Developing Your Talents:
Interview with Vickey Pahnke, Author/Musician by: Marnie L. Pehrson

"Unequivocally, your Father in Heaven loves you and the Savior loves you. You are carefully, lovingly tended by those who love you more than anybody on this earth ever could." Vickey Pahnke

Vickey Pahnke (pronounced pan-kee) is a songwriter, vocalist and professional speaker who has performed and/or taught in numerous venues. As co-writer and producer of the theme song for Make a Wish Foundation and the Special Olympics organization on a state by state basis, and an international youth organization, she is heavily involved in civic activities and positive causes. A former member of the Speakers Bureau of Washington, D.C., she has gained a reputation for insightful and uplifting deliveries. She has shared billing with such speakers as: Steven R. Covey, Dan Clark, and former Miss America Sharlene Wells Hawkes. Vickey is an award winning songwriter with a large catalog of original songs. Among the many artists she has worked with are: The Jets, Bruce Hornsby, and The Osmonds. She co-wrote/produced the rap/dance song "The Mailman" for Jazz basketball star Karl Malone.

Vickey has produced several music albums, including My Beloved Christ. She has a voice like an angel and an amazing talent for writing music that touches the heart. Her love for the Savior shines through in everything she touches. Vickey is the author of K.I.S.S.: Gospel Guidelines for Better Relationships.

Click here to hear Vickey sing "Because He Loves Me" from My Beloved Christ.
Click here to hear her sing "A Mother's Prayer" from My Beloved Christ.

As you'd imagine Vickey is a very busy wife and mother of four children who kindly agreed to take a bit of time from her busy schedule to allow me to conduct this interview with her.

SheLovesGod: Tell our readers more about your music and your style.

I started in a contemporary vein, and then in about 3-4 years, I shifted gears. I have felt like anybody in the world can do music, but I wanted to make sure that what I did would be more the nature of what I would personally feel comfortable singing if He (the Savior) were there. So I've realized that for me, if we have callings in life, besides those we are given in the church, if we have personal callings, then mine is to teach not only through words but also through music. I think that's more difficult to do through more contemporary music.

My personal stance is.. I remember an article I read years ago about being careful with your talents and what the Lord has given you that you don't seek for the honors of men. And I never wanted to get too close to the line of doing it for praise and the honors of men. I don't want to become Hollywood. If I wanted to be Hollywood, I'd go to Hollywood and do it. I'm sure it's perfectly fine for other people, and that's great, it just didn't feel right for me.

SheLovesGod: How do you keep from getting conceited or arrogant thinking, "Hey this is me with the talent" versus giving the credit to Heavenly Father for the gift or the talent.

Vickey: Because, you know, I know it's not me. I'm just totally normal, an average Joe Schmoe. I figure that the Lord probably has me doing this because most people figure, "If she can do it, I can do it too." I'm just so... un-remarkable. I realize and recognize along the way that what the Lord does is send us here with the talents and then it's our part to work on it. When we do our part to really work, then he increases the gift. That's the way it works. He's not going to do anything for you that you can do for yourself. And so there are many times when he gives me ideas and things come through the Spirit, and I know that those are things given to me, but then I have to turn around and work like crazy to make them complete. I think I appreciate that work is an eternal principle.

SheLovesGod: Being in a very creative field, how have you felt the influence of the Spirit in teaching and singing?

Vickey: Something that is amazing to me ... and this is a truth... no matter what we say, people hear what we say a little differently. It's almost as if the Spirit speaks directly to people to let them hear the things that they need to hear to help them. It's almost as if I were to speak in English to a group of people who spoke French and the Spirit translated for them into that language, it's almost the same thing that happens. He translates it so personally for those listening that they hear what they need to hear. So that takes the pressure off of me. Because I know if I try my best, and prepare and have Him with me, then He will take care of what they need to learn. Plus, I have never been in a place where I felt like I was in a hostile environment. I always feel like I'm with friends. And so, we're ok, cause we're friends. If I goof, well, that's ok because we're friends.

