing “Bless Us O Lord” to the tune of Amazing Grace. She also asked us to pray for ALL of those who contributed to our meal, from field hands to factory workers to truck drivers to grocery store workers to the hands that lovingly prepared our food.
I had the honor of speaking to ValLimar and thanking her for coming. With tears in my eyes, I told her about the flyer in my planner and she said, “you prayed me here.” I believe that everyone in my church community did. Many of us purchased her albums and DVDs so that she can continue to be with us. After a year like this, we needed a breath of fresh air and ValLimar is precisely that.
You can learn more about ValLimar Jansen and purchase her albums and dvds here.
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