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Behind the Song: “Can These Dry Bones Live?”
Today’s “Behind the Song” post is about the moment in “Bring Us Home” where the entire emotional direction of the show changes — from grief to hope, from a funeral to a foundation. It’s built on one of the most striking images in all of Scripture: Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones. Where…
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Behind the Song: “By the Willows”
Today’s “Behind the Song” post is about one of the most directly biblical moments in the entire show — a song built almost entirely on a single, devastating verse: Psalm 137:4. “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” The setup By the time this song happens, the exiles have settled into…
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Behind the Song: “Hush Now (The River Lullaby)”
Today kicks off a “Behind the Song” series where I take you deeper into specific songs from “Bring Us Home” — how they came together, what they’re built on, and why they mean so much to me. First up: the song that threads through the entire show, “Hush Now (The River Lullaby).” Where it sits…
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From 597 BCE to 538 BCE — My Research Process for “Bring Us Home”
I’ve shared a lot about the characters and themes of “Bring Us Home” this week. Today I want to pull back the curtain on something different: the actual historical research that grounds this whole musical. Because while every song is original, every single one of them is built on real history and real Scripture —…
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The Golden Cup — A Small Object That Carries the Whole Story
In a show full of big moments — a city burning, harps hung in willow trees, a hand writing on a palace wall — one of the most important objects in “Bring Us Home” is small enough to hold in one hand. Today I want to talk about the golden temple cup, and why it…
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Belshazzar and “The Writing on the Wall”
Today I want to introduce you to the character at the center of one of the most famous moments in the entire Bible — and one of the biggest scenes in “Bring Us Home.” Meet King Belshazzar. A king who collects beautiful things Belshazzar rules the golden heart of the world. Charismatic, brilliant, beautiful —…
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Nabu and Aviva — The Almost-Love Story That Never Was
Of everything in “Bring Us Home,” this might be the relationship people ask me about the most once they hear a little about it. So today, let’s talk about Nabu — and the quiet, aching almost-romance between him and Aviva. Who is Nabu? Nabu is a young Babylonian court musician — born and raised in…
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Daniel: In Babylon, But Never Of It
Posting Date: July 15 This week I’ve been introducing you to the cast of “Bring Us Home” — and today’s character is a little different from the others, because he’s the one principal in this whole show drawn directly from Scripture rather than invented. Meet Daniel. A real biblical figure, fifty years into the story…
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Saba Elan and the Harp in the Willows
Posting Date: July 14 So far you’ve met Aviva and her mother Miryam. Today I want you to meet the man whose vow set the whole emotional spine of “Bring Us Home” in motion — Aviva’s grandfather, Saba Elan. Who is Saba Elan? Before the exile, Saba Elan was the chief harpist of the Temple…
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Miryam’s Songs — The Mothers Who Keep the Memory Alive
Yesterday I introduced you to Aviva, the heart of “Bring Us Home.” Today I want you to meet the woman who made Aviva who she is — without ever raising her voice, without ever leaving the riverbank. Her mother, Miryam. Who is Miryam? Miryam was a temple singer in Jerusalem — just a girl, around…
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Singer-songwriter turning 10+ journals of songs into reality ✨ Classical soprano gone indie | Transparent about AI collaboration | “Through It All” album Feb 2026 | Mom of 2 | 5:30am fitness | Also quilts sewmelanie.com