For me what is so exciting when I stand in front of a group of people, is that something happens. Something literally happens and I feel it. The ideas fly into my brain and illustrations are given to me and there's this energy that comes. It is thrilling and no one could understand it if they haven't been there. Of course, this leans toward what our naturally abilities are. If someone is scared to death to teach or stand in front of a group of people, this would probably never be a fun thing for them. But it is fun for those of us who have been given those abilities. And you know, there are other things that I cannot even imagine doing or wanting to do in my life that other people do very well. But that's what it's all about too -- whatever it is we're given.

Another thing I think is good for us to learn is to let go of those things we're not good at. Not that we should just bag it, but you know we're not good at everything. And I agree with James E. Faust who said, "The older we get, the less judgmental we get, and the more we appreciate everyone's abilities, because we do it together. We get there together." And it's fun to be part of it.

SheLovesGod: How do you deal with creative block?

Vickey: Sometimes I'm there for long periods of time, and I do nothing... just wait. Sometimes, unfortunately, deadlines holler at us...So there have been times when I've had to work hard. Like for My Beloved Christ... I think it's possible I may have used up 5 years of my life doing that album. But it was so sacred in nature and so important, that I felt like it had to be right. And I'm sure that there are many imperfections, but it was as good as I could do then. And I knew I had to do as well as I could do. So I worked really hard for many hours on trying to pull it together. Sometimes there are long stretches of time and I do nothing musically. But I think what feeds the creative fire is that I'm always teaching. So many of my ideas come that way.

SheLovesGod: You have a book called, K.I.S.S.: Gospel Guidelines for Better Relationships. What inspired you to write that book?

Vickey: There had been talk of me doing a book for years, but music just kept getting in the way. It just wasn't time for me to do it. Then a few years back, I had a TIA (a mini stroke) and it really pulled the rug out from under me, and for a period of time I couldn't do much of anything. I had an overwhelming feeling that I should do this. I couldn't travel, but I could sit in front of my computer. I had been asked by Bookcraft to specifically go in the direction of KISS (Kindness, Involvement, Sense of Humor and Service). There's a class I've done for young people for years based on the KISS principle. So I sat down and it just started pouring out of me. It was a very therapeutic thing for me. The timing was perfect. And I always have a need to feel like I'm doing something that counts with my time -- something that matters in the long run. I think the timing was right, because we know it's the Lord's time frame we work in.

My Beloved Christ (CD) Vickey Pahnke and Randy Kartchner finally combine their years of experience to celebrate the many roles Christ plays in our lives: Creator, Shepherd, Friend, Exemplar, Messiah, etc. Moving lyrics and lush, symphonic sound make My Beloved Christ inspirational and compelling.

SheLovesGod: Your album, My Beloved Christ, you said your goal for that was to do something that you could take to the Christian market. How have you been able to get it out there to Christians in general?

Vickey: Before I ever moved out to Salt Lake City, I did a lot of work in other churches, even though people knew I was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes that raises eyebrows), but because I came with music, somehow that made a difference. I performed in their churches and it was a really great experience to watch people respond to the music. So most of what I've done, I've tried to do not just thinking about people who are members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but people who are followers of Christ. Music allows us in a very non-threatening way to say, "Look, this is what we believe." Doing the My Beloved Christ program in places around the country has been the beginning of the cycle of getting it out there.

SheLovesGod: How has your faith grown over the last 15 years as as a performer and teacher?

Vickey: I can see so much difference and I am so very thankful. I know that I would not have studied like I've studied. And I'm in a very different place than I was say 10 years ago. My desire to teach keeps getting greater and greater and greater. And I understand more fully Joseph Smith's comment that, "Once we gain a testimony for ourselves, we're not content just to bless our own. We want to go through the world and bless the entire world." And it's not that I think, "Oh I can bless the world." It's that I have a testimony that I can share, and can give the people the opportunity to learn what I know. To me a testimony keeps growing deeper and deeper and deeper. My testimony has grown because

1. I've done so much more studying so I could teach;
2. The testimony has grown more dear to me as I've gone through the years and mishaps have happened.
3. And I think the older we get the more precious the things that matter most become to us.