I lost my Mother at the age of 2, and growing up, I encountered so much suffering and trials as an orphan. My faith in God and my personal relationship with him have been decisive in my healing process. God used the means of ART, especially Literature and music, to draw me to Him, to console and comfort me, to reassure me HIS Love. He uses lyrics and melodies of some songs, to edify, encourage, counsel, touch me in the depths of my sensitivity and incline my heart in the direction He desires. This is where I got my passion for music from, my desire to use it as an instrument to bring at my turn, HIS message of LOVE, CONSOLATION, TRUTH, and HOPE to people who are marginalized, discriminated, weak, poor, sick, oppressed, vulnerable, in short, souls suffering in any ways.

 

SYNC:  What is the story behind the song? How did the idea start and develop?

 

Gwladys: At the beginning of this year I had a hectic pace of life due to major changes in my family and my own life; I had to run left and right like a rabbit, and I was exhausted. Therefore, with the Corona virus, I was quite happy to be able to limit my activities and rest a bit, but little by little, the confinement started to really annoy and frustrate me. The story of Martha and Mary helped me to fight against these negative feelings and focus on what is essential to me: my spiritual growth and my family. When I was praying about the theme of my song, I received in my spirit to talk about this challenge other hyperactive people may be facing as well.

We need to slow down because:

1) God grants us the grace of rest and resting is important not only for our body, but also for our spirit and our soul.

2) Being alive, in good health is a privilege, a gift of mercy and we shall be grateful to God for that, not only by saying thank you, but also by paying more attention on our lifestyle.

​

"Ralentis (Slow Down)"

(French; English below)

​

Pourquoi  gaspiller la poésie de la vie à souffrir

Distiller son énergie à “essayer” de réussir 

Pourquoi courir sans accalmie, jusqu’à mourir

Etre dans le rush en mode urgence comme une ambulance

 

Ceux qu’on dit pauvres courent après l’argent

Mais les gens riches aussi s’amourachent du cash

Beaucoup courent tous les jours, ne se reposent

S’usent jusqu’à l’overdose, non une pause s’impose,

 

Ralentis, mets le tempo sur zéro, 

Ralentis, prends le temps de “vivre”

Ralentis, Ralentis

 

J’étais clouée sur ce lit, fièvre à la chair

Ma vie en suspension, mais le monde a continué sa ronde

C’est alors que j’ai pris la mesure du mot ralentir

Compris la leçon de vie derrière la tragédie de cette pandémie

 

Une femme, Marie, s’assit aux pieds du Messi, 

Pendant que sa soeur, pleine de rancoeur, en colère et amère, s’affairait dur comme fer

Mais le Maître  lui dit: ‘’Marthe, Marthe, tu t’inquiètes et t’agites pour bien des choses. 

Et pourtant, une seule est necessaire. Marie a choisi la bonne part et elle ne lui sera point ôtée.”

​

Ralentis, mets le tempo sur zéro, 

Ralentis, prends le temps de “vivre”

Ralentis, Ralentis

 

A toi qui te sens dépassé, épuisé en ces temps difficiles

La frustration est peut-être ton pain quotidien, mais sache que

Christ a payé le prix de ta liberté, et t’accordes la grâce du repos

Un repos sans culpabilité, un repos bien mérité

 

Alors, Arrête de courir, mets le tempo sur zéro et Ralentis

Utilise le temps à bon escient pour mieux te connecter à Lui

Passer des moments de qualité avec tes proches

Mon frère, ma soeur, si tu es reconnaissant d’être encore en vie, dis Merci et surtout Ralentis

​

"Ralentis (Slow Down)" English Translation

​

Why waste the poetry of life suffering

Distilling your energy into "trying" to succeed 

Why run without a lull, until you die...

Being in rush, in emergency mode like an ambulance.

 

Those who are said to be poor run after money...

But rich people are also obsessed by cash.

Many are running every day, not resting.

Wear down to overdose, need to take a break,

 

Slow down, set the tempo to zero, 

Slow down, take time to "live".

Slow down, Slow down

 

I was nailed to that bed, my body in pain.

My life in suspension, but the world continued on its round...

That's when I reconsidered the words “Slow down...”

Understood the life lesson behind the tragedy of this pandemic

 

A woman, Mary, sat at the feet of the Messiah, 

While her sister, busy cooking, was upset and angry that she had no help

But the Master said to her: ''Martha, Martha, you are worried and restless about many things. 

And yet, only one is necessary. Mary has chosen the right part, and it will not be taken away from her."

​

Slow down, slow down, set the tempo to zero, 

Slow down, take time to "live".

Slow down, Slow down

 

To you who feel overwhelmed, exhausted in these difficult times...

Frustration may be your daily bread, but know that...

Christ paid the price for your freedom, and grants you the grace of rest...

A rest without guilt, a well-deserved rest...

 

So, stop running, set the tempo to zero and slowdown...

Use time wisely to better connect with Him

To spend quality time with your loved ones

Brother, sister, if you're grateful of still being alive, say thank you and slow down.

​

​

SYNC:  Did you write the song in order to bless or help anyone or any group in particular? If so, who and how?

​

Gwladys: This song is to bless hyperactive people. Those who are always in rush, running repeatedly without taking a time of rest. It will help them by:

-reminding them that God’s want us to be FREE, free from the system of Mammon that impulses us the need to be busy, running after meaningless things.

-encouraging them to slow down without feeling guilty because God’s grants us Rest according to Matthew 11:28          - inviting them to use this special pandemic time, to seek for what is “ESSENTIAL” through the story of Mary and Martha   

​

SYNC:  How does your song fit with the core idea of SYNC, which is that God is working a plan and we are SYNCing our lives with his work?

​

Gwladys:  The song fits with the core idea of SYNC, because he shows that through the current pandemic, God continues to carry out his strategy, which is to show us continuously mercy, and to set us free, to give us true and abundant life and rest, as Christ said: "Come to me, all you who are weary, and I will give you rest".

In the same way that Jesus addressed Martha using a common household situation, the song conveys the idea that he is addressing us at this particular moment of  health crisis, to bring us back to the essential: HIM 

​