Hey guys, I’m Amanda Joy Smith — a loss mom, composer, and publisher.
After tragedy, I found that most modern worship music didn’t speak to my pain. But classic hymns — written by believers who suffered deeply — gave me words to worship again.
Sometimes I wished these hymns had fresh musical arrangements that highlighted their beautiful words. That’s why I now share reimagined hymns and original sacred songs for modern church worship and personal devotion.
I post new hymn rewrites or sacred songs every other week, along with free lead sheets and sheet music in each video’s description for worship leaders, choirs, and musicians.
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Songs From the Valley | Amanda Joy Smith
Hi everyone! I'm excited to start sharing some of my devotional emails as blog posts this year! This week I felt led to talk about what it looks like to trust God for an outcome vs. what it looks like to trust God. period. One stemmed from fear and a refusal to look at uncomfortable possibilities, and the other stemmed from a sense of rest in the character of God. If you have four minutes and are interested in reading my testimony on this faith transition, I included the blog link below. Please share this post if you resonate with these ideas, or feel free to comment your own story with trust in God below. Have a great weekend!
songs-from-the-valley.kit.com/posts/trusting-god-v…
9 months ago |[YT] | 1
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Songs From the Valley | Amanda Joy Smith
Announcement: A new release for Christmas! This is the Christmas hymn "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem" Reimagined into a lullaby melody for my three Angel sons. I hope you check it out, like and share.
Video: https://youtu.be/tY-kUyvEroU?si=15_2L...
Christmas season of 2022 was incredibly hard for my husband and I as we grieved the loss of our three beautiful boys to preterm labor. I never thought I would sing again, and bowed out of playing the piano for church that entire Christmas season. But one night a few days before our Christmas candlelight service, I was looking at the boys ornaments on the tree and remembering how I used to dream of singing them to sleep with the Christmas carol "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem." As I missed them, this really haunting but beautiful melody came to my mind and for the first time in months I sat down at the piano. That night I wrote this lullaby melody to the words of that Christmas hymn, and I ended up singing it for my church for their Christmas service with my husband. It has since become a classic in our family and sang often in our church per request. The song I think was a gift from God and it helped me get through that grieving season. It's the sound of hope and beauty in tragic loss.
Share it with your friends and family who need the gift of musical hope this Christmas season!
10 months ago |[YT] | 0
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Songs From the Valley | Amanda Joy Smith
Okay so it’s been a minute since I’ve written music and I want to share why- we are building closets in our house and threw all the stuff in those spaces (mostly food and books) into my studio while we work. We’re hoping to finish up the closets by next week and have my studio ready for recording and working on again! But yeah right now…inaccessible! Lots of music coming up though including a version of Oh Little Town of Bethlehem that is near and dear to my heart, as well as a Celtic arrangement of Solid Rock and a series of intermediate to beginner piano solos I am working on. What are you most interested in hearing? Happy Fall Ya’ll!
1 year ago |[YT] | 1
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Songs From the Valley | Amanda Joy Smith
“My hope is built on nothing less,
Than Jesus’ love and righteousness,
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”
Anyone know this hymn? The words to this song have meant so much to me the past few months that I am working on creating a Celtic version of this to release in September along with sheet music and lead sheets for you all! It may take a little longer though because I am having some guest artists record with me…I’m looking forward to some great recording sessions! Have a great weekend, leaning on Christ as your Solid rock!
1 year ago |[YT] | 6
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Songs From the Valley | Amanda Joy Smith
Did you know that I used to not be able to listen to worship music because I was so angry at God? Obviously that has all changed because now it's what I do. If you want to listen to my testimony as a Christian songwriter, this was featured on a radio program for an international Christian Radio that is based in France. I talk about common American "Christian" beliefs I used to have that caused me to deconstruct when I encountered suffering and how they set me up to fail. I also talk about my losses, struggle with bitterness, and how God didn't let me go. Make sure to leave a comment telling your own story- are there any biblical beliefs you have now that you learned from suffering?
1 year ago |[YT] | 0
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Songs From the Valley | Amanda Joy Smith
Hi everyone! I’m offering something brand new as an experiment for this channel-the full band backing track for amazing grace lead me home. This is helpful for singers with no accompaniment who want to perform this piece, or great for practice purposes. I’m also offering the instrumental karaoke version as a free download for your performance and practice in the description box. Let me know if this is helpful for you in the comments below!
1 year ago |[YT] | 0
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Songs From the Valley | Amanda Joy Smith
Hey everyone! I reworked the video portion of this fully orchestrated version of amazing grace so it flowed better and was more scenic. Give it a listen and let me know what you think in the comments section! Thanks!
1 year ago |[YT] | 2
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Songs From the Valley | Amanda Joy Smith
How is your summer going? Last week I played cello and piano at a couple of gigs with my sister (a violinist), and went out of town for a sister/mom trip. But this weekend is more normal paced, so I am hoping to get a piece that I absolutely love out to you all! My cello has been resurrected from my past and is making a showcased entrance in a fully orchestrated version of a familiar hymn- I can't wait! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the piece this weekend, and make sure to check the description box for free music as always. Have a great rest of July, guys.
1 year ago |[YT] | 6
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Songs From the Valley | Amanda Joy Smith
A big thanks to everyone's kind words and support on the vocal/piano only Amazing Grace! But guys...I just broke out my old cello and wrote/recorded a cello/vocal duet for the orchestrated version (along with a full band track)..and I think it's my favorite track so far! I took forever to bring out the cello and now I can't believe I waited this long to showcase it. I'm excited to get that version out to you all in about a week or so, along with a karaoke version after that so you can sing it in your own corners of the world! And I do mean corners of the world...I have almost as many viewers in Philippines, India and South Africa as I do here in the States. It's a true honor to have you guys tune in to my music. God's Spiritual blessings to you all as you seek his Kingdom and his righteousness!
1 year ago |[YT] | 8
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Songs From the Valley | Amanda Joy Smith
Happy Fourth of July! Thank you all for all the support from my last release “it is well”. My next song release will be a reimaginstion of amazing grace played for the memorial service of a dear friend who knows God just as she is fully known. I’m hoping to drop that in about a week so stay tuned! Have a fantastic weekend!
1 year ago (edited) |[YT] | 5
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